How to get PERFECT SHOTSHELL CRIMP (Better than factory)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- If you're looking for a way to get perfect shell crimps on your shotshells, this video is for you! I'll show you a simple technique for getting perfect shell crimps that you can use on your own.
This technique is better than factory crimps and will give your shotshells a superior finish. After watching this video, you'll be able to get perfect shell crimps on your shotshells in no time!
You can get your Perfect Trimming tool here creativereload...
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The CRS hull trimmer is a handy tool. Bought a 12 gauge and 410 bore trimmer two weeks ago after watching this video. I have been using wooden dowels with a blade indexed on them that my Grandfather taught me how to use in '71. Good information for anyone that wasn't sure why their crimps were inconsistent. Thanks for the video.
My friend, you are an EXCELLENT teacher!! Thank you for all your advice.
The pleasure is all mine William! Thank you for the kind words :)
Great video - Thanks! Excellent teachings and I have never trimmed my cases before, nor measured the wad to shell distance or pre crimp hole of 1/4 inch. Great info. Nobody ever told me this stuff.
Glad it was helpful! It's frustrating when you expect a standard but then you realize every business are doing things slightly differently. Like a 2x4 is actually not 2x4 XD
@@WildBushGrit Your video was very helpful. I also purchased the hull trimmer you suggested. Have a great weekend. Thanks again
Great video! This an extremely overlooked factor in reloading. Superb insight.
Would you be comfortable sharing your email I’ll send a picture
Excellent video ! It's an extra step but I use a spin crimper which improves the crimps, but the time saved in the first stages as in my one video makes up for it.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to share your experience!
The next time I'm doing some shells I'll keep this in mind.
Excellent video. You present fact, opinion and speculation wonderfully. Your honesty about each is very much appreciated. So many people spout things a s facts that are just opinion or speculation.
Thanks. You are running the best reloading channel on utube. I am recently returning to reloading after a ten year break. I do 12 gauge on a Sizemaster. I still had supplies from many years ago. I recently bought a 20 gauge and a Lee Loadall 2. I am quite discouraged with reloading for the 20 as there are almost no supplies available. I have managed to find Longshot and a CB wad for 7/8 loads, but nothing for 1 oz loads. I guess I will be content with loading target loads for the 20 and buying factory for hunting. There seems to be little commercial support for the reloading community. Makes me wonder if it is a dying hobby.
thank you! I wouldn't say its a dying hobby, but components have been very scarce for a while, especially primers. prices also are going crazy. The pandemic really did a lot of damage. im sure 12g components are going to be easier to find. but that doesnt help you :)
You can get your Perfect Trimming tool here creativereloadingsolutions.com/
I'm not affiliated with them, nor paid to make this video. I just love to support great products, that's my shtick!
And a BIG shout to @tangobravo8889 Thanks for the recommendation about Creative Reloading Solutions.
That hull trimmer from Rudy is the best tool to have...... Great video! Thanks for sharing.
I’ve reloaded shotshells for many years , and I learned something new here today.. I’ve had an awful time with my MEC 600 JR trying to get a good crimp with it.. I keep adjusting it but still not satisfied, I’ll get a trimmer and square up the Hulls , some advice I’ve not seen elsewhere.. Excellent explanation, many thanks.
Thank you, You are very welcome! Don't hesitate to reach out if you are running into issues, I'll do my best to assist you :) Cheers!
Bob, if you are using tapered wall hulls and dropping the correct volume of powder and shot, you shouldn't have problems making a perfect crimp with your Mec. It's when people try to dump 37.2 grains of ball powder and 1 1/4 oz of shot using a tall wad. It just ain't gonna fit. It's like Dolly Parton putting on a 32 a bra. There's going be a lot hanging out.
@@Navyunclelmfao
A chaque vidéo que je regarde j'ai l'impression que ça va me coûter un peu plus cher dans le futur lol.... excellent vidéo
Ahahah Merci :) Bienvenu dans le rabbit hole!
Very informative! Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!
Great job sir !
Great job of explaining! Thank you.
Great and informative video bro! I am going to try the trimmer tool myself.
Very informative, seen a couple of yours videos and I enjoy that your middle of the road on your thinking. Everything seems to be well thought out on your reviews but also you go into details on your reloading like one would see with reloading riffle cartridges that is not normally talked about when reloading shot shells.
My only advice to help you improve your channel is to work on lighting, and more close up video on the items your show casing . Let us get a better look at your wads and how they are cut some of us never seen that before because our reloading components are already pre determined by the manufacturer.
Any ways fantastic content from what I can see and great job
Very nice video man super well done.
Super valuable info, good tutorial.
Thanx brother 👍
I just spend $6 on a bag of 1000 bingo chips (3/4" Diameter) and roll crimp them at whatever height the load needs, so every hull could be a different length, however, hulls loaded with identical loads and wads tend to be the exact same length and look really clean, and if the hull is not transparent, I can see what's inside them!
