Shotgun Dummy Rounds

View · by **Bessy** on Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:11 pm

Hey guys,

I've been loading shotgun dummies rounds for awhile. I use them specifically to practice reloads for 3-gun. My problem is that they don't seem to last very long, specifically the crimped ends tend to open up after a few practice loading sessions.

Here is how I load my dummies.

1. I use 1oz loads, with an appropriate wad.
2. I place of powder I've been using walnut or corncob media.
3. After Crimping I use epoxy to help seal the crimped end and prevent them from opening up.

After a while the epoxy seem to get brittle and break of.

Any one have any thoughts or idea on how I could better seal up my crimps to get a little better life out of my dummy rounds? I

View · by JJ on Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:14 pm

Epoxy in the shot charge, instead of outside?

Thais should adhere the whole charge to the case walls, as well as help hold the crimp back.

View · by **cobb** on Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:20 pm

Buy factory?
http://www.letargets.com/content/st-12- ... -round.asp

View · by **Bessy** on Tue Jan 13, 2015 3:05 pm

cobb wrote:Buy factory?
http://www.letargets.com/content/st-12- ... -round.asp

The weight on those is really really wrong, and from what I've seen they fall apart even faster then my dummies. I go through these suckers with some regularity.. so paying a buck a piece is probably not a good idea.

View · by **Bessy** on Tue Jan 13, 2015 3:08 pm

JJ wrote:Epoxy in the shot charge, instead of outside?

Thais should adhere the whole charge to the case walls, as well as help hold the crimp back.

Yeah not a bad idea. Initially I attempted to super glue the crimp prior to running through the crimping station (Epoxy was to thick). Throwing some epoxy on top of the shot charge is probably a better idea.

View · by **grimbeaver** on Tue Jan 13, 2015 4:29 pm

Really random suggestion. Melt the crimp together with a soldering iron?

View · by **shooter115** on Tue Jan 13, 2015 5:06 pm

Bessy wrote:
JJ wrote:Epoxy in the shot charge, instead of outside?

Thais should adhere the whole charge to the case walls, as well as help hold the crimp back.

Yeah not a bad idea. Initially I attempted to super glue the crimp prior to running through the crimping station (Epoxy was to thick). Throwing some epoxy on top of the shot charge is probably a better idea.

I'd just be worried about the epoxy going up into your crimping station.....that would be a sticky mess.

View · by **cobb** on Tue Jan 13, 2015 5:15 pm

Would it be possible to make a plug out of wood the correct internal diameter of a shell and thick enough that it could be slid in and glued both at it's circumference and also glue the crimp down to it. Maybe epoxy or something else would work better than glue. Then with small holes or grooves in the plug so that the adhesive has an edge to grip to. This would allow you to add the weight you want, yet the wood plug would support the crimped area of the shell which is taking the beating.

Just a thought, probably wouldn't even work, don't know.

View · by **linksep** on Tue Jan 13, 2015 6:21 pm

Ideas:

1) Wax slugs (see youtube, or as JJ mentioned epoxy slugs). My thought is wax (or epoxy) would grip the hull and evenly distribute impact of shot against the crimp when it finally lets go of the hull.
2) Lead slug turned backwards (also possibly epoxied to hull). Similar to above regarding distributed force on the crimp (but slug would mostly move force to outside edge of crimp--where there is less leverage to open the crimp.
3) Weld your crimp (as grimbeaver mentioned). You could use pencil torch, soldering iron, hot nail, whatever. Also you could possibly use pieces of another hull as filler material to really weld it solid.
4) I think this might be what Cobb is thinking: http://www.craftparts.com/wood-circle-disc-p-1865.html 3/4"x1/8" wood disks. CHEAP! Again, you could slather it in epoxy then crimp and hopefully it would hold the crimp together as well as distribute the impact forces.

View · by **Bessy** on Wed Jan 14, 2015 11:48 am

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, Lots of stuff to try out here. I'll make up some test rounds and let you folks know.

~Greg.

View · by **farmerj** on Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:13 pm

Seal it with a hot glue gun.

Need something that will be flexible. Right idea, wrong material.

View · by **Mauser98** on Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:01 pm

How about a wood dowel of the right diameter and length. Drill some holes in the side of the dowel to add shot/sinkers to get the correct weight.

Insert the weighted dowel into the hull and then use a small screw thru the primer pocket into the dowel on the head side, and then after crimping the hull, using another screw thru the crimp into the other side of the dowel. The screws hold the dowel stable in the hull, and also keep the crimp from opening up.

No messy adhesives and a solid hold on the crimp. You could adjust where along the dowel you put the weights to replicate the balance of a live round possibly.

View · by **Xscream** on Fri Jan 16, 2015 9:49 am

What hulls are you using? I've had really good luck with Remington STS. AA's and some others don't seem to hold up nearly as long.

View · by **farmerj** on Fri Jan 16, 2015 9:51 am

Xscream wrote:What hulls are you using? I've had really good luck with Remington STS. AA's and some others don't seem to hold up nearly as long.

New AA hulls are crap compared to the older ones. That change happened 15 years ago.