16ga.com ~ View topic

Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 1553 Location: Western WA

Sombody please advise on quickest/cleanest method to disassemble reloads.

Why? Because I’m in the midst of an extensive Pressure Trace II strain gage test of Red Dot for 16ga, which is becoming something of a quest, and I’m rapidly running out of Red Dot. So I have some redundant reload test samples from which I wish to recover the powder.

It looks like Red Dot has the makings of a superb 16 ga powder. It also can be terribly unsuitable as well. Finding the line between the two is turning out to be a bit of a challenge. Spoiler Alert: At this moment, I would avoid the 17 gr 1 oz Red Dot 16 ga recipe found at times on these pages at all costs.

TIA,
B.

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3530 Location: Illinois

Red Dot is too fast for the 16---I use a razor blade cutting just below the crimp.

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 2180

Try Precision. What you are looking for is a D-Loader. With no real effort you can save every component. Basically it's a fancy razor blade holder, but it works, without spilling shot or powder or ruining the wad.

If you need it right now, Box cutter and a vise or clamp…safer…put shell in vise and cut away the crimp.

If you want to save the hull, use a pair of electronics needle nose pliers (thin jaws) and pick open the crimp. Mine are always on my reload bench just in front of the reloader, very handy.

Or maybe a pair of tweezers. Just don’t let the wife know what you need it for…trust me.

Joined: 21 May 2024 Posts: 107 Location: Eastern Tennessee

Anytime I’ve stumbled into Red Dot (usually as part of a package purchase where it’s must take it all) I’ve reserved it for 12 gauge use.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2555 Location: West MI

Wanting to save the hull, 1/8" flat blade screwdriver & pry open, kinda tedious but works. With a little surgical skill turn these lemons into 2.5" 5/8oz summer short range lemonade, run around the shoulder/rim with a thin bladed patch, pairing, or fillet knife.

2.5", med primer, 13gr E3 OR 14gr Promo or Reddot by weight, SG16, 5/8oz=275grn #9 lead, 6 fold, 1-2 tsp sugar + ice, mmmm, -0- recoil in a T shirt = refreshing.....

Joined: 21 Mar 2019 Posts: 68

Wine bottle opener. Clean it off after use and don’t tell the wife.

John

Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 1553 Location: Western WA

Thanks all, came up with quick and easy solution: A power tool, specifically a band saw to clip off the end, after first prying up a couple folds with a small metal pick and draining out the shot. Only casualty was the hull, all else was recovered.

B.

Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 535 Location: WI

To solve this problem, I purchased several other hull trimmers and hull cutters and ended up being pretty much unhappy with everything I bought.

So, I designed and 3D printed a tool that trims 2-3/4" hulls to 2-9/16" or 2-1/2" or whatever (it's adjustable) and also cuts the crimp from a loaded hull without spilling the shot, then the cut off crimped end can be ejected from the tool.

I've changed the crimp cut ejector design, so this is an older photo, but it works pretty well.

Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 1553 Location: Western WA

Brilliant. A simple low cost elegant alternative to my crude brute force method. Well done!

B.