Perfect !!!
No condemnation
Just correction 👍🏼
Greetings from Poland!
Thank you thank you, this video is so helpful.
You are so welcome! thx!
Awesome work!
Excellent video! Thanks!
Love these videos.
On the starter crimp I have heard rule of thumb. You should be able to put a prime in it so it does not fall in.
A little trick to bring the shot up to the top of the wad especially when loading lighter shot charges is to add several Cheerios to the bottom of the wad to take up space before dropping the shot…you might have to experiment a little bit to see how many Cheerios it will take to add volume to the shot to raise it up to the top of the wad to give you a good crimp…Cowboy Action shooters have been doing this for years especially when loading 7/8 ounce loads when using 1 ounce wads in 12 gauge 😊😊😊
cheerios?!?! Lol this is genius trick!
Ça vaut un bookmark! Merci!
Good info...
The problem is when your crimping there is no control on the shotgun hull it is free standing...get a Ponsness Warren press and everything will turn out perfect. If the hull is supported in a bushing like on the Ponsness the impact hits only the exposed crimp area.You can also if you want get a GAEP crimp finishing tool to put on your drill and go that way also.Don't get me wrong you are also successful doing what your doing and probably cheaper than a Ponsness...great video.
Few people suggested the GAEP, I will try it someday but I don't want it to be a crutch, and start with good practice. Ponsness 😍 It's on my list of must-have reloading tools. Someday a nice progressive one. Thanks for your input, much appreciated!
Would putting a snug fitting piece of pipe over the hull when crimping help? Obviously leaving the crimp sticking out, but as a cheap option for supporting the hull while crimping to prevent it from collapsing?
@@joearledge1 You might have to modify the crimping die on the mec by modifying it I mean shortening it.If you can find a RCBS mini grand press you can use a bushing around the hull and you can crimp without any modifications of the crimping die, it actually does a very good job.
Awesome info, thanks for all your wisdom. I'm in the process of making an Aguila mini shells copy.
Thanks! What shotgun are you using? I hear everyone pump & semi can't cycle them well. only SxS or O&U.
@@WildBushGrit I have a old High Standard
Cut down too 18" and a pistol grip, I'm going to have to modify the loading bar.
How can I tell what length of wad I need for my 1 1/8 oz loads because my shells are caving in
regardless of the length of the wads, it's the delta between the wads and the hull that you should look into. You may trim the hull, or get a longer wads and trim it down to the perfect size. You could also use a cork spacer above your powder to lift up your wads, to the desirable length.
If you’re reloading 12 gauge hulls you need a 20 gauge nitro card in the bottom of the shot cup under your payload to raise the height of the shot column. You can make them yourself or buy them online.
@@jungleno. Yeah I'm seeing this in manuals from time to time. My problem has always been the opposite, not finding wads deep enough to hold the shots. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm adverse having shots going too much above the wad. I should do some testing, but I feel patterns arent going to be as tight as they could be.
Awesome video thanks
I know this video is a year old but I am curious, have you ever made a 2 3/4in shell with a 1 3/8 steel payload? I’ve been told it’s almost impossible due to the space. Thanks!
I like a good challenge, I can see why it might not be possible, but maybe with an overshot card and a roll crimp it might work. But we need the perfect wad. Lemme investigate 😉
Ok I tried something, #6 with TPS 2-3/4 wads, got barely enough room for 20gn of Steel powder, an overshot card and roll will crimp perfectly. However... 20gn is very low for such weight, I guesstimate you'd get about 800fps instead of the more typical 1300-1400fps. You'll have poor performance at medium range, and the closer you get to the target, you'll have a very dense pattern destroying the birds. Also... if you find a way to cram 30/35gn of powder in there, your action need to be a super magnum rated at 14000 psi.
Glad I found this!
I’m new to this. If you had to recommend a reloader which would it be?
For newcomers, I recommend the Lee load all if you are on budget, But the Mec 600jr is very hard to beat if you are willing to spend a bit more. I have an older on video comparing these two kits. th-cam.com/video/0QSxsTuHfoE/w-d-xo.html
Mec size master you can adjust the sizing collet
The best advice is to use a loading recipe for all of your shotshell reloading. Shell volume differs from manufacturer. A Winchester shotshell ( tapered wall) is different than a Fiocchi hull (straight walled) . They both might be 2 3/4 inch 12 gauge, but they have different internal volume.
I agree with you, but you don't always have that luxury. Shells or hulls could be unobtainable, and substitutions become necessary. This is why, for me, the best way is to keep track of the edge lip. Perfect square, perfect length will give you perfect crimp.
Have you thought about using a 20 gauge over powder card inserted into the shotcup to build up the shot column. You could even try a 20 gauge card over the shot. This would eliminate having to cut the shotcup. Though, I it is adding to the components.
