Thread: WHY do we resize shotgun Hulls when reloading ?

WHY do we resize shotgun Hulls ....... and please ignore the obvious matter of depriming, which just happens to occur in the same single action of sizing and depriming, because depriming is not what causes me to ask.

If reloading brass likely to be used in a different centre fire rifle from the rifle which has just "fire sized it," then obviously to allow ease of chambering in the different rifle. BUT I am told that if that brass is ONLY EVER to be used in the rifle that just fire sized it, no need to resize as the brass has just been "fire sized" and is now the correct size for chambering in that rifle......For ever until it develops a fault /flaw and is discarded?

OK. So if shotgun hulls are to be reloaded and ONLY EVER used in the shotgun which "fire sized them," why when reloading the hulls, resize the metal bases of the hull as they are already sized for that gun? Again please ignore the obvious matter of depriming which just happens to occur in the same single action of sizing and depriming.

Depriming is not what causes me to ask. What does is that I am having grief with reloading Blue Rio 12 bore with their 3/4 inch high metal bases as they hang in the resizer tube of my MEC 600 junior and despite my best efforts and advice from Brian of Te Puke, no way can I "tweak" the MEC 600 junior to just resize and drop the hull.

Which in a "light bulb moment," caused this stupid boy to ask himself why the hell am I resizing them when they were not going to be used in another gun apart from that which had just "fire sized' them?

Seems to me that what is applicable to 12 bore plastic paper as regards resizing hulls should be no different from resizing centre fired 303 brass if the load is to be fired from the same firearm.....or am I missing something?

Please do tell.

Well I did know a guy with a remington 1100 semi that always a jam-o-matic with reloads if he didnt resize properly.
Back in the early 80s when reloading for 12g was very cost viable.
Mate caught him not going all the way down on the sizing/depriming stroke.
Got told very quickly to not do that
Very little issues after that.
Definitely a mec of some type. Seemed to be a very popular reloader back in the day

smackem with the whackamole FIRST...and see how they go.... I do know shells fired in my old single were tight in the U/O and I believe you on to it...its to make the brass bit go back to size. did you have a look at the steel cases,and Wingmans everlasting .410 thread??? combine the two and you be set for life LOL.

Originally Posted by berg243

i used to have a pacific press and it worked fine with the rio case's . try a little teflon spray on the bases either sprayed or wiped on with a cloth.

Now that I DO LIKE and will try, but still awaiting comments as to the need to resize.

I believe its to make the brass bit go back to spec.....same gun and not a semi or pump,you could pop primer with nail,push new one in,shovel in powder,poke wad in with finger,tip in shot,refold crimp with flat screwdriver and push it shut and shoot stuff with it...I KNOW this as have done it... break open guns are very forgiving.
the whackamole is next level but still primative.
Ive now got a MEC press and still do half the functions manually...eg pour in powder,poke in wad,tip in shot,but its great for popping old primer,putting new one in and the folding up of hulls is awesome,I believe the last station on press is possibly the most important one of all...it sort of squishes everything in right place.

The 600 I think came in 2 models. Obviously you have down the obvious adjust the resizing ring for height etc. There is a ejector bolt part number 72 from memory. That bolt I think attaches to the assembly from the top of the press. It's like a long bolt. U can buy a longer bolt from a hardware place. I think it give more throw on the inner assembly. I've done plenty of things on my mec presses that are probably not factory but make them work well enough. Sure Brian would have suggested the obvious to check first.

Originally Posted by GDMP

If you are using hulls with a very high base (such as the old Win super-x hulls) the single strage MEC presses with the Collet-type resizer work perfectly as they do not slide over the base of the hull like the 600 but rather come in from the side and thus they do not get hung up on the base due to it being too long to let go of.Just look for a used one of those (they often sell very cheap) and your problem is solved....

The Rio's are even higher than the Win super Xand an earlier MEC 600 press I have can cope with them but not the RIO's. I think it is only their progressive press's such as grabber and 9000 which have a collect resizer................apart from the super sizer which I would dearly love to get but have fat chance as Covid is casung havoc with shipments running months behind.

