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DIY 45 ACP Shotshells
Howdy folks,
A little while ago, I came across the youtube videos about making shotshells out of 308 brass. Rather than buy the RCBS specialty dies, I followed the 'use 41 magnum' die approach. Mainly, because I'm cheap.
These will come in handy because I've got a bit of a critter problem on my property here up in the hills.
After some experimenting, I got it figured out and working. There are a few gotchas, the youtube vid leaves out a few tiny bits, that I'll be sharing below.
For those that haven't seen it, here's the original youtube videos.
(Using the specialty dies)
(Using the 41 Magnum & 45 ACP dies)
The result I ended up with uses a combination of these methods.
It occurred to me that others may want to play with these, so I figured I'd put up a thread.
I've modified a squirrel-daddy jig that I use for chopping down 5.56 to 300 Blackout... so I can crank out chopped 308 no problem.
Since I have the 41 magnum dies already, and also an extra set of 45 ACP dies, (and I'm lazy), I set up a toolhead specifically for prepping the brass.
Also, I made a jig for cutting down the 410 wads.
Here's the steps as I've gone through them:
- Chop a piece of brass down to approx. 1.190 inches
- Debur and Chamfer
- Decap
- Swage primer pocket (used military brass)
- Set up the "prepping" toolhead
- Size with 45 ACP sizing die
- Size with 41 magnum seating die
- Size with 41 magnum sizing die
- Change to the "loading" toolhead
- Tumble clean all of the lube off (stainless steel & dawn)
- Cut down a wad to .75 inches
- Prime the brass
- throw a charge (more on this later)
- Get the wad started in the brass
- Tap the brass to level out the powder
- Seat the wad (I use a 45 ACP seating die with the primer pin turned around)
- Fill with shot
- Set top wad on top
- Crimp the top (using 45 ACP bullet seating die, slightly modified)
These seem to hold approximately 90 grains of #9 shot (plus the cut down 4-10 wad that weighs about 7.5 grains). It takes a little bit of hit and miss to work out a load that's hot enough to cycle the action, but I've had pretty good luck with shooting these in my 1911, G21, M&P 45, & P220. In the 1911, there is a really tight fit between the front edge of the round and the slide lock lever's nub. If not crimped enough, or if the case is too long, it can hit and not feed right.
The tweaks needed:
The main thing that the videos don't show, is a problem using the 45 ACP seating die for crimping. It's true that the rounded seating insert will work fine, but the maker of the video obviously forgot to mention that he modified his slightly. I ran into this.
Here's a close-up of the insert in a Lee 45 bullet seating die:
** Notice there's a small flat rim on the edge. This lines up just right with the edge of the brass, and if you try to crimp it, the neck will just crumple.
In order to crimp these... you need to slightly modify the insert. This is easy, and takes about 2 minutes using a Dremel and a cone-shaped grinding stone. Basically, just remove the rim. It will not affect the use of this die for regular 45 seating.
Here's a closeup of mine after a quick mod. After removing the rim, it works just fine.
*** NOTE *** You cannot crimp without doing this!
For top-wads, I used some clear PETG plastic sheet that I often use to make templates when wood-working. The clear top-wad lets you see what kind of shot is loaded inside, which is pretty neat. I punched out a bunch using a metal whole punch (3/8ths) from harbor freight that I use to knock out the centers of coins when I make rings.
Getting the wad started is a tight fit. It barely fits, and you have to kind of use your thumbnail to get the edge all the way into the lip of the case. Once started, you can tap it down with a dowel and something (plastic hammer)... or use the 45 sizing die with the pin in upside down. (if you don't turn it around, it will punch a hole in the wad.)
You'll have to get it adjusted to not over-compress of course.
The patterning from these surprised me... roughly 8 inches at 5 yards from a 1911.
I've heard that some people will seal the top wad with a little glue. I haven't experimented with this. YMMV.
Work up your own loads for sure... never trust load data from the inter webs. I did find the load from the video (4.5 gr of 700x) to be too weak to cycle the action on anything.
So... I got to thinking... since I've gotten the system figured out, bought a giant bag of 410 wads (that I only need a hundred or so of), got the jigs and toolheads dialed in... would anyone like to buy small batches of ready-to-go brass + wads + shot?
If so.. all you need is your 45 dies, and to make the small mod to your seating plug. That's it.
Your steps would be:
- Prime brass
- Throw powder charge
- Seat wad
- Fill with shot
- Place top wad
- Crimp
Let me know if there's interest, and I'll knock out a bunch for people. The brass I'm using is LC 308 military blanks (same thick brass as normal military 308, but without the karmic cringe from chopping a perfectly good piece of 308). I'll go 30 cents a "round" for brass + wads + shot, and will throw in 5 extra of everything so you can get your dies dialed in and such (and whatever it costs to ship).
I figure folks might want to make a few dozen without having to go through all the fuss.
