The Best Crimp For Our 12 Gauge Slug Reloads

When our reload slugs look good, are solid, and rival factory ammo, we have the best chance at getting performance and accuracy. And the shotgun slug crimp is critical to the success of the ammo. There are 3 kinds of readily useful crimps that cam be used for our shotshells. Now let's discuss the best crimp for our slugs... discuss this feature and make a recommendation for a good road to success...

[@michaelturnage8217]

I have much to learn regarding reloading shotgun shells. While I have reloaded numerous pistol calibers, this is new to me. Not a better place to learn about this than FOrtune Cookie’s video! He is a remarkable teacher, very knowledgeable and clear to the point.

[@randallharmsen5802]

Thanks for showing the roll crimping process. This brought back memories of my dad reloading his own slugs. He smelted lead and cast slug molds and reloaded with hand rolled crimper from Herters

[@boomerrangerron]

I have been following your channel now for about 4 or 5 months now. I"ve purchased some FIOCCI primed shell cases from BPI and also got a crimper and hull wise from The Reloader's Network. I also bought a drill press from Harbor Freight for around $65 delivered. My very first 5 shells came out great with nice crimps. The only issue is that I think my scale may have slipped and one of the five shells may have 40 grains of HERCO instead of 30. I'm inclined to open them all and remeasure. Thanks so much for all your help.

[@yolo-qr2fq]

Just weigh them as a whole round. Unless your components are way out of line with each other the 40gr load will be the heaviest.

[@boomerrangerron]

Thank you Riley! Great suggestion. I weighed the slug with wad and then the primer hull. Then as you suggested I weighed each of the 5 finished rounds. All were between 649 to 653 grains but one was 661 grains! BINGO that was the one where the OHAUS scale skipped to 40 instead of 30 grains! Thank you 😊

[@DrewDiaz]

With a drill press and a nut driver in the chuck I set my slugs to equal height- the drill is not running and I set the quill stop for repeatability , it’s just used as a press. The more things we make equal in our reloading the more consistent our slugs will group.

[@psykoklown874]

I recently decided to try something similar for load testing. If the first roll crimp for a load is good, I set the depth stop. My thought was more consistency, and less chance of getting heavy handed and buckling the crimp. I haven't had a chance to test that theory out yet though. I'm using new hulls and the roll crimper used in this video.

[@DrewDiaz]

Yes Psycho I do that as well, especially for hunting slugs.

[@161Sheriff]

You taught me how to roll crimp several years ago. I use it on my shot hunting loads also

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

161Sheriff - Roll crimps are indeed cool..!! Thanks for posting, Steve

[@samwilliams5283]

I love roll crimped buckshot too, and using clear plastic soda bottle the shot is apparent.

[@GunFunZS]

Other than the aesthetics I had never been sold on the utility of a roll crimp. Mostly going on the basis of standard deviation numbers and extra time. The people weren't getting better groups with them and they took more effort I did not see the point. However you've introduced me to one concept that I had missed. Viz. That the water and shot column height becomes irrelevant or nearly so. That is significant. I'll put one more note though. Delete and the alignment foster slugs have a completely round nose. Virtually every commercial foster slug has some form of rifling. That is either annular or linear or very slightly spiraled. In each of these that I've ever seen they form a shoulder at the edge of the meplat. This gives a solid surface for the edge of the roll crimp to bottom out against.

[@johnscarfe]

Sodium silicate was also used before refrigeration to preserve eggs. Applied to the surface of the shell of farm laid eggs

[@tires2burn]

@Garden * Seals up blown head gaskets to.

[@ironbomb6753]

I never heard of this stuff until this video...😲

[@ggwoutdoors2a]

Think I'll load some this afternoon, great video!

[@nickjm37fordel1]

Hey Steve, you always are informative and make loading fun :-)

[@robbieandbeckie]

I have been looking for a good reason to buy a drill press for a long while, thanks!

[@andysanchez7050]

Thanks Steve for the info I appreciate it ima try to reload slugs on my hornardy 366 but I’ll finish the rounds with the roller crimp

[@frankwebster6082]

I didn't know that there were 6 and 8 point crimps on our shells. AlI I did was reload mine all these years , oh well....hmmmm. That's pretty cool about the roll crimping on the drill press for slugs, never done that before, wow. Take Care.

[@jungleno.]

Good video Steve. I have a roll crimper however I don't use it anymore. It's faster and easier fold crimping my slug loads on the Lee Load All press. I have read that there is a slight difference in pressure between the two methods with the roll crimp being a lower pressure round.

[@TheDaddystressed]

Is lower pressure better?

[@samwilliams1142]

I find shells that are 2" or longer loaded function in my Mossberg pump.

[@jjh9355]

Maybe a lesser known fact, water glass was/is also used to preserve eggs on the frontier.

