rhino Posted May 30, 2004 Share Posted May 30, 2004 Who makes the "best" dummy shells for practicing reloads? (and where can I get them?) I'm shooting okay, but my reloads are putting me at the bottom of the heap. As much as I hate to admit it, some <cough>practice<cough> seems to be in order. I'd prefer something that 1) is of similar weight to loaded slug or #4 shot game load, and that 2) does not resemble real ammo enough to confuse the two, and that 3) does not cost a lot! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingerjg Posted May 30, 2004 Share Posted May 30, 2004 i use ACTION PROVING DUMMIES from Brownells. they dont look like any loaded rounds and they last a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted May 30, 2004 Share Posted May 30, 2004 At around a buck a pop that isn't a bad deal at all. I might have to make yet another Brownells order. Thanks stingerjg. -ld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted May 30, 2004 Share Posted May 30, 2004 The action proving dummies I got from Brownells look too much like the real thing. In fact, they are the real thing, but for--I assume--lack of powder and a spent primer. It's a real 12ga hull, brass bottom, clear plastic, with wad and shot visible. But they certainly handle realistically! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted May 30, 2004 Share Posted May 30, 2004 Paint 'em hot pink? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingerjg Posted May 30, 2004 Share Posted May 30, 2004 yes they are real shells. but they are unmistakenly marked "DUMMY" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted May 31, 2004 Author Share Posted May 31, 2004 Hmmm ... we could probably make those! I hadn't thought of just writing "dummy" on the side or painting them a weird color. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 Yeah, well I can mark DUMMY on my shells and somebody could use them to put a gaping wound in somebody. My point is dummy/practice/insert ammo or devices should be unmistakably apparent. You wouldn't want to take these 12ga dummy rounds into the safe area of a shotgun or 3 gun match. P.S. The DUMMY marking will wear off eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 Sweet Jesu....er....praise Allah! What do you want for a unique identification feature!? Big grooves running down the sides of the "shell"? I'm about ready to run some off on a cnc lathe just to end these goofy debates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intel6 Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 Being a shotshell reloader I just make up some of my own. Last time I made some I used some slug hulls and some polishing media for powder and then inserted a wad and shot and crimped. I then take a big sharpie and mark all over the case and the brass head so there is no doubt it is a dummy. Using the odd slug hull (cheap red ribbed plastic with very high brass base) means it looks nothing like any loaded ammunition that I have. Neal in AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted May 31, 2004 Author Share Posted May 31, 2004 I've seen dummies that were all one piece of brightly colored plastic (I think Jim Shanahan was selling them at the KY state match last year). It would be tough to mistake those for real ammo. I'm not sure how long they would last cycling through the gun, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfield Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 I use A-Zoom snap-caps from Lyman. I like 'm very much, although they probably aren't the cheapest ones around at $5,- per piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 I've seen dummies that were all one piece of brightly colored plastic (I think Jim Shanahan was selling them at the KY state match last year). It would be tough to mistake those for real ammo. I'm not sure how long they would last cycling through the gun, though. I had some of the Saf-T-Trainer brand dummy ammo, which is all one piece of colored plastic, and it sucked. The plastic just gets eaten by the extractor too quickly for any real practice. Other brands may be tougher but I haven't bothered to look for any yet. -ld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingerjg Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 the Saf-T-Trainer shells dont have the same weight of a loaded round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokshwn Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 I just got done building some dummy rounds that rock! I took 12ga dummies from ST Action Pro and then filled them to match the weight and balance of actual rounds. The ST Action Pros are such that you can put three 180gr .40 bullets in them and seal the end with epoxy and the weight will be within 40-80gr of an actual 12 ga rd (depending upon the loading of the live rds). They are clear plastic hulls with an orange insert so they are easily ID'd as dummy rds. and with the addition of the bullets and epoxy behave exactly like live rounds while practicing loading drills. So far they have been more durable than other methods for me. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 You play with any kind of shot shell, dummy or not, in a safety area and you will get to go home early. Shells are not mags. What's that......lighten up, yea your right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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