16ga.com ~ View topic

Having trouble finding 2 1/2" Cheddite hulls.

I do remember reading on one the forums of some unique methods of trimming the 2 3/4ers down to 2 1/2.

Any suggestions?

Member Joined: 02 Sep 2010 Posts: 829 Location: SW Ohio

Get byrdog's hull trimmer. Works in an elec drill and works great.
pm him and he will get you pricing.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2350 Location: West MI

If not high volume, this is inexpensive to make and works fine, PVC pipe and exacto blade;

[IMG]http://i1350.photobucket.com/albums/p780/mobrik/2014-01-06142530_zps73269047.jpg[/IMG]

Need to consult a photo-post guru soon to get this posting thing figured out.

This works.

A wooden dowel rod with a exacto knife blade pushed up through a hole drilled in the rod. Add a screw to the end to be able to cut different length hulls. Put it in a vice and go at it.

Member Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 450 Location: Indiana

I have a 2" piece of channel iron that o mount a dremel in to cut my hulls with. Very easy to set up and cuts hulls quick and accurate. You change the length by moving the dremel foward or back.. if anyone is interested I can email them a pic..

Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 603 Location: Victoria BC Canada

Currently I use sections of PVC pipe cut to length and a box cutter. It works great for 12 gauge, but it is a challenge to find pipe to accept 16 gauge. I did buy an elbow fitting and it works.

Old 16; I am interested in your setup. I think I can visualize it but photos would help. PM me and I'll send my email address.

Member Joined: 08 Jul 2013 Posts: 325

They don't seem to be very popular in the forums, but I bought BPI's Shell Trimmer.

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/PRODUCT-TITLE/productinfo/TRIM/16GA/

A little overpriced, but it works well.

By the way, I trim to 65mm and fold crimp with a MEC short kit. I see no need to roll crimp 1 oz loads.

Joined: 10 Feb 2011 Posts: 217 Location: Pacific Northwest

Or you could try this. A box at a time on the table saw or band saw.

I was suprised at how well this works. Cut a wood block as wide as you want the shells long, drill 3/4" holes with a Fostner bit, hinge a backing strip on the block to hold the shells in place, and slide it across the saw (with some feather board support).

Simple. Once the jig is built, it takes about a minute to do a full box of hulls.

Joined: 07 Jan 2014 Posts: 5 Location: United States

since 2 1/2 cheddite hulls are pretty tough to find right now.
is there anything wrong with buying 2 3/4 and cutting them down to 2 1/2? I ask because a friend far more knowledgeable than my self said this is a no no.

Thanks,

Sal

Joined: 10 Feb 2011 Posts: 217 Location: Pacific Northwest

If you roll crimp, no need to skivvy.

I haven't had to trim 16 yet, but I have one of byrdog's and Doggai's trimmers which will work fine. Here's what I use on 20 gauge shells. It can be adapted for larger gauges with larger dowels:
I use a 5/8” hardwood dowel that fits snugly in a 20 gauge shell. On an uncut shell, bottom the dowel out. Scribe a line around the mouth on the dowel. Remove dowel. Measure amount to be trimmed from end of shell. Scribe a line beneath the first line, drill a hole in the second line big enough to snug down the point of an exacto knife blade. Photos illustrate use. One hand holds the dowel with thumb pressing on blade to hold it in hole and other hand turns dowel until it bottoms out. Some use a screw in the bottom of the dowel to vary height. Before crimping, I like about .25" of shell from the top of the osc to the mouth.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2350 Location: West MI

This is the photo I was hoping to post originally. Good luck...

I use a band saw for my trimming.
I use a spacer clamped to the table so the rim doesn't angle the hull.
Works perfect for any gauge , brass or plastic! Very Happy

These are Federal tens I was cutting down
Cat
[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/catnthehat/media/loading%20shotshells%20%20by%20hand/103_zps63d41d2a.jpg.html]

[/URL]

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

I use the dowel and exacto blade method also. I chuck it into my lathe. Trimmed about 550 cases last week in a little over an hour.

Matt