# Handloading Speer Handgun Shotshells



## skinedknuckles (Jun 3, 2011)

I tried my first effort at loading Speer shotshell capsules for my .357 revolver as a snake load. The Speer loading data is 109 gr of shot over 4.5 gr of 700-X at a cartridge OAL of 1.5". Using a .357 Magnum case, I could insert the shot capsule easily by hand to an OAL of about 1.7", but even using the bullet seating station on the Lee turret I could not get below 1.6". Inserting an empty capsule in an empty case, the capsule goes in easily to about 1.7" and starts to stick. Using a .38 Special case yields sticking at the same OAL. The capsule starts in the case very easily, and the sticking starts well below where the expander die would reach, so more expansion doesn't seem to be the answer. I even wire brushed the ID of the case thinking powder residue might be causing the binding, but that changed nothing. By measurement and calculation, the base of the shot capsule should not begin to compress the powder until an OAL of a little under 1.5".

Since I'm loading a .38 Special load and shooting it in a .357 Magnum handgun, and since a longer OAL usually results in lower pressures, not higher, I think I would be erring on the safe side to leave the OAL at 1.6"-1.65". The cartridge nose is below flush with the end of the cylinder at 1.7" so I shouldn't have a binding issue.

Am I missing anything? Has anyone else tried loading these capsules? Thanks for the help.


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## DJ Niner (Jul 22, 2011)

I used a lot of these capsules in .38/.357 and .44Spl/.44Mag many years ago, when I lived in the South. They are great for turning poisonous snakes found near your campsite into "good" snakes. :thumb:

I think the base of your capsules are hitting the thicker part of the case web, at the point where the brass thins-down to normal wall thickness. Are you using a carbide resizing die? If so, it is possible that the carbide sizer is reducing the case diameter so much that the capsule can't be seated to the normal depth. I would think you could check this by trying to seat a capsule in a fired, but not yet resized, case. If it goes in deeper with less resistance, then the sizing is the problem. Data for these capsules was originally developed back when normal steel sizing dies were the norm; I don't think they reduce the size of the thicker web part of the case as much as carbide dies do. That's why some casings look a bit like an hourglass when sized with carbide dies and then expanded near the neck, with a seated bullet forcing the case neck back up to near bore diameter.

If it turns out that the sizing is the problem, you might consider only partially sizing the cases you intend to use for shotshell loads. Adjust the sizing die to stop sizing just before the thicker part of the case web, and before loading the cases, try them in your guns to make sure they will still chamber freely.

Hope this was helpful.


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