[@seantierney3]

what a great video. I have been kicking around the idea of loading some black powder round ball loads in 12 gauge for fun. not sure if I should go with a lubed cushion wad, ball, then a card wad to hold it in place or powder then a patched round ball and card wad. not sure if it is worth it to get the height right for crimping or just cut and glue the card wad in place. thank you for all the information you put out there.

[@lessage760]

Thank you for this vidio sir very interesting use to reload forshot guns when I wasa kid never did slugs so amazing do you do any brass cases ifso are you going tocoveritinavidio sir have a great week

[@l.a.3887]

Thanks for the video

[@hawknives]

It is a very good roll crimp tool. Thanks for the video FortuneCookie45LC

[@robertfrapples2472]

When you make a slug with that deep of a roll crimp, you shouldn't use it in a mag-fed shotgun. The rounds will compress under the spring force, making them oblong on the tip, causing them not to feed.

[@llkj7944]

Question if you will, I notice you powder coat a lot of different bullets, the last couple years I coat everything from 303 Brit, 45-70, 45 colt, shotgun slugs and even buckshot.... do you happen to know or, ever seen a harness test done on powder coating with cast lead or what it equivalent in brinell might be ?

[@raymason6474]

As always great video thank you for your time I have learned about water glass for the first time.. I would like to know the slug and wad type your are showing in this video in the ko hulls.

[@davidgarthly4084]

What is the seater ram attachment for the top of the press? If you mentioned it I didn’t get the name. Good video and thanks again.

[@seamusmcbride2832]

Steve, are you using a travel-stop on the drill press, or have you learned "the feel"?

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

Seamus McBride - Yes on the drill press stop - easy to set it so it's very useful...Have a great day, Steve

[@johnstewart8849]

Do you think a roll crimp yields to the slug more easily than a fold crimp? Does a roll crimp generate less chamber pressure than a fold?

[@indianaoutdoorfanatic9593]

Why not use a nitro card under the slug to bring it up in the hull?

[@deandeann1541]

Steve - do you think hulls that are roll crimped will last as long as hulls that are star crimped? I can get up to 7 or more reloads with my Nitro 27 hulls using regular 8 point star crimps, then the hull material starts splitting at the folds.

[@djangoleone9230]

Hi. Sorry my poor english. Whats the name of that device at 6:38 that holds the cartridge at the botton? So you can roll crimp without the cartridge roll together as the drill spin.

[@fishsticks88]

Will choosing a roll crimp allow "better" for various shot hights

[@patriot72]

I have casted the Zveroboy in 20 gauge. Can anyone please tell me data using Longshot powder? I can’t find it anywhere. Including my manuals

[@ocean374]

Question have you shot those and the hydrant slug in a smooth bore

[@sebastiantufigno6955]

What`s the weight of the slug ???

[@btsantiago52]

Were those hulls previouslyf old crimped? Thank you.

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

Best results are from fired slug hulls picked up at range or with new hulls purchased from MidwayUSA or Ballistics Products. Sometimes we can get good roll crimps using fired fold crimps trimmed or not, but it’s hit or miss with those.

[@thebiggestcheese54]

What rpm do you use for the roll crimp?

[@rms5654]

Is high brass required fo slugs?

[@1973Saved]

I couldn't get any results when I typed davethorzac777 or thorzak777 into the you tube search engine, any ideas or suggestions?

[@smsgtbulldog]

It’s Thor’s axe

[@benpuller7315]

what wads are you using?

[@gigglefart2340]

what screws are you using and how much are you spending on screws?

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

Giggle Fart - I just bought some #6 3/4 for 6 cents each at the local ACE (gotta take care of local businesses during these shutdown times) - probably could have gotten them cheaper online.... With the spike in COVID cases in the Bay Area, range time is much restricted...hope that changes soon.... Best to ya, Steve

[@gigglefart2340]

@@FortuneCookie45LC ever thought about trying a dab of hot glue instead of a screw?? i have a mold on backorder right now, just wondering if you ever thought about it?

[@gigglefart2340]

@none urbusiness its possible and i wont know till my molds get here and i try it but i have made wax slugs and hot glue slugs and they seem to hold together just fine.

[@saltcreekammo]

Why don't you ever show yourself reloading?

[@MrVonfelde]

Sorry Steve; gotta "call you out". I have always very much enjoyed your great videos. But your constant "plugging" of the Reloaders Network sales is really getting old. I know you're personally invested with them, but over doing the promotion of them takes away from the professionalism of your videos. Sorry, just my opinion...

[@ironbomb6753]

OR, he is just putting some info out there for noobs like myself that are new to shotshell reloading. 🤔

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

Eileen vo felde - Sorry about that. But I am not invested in with them in the least. TRN deserves to be successful though. There's no doubt that I would wish the platform well. There's more accuracy work with the Russian slugs coming up, and since the videos must be made as if they stand alone, there will be mention of TRN. If the thing is problematic, you can forego those videos or fast forward past those sections. Again, my apologies.... Best to ya, Steve