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Joined: 16 Jul 2015 Posts: 2125 Location: Hudson,Wy

Anybody out there been cutting down RGL's to 2 1/2"? Favorite loads?

Joined: 07 Sep 2011 Posts: 567 Location: wheeling, wv

I don't know of any 2 1/2" RGL load, but a lot of us that shoot composite barrels-Damascus, twist, laminate, shoot low pressure RGL loads thru them--actually quite common at the vintage shoots.
The RGL's are barely longer then an RST hull. A great low pressure load for the RGL with DR16 wad, and 20/28 powder generates only around 6000 psi and approx. 1150 fps. That load has been on this forum a lot and was tested by Sorrentino. Cant remember the exact grains of 20/28, but believe it is 15.5, will have to look it up.
That said, I would also like to find a 2 1/2" load for the RGL, as I have about 3-400 of them, but prefer to load 2 1/2" shells

Again, why? RGL's are already 67 or 68 mm, minutely over 2 5/8 inch. They work fine in 2 9/16 inch or 65mm chambers. The hull does not last a long time anyway, and the slight end constriction caused by the slight over-length for the chamber doesn't seem to affect hull life in the RGL. A couple or maybe 3 reloads and it's split and done-for anyway.

Woops! I forgot. You might actually have 2 1/2 inch chambers in some of those doubles you have recently found. I have trimmed RGL's and Hartin-crimped them over the Spred-R device or an overshot card: http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21928&highlight=hartin As you can see they turn out nice. Problem with crimping the cut off RGL is its incredible crimp memory. It wants to keep its original crimp shoulder -- that is, the hull wants to stay at it's original loaded length. That shoulder is so low, and the thin and often readily cracked petals of the RGL mean roll crimps might not turn out well unless one trimmed the hull quite a bit shorter than 2 1/2 inches -- kinda useless considering the wads available (at least the plastic units) and the relatively small capacity of the hull to begin with. That's why I chose to Hartin crimp my RGL shorties.

Remember, the good thing about keeping the original hull crimp shoulder (loaded length) is that you can use the same loads (wads, powders, primers) as if the hull was its original length. Hartin himself tested pressures and velocities of hulls/loads using his crimp vs. using the original crimp. His data was generated with 12 gauge Remington STS hulls, if I remember correctly. Hartin-crimped loads had very slightly lower pressures for a given external ballistic level -- probably an insignificant difference, but certainly not higher than with the regular pie crimp -- almost like a roll crimp's effect on pressures, but not quite. So the Hartin crimp is especially handy for the RGL 16. Mine kept well jangling around in my pockets while hunting -- the RGL is so stiff and is very unwilling to un-crimp if properly crimped.

Cheers!

Joined: 21 Mar 2019 Posts: 523 Location: Texas

That 20/28 load that was posted earlier was 7/8 oz, 15.5 grains cheddite 209 dr 16 wad at 1119 fps 6160 psi
Winchester 209 same everything else 1105 fps at 5760
Remington 209 1124 fps at 6140 psi

Joined: 21 Mar 2019 Posts: 523 Location: Texas

I load cheddite 2 1/2. They load and crimp very well.

Joined: 27 Jan 2016 Posts: 490 Location: Oswego, Kansas

I use the RGL hulls in my 29/16 chamber LC Smith until the crimp gives out then I trim the down and use the same load with a roll crimp that works great.

Joined: 16 Jul 2015 Posts: 2125 Location: Hudson,Wy

I have a bunch of RGL's and the length varies a lot, enough that it shows in the crimp. Some of them actually measure 2 3/4". Some barely make 2 6/16". Trimming them all to the same length would be nice.

But there is more "why" to it than that. RGL's tend to have a reduced capacity and I am also thinking in terms of stack height with 5/8 oz. loads.

The third reason is that RGL crimps wear out quickly and this will allow me to get one more use out of them.

Yes, my new gun is 2 1/2" chamber. It may be a coincidence, but I do have a bag of Spred-R's coming, so that Hartin crimp thread is in my memory banks as something I may try for specialty blues grouse/ brush ammo.

Member Joined: 30 Nov 2011 Posts: 1696 Location: Minnesota

I recently found out about the varying lengths too. A few months back I bought a box of once fired from another member. I'd always used the trick of putting a glued together dime and nickel in the last station of my sizemaster in order to avoid changing settings. When I loaded the first shell, in the last station the sidewall buckled. I had last reloaded Herters hulls. Took out the dime/nickel and perfect shell/crimp. Short version,we can no longer assume all RGL to be 2 5/8.

Joined: 16 Jul 2015 Posts: 2125 Location: Hudson,Wy

I am trimming some right now, using my sleeve method (exceptionally uniform). One of them barely stuck out past the sleeve.