Looking for black powder shells for a Winchester 1887
- Thread starter umyaya
- Start date
Blindstitch
New member
I don't know if these fit as an answer for you but I have used them in my modern 12 gauges and felt almost zero recoil for the price of $7-8 per box.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2...arget-ammunition-12-gauge-2-3-4-7-8-oz-8-shot
Have you looked up the serial to see how old it actually is? First few years vs. last few years of production may mean something.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2...arget-ammunition-12-gauge-2-3-4-7-8-oz-8-shot
Have you looked up the serial to see how old it actually is? First few years vs. last few years of production may mean something.
Idaho 45 Vaquero
New member
Also, check the chamber length. My fathers 1887 Winchester has chambers shorter than 2 3/4 in. Some did, some didn't.
We reload shells for it. We load some light pressure smokeless loads. We cut the cases shorter and roll crimp them and use cardboard to hold the shot in.
We reload shells for it. We load some light pressure smokeless loads. We cut the cases shorter and roll crimp them and use cardboard to hold the shot in.
Model12Win
Moderator
Have the chamber's length measured.
You can then cut hulls to your needs and load with GOEX or Swiss 2FFG shotgun powder.
Buffalo Arms wants almost 3 1/2 dollars for each shell that's INSANE. You can reload your own for maybe 25 cents AT MOST, or just buy those and let them make a 1100% profit from your ignorance.
You can then cut hulls to your needs and load with GOEX or Swiss 2FFG shotgun powder.
Buffalo Arms wants almost 3 1/2 dollars for each shell that's INSANE. You can reload your own for maybe 25 cents AT MOST, or just buy those and let them make a 1100% profit from your ignorance.
Jimbo-Indy
New member
Check the big reloading supply stores for brass 12 ga. hulls. Most are 2 1/2" length for the old guns. You can find reloading supplies such as wads, nitro cards and over shot cards on line too. I load the brass hulls with 2F Goes for my old Flues model Ithaca (1909) even though it has nitro proofed barrels.
Model12Win said:
25 cents per shell would be only if you have connections for really good component deals.
I'm paying around $17/lb for Goex at black powder shoots from a traveling vendor. The big box stores either don't sell it or want around $24-28/lb for it.
One pound is 7000 grains so figure around 100 loads per pound if you shoot 70 grain loads. That's 17 to 28 cents per shot right there.
I can get Cheddite primers for around $23/1000 so there's 2.3 cents for the primer.
We're already bumping up to the 25 cents mark and we haven't included shot or wads yet. I can get shot for about $35/bag which is about 400 one ounce loads, that's about 9 cents for the shot.
Now we need wads. Circle Fly .125 over powder card wads cost about $8.99/1000 and .5 inch cushion wads cost about $8.99/500. That comes out to about 3 cents for the wad column.
17 cents for powder
2.3 cents for the primer
3 cents for the wad column
9 cents for the shot
That's around 31.3 cents right there at current component prices and I haven't figured in sales tax, shipping, or hazmat fees (for those who are not fortunate enough to be able to buy black powder directly from vendors).
By the way, modern black powder substitutes like Pyrodex work just fine in shotshells. Just be aware that when we say "70 grains", we don't mean it by weight, but by volume. In other words, "70 grains of Pyrodex" is not 70 grains weighed out on a scale but the amount a powder measure meant for black powder would throw if set to 70 grains.
Because the substitutes have a lower density than real black powder, measuring them by weight results in a serious overload.
A good rule of thumb as a starting point for black powder loads is to use the shot measure as a powder measure, equal volume of shot and powder. Many muzzle loading shotgunners use a Lee adjustable plastic shot dipper as both a powder and shot measure. You ask them what they are shooting and they'll tell you "1 1/8 ounce shot and 1 1/8 ounce powder" They really couldn't tell you their powder charge in grains.
Of course, here again, "1 1/8 ounce powder" does not mean literally by weight, that would be around 490 grains, something you would only shoot once even if the gun didn't blow up.
Because the substitutes have a lower density than real black powder, measuring them by weight results in a serious overload.
A good rule of thumb as a starting point for black powder loads is to use the shot measure as a powder measure, equal volume of shot and powder. Many muzzle loading shotgunners use a Lee adjustable plastic shot dipper as both a powder and shot measure. You ask them what they are shooting and they'll tell you "1 1/8 ounce shot and 1 1/8 ounce powder" They really couldn't tell you their powder charge in grains.
Of course, here again, "1 1/8 ounce powder" does not mean literally by weight, that would be around 490 grains, something you would only shoot once even if the gun didn't blow up.