New to shotshell reloading NE Lincolnshire

[roger M1CDQ]

I'm new to shot shell reloading. Slowly getting kit together. Including the books and hitting youtube.
just wondering If anyone local to me can give me  some mentoring on 12ga   
I'm in the Waltham  area NE Lincolnshire 

[Walker570]

Be precise and work from known loading details. Also I always get away from all other distractions when loading.  The same applies to all gauges.

I have dealt with Folkestone Engineering and Clay & Game and they both supply the load details as well as all the components.  Clay & Game do a delivery service as well.

 

[roger M1CDQ]

Ive been gathering all the load data i can find and reading up  got and getting the ballistic manuals.  Clay and Game not to far from me. 
I believe often   one 2 one instruction is good  as you always have questions than can be explained there and then. When i did my marine engineering training  when i was young. my teacher told me "if you want to learn something find the oldest grumpiest  old *** you can find. They will teach you more than you need to know and they will have forgotten alot more that you dont need to know.If you are willing to learn they will gladly pass on their knowledge. So far in life I have found this to be true. Now Im the old *** at work  those who are willing to learn I will take my time in teaching them no matter how long it takes be safe and do a good job and understand the job 

 

[Steve brownell]

What is it you are looking at reloading shot or rifle? I do both and have done for years now I love it 

[B B]

What machine or tools are you using or thinking of getting. And are you Loading lead or non tox , and what kind of loads Clays pigeon game or wildfowling or other loads . 

[roger M1CDQ]

Looking to be mainly loading for  geese and  in 3"  & 3 1/2"  but also   reloading 2 3/4" duck pigeon and pheasant .Ive been reading up 
got the lyman shotshell reloading, BP advantages manual and other info I've been printing out to read and put into folders. 
The Kit I have that I am getting together is a lee load-all and an old bowman press( looking for info on the Crimp sleeves so i can make some ) Im cleaning up and plan on getting  running again 
as you can see in the photos I am slowly getting my reloading station  together slowly. 
I know some loads are more cost effective to just buy. But this side of it interests me alot
looking for steel and lead.   Even just depriming and resizing my cases after  been out on the clays getting some practice is very therapeutic
Clay and Game are not too far away from me just across the Humber  also Folkstone engineering  is bookmarked in my browser aswell 
did see a couple of Vids on youtube   for loading  3.5" with fibre wad cups for steel. But Clay and Game no longer stock the 55m  fibre wad cups for steel the biggest they do is 45mm in length. have my electronic scales  and various dippers for powder and shot.  its going to be a long enjoyable road in learning.

just a random question. Is there much shotshell reloading stuff at the NEC  Shooting show. going with my friend and shooting Mentor   for the 1st this month      

[Andy H]

Your Bowman 12 bore crimp sleeves are 65mm(2-5/8) = 32mm long  70mm(2-3/4) - 35mm long and 76mm(3") is 42mm long , You are also missing the primer plate that sit's on top of the spring and that is 25.4 diameter 6.4 thick  and on the bottom side it has  reduced diameter of 15.75 that is 2.5mm deep so the total thickness is 8.9mm drilled though the centre is a 5.5mm hole.

When the cartridge is in the crimp sleeve the base sit's flush with the base of the crimp tube.

Edited February 4, 2023 by Andy H

[roger M1CDQ]

19 minutes ago, Andy H said:

Your Bowman 12 bore crimp sleeves are 65mm(2-5/8) = 32mm long  70mm(2-3/4) - 35mm long and 76mm(3") is 42mm long , You are also missing the primer plate that sit's on top of the spring and that is 25.4 diameter 6.4 thick  and on the bottom side it has  reduced diameter of 15.75 that is 2.5mm deep so the total thickness is 8.9mm drilled though the centre is a 5.5mm hole.

When the cartridge is in the crimp sleeve the base sit's flush with the base of the crimp tube.

cheers for that Andy H.   I have found out the bottle is a standard thread and the Fabulosa cleaning  bottles fit and the HG glass cleaner smaller bottles fit. I believe same a the MEC. Ive a mini lathe and a 3d printer 

[Andy H]

Yes I use 1lt and 1/2lt cheap shampoo bottle on mine , I have also converted another Bowman to do most of the operations for. 410" Size/deprime  , prime load powder wad then shot but for the crimp I do a roll turn over in a separate operation

Edited February 4, 2023 by Andy H

[roger M1CDQ]

It runs so smooth. the lever action is nice

 

[roger M1CDQ]

does your have the adjustable charge bar on it 

 

[enfieldspares]

4 hours ago, roger M1CDQ said:

cheers for that Andy H.   I have found out the bottle is a standard thread and the Fabulosa cleaning  bottles fit and the HG glass cleaner smaller bottles fit. I believe same a the MEC. Ive a mini lathe and a 3d printer 

Bowman do have spare bottles for their press if you call them. But getting a reply to then actually getting a follow up with price and ordering information for said discussed bottles is like blood from stone was my experience!

[derbyduck]

4 minutes ago, enfieldspares said:

Bowman do have spare bottles for their press if you call them. But getting a reply to then actually getting a follow up with price and ordering information for said discussed bottles is like blood from stone was my experience!

I thought Bowman had packed in years ago ! are they still trading ?

[Jimbo yorks]

For the fibre wad data you will find you can get a better crimp with the smaller shot cups.

I use the smaller ones in 10 gauge and can get 42 gram of bb in with 3mm cork spacer underneath Tight fit but better crimps overall.

[Andy H]

2 hours ago, roger M1CDQ said:

does your have the adjustable charge bar on it 

 

No I use the tubular shot/powder inserts but have access to machinery to make them as required lathe/mill etc.

