Should 3" magnums melt?
- Thread starter jonathon
- Start date
Define "melt" 
Heavy loads are hard on hulls no matter the length.
I have reloaded Target loads , 2 3/4 dr eq, as many as 20 times. Reloading a heavy load in same hull - lessens the number of times that hull can be reloaded. Stresses the paper/ plastic, and the ends lose elasticity and ability to hold a crimp. This also explains why some hull designs are better for reloading than others.
For heavy loads, the opening under heavy loadings can greatly diminish the opened end of hull.
Just look at various fired hulls, notice the construction from say a STS, dove/ quail load, and a slug...
HTH
Heavy loads are hard on hulls no matter the length.
I have reloaded Target loads , 2 3/4 dr eq, as many as 20 times. Reloading a heavy load in same hull - lessens the number of times that hull can be reloaded. Stresses the paper/ plastic, and the ends lose elasticity and ability to hold a crimp. This also explains why some hull designs are better for reloading than others.
For heavy loads, the opening under heavy loadings can greatly diminish the opened end of hull.
Just look at various fired hulls, notice the construction from say a STS, dove/ quail load, and a slug...
HTH
Lycanthrope
New member
How hot WAS this gun?
Shooting hundreds?
Shooting hundreds?
I'd say hot enough to melt the plastic shells. 
What do you want-- actual degrees? Most guns don't have a built in barrel thermometer. 
Hey, I'm sorry. I couldn't resist that, and I haven't had any fun all day-- ya did sorta leave yourself open on that one
I've seen some small amount of melting on cases, but nothing like that. 
What do you want-- actual degrees? Most guns don't have a built in barrel thermometer. Hey, I'm sorry. I couldn't resist that, and I haven't had any fun all day-- ya did sorta leave yourself open on that one
I've seen some small amount of melting on cases, but nothing like that. Lycanthrope
New member
Easy tiger. I've shot 50 at a time (rapid fire) and never had melting in my 1100. I've never seen a hull melt induced by firing, but run 100 through the gun and then park a round in the barrel and I'm pretty sure it'd get soggy....that would beconsidered normal.
sheesh. when i shoot trap downstate there's rarely anyone around, so i'm pretty much just blasting as fast as i can switch stations or recenter my aim. sometimes 2 or 3 rounds of 25 at a go. and i've never melted any hulls. i guess the wisdom of running 50, occasionally 75 shells through a gun without a cleaning is debatable... but i'm pretty confident in my mossberg as long as i pamper it after i leave the range.
I am still confused.
Yes the gun gets hot , I don't deny that.
I have shot 16 rds of skeet in one day that is 400 rds using the same gun. I have also run 200 rds of slugs or buck personally thru the same gun. My guns have also not only had me shooting them - but others as well.
I know for sure my SX1 has had 1k rds fired in one day, so has various 870s.
NO biggie for me to run 2K rds in a week, out of the same gun, without cleaning and no malf's.
Now granted after the chamber gets a bit dirty, there may be more residue on spent hulls , be they new shells [ slugs, buck, target] or reloaded shells.
"Melting" ...no. I have had the end where crimps are blown off, get a hole burn thru, and such - these were reloaded quite a few times and probably I should not have reloaded them "one more time".
Then again I have not shot some of the new stuff, I do not like the new AA for instance- so perhaps standards have changed for the worse.
Yes the gun gets hot , I don't deny that.
I have shot 16 rds of skeet in one day that is 400 rds using the same gun. I have also run 200 rds of slugs or buck personally thru the same gun. My guns have also not only had me shooting them - but others as well.
I know for sure my SX1 has had 1k rds fired in one day, so has various 870s.
NO biggie for me to run 2K rds in a week, out of the same gun, without cleaning and no malf's.
Now granted after the chamber gets a bit dirty, there may be more residue on spent hulls , be they new shells [ slugs, buck, target] or reloaded shells.
"Melting" ...no. I have had the end where crimps are blown off, get a hole burn thru, and such - these were reloaded quite a few times and probably I should not have reloaded them "one more time".
Then again I have not shot some of the new stuff, I do not like the new AA for instance- so perhaps standards have changed for the worse.
Lhb1
Great Catch!
If that bbl is marked 2 3/4" , you were damn lucky to have fired 3" shells in it.
Have that gun and bbl checked before firing again.
The length of a shell is its FIRED length. There has to be room for that shell to open up.
What one has in a shot shell is akin to a grenade in b/t their hands. 3" shell may "fit into" , there is NO room for the fired shell to open...pressures soar and hell yes if the gun does not blow up - it will kick like a mule.
Have that gun checked pronto! Read that bbl for what length shell is supposed to be used in it.
Great Catch!
If that bbl is marked 2 3/4" , you were damn lucky to have fired 3" shells in it.
Have that gun and bbl checked before firing again.
The length of a shell is its FIRED length. There has to be room for that shell to open up.
What one has in a shot shell is akin to a grenade in b/t their hands. 3" shell may "fit into" , there is NO room for the fired shell to open...pressures soar and hell yes if the gun does not blow up - it will kick like a mule.
Have that gun checked pronto! Read that bbl for what length shell is supposed to be used in it.
Lycanthrope
New member
Try different ammo. If it's melting the first round every time, there is NO WAY I would be shooting that gun without it being checked out by a good gunsmith or the manufacturer. I've shot at least 50 3" mags hunting geese and never saw that.
I've run 10-12 high brass through the 1100 in 3 seconds and never saw that either.
I've run 10-12 high brass through the 1100 in 3 seconds and never saw that either.