I have never had issue with convex loads, as long as I use the appropriate shot cup for the payloads, and apply just enough pressure to the shotcup when inserting it.
One final thought. I use GAEP taper die to put a factory like taper to each shell. It improves function, and it looks great.
That's a very good point you're adding, cards & cork wads can be used to adjust proper height. I try to work at maximum shot capacity( for Geese), but for small games, I can see the advantage to go for a lighter load. I think if you manage to keep that 5/16 clearance with the shots and the top of the hull. With too much shots, the compression can also wrinkle the shell. Thanks for chiming in! I will look into the GAEP taper dies!
@@WildBushGrit Sounds good. It's the GAEP BN2. You can attach it to a drill press, as I have done.
If you ever get into slug casting and reloading, or just taper crimping shotshells, you can get a taper crimp tool that produces factory taper crimps. Again, by attaching it to a drill press. Unfortunately, the taper crimp tool really only works with new hulls. Though, some have tried it with once fired star crimp hulls.
There are plenty of videos featuring both tools on TH-cam.
@@WildBushGrit Use GAEP BN models! i got it from ebay directly from italy and its fantastic crimper my model is BN2
The Shotgun Scientists channel talks about a taper die for the LEE press. I think they said it's from ebay.
Hi I am having issues with my crimps. I am using a mec 600 jr, my crimp are coming out octagon shape and its making them tight to chamber. Thanks in advance
Are you good on dimensions? What do you mean octagon, like not rounded but kinda squared? this is odd indeed :)
If your comfortable with sharing your email I could send you some pictures
@@chrisjones5343 audran dot guerard at gmail dot com :)
thank-you
Great video! Do you have a promo code for it?
No, sorry, I'm not affiliated with them in any way, I just like their product :)
Where can I find this Trimmer.thanks
You can get your Perfect Trimming tool here creativereloadingsolutions.com/
As someone who's been doing this for over 50 years if you have to tell somebody this then they shouldn't be reloading this of all things should be common sense but I'm glad that you're doing it at least they'll understand but for goodness sake guys those are reloading you got to get some book smarts
Measure twice because you can only cut once. I agree with you; precision and common sense are primary skills when it comes to reloading.
@OU812NVME, I doubt seriously that you have been "doing" this for over 50 years. The generation that you would have grown up in taught the importance of basic language, communication, and grammatical skills. You've only demonstrated the the proper use of "you're" and "they'll". Got lucky, I guess. Book smarts?
Well aren’t you a special MFer
I respectfully disagree. If someone has never reloaded shotgun shells, they should not assume anything. Far better to ask a "dumb question" that commit a "stupid mistake" when reloading ammunition-- I say this as someone who has reloaded rifle and pistol from the time I was 13 years old, and has shot many many quality reloaded cartridges.
Where can I order that trim tool?
creativereloadingsolutions.com/
why crimping is important ?? how does it help the shell..other than holding shot from falling out please
This is a great question that I should have covered. Yes #1 reason is to keep your shots inside the shell, #2 a shell that come undone in the mag will have feeding issues potentially jamming your shotgun #3 for optimal performance you need some level of pressure, for the powder to ignite and build up properly, loosey goosey powder will migrate and give you a horrendous consistency from shot to shot. Hope that helps :) Cheers! Thanks, again, Great Question!
@@WildBushGrit thanks very much it was very helpful because i just starting to reload my self and was just using overshot cards with wood glue.. it works but doesn't feel right when shooting
Just use Gaep BN2 crimper
I heard about it, haven't tried it yet. I watched your vid, But I doubt it will crimp well uneven shells or shells with wrong lips depth. If it does, it wont be perfect. It will not prevent swirls or concaved shells. I do agree its a great tool tho, but not a silver bullet. :) Cheers! Thanks for chiming in!
@@WildBushGrit Gaep is fixing all reloader errors, i have bn 2. and OTP
@@shotshell I have to try it then...
How to get PERFECT SHOTSHELL CRIMP ? First : Use a 20 caliber
Nice vidéo :)
🤣 You meant GAUGE! not caliber :) Thanks!
Bon video. Ton anglais est très bon mais je suspecte que tu sois Québecois. Sa fait aucune différence. Bien expliqué et intéressant!
Busted!!! Mais oui je suis au Qc pas tres loin de Mtl :) Merci!
That's a expensive trimming tool. About $89.00 dollars
Yeah not the cheapest for sure, but it works really well.
In my opinion, this tool is worth every cent, and then some. I have used it for quite some time, and absolutely love the performance. It allows you to step up your reloading game to a whole nuther level!!!
uh huh
yeah man!
How to get a perfect crimp?
Use a roll turnover 😂
lol
Yikes. Never seen factories look that poor
Depend on some brands, but Challenger are usually not that great :)
Awesome video thank you