Originally Posted by Quackers

The 600 I think came in 2 models. Obviously you have down the obvious adjust the resizing ring for height etc. There is a ejector bolt part number 72 from memory. That bolt I think attaches to the assembly from the top of the press. It's like a long bolt. U can buy a longer bolt from a hardware place. I think it give more throw on the inner assembly. I've done plenty of things on my mec presses that are probably not factory but make them work well enough. Sure Brian would have suggested the obvious to check first.

Been there, done that spoken with Brian..........but no way can I get either of my 600's to cope with the Rio's....Which brings me back to question in the post, why do we resize hulls if brass casings aren't.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

smackem with the whackamole FIRST...and see how they go.....

No go.....I just end up with the sizing ring locked on the hull and then have to use vise,hammer and energy to separate them.

bugga...was worth a crack.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

bugga...was worth a crack.

..............quite a few heavy cracks in fact.

Originally Posted by GDMP

If you are using hulls with a very high base (such as the old Win super-x hulls) the single strage MEC presses with the Collet-type resizer work perfectly as they do not slide over the base of the hull like the 600 but rather come in from the side and thus they do not get hung up on the base due to it being too long to let go of.Just look for a used one of those (they often sell very cheap) and your problem is solved....

The collet sizer is found on the MEC SizeMaster and Grabber Presses..also there is a separate sizer sold by MEC called a Super Sizer which was partnered I believe with the MEC 650 Progressive Press which did not have any sizing capability included, not even the MEC Jnr Ring Sizing system. A Super Sizer sold on TM recently for $161
https://www.trademe.co.nz/3152674799 The Suoer Sizer is the collet sizer placed into a separate bench mounted unit

The MEC Grabber Press is full progressive and a good one is worth top dollar if you are loading heaps. Quite complex press in some ways and be careful you don't get endless trouble from a worn one. Perhaps the best of all worlds is the MEC SizeMaster which is a multistage like the MEC Jnr but is equipped with the collet style resizer. You can sometimes pick up a rough one for under $100. A good nick one as much as $3-400 being asked. For the best of all worlds the Sizemaster is an excellent choice. If you can get away from tall brass bases the MEC 600 Jr is the most popular MEC for good reason.

The view of MEC is not very reassuring as I have just located this on another site where another fellow is have the same issue.

"....... I contacted MEC and he told me to check and see if the hulls were brass or steel (attracted to a magnet). If they were steel (which they are) I would need a collet resizer to size them............"

that means their Sizemaster or a 9000 series.....if this keeps up I'm going to have to lengthen my reloading workdesk.

Originally Posted by GDMP

Not so.....the single stage MEC sizemaster also has the collet....I picked up a used one that needs a good clean up but nothing more for about $60 a year ago.Just keep your eyes open on tard me for one of these and your problems are over.

Ahhhhhh. I was under the misapprehension that the sizemaster was a progressive........

Since posting last, i remembered that when I bought an old, well used second 600 earlier this year from Brian, it was part of a "multi purchase" and bundled with it was a tin of " bit's 'n bobs", mostly clearly for a MEC press.
Brian had mentioned during our latest conversations about the RIo problem that he may have a longer bolt for the deprimer part which may work and and I, having since fiddled with both of my units deprimers, had come to recognise their parts and suspected that there was a deprimer bolt among the "bits."
Scrabbled around and found that there were two and one was longer than the other and what installed on my press's. So........after fitting the longer bolt and some tinkering, Dsticking huigh rise base Rio's are now no problem.

SO, onto the next project, locate parts to modify one press to reload 2 1/2 inch hulls.

I would still like to receive opinions on why shotgun hulls have to be resized for use in the same gun's chamber but all brass centre fire cases such as 303. 308' etc do not.

maybe because the brass on shotgun hull is so much thinner.....and tolerances are looser,eg a rifle cartridge is held firmer..... pretty sure if you using break open gun you WONT have to worry about it...I didnt with single barrel...3 types...the SxS but with the u/o the top barrel was fine,bottom a bit fussy as they often are.first round in pump was ok,but fed from mag needed good crimp etc.