A Change of Diet

Although I'm starting the hunting season 10 lbs lighter than last year this isn't about my diet. It's my 16 gauge Grulla that will be fed a diet of 2 1/2 inch roll crimped shells this year. You may be wondering why I would be going to so much trouble when a trip to a local sporting goods store could result in shells that would kill grouse and woodcock. I attribute it to my quest to be different. Just as I'm a grouse and woodcock hunter in a land of deer and turkey hunters. Just as I'm a 16 gauge shooter in a land of 12 gauge shooters. The reasoning is plain to me.........because I know of no one else who does this.

I've reloaded my own shells for some years now and the move to roll crimping was just a natural progression for me. Maybe its the need to be even more of an oddball that drove me to purchase the tools and spend hours in the basement working up loads and then spending time at the patterning board looking for the prefect recipe.

What ever the reason I'm committed to using these little beauties this season loaded in 3/4, 7/8, and 1 oz. loads.

Below are the tools of the art of roll crimping.

A home-made hull cutting tool. Using a dowel rod approx. the size of the inside ID of a 16 gauge shell, I drilled a hole big enough to drive a blade from a exacto knife up through it and added a large headed screw to the end to adjust the length of the hull cut. It's an excellent, speedy way to cut plastic hulls.

A hull cutter from http://www.leadtradingpost.com/. I find this cutter works better on paper hulls than my home-made one.

A hull vise from Ballistic Products Inc.

A modern roll crimping head mounted in a drill press.

This is an old hand roll crimper made in the late 1800's that still does an excellent job.

The Results.