I searched the forum here but could not find any info on reloading 1 3/4 shotshells. I purchased some Challenger 12ga 1 3/4 Super Shortshells. They are 5/8 oz of 7 1/2 shot, 1200 FPS. I was wondering if anyone has tried reloading these. Any info on wads, etc. and converting a reloading press to load these would be appreciated. Thanks in advance! Regards, Bob
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Reloading Challenger 1 3/4 shortshells
Smithy47
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I searched the forum here but could not find any info on reloading 1 3/4 shotshells. I purchased some Challenger 12ga 1 3/4 Super Shortshells. They are 5/8 oz of 7 1/2 shot, 1200 FPS. I was wondering if anyone has tried reloading these. Any info on wads, etc. and converting a reloading press to load these would be appreciated. Thanks in advance! Regards, Bob
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I got on a kick several years ago when the first shortened shells came on the market. Back then I knew nothing about them other than they were marketing for home defense allowing you to get seven of them in a standard 5 shot tube mag found on a pump or auto loader. Through trial and error I made some from scratch with buck shot that would cycle. I had to modify an old single stage press in order to do it and had to use wads made for magnum loads with the petals cut shorter to get a workable stack height. I took more time then I probably should have spent on it but sometimes when I get something in my head I won't quit until I have succeeded. Good luck with that project
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One of my now deceased old shooting buddies used to make short shells with AA and STS hulls cut off and roll crimped.
I still have a couple of them but I'm not cutting them up. I keep them to remember Ken. I know that he used cardboard wads to separate components but not much else. Good luck.
I still have a couple of them but I'm not cutting them up. I keep them to remember Ken. I know that he used cardboard wads to separate components but not much else. Good luck.
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Skeet_man, no, just playing around with something new. Retired with a lot of time on my hands. I already shoot 12ga, 3/4 oz loads . They are the best skeet loads I ever shot, low recoil and blows the birds up. I had a opportunity to purchase the 1 1/2" shells to try them. I found some info on UTube about them. The first one is reloading them, the second one was demonstrating that they can break birds out to 60 yards. Regards, Bob
Reloading 1 ¾ shot shells on utube
Shooting 1 ¾ shot shells
Reloading 1 ¾ shot shells on utube
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That would be a kick to try a box or two of them. Bet its fun, with light recoil. I just did a google search, pretty pricey though.
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Well, I cannot find much info on reloading these shells. I disassembled one. There is no wad, the shot is up against the hull wall. I found the gas seal. It is from Ballistic Products shown in the pic. What I cannot find out is the powder used. It is not Green Dot or IMR Green. It is 11.5 grains of big green flake powder with some small tan flakes mixed in. Anyone know what this is by looking at the pic? Thanks in advance! Regards, Bob
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from the appearance my guess is that it is made by Nobel Sport, one of their Vectan line of powders. But we can investigate further. This is a great resource -- the national center for forensic science has documented a lot of different smokeless powders. go here:
National Center for Forensic Science
then click on the "search database" tab, and "search by physical description"
shape is "disc"
color is "green"
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only two results come up, both from Vectan which matches what I was saying about appearance.
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they even have close up pics! these are from a microscope -- at normal view the vectan powder looks just like your pic
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However both 206V and D20 are straight green, without the tan flakes. so it's probably a custom mix from Vectan. Can we use the regular commercial product from Vectan? Let's look at load data
206V is advertised as "Single based disc green powder, intended for shotshell applications. Used in 12ga 1oz loads."
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the load data shows pretty low pressures. this might be a good powder for old shotguns. i'm not an expert at creating loads, but this seems like the pressure would be too low for at 11.5 grains.
D20 is advertised as "Single based disc powder, intended for shotshell applications. Currently being tested with 1 oz. and 1-1/8 oz. 12ga lead loads". so at first glance it seems like it may not be a fit since it appears to be the powder for heavier (not lighter) loads. but the load data shows more flexibility. In addition to 1 oz, and 1 1/8 oz 12g loads there is load data for 16g and 20g applications.
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My "guess" is that D20 might be a better match. look at the data for 20gauge , 7/8 oz, 15.7g of powder at 10,500 psi. as you measured in your loads 11.5g might give an acceptable pressure level for the short shells.
This is purely a guess on my part. Be sure to have your loads professionally tested! good luck!
National Center for Forensic Science
then click on the "search database" tab, and "search by physical description"
shape is "disc"
color is "green"
only two results come up, both from Vectan which matches what I was saying about appearance.
they even have close up pics! these are from a microscope -- at normal view the vectan powder looks just like your pic
However both 206V and D20 are straight green, without the tan flakes. so it's probably a custom mix from Vectan. Can we use the regular commercial product from Vectan? Let's look at load data
206V is advertised as "Single based disc green powder, intended for shotshell applications. Used in 12ga 1oz loads."
the load data shows pretty low pressures. this might be a good powder for old shotguns. i'm not an expert at creating loads, but this seems like the pressure would be too low for at 11.5 grains.
D20 is advertised as "Single based disc powder, intended for shotshell applications. Currently being tested with 1 oz. and 1-1/8 oz. 12ga lead loads". so at first glance it seems like it may not be a fit since it appears to be the powder for heavier (not lighter) loads. but the load data shows more flexibility. In addition to 1 oz, and 1 1/8 oz 12g loads there is load data for 16g and 20g applications.
My "guess" is that D20 might be a better match. look at the data for 20gauge , 7/8 oz, 15.7g of powder at 10,500 psi. as you measured in your loads 11.5g might give an acceptable pressure level for the short shells.
This is purely a guess on my part. Be sure to have your loads professionally tested! good luck!
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Sounds like a great way to blow up a gun, just pulling loads out of thin air...
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In a 1 3/4" case?
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