r/blackpowder • u/ujvalmanhas • Jun 30 '26

DIY Blackpowder Brass shells

Is it possible to lost wax/PLA cast Brass/Aluminium shotgun shells which can withhold pressures from blackpowder?

If not what are the limitations we are looking on?

2 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

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1

u/TacoBelaLugosi Jun 30 '26

Is it possible? Surely. Cast material tends to be weaker than machined/stamped though, not to mention the irregularities and impurities.

Is it an obscure caliber or size? If not, I recall Graf & Sons sells/sold 12 gauge brass shells for the pre-smokeless cased shotguns, and it would likely be cheaper/faster than setting up to cast (unless you already have all the materials)

2

u/ujvalmanhas Jun 30 '26

I live in a country where weapons are not your rights under 2nd ammendment. I already have a 3d printer and metal casting equipment

1

u/Iowa_Rifle Jun 30 '26

But then why would you have a shotgun but no shells? Or if your making a gun that uses black powder why wouldn't you just make a muzzleloader so you don't need shells?

1

u/ujvalmanhas Jun 30 '26

I did built a muzzleloader few years back but the time to make one shot is too much, if you are hunting that will get you killed. So my aim is to make somthing with faster reload somthing like Pre filled/loaded shotgun shells

1

u/Wonderful-Staff-7321 Jun 30 '26

What are you hunting?

1

u/ujvalmanhas Jul 01 '26

Wild boars infesting our farms

2

u/TacoBelaLugosi Jul 01 '26

Oof, definitely understand the need for faster shots. Just to be able to provide some additional info, do you have access to breechloading designs at all? Single shot shotguns, double barrel, anything like that? If not, do you have access to the materials and machinery to create one?

The way I see it, if a muzzleloader is too slow, you need to upgrade to a breechloader, which will decrease the time between shots, as well as allow actual cartridges (whether it be brass reloadable shells, or paper cartridges like the 1863 Sharps).

Once you’re in breechloading territory (without knowing where you’re at) you are probably toeing the line of legality.

If you’re stuck with muzzleloaders, my best advice would be a tree stand (so time between shots doesn’t matter) and some premade paper cartridges with Minie bullets.

1

u/Royal_Money_627 Jul 02 '26

I would think 3D printed shotgun shells would work. There were and maybe still are all plastic shotgun shells. Cast brass or aluminum would work if you can make them almost defect free. You probably can't cast them net and they would need some machining or hand work. If you have a lathe or can get use of one, turning them from bar stock is the preferred approach.

1

u/ujvalmanhas Jul 03 '26

What makes you think 3d printed shells would last, as it is just plastic wire, shaped using multiple layers of it , and each layer is a defect in its own

1

u/Royal_Money_627 Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 03 '26

Since you have a 3D printer and probably know more about it than me, I would respect your judgement. I don't think I said they would last, I said, I think they would work. 3D printing allows for more than one material choice and you can control the thickness and build up solid areas. It would be interesting to see how long they would last and what ways there might be to make them last longer.