doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Loading TM

I'd like to reload a couple pounds of No. 5 TM salvaged from 12ga shells that went down to six fathoms in my capsize two years ago. They were 2 1/2 inch Kent 30 gram loads. Would any low-pressure 30-gram load do the trick?

Interesting to me is that the TM in paper with fibre wads was as shiny black as it left the factory; the colour of bismuth shot had changed to a light grey from six months under water. Nick Makinson made the SW as it had come from the store in 1925.

King,
Did the fiber wad loads have a wrapper around the shot? Reason I ask is, it has been noted that it has the potential to scrub the bores and was recommended by someone only to be used with something between it and the bore.

I would not hesitate to swap it out in a mild lead load, but that might just be me. Clay and Game has data published as well.

My guess on the color change is that the graphite on the bismuth is gone, would not rule out a little oxidation as well....TM is still shiny as the polymer was resistant to the salt?

My guess,
Mark

King,

I've been doing a lot of TM harvesting over the last couple of years, getting some great prices on shells nobody wants. Tom Armbrust did some direct TM/lead comparisons. You might find the following link of interest.

http://www.armbrust.acf2.org/tungmatrix.htm

I've also had a few Longshot loads tested by Tom and they were consistent with his earlier findings.