[roger M1CDQ]

mine has the adjustable charge bar for it 
Just 3d printing some crimp sleeves at moment made from the measurements you sent.
If you want i can take some pics and measurements of my charge bar for you 

 

[enfieldspares]

1 hour ago, derbyduck said:

I thought Bowman had packed in years ago ! are they still trading ?

Very very much so making a comprehensive range of traps and, yes, still near Newark.

https://bowmantraps.co.uk/

[roger M1CDQ]

2 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

Very very much so making a comprehensive range of traps and, yes, still near Newark.

https://bowmantraps.co.uk/

if you are of the same username on Ebay.  its your old one im putting back into service. I have just test  3d printed some crimping sleeves for it. just running through some mock ups 

[enfieldspares]

Yes. I looked at the pictures and thought it was the one I'd sold there.

It was cheaper for me now I am wanting to make crimp closed nitro powder bismuth and non-toxic to buy an old original 1980's Lee Load All from eBay rather than get the sleeves made to use the Bowman crimp. I am glad that the thing will be restored to use for crimped shells and not as it was with me just as a vehicle for sizing cartridges loaded by me for my Manufrance 12 bore to then finish with my roll turnover tools

The Bowman is a far far better loader that the Lee Load All not only for sizing with Lee's use of a loose sizing collar that gets lost, but also for those, as yourself, with different two or three lengths of cartridge (as I've had to buy in fact two 1980's Lee Load All...one for 70mm and one for 65mm). Yes the old Lee Load All was also available in 65mm once upon a time from John Longstaff.

The "faff" of those Bowman sleeves becomes a benefit as you have but one machine for 65mm, 70mm, 76mm and 89mm. And given that the Lee uses in effect a plastic sleeve I see no good reason why they shouldn't work with the Bowman.

I wish I had that thinking outside the box cleverness as, when I see it here it's the simplest best solution. I like it. 

 

 

 

Edited February 5, 2023 by enfieldspares

[enfieldspares]

Not me but I hope it helps if you've not seen it.

[derbyduck]

10 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

Very very much so making a comprehensive range of traps and, yes, still near Newark.

https://bowmantraps.co.uk/

thanks ,they don't seem to be making reloading presses , they where well built in the day !

[roger M1CDQ]

8 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

Yes. I looked at the pictures and thought it was the one I'd sold there.

It was cheaper for me now I am wanting to make crimp closed nitro powder bismuth and non-toxic to buy an old original 1980's Lee Load All from eBay rather than get the sleeves made to use the Bowman crimp. I am glad that the thing will be restored to use for crimped shells and not as it was with me just as a vehicle for sizing cartridges loaded by me for my Manufrance 12 bore to then finish with my roll turnover tools

The Bowman is a far far better loader that the Lee Load All not only for sizing with Lee's use of a loose sizing collar that gets lost, but also for those, as yourself, with different two or three lengths of cartridge (as I've had to buy in fact two 1980's Lee Load All...one for 70mm and one for 65mm). Yes the old Lee Load All was also available in 65mm once upon a time from John Longstaff.

The "faff" of those Bowman sleeves becomes a benefit as you have but one machine for 65mm, 70mm, 76mm and 89mm. And given that the Lee uses in effect a plastic sleeve I see no good reason why they shouldn't work with the Bowman.

I wish I had that thinking outside the box cleverness as, when I see it here it's the simplest best solution. I like it. 

 

 

 

3d printers are very handy of bits of kit or prototypes. There are a lots of design files out there related to  shooting and reloading. There are bushings for printing online for lee-loadall and MEC machines 

[cervusman]

I have a Bowman press that I got 52 years ago and still use it. I also have a Bowman press with 10b, 12b, 16b and 20b conversation kits for different lengths of cartridges, with 6 and 8 crimp starts.

[roger M1CDQ]

On 05/02/2023 at 00:38, enfieldspares said:

Yes. I looked at the pictures and thought it was the one I'd sold there.

It was cheaper for me now I am wanting to make crimp closed nitro powder bismuth and non-toxic to buy an old original 1980's Lee Load All from eBay rather than get the sleeves made to use the Bowman crimp. I am glad that the thing will be restored to use for crimped shells and not as it was with me just as a vehicle for sizing cartridges loaded by me for my Manufrance 12 bore to then finish with my roll turnover tools

The Bowman is a far far better loader that the Lee Load All not only for sizing with Lee's use of a loose sizing collar that gets lost, but also for those, as yourself, with different two or three lengths of cartridge (as I've had to buy in fact two 1980's Lee Load All...one for 70mm and one for 65mm). Yes the old Lee Load All was also available in 65mm once upon a time from John Longstaff.

The "faff" of those Bowman sleeves becomes a benefit as you have but one machine for 65mm, 70mm, 76mm and 89mm. And given that the Lee uses in effect a plastic sleeve I see no good reason why they shouldn't work with the Bowman.

I wish I had that thinking outside the box cleverness as, when I see it here it's the simplest best solution. I like it. 

 

 

 

just testing out the 3d printed sleeves  the other day. they seem to work very well.  
am i right in thinking the charge bar on this on is an adjustable one and not needing the  bushings  for the  different shot loads 

[enfieldspares]

13 minutes ago, roger M1CDQ said:

just testing out the 3d printed sleeves  the other day. they seem to work very well.  
am i right in thinking the charge bar on this on is an adjustable one and not needing the  bushings  for the  different shot loads 

Yes, apparently so, the screws screw in and are how you adjust the volume that each cavity can hold. Me? I'd prefer a printed chamber as that was there can be no doubt that you've not played with that screw and have altered the charge! Having said that I think that you'd best stick with nothing larger than English #6 with the shot is using the screws. I think even English #3 would bind and bridge. I am happy that the sleeves seem to work well. Thinking outside the box pays dividends!

Edited February 15, 2023 by enfieldspares