Most Common Shell Size

[Mumbles]

Very long guns drastically reduce the amount of lift needed. There was an "experiment" done by the Kosanke's that was published in one of the BAFN's, #2 I think. I don't know if a gun could ever be so long as to stop the shell from accelerating. I remember hearing that 1g of BP makes something like 3L of gas.

[firetech]

What plug cutter do you use?

[dagabu]

Very long guns drastically reduce the amount of lift needed. There was an "experiment" done by the Kosanke's that was published in one of the BAFN's, #2 I think. I don't know if a gun could ever be so long as to stop the shell from accelerating. I remember hearing that 1g of BP makes something like 3L of gas.

 

I think there was a formula that was used and if extrapolated, a pound of BP would produce 2000 sq ft of gas. As best as I remember. I am looking for it right now. Yes, if the barrel (if you will) was too long, it could slow the shell. Tests of a .50 gun barrel were made in the 1950s to see at what length the bullet would (.50 BAR) not be accelerating any more. I will look in my back issues but I think is was 12' long before the bullet started to slow because of too much friction and not enough gas. The author said that it sounded more like a pop from a cork gun (though much louder) then a gun shot.

 

D

[dagabu]

What plug cutter do you use?

 

I grabbed a Harbor Freight cutter for $6.00 a month ago, this is a still from a tutorial I am working on for small shell building. I reversed the cutter blades and the holders to get the plug size down to 1.38" for my small shells.

 

D

Edited December 21, 2009 by dagabu

[firetech]

Can you get a link to me

[Gunzway]

A bit of help/advice here. Making a lot of 2" shells and I am not reloading during the night thus I'll need lift cups. Original plan was to make them out of toilet paper rolls and cut out cardboard disks and attach it like that. Considering doing that takes A LOT of time and it'll make me lose my sanity, can anyone suggest something that would work faster? I need it as a lift cup as I will be labeling each shell appropriately and putting warning signs etc. Disposal cup bottoms seem a little large for 2" shells.

[dagabu]

Can you get a link to me

 

Damn! I lied... it's $4.99!

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=37370

 

D

[dagabu]

A bit of help/advice here. Making a lot of 2" shells and I am not reloading during the night thus I'll need lift cups. Original plan was to make them out of toilet paper rolls and cut out cardboard disks and attach it like that. Considering doing that takes A LOT of time and it'll make me lose my sanity, can anyone suggest something that would work faster? I need it as a lift cup as I will be labeling each shell appropriately and putting warning signs etc. Disposal cup bottoms seem a little large for 2" shells.

 

Go to Wendy's, grab a bunch of the ketchup cups by the napkins and straws, they are perfect for this.

 

http://pyrobin.com/files/wendys%20cup.jpg

 

This is a screen grab from an up coming tutorial on small shells. The cup measures out at 1.5 " The easiest way is to grab a box of the cheapest sandwich bags from a dollar store, drop your lift into it, drop your quick match into it and tie it off (tape) and tape that to your shell bottom.

 

D

Edited December 21, 2009 by dagabu

[Ventsi]

Here is what I do. It gives you the ability to write whatever you want on the shell.

 

I take my standard 2" shell, this one is on the heavy side because of the zinc stars.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m100/asota_2006/P1080267.jpg

 

 

Next I attach my leader and put my lift in a little bag made from cling-wrap, make sure it isn't leaking and tape the bag tightly to the shell.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m100/asota_2006/P1080268.jpg

 

Then I wrap some masking paper and tie both ends off. This hides all the ugly stuff, you can get fancy and use all kinds of paper.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m100/asota_2006/P1080269.jpg

 

Viola!

 

 

Edit, this might not work if you were talking about ball shells. though you could probably still do it.

 

Dave! What a coincidence , this is for a tutorial as well.

Edited December 21, 2009 by Ventsi

[Gunzway]

Looks good! Wendys isn't a real big franchise in Australia so I might be a little stuck there. Nor have I ever saw those ketchup cups. I'll take a look when I go out next at Wendys and hope for the best. They definitely look perfect though. Does anyone else have alternatives?

 

And yes, I am talking ball shells. I'll be using your method for my can shells though. Thanks Ventsi.

Edited December 21, 2009 by Gunzway

[dagabu]

Looks good! Wendys isn't a real big franchise in Australia so I might be a little stuck there. Nor have I ever saw those ketchup cups. I'll take a look when I go out next at Wendys and hope for the best. They definitely look perfect though. Does anyone else have alternatives?

 

And yes, I am talking ball shells. I'll be using your method for my can shells though. Thanks Ventsi.

