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i use 24g cheddite shotgun shells,(for .60 round ball) all loaded by thumb pressure only, i only use mechanical reloading for brass shells, with minnie's

Yes, the 24 gauge shotshell hull method is one I will be tyring soon.

What of my Bertram brass shells that are a 'tight push' into the chamber? I am aware that rifle case necks need physical space to expand on firing to keep the pressures safe. But this round ball is in there with the gentlest, almost non-existent crimp. Will it be safe or should I use the sizing die to squeeze it down a couple of thou' ? (with RB in place)?

Appreciate the help guys.

Snidey577 Just a observation I don't know any thing about Sniders but you have asked the same question at least three times now and I don't think any body has answered you. So be care full my friend if you are not sure don't shoot it.

Personally I'd reassemble them as you don't know why it is tight as you don't know your chamber dimensions, I suspect it is because of the flare cause by the seating depth of the ball but you don't know that.

Putting it through the sizing die would size down the ball and defeat the purpose of using a large diameter projectile.

You really need to take chamber cast, even a wax one would be better than nothing, have a look in the library here for directions.

Did you make up a dummy round to try for fit before before loading for real?.

If not then do so now and experiment with seating depth to see what you need to do to get the fit.

Did you just take someone else's experience/instruction from the internet?

If so learn the lesson you appear to have had half a story.

I believe that with these types of guns you really need to know the chamber/throat/groove/bore dimensions of the gun in question before you can even think of beginning to assemble successful ammunition.

Good groundwork and preparation is the key to getting functioning ammunition.

ovenpaa wrote:Dromia, could you explain the term 'breech seating'?

Breech seating is a loading technique much beloved by Schuetzen shooters, where by the boolit is hand seated into the rifling and then a case with the powder is inserted into the chamber behind it.

The booit is usually seated from a seating case which has a rod coming out through a hole in the base of the cartridge. The seating case with boolit is chambered and the boolit is then pushed into the lands and the chambering case removed and a loaded case inserted behind the boolit, breech closed and the round fired.

It is a very accurate way of loading and it only requires one case.

I thoroughly enjoy breech seating for off hand shooting at the bench as it is so relaxing, schuetzen matches are usually shot a 200 yards off hand.

Thank you for explaining that, do you have any pictures to explain the process further?

I've put this article up in the Library here: http://www.full-bore.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=10797

I've actually been breech seating my '03 Springfield over the past few days experimenting with boolits from a Harry Pope design mould I've got. Great fun great accuracy.

Dromia, many thanks for that.

Alpha1 wrote:Snidey577 Just a observation I don't know any thing about Sniders but you have asked the same question at least three times now and I don't think any body has answered you. So be care full my friend if you are not sure don't shoot it.

Yes, I see it now. too mucho Enthusiasm, not being pushy

Thanks for the tips guys re using wax to make a measure.

Read the library article for the pros and cons.