Buckled Shotgun Hulls

Posted Apr 30th, 2017 in Reloading

Buckled Shotgun Hulls

Wrinkled or buckled shells usually means that there is too much compression in the shell. Try applying more wad seating pressure, use slightly less shot, use a denser powder (a powder that uses a smaller bushing for the same dram equivalent) or a shorter wad.

Kink During Last Crimp

If you are finding that your shells are coming out kinked during the last crimping station, you may be applying more pressure than necessary for this operation. If you are sure this is not the case, then put some Vaseline on your finger and spread it around throughout the inner diameter of that die. This remedy was suggested by a customer, and while we are not completely sure why it works, it certainly seems to.

Another possibility lies in the weather. It seems that the colder it is at the loading location, the better the chance a case will kink on final crimp. This is possibly due to the plastic case being less pliable.