 

Gunz,

 

These cups are dirt cheap and you can get them from a restaurant supply house in AU too. They are 1 oz size.

 

D

[dagabu]

Looks good! Wendys isn't a real big franchise in Australia so I might be a little stuck there. Nor have I ever saw those ketchup cups. I'll take a look when I go out next at Wendys and hope for the best. They definitely look perfect though. Does anyone else have alternatives?

 

And yes, I am talking ball shells. I'll be using your method for my can shells though. Thanks Ventsi.

 

Gunz,

 

These cups are dirt cheap and you can get them from a restaurant supply house in AU too.

 

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/solo-075-2...-box/99939.html

 

D

Edited December 21, 2009 by dagabu

[Gunzway]

Oh yes, I think I remember seeing those at a local restaurant/cafe thing. I'll be sure to get some in the next few days. I still have ten days till New Years but I'm already doubting I'll be able to get as much as I thought originally done. Too bad I keep delaying pasting, I have so many shells built but I just keep procrastinating the whole pasting process. Times like this I wish super markets rented out WASPS like the carpet steamers... Thanks dagabu.

[firetech]

I attach my lift with Al foil tape. It works like a charm. I make a full wrap around the shell with it and then pour the lift in there and twist it closed.

[Mumbles]

I cover the lift charges of my ball shells with the Aluminum tape as well. Going to club shoots where the guns are used constantly, the Al tape gives me some confidence just in case of a stray spark.

[firetech]

The only issue I have with it is that it expands to the full size of the tube when the lift fires, making it terribly annoying to remove from the bottom of the mortar.

[dagabu]

The only issue I have with it is that it expands to the full size of the tube when the lift fires, making it terribly annoying to remove from the bottom of the mortar.

 

After a club shoot where I dropped 2 dozen balls down the same gun, the shells didn't seem to go as high and I know that the lift cups had started to make a shock absorber. I will switch to another gun at that point.

 

I do like Al tape to, it won't burn like paper cups, no smoldering. I dropped a 3" ball into a gun last fall in it lit when it hit bottom. I usually have my hand aprtially above the gun when I drop them so as to not rub the leader on the gun opening but I was spared and I was fine.

 

I was seeing a big spot for some time after but otherwise fine. Thanks for the reminder!

 

D

[TheEskimo]

I personally go for 3, 4 inch ball shells. Small enough to shoot off on 20 acres, big enough to provide a good effect.

And on the subject of the loudness of mortars, I wonder if one could make a sort of "silencer" to fit around the muzzle. I go for polverone, and it's mesh is quite small. I worry about irritating the neighbors, because it provides a loud CRACK, rather than a BOOMPF. Perhaps a cardboard diffuser to fit around the muzzle, or even make a longer cut of HDPE, and cut holes near the muzzle, so as to disperse the gasses?

[cplmac]

Oops, I guess I should have read the question more carefully. I voted 3" ball because that is what we USE the most. Probably make 3" mines the most, tens and twelves for actual shells the most.

[Bonny]

I personally go for 3, 4 inch ball shells. Small enough to shoot off on 20 acres, big enough to provide a good effect.

And on the subject of the loudness of mortars, I wonder if one could make a sort of "silencer" to fit around the muzzle. I go for polverone, and it's mesh is quite small. I worry about irritating the neighbors, because it provides a loud CRACK, rather than a BOOMPF. Perhaps a cardboard diffuser to fit around the muzzle, or even make a longer cut of HDPE, and cut holes near the muzzle, so as to disperse the gasses?

 

 

You could try a muzzle break, but when used on rifles, the sound is usually louder, but it lessens the kick. I would recommend going to a larger powder grain size. I use ~2FA and get a nice thump compared to a louder crack when using 4FA sized powder.

[dagabu]

I live in a place where it is perfectly safe to launch a few shells but the noise isn't tolerated at all. I got a 3" x 48" piece of HDPE that is bottom fused, I made a powder cup from metal filled epoxy that I milled to fit the bottom that has a cup that will take up to 1 oz of BP and holds the shell bottom like a bowl.

 

I add .75 oz to the gun from the muzzle and I loop a string through the plastic loop to lower them into the gun so the time fuse in pointing down.

 

From 100' away, the lift is all but burned up and there is very little flash, the sound is greatly reduced and the ball shell goes up 250' or so. I have a plastic cap that stays on the gun when not in use, a cotton rag is placed in the lift cup and has a string attached to it to pull it out before firing and the gun stays outside.

 

It works for me