A little while ago, I came across the youtube videos about making shotshells out of 308 brass. Rather than buy the RCBS specialty dies, I followed the 'use 41 magnum' die approach. Mainly, because I'm cheap.
These will come in handy because I've got a bit of a critter problem on my property here up in the hills.
After some experimenting, I got it figured out and working. There are a few gotchas, the youtube vid leaves out a few tiny bits, that I'll be sharing below.
For those that haven't seen it, here's the original youtube videos.
(Using the specialty dies)
(Using the 41 Magnum & 45 ACP dies)
The result I ended up with uses a combination of these methods.
It occurred to me that others may want to play with these, so I figured I'd put up a thread.
I've modified a squirrel-daddy jig that I use for chopping down 5.56 to 300 Blackout... so I can crank out chopped 308 no problem.
Since I have the 41 magnum dies already, and also an extra set of 45 ACP dies, (and I'm lazy), I set up a toolhead specifically for prepping the brass.
Also, I made a jig for cutting down the 410 wads.
Here's the steps as I've gone through them:
- Chop a piece of brass down to approx. 1.190 inches
- Debur and Chamfer
- Decap
- Swage primer pocket (used military brass)
- Set up the "prepping" toolhead
- Size with 45 ACP sizing die
- Size with 41 magnum seating die
- Size with 41 magnum sizing die
- Change to the "loading" toolhead
- Tumble clean all of the lube off (stainless steel & dawn)
- Cut down a wad to .75 inches
- Prime the brass
- throw a charge (more on this later)
- Get the wad started in the brass
- Tap the brass to level out the powder
- Seat the wad (I use a 45 ACP seating die with the primer pin turned around)
- Fill with shot
- Set top wad on top
- Crimp the top (using 45 ACP bullet seating die, slightly modified)
These seem to hold approximately 90 grains of #9 shot (plus the cut down 4-10 wad that weighs about 7.5 grains). It takes a little bit of hit and miss to work out a load that's hot enough to cycle the action, but I've had pretty good luck with shooting these in my 1911, G21, M&P 45, & P220. In the 1911, there is a really tight fit between the front edge of the round and the slide lock lever's nub. If not crimped enough, or if the case is too long, it can hit and not feed right.
The tweaks needed:
The main thing that the videos don't show, is a problem using the 45 ACP seating die for crimping. It's true that the rounded seating insert will work fine, but the maker of the video obviously forgot to mention that he modified his slightly. I ran into this.
Here's a close-up of the insert in a Lee 45 bullet seating die:
** Notice there's a small flat rim on the edge. This lines up just right with the edge of the brass, and if you try to crimp it, the neck will just crumple.
In order to crimp these... you need to slightly modify the insert. This is easy, and takes about 2 minutes using a Dremel and a cone-shaped grinding stone. Basically, just remove the rim. It will not affect the use of this die for regular 45 seating.
Here's a closeup of mine after a quick mod. After removing the rim, it works just fine.
*** NOTE *** You cannot crimp without doing this!
For top-wads, I used some clear PETG plastic sheet that I often use to make templates when wood-working. The clear top-wad lets you see what kind of shot is loaded inside, which is pretty neat. I punched out a bunch using a metal whole punch (3/8ths) from harbor freight that I use to knock out the centers of coins when I make rings.
Getting the wad started is a tight fit. It barely fits, and you have to kind of use your thumbnail to get the edge all the way into the lip of the case. Once started, you can tap it down with a dowel and something (plastic hammer)... or use the 45 sizing die with the pin in upside down. (if you don't turn it around, it will punch a hole in the wad.)
You'll have to get it adjusted to not over-compress of course.
The patterning from these surprised me... roughly 8 inches at 5 yards from a 1911.
I've heard that some people will seal the top wad with a little glue. I haven't experimented with this. YMMV.
Work up your own loads for sure... never trust load data from the inter webs. I did find the load from the video (4.5 gr of 700x) to be too weak to cycle the action on anything.
So... I got to thinking... since I've gotten the system figured out, bought a giant bag of 410 wads (that I only need a hundred or so of), got the jigs and toolheads dialed in... would anyone like to buy small batches of ready-to-go brass + wads + shot?
If so.. all you need is your 45 dies, and to make the small mod to your seating plug. That's it.
Your steps would be:
- Prime brass
- Throw powder charge
- Seat wad
- Fill with shot
- Place top wad
- Crimp
Let me know if there's interest, and I'll knock out a bunch for people. The brass I'm using is LC 308 military blanks (same thick brass as normal military 308, but without the karmic cringe from chopping a perfectly good piece of 308). I'll go 30 cents a "round" for brass + wads + shot, and will throw in 5 extra of everything so you can get your dies dialed in and such (and whatever it costs to ship).
I figure folks might want to make a few dozen without having to go through all the fuss.
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