Thread: Re loading Rio Mini Magnum #3 hulls.

I have a goodly quantity of the Rio Mini Magnum hull's and noted that the outer cardboard pack bears the warning.

" Not suitable for reloading"


Fair enough, but is that a fact of life and death or an example of commercial marketing and bean counter arse covering?

For example, had i recovered the hull from the range after it had been fired and discarded by another, I would have no reason to question about reloading, only decide on appearance.

I append an image of a once fired hull and despite having scrutinised it with an intense scrute :>) can find no cause for the warning . The only change is an ejector mark which is insignificant on the brass.

Opinions please on reloading the hulls. Thank You.

Someone with far more experience shotshell reloading may know different but ' not suitable for reloading' could just be arse covering or it may be that the carefully developed combination of shell, wad and powder with specific shot load can't be safely duplicated outside the factory.
Most shotshells have a brassy plated steel head rather than brass. originally at least, steel headed shotshells were not designed for reloading. Does a magnet stick to it? Some auto loaders with fairly generous chambers expand the head a lot and you might find re sizing steel to that degree difficult, possibly needing a 'size master 'type of press. In all I'd suggest that you would be far better off with shells intended to be reloaded.

I have reloaded the type of cases you have on hand, Chedite-type, with parallel ribbed walls. I used wads designed for Winchester AA compression formed, tapered wall cases, and did not have any problems. However, the Chedite plastic seems more brittle and thinner when compared to the Winchester AA cf cases. So, I would not expect to get as many reloads from the Chedite cases. If I was going to use a significant number of Chedite cases I would have bought the correct wads for parallel sided cases, to avoid the potential problem of powder migrating past the wad.

thank you for responding.

Someone with far more experience shotshell reloading may know different but ' not suitable for reloading' could just be arse covering or it may be that the carefully developed combination of shell, wad and powder with specific shot load can't be safely duplicated outside the factory.


Agreed, which is why I am asking.


Most shotshells have a brassy plated steel head rather than brass. originally at least, steel headed shotshells were not designed for reloading. Does a magnet stick to it?

Yes, very strongly :>) but steel isn't a problem in many different hulls.

Some auto loaders with fairly generous chambers expand the head a lot and you might find re sizing steel to that degree difficult,


Good point, but a MEC 600 jnr deprimed and resized the metal OK.

In all I'd suggest that you would be far better off with shells intended to be reloaded.

A fair comment, but how many cardboard packs of shotshells have a statement on them saying they are OK for reloading? I ain't. seen one yet. :>)
I did not buy them for reloading, I bought them for "working in a new semi auto which required a heavy load. BUT having used them for the job and lying around, it is a meaningful question to raise. Even if reloaded with a lighter load for another gun.

I have reloaded the type of cases you have on hand, Chedite-type, with parallel ribbed walls.

Thank you for responding.


I used wads designed for Winchester AA compression formed, tapered wall cases, and did not have any problems. However, the Chedite plastic seems more brittle and thinner when compared to the Winchester AA cf cases. So, I would not expect to get as many reloads from the Chedite cases.

A valid expectation. As mentioned below, they were bought for a specific job and have done it. The matter of reloading was not the main intention but now that I have "lotsa" empty hulls..............



If I was going to use a significant number of Chedite cases I would have bought the correct wads for parallel sided cases, to avoid the potential problem of powder migrating past the wad


I was intending to use Winchester WAA12 wads as I have a goodly quantity of them Sadly I can not find any mention in their specss as to use in parallel or non parallel sided hulls.. So will just have to try I suppose.

Originally Posted by berg243

reloaded all sorts of plastic shot shells even the crap chinese ones using win aa wads but my load was not a max load. used to reload till we could se halfway down the shot cup then they where fire and forget through the remmy 1100 and 1187. just use a bulky grain powder mine was vectan as. never had a misfire or failure to eject.

Thank you for your reply.

Being reloaded, I have no intentions at this time to reload to the original cartridge specs as the need for that no longer exists.
So lighter loads will be the order of the day.
Powder will be what I have as the chances of getting any powder is reducing by the day. So it's AP 70n and /or it's replacement APS 950.

Originally Posted by hamsav

I have some older same shells ( like 20 years old ) and there is nothing on my boxes re not reloadable.

Interesting...I wonder if the "construction" of the hull was different "way back then."?

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

If you look inside them, there will be a plastic plug which wedges the case walls into the brass. Reloadable cases are one piece and molded into the brass. There is a possibility the plug can dislodge and cause a barrel obstruction..

OOoooooooh Nasty. But sounds logical. I have had a squizz down "the 'ole" but ain't much wiser.

Tomorrow I will take a reciprocating saw to it and to a vertical, top to bottom separation into two halves. Will also halve some others so as to get a "general understanding of their construction.

As an afterthought, surely the risk of the "dislodge" of which you speak, could occur at the time of the first firing?

Originally Posted by hamsav

This plastic plug you speak of is called the base wad and has been widely used . I have a Lyman shotshell reloading book which give many different loads for different shells , lot of this type of shell......... . If your serious about fucking about in the "reloading suite " a copy of Lymans shotshell reloading manual is a damn good read.

What Ho,

First, many thanks for your post.

Secondly, the "plastic plug you speak of" is actually spoken of by another kind member responding to my query and thirdly, I also have a copy of Lymans's 5 th edition " Shotshell Reloading Handbook, ."along with a foot or so, of bookshelf space filled with volumes all claiming to be the "meaning of life, the universe and everything," for the reloading world.

Being "A bear of very little Brain" in this strange new world, to me of reloading, I read other's posts, buy (hopefully) tomes of knowledge, which if I do not understand, (on the hour, every hour") about which, I ask questions.

Perhaps, perhaps, I may the find holy grail.........If so, I shall invite you around for us both to quaff from it until the cask is empty.

if you charging case with smelly,dirty black stuff....pressure wont be an issue from what Ive seen....modern stuff,best to stick to manuals recipe as close as you can....I did lots of "experimenting" with the wee 410 and never ran into trouble... in a break open gun you have fair leeway IN MY OPINION.... any force going backwards is into a flat surface,so its EASIER to push out the barrel instead.....a semi of pump.....not so much and they fussy huas ,if your crimp or sizing is off they fail to load...with break open you can get away with all sorts of sins.... the u/o is fussier than a SxS....