Where to get Magtech/CBC 24ga brass shotshells?

[angusb1]

Having finally got my dream Martini-Henry 577/450 I would like to get some Magtech 24 bore brass shotshells so I can form some more brass. Can I find any? No, I cannot. I have found some Bertram brass at Henry Krank for £8.92 a piece, or some already formed Magtech brass for £5 a piece but no Magtech 24 bore brass at all. Steve from Clay and Game told me the importer has not had any for some time which probably explains it.

The rifle came with 20 NDFS cases, but I would like to have more than that, and I was looking forward to the challenge of forming some myself. Does anyone know where I could get some of the unformed Magtech brass so I don't have to resort to the sale of a kidney?

I can see the Magtech stuff on Midway USA but can't buy it to be shipped to the UK. I did wonder if I might be able to persuade someone I know who travels between the US and UK fairly regularly to bring some over for me. I think it is allowed as long as it is unprimed, is that correct?

Thanks for any help you can give me in answering these questions.

Angus

 

[angusb1]

In the meantime here's a picture of my lovely new rifle and all the goodies I got with it.

 

[Muir]

I hope you find Magtek. I use .24 ga for .577 but more importantly, use 32 ga for the scarce 50-70 Government. Fits perfectly -Muir

 

[angusb1]

Thanks, I think I'm going to have to get some Bertram brass, no-one in the UK seems to have any Magtech, it looks like Magtech can't ship abroad any more. 20 rounds makes for a short day at the range.

Is the 32 ga easier to form 50-70 from than 348 Winchester?

 

[Liveonce]

Brass shotgun cases became less popular when the VCR bill made it a requirement to have a FAC to buy metalic ammo primers which the brass shotgun cases required. So likely if the majority using them only had a SGC and were unable to buy primers the resulting fall in demand for the cases has made it such that it just does not justify importing any.

 

[angusb1]

I found other countries like Australia don't seem to have any Magtech brass either but I don't know for sure the reason Magtech don't export to the UK any more.

 

[SpikeD]

I've just had a look through my own stock of unusual stuff and I do have 20 NFDS unfired cases available at £6 a case if interested. Forming your own is always good fun but you will lose a few through wrinkles from time to time no matter how much you anneal or rotate the brass as you form them, the trick is to always treat each case as if it's the only one you'll ever have and go slowly...

Thanks
Mike

 

[Muir]

Angus b1,
Forming the 32ga to 50-70 is much easier than using 348 Win. Simply trim and size (annealing helps) -Muir

 

[alled12]

Having finally got my dream Martini-Henry 577/450 I would like to get some Magtech 24 bore brass shotshells so I can form some more brass. Can I find any? No, I cannot. I have found some Bertram brass at Henry Krank for £8.92 a piece, or some already formed Magtech brass for £5 a piece but no Magtech 24 bore brass at all. Steve from Clay and Game told me the importer has not had any for some time which probably explains it.

The rifle came with 20 NDFS cases, but I would like to have more than that, and I was looking forward to the challenge of forming some myself. Does anyone know where I could get some of the unformed Magtech brass so I don't have to resort to the sale of a kidney?

I can see the Magtech stuff on Midway USA but can't buy it to be shipped to the UK. I did wonder if I might be able to persuade someone I know who travels between the US and UK fairly regularly to bring some over for me. I think it is allowed as long as it is unprimed, is that correct?

Thanks for any help you can give me in answering these questions.

Angus

Try Henry Krank he is usually a purveyor of these sort of things and keep an eye on the auction sites as well, you may find them there. Otherwise also check the european sites as they will ship to the UK. IF you are a member of the historic breech loading society then pop an email on there mailing list and someone will usually find some for you, and if you are not then consider it, its only £45 a year and it would appear to be right up your street.

 

[angusb1]

Try Henry Krank he is usually a purveyor of these sort of things and keep an eye on the auction sites as well, you may find them there. Otherwise also check the european sites as they will ship to the UK. IF you are a member of the historic breech loading society then pop an email on there mailing list and someone will usually find some for you, and if you are not then consider it, its only £45 a year and it would appear to be right up your street.

Thanks for this, you can get Bertram brass from Henry Krank but not Magtech. I did look on a couple of European sites but they had no stock either. I will have a look at the historic breech loading society, that does sound like my cup of tea indeed so thank you for that. I've been thinking of starting a collection of British service rifles starting with the Pattern 1853 so that could be really handy for all sorts of things.

 

[angusb1]

Angus b1,
Forming the 32ga to 50-70 is much easier than using 348 Win. Simply trim and size (annealing helps) -Muir

I see what you mean now Muir, the 50-70 is longer overall than the 348 win case is to the shoulder. That would be much more difficult than using 32ga

 

[alled12]

Thanks for this, you can get Bertram brass from Henry Krank but not Magtech. I did look on a couple of European sites but they had no stock either. I will have a look at the historic breech loading society, that does sound like my cup of tea indeed so thank you for that. I've been thinking of starting a collection of British service rifles starting with the Pattern 1853 so that could be really handy for all sorts of things.

If that is your intention, then I would very definitely recommend you join the historic breech loading society. A really interesting bunch, immensely knowledgeable, welcoming, and there will undoubtedly be members with a keen interest in the Pattern 1853. I had my interview with the Chairman at the sporting rifle range (Bisley) while the club was there on a shoot day. Great fun, he reminded me, in the best possible way, of a retired Army colonel presiding over an oak-paneled clubhouse, complete with threadbare leather armchairs, a decanter of something reassuringly peaty, and a roaring fire that somehow stays lit year-round, for collecting they are a must.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Here is a link to 150 new cases for sale in Germany on Egun. I am in Bavaria so if you bid and win they will either post direct to you or I can organise something via me to get them to you.

Magtech Hülsen Kaliber 24 / 2½ - eGun

 

[angusb1]

Thanks for this. Will keep an eye on them.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Thanks for this. Will keep an eye on them.

Your welcome.

 

[angusb1]

Thanks for this. Will keep an eye on them.

Went to bid on these at the last minute and got a message saying my account was blocked, when I went into it they need to see both sides of my identity card before my account will be fully activated. I have emailed egun asking what document they will accept from me as I am British and have no identity card as such. By the time I had worked out what was going on I missed the auction end but never mind, once I have that identity doc confirmation sorted out I can look on egun and hopefully find some more

Thanks very much for your help @Bavarianbrit.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Passport should cut it.
They do come up now and again on egun.

 

[angusb1]

Passport should cut it.
They do come up now and again on egun.

Yep, that's what they asked for, and proof of address.

I have some Bertram and NDFS brass but it is always good to have more brass when it is hard to come by, and the Magtech stuff can be reasonably priced. £9 a pop from Kranks was a bit too rich for my blood.

Thanks again for your help, I never would have thought to look there

 

[Muir]

Try Southerton guns. They list it. -Muir

 

[angusb1]

Thanks Muir, unfortunately they are out of stock.

I just bought some Bertram brass from Australia so I have enough cases for a good session at the range. Including postage and duty they weren't cheap at £6 each but it was a lot more palatable than the almost £9 each from Henry Krank. They are also out of stock now as well. Crazy that the country which produced thousands of these rifles and the ammo for them now produces no ammo at all for them and we are struggling to find any and paying through the nose for them when we can find them.

I did look at what kind of tooling you need to make brass like this from scratch but it's in the thousands if not tens of thousands of pounds to set up. It seemed to be a minimum of a 50 tonne hydraulic press running from a pump at which point I bought some from Australia.

Looking forward to casting some bullets and shooting it now