Pennies and corn

Paul Harm · 05-20-2011, 10:53 AM

A friend uses corn for filler on a light load. On Mec 650's a penny or dime can be placed under the rod on the primer station to help seat primers. Sometimes a penny is too thick causing the primer to stick up above the bushing and a dime must be used. Paul

charlie cleveland · 05-20-2011, 07:43 PM

paul thats a good tip...you can use corn cherios toilet paper those foam peanuts...wander what else we could use as filler wads...... charlie

Keith Parrish · 05-22-2011, 08:46 PM

I got tired of having to drop a pinch of shot in the top of my shells because the bar is dropping lighter than should so I'm going to go with puffed wheat the generic brand. over the top.

I also have been told when the shot is above the wad's fingers this can wear down a barrel. and with the 1 oz wads i'm using when I add a pinch of shot to get a better crimp It does bring the shot just above the top of the wad fingers. So all in all I'm going to have to find a good filler for the top of my shells and one that brings a good looking crimp.
Anyone experience this delima????

ch · 05-22-2011, 11:18 PM

They cost a little but Craig Smith could sell you some cards that would fit right in your shot cup. Circle Fly Wads.com he's a heck of a nice and helpful fellow. ch

Keith Parrish · 05-22-2011, 11:59 PM

THANKS!!
I have enquired info from circlefly.com today and am waiting for a recomendation.

Sure feels good firing my own shells they are doing great at 30yard and even better at 50. ready for the quail shoot which is coming up soon.

J.B. Books · 05-23-2011, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith Parrish

I also have been told when the shot is above the wad's fingers this can wear down a barrel.

You couldn't possibly shoot enough shells (lead shot) in your lifetime to have any measurable effect on the barrel wall thickness. Cleaning the barrels with a brass brush would be more abrasive than shooting it. The internal parts of the receiver will be trashed from use long before there is any neglible wear to the bore.

Too much of any kind of filler on top of a shot column can have the potentially unwanted effect of opening or blowing a pattern.

Keith Parrish · 05-23-2011, 08:51 PM

J.B.

So I take it you are saying it would best to place my filler in the bottom of the shot cup in the wad?? This makes more sense allowing nothing on top of the shot to interfere with the pattern.

Paul Harm · 05-24-2011, 12:08 PM

Yes - not too much on top. You can make the hole in the bar for shot a little bigger with a file or Dremel tool. I've gone to adjustable bars on all my reloaders - it's so easy to get what you want without having to change bars. Right now my 12ga load for shot is between 3/4 and 7/8oz. Was looking for 3/4 but the crimp was too deep with a hole in it, so turned the knob a bit and in went a little more shot. When shooting brass shells I tried a thick [ .060 instead of the standard .028 ] overshot wad. It had a big hole in the center of the pattern. That was just my load - I believe others have used a thick O.S. wad with no problems. But if I was useing a thick wad I'd pattern the load before too many were made. Paul

Bill Murphy · 05-24-2011, 12:13 PM

Yup, we shot unprotected shot in our barrels by the tens of thousands before the advent of shot protecting wads and no damage was ever detected. As for the end of the shot charge you want your filler, I prefer the front for convenience and have no suspicion that my patterns will be affected. There were wads over the shot in factory loads forever, and there are over shot wads in factory loads today. These wads do not affect pattern density or regularity.

Keith Parrish · 05-24-2011, 09:22 PM

so over the shot it's gona be.

that corn sounds great maybe I could get my Dad to send me some of those chunky grits from south GA they have the chunky kind that would sprinkle right over the shot and be a great filler should the corn work then I could have a nice meal while loading em up. I'll call em my "cheese grit shots". I have heard about the adjustable charge bar but mixed reviews. If I got it for the right price what the heck I would have to give it a try. I like the Idea of being able to change the shot weight and the bushing can be changed in one bar.

Thank you guys!!!