Author Topic: New "AA" Shotshells (Read 828 times)

sabotloader · « **on:** March 14, 2004, 04:22:58 AM »

I was fooling around with some of these new and "improved" shells last night when I noticed that when I put a wad in by hand the wad would end up resting on the lip near the bottom of the shell. I would not go past that lip and reach the base of the shell. I was using Winchester/Western AA wad. Is this a problem? I am not sure the wad would be resting on the powder or that rim.

Bob_K · « **Reply #1 on:** March 14, 2004, 04:28:20 AM »

It should be on the powder. Wads for the newer HS hull in 12 and 20 have the over powder cup tapered slightly to get inside this part of the new hull. Probably the same is true for the HS 28 and .410 hulls, but I have not loaded any yet. Note that the HS .28 and .410 hulls require different wads and load data according to Winchester, but the 12 and 20 can use the same loads as the old style AA hulls. Some machine adjustments are generally required, though.

sabotloader · « **Reply #2 on:** March 14, 2004, 05:06:50 AM »

Thank you Bob, These are 12g for trap shooting, and I have had to make some adjustment in my 366 to keep from getting a crimp line just above the two pieces. I use the same press to run STS's through also and that adjustment has not seemed to bother the STSes.

I shot 3 boxes of them last weekend, reloaded AA 12ves. and they perfromed great but i did hear one gentleman complain about he wasn't getting ignition because his wads weren't sitting on the powder and creating pressure.

the rifleman · « **Reply #3 on:** March 15, 2004, 09:25:39 PM »

This is a topic that has been around for quite awhile on some of the other trapshooting discussion boards.

The fellow should still get "ignition", even if his wad wasn't compressing the powder, but he may not get as good a velocity.

As far as the HS AA base wad, preventing the shot wad from going in all the way, this has been the reason suggested for the hull bulge on the final crimp, some have been getting. Winchester has some suggested adjustments for the set up on the wad pressure settings, as well as the pre-crimp settings, to prevent this problem. Apparently it does help.

I have loaded a few, and if I am slow on the final crimp, I have no problems with hull bulge. I do if I yank the handle down fast as I do with any other hull, old style AA's or STS, the new HS AA will bulge.

Bob is correct in that the WAA12, WT12, and I imagine some of the WAA12 clones should fit the AA hs hull, without a hangup, but you never know......

More reason to become a hull digger at the local range, and try to get more of the STS hulls, if you can find any... :-)