Hi brass vs. low brass 12 ga

utbrowningman

Same load-is there a noticeable performance difference?

zimmden

No. The hull is simply the package that holds the components together. The "brass" which can be steel, aluminum or brass holds the tube, either plastic or paper. When all the hulls were paper, the higher brass (heavier load) was full of powder. This prevented the hot powder from burning through the hull. Plastic hulls don't need this protection. There is no difference in the internal capacities of high brass or low brass. This is determined mostly by the height of the internal base wad and hull wall thickness and taper.

charliemeyer007

While working some Lyman sabot slug loads in silver AA's I experience a hang fire. The slug stuck in the bore, the brass base was all twisted, the plastic scorched or melted. The action was littered with un burnt Unique. I had to use my neck knife to pry out the cartridge remains and to cut a willow for a rod. With that rod and a rock I was able to clear the barrel.

A boss had gave 2000 209 primers and some other reloading tools.

Unknown storage conditions for those primers. Bad assumption that round didn't feed from magazine, (should have waited longer to open the action). No damage to 870 Express.

I like cases with non rusting brass bases.

utbrowningman

Marketing strikes again. Damn near impossible to find low brass lead smaller
than #6 shot.

peddler

Anyone ever made their own shot with one of those "shot makers" that is advertized?

peddler

Seems like it would be well worth it with shot $50.00 a lb.

machine gun moran

Some shotshell makers have dispensed with a metal case head entirely. I believe 'Wanda' was the first. A metal case head might improve extraction capabilities in temperature extremes.

bambambam

Nope.

I reload 1 1/4oz shot, 28-32gr Longshot powder 1300-1500fps door shoot loads from low brass.

IMHO, it's just a way for them to charge you more for nothing.

Originally posted by peddler

Seems like it would be well worth it with shot $50.00 a lb.

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We still paying $35/25lb bag here. Supplier said he has all the shot he needs, no shortage.

I bought 3 more bags to hold me over for now.

EVILDR235

I get my lead shot at work for free.Alot of rear wheel drive Ford and Mercurys have about 3 pounds of lead shot in a steel can suspended under the rear of the trans.

EvilDr235

beantownshootah

quote:Originally posted by utbrowningman
Same load-is there a noticeable performance difference?

No.

By itself the height of the brass base makes no difference whatever in modern shell ballistic performance.

As already mentioned, these are a holdover from the days of paper/cardboard shells when the more powerful loads were put into shells with "high brass" so that the powder charges wouldn't burn through the shell. With plastic hulls and modern shell design, this isn't an issue anymore.

Despite that, "high brass" is still synonymous with more powerful loads, even if isn't strictly true anymore, and some of the shotshell makers will put their premium loads into high brass shells.

Its debatable what (if any) benefit this actually brings, though I guess it does make it possible to identify the "hotter" field loads from the cheap practice shells at a glance.

Someone wiser than I can tell you if it makes any difference whatever in the ability to reload the shells, though bluntly I doubt it. I don't think wear to the brass is a meaningful factor here.

Also, for what its worth even the "brass" usually isn't brass anymore. . .its either steel or (if it looks like brass), brass plating over steel!


Edit:
quote:I get my lead shot at work for free.Alot of rear wheel drive Ford and Mercurys have about 3 pounds of lead shot in a steel can suspended under the rear of the trans.
Interesting. What pellet size is it?

I'm sure this lead shot is perfectly adequate for use as target shot, but in general, I'd wonder about the individual quality of these pellets.

Specifically, being bounced around all day in a steel can probably isn't great for the roundness of the individual pellets, and not perfectly spherical shot can open up a shot pattern.