reloading shot shells

[Bearlodge10]

Anyone here reloading for shotguns? I would like to look into this but wanted to get some first hand knowledge and tips from those who are doing it. I would be interested in reloading for a 12 or 20 gauge ( have both now but would reload for the one that I shoot the most). Also looking at reloading for the the 28 gauge as I think I am going to pick one up for my son. It is the cost here for the sub gauge that makes me look at reloading shot shells.

 

[sram9102]

My grandpa has a setup. I wouldn't worry about it unless you're loading special loads, tss, mixed shot sizes, etc. The cost for budget shells has gotten to a point (around here anyways) that I couldn't see spending the time to do it. The 28 gauge may be worth looking into. I haven't bought a box of those in years.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I first started handloading my turkey loads. I didn’t have a drill press, so I went and bought one just for loading shotshells. Totally worth it for me.

 

[19hunt92]

I do heavily, but like stated before, if its for generic 7.5# light loads, you break even for material cost alone. Your time makes it more expensive to reload here. If shells get over $25 for 100 rounds, that's what i consider a break even point.
Now for me, i load heavy loads #6 / #5 for squirrel, pheasant, crow and in some cases turkey. I play with steel and tungsten but nothing i am sold on yet for waterfowl.

To start, the cheap play way is to get into roll crimping, its versatile and not length specific. For mass production, a mec reloader is needed (or similar high dollar reloader) stay away form the cheap lee's is you want quality and expect to use a lot. Look into ballistic products for a starting on materials needed and they give some great load information. Prices are hit and miss but its a good place to research and expand.

I get more involved with shotgun patterning and loading than i do rifle now, but maybe that's cause i can't afford to buy multiple rifles and can shoot multiple loads in one shotgun with a choke swap...like a new gun all over again

 

[Axlrod]

I load on a Hornady 366 Auto. 12 Ga. mostly trap loads but I do a run of 1.5 oz #5's for pheasant and turkey. I bought it 25 years ago and when i was shooting 500 rounds per week i used it a lot. It will do 400/hour. Now i don't shoot as many so i just buy them through our club at cost when they get a truck load.

 

[camping1601]

Not recently, but I have a couple MEC's I used heavily in the past. The key to saving money is to by mail order bulk quantities and use cheaper powders like Promo and primers like Fiocchi.
Buy powders by the 8 pound jugs and 5000 primers at a time to save on the UPS hazmat shipping.
Another thing is you can load 7/8 and 3/4 oz 12 GA loads to save money on shot.
Again find somewhere that sells shot cheap and buy a lot. Many Skeet and Trap clubs buy shot by the truck load.

 

[camping1601]

Another fun thing is you can get some fed gold medal hulls and some Long shot and load some serious Crow loads.

 

[sbrville]

we used to load a lot but target shells got cheaper than I could load. The shot got expensive so look for it on sale or reclaimed/recycled shot if u want to plunk around. You can save on reloading hunting rounds, you can load them for about the same money as target rounds. The 28 gauge will save you quite a bit if u can find a loader reasonable. I have a 3 mecs all hand me downs. 12,20, and .410. The 410’s can be finicky, the slender case can buckle when trying to crimp sometimes. If you want to try it cheap, Lee made/makes one pretty cheap. I would suggest a mec. I see them for sale at flea markets and yard sales some times. The charge bars that throw the powder and shot (in the ones I have) are preset for shot and use bushings for powder. They do make a universal charge bar I would like to try that you just adjust for powder so you can tune it in.

 

[accountantsanonymous]

This thread sure has aged like milk. Has anyone moved back towards reloading? Are components available?

 

[nettereo16]

This thread sure has aged like milk. Has anyone moved back towards reloading? Are components available?

I used up the rest of my 209 primers just to get to the skeet fields. The cheapo shells no longer exist so maybe if you had shot shell components they’d be sitting pretty

 

[Zappaman]

My wife complained about the 1000 new, primed cases I put into TWO trash bags last year... up in the closet. When I explained the ammo market a few months back she said SELL that shit and let's go to Mexico! (thank's to Covid I still have my shells

Last month on Gun Broker, my buddy sold an "all-time" high case of 1k Win 209 shotgun primers... $300!!! (buyer was smoking' crack!!!)

 

[czyolman]

Powder & primer prices reflect current store bought shell prices, both high. But shells have been scarce in my neck of the woods, so back to the loader this year as I have components.

I play both ends. If I can buy decent shells as cheap as I can reload, I go that route. Otherwise I load & try to maintain a stock of components for uncertain times..... like now.

BTW, I don't charge for my time while loading. If I started that rule, it might apply to beer drinking or watching Gunsmoke. I do those for free as well.

 

[Rich M]

We been reloading shot shells since the 1980s. Used to be a good way to save $$$, not so much these days. Dad retired and does the majority of the loading now.

If its cheaper to load, we load, cheaper to purchase, we purchase.

Shooting is expensive these days - Had a charity sporting clays event and spent over $110 per case of 1 oz 7.5 shells. Crazy!