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Post by magnumwheelman on Oct 17, 2016 14:16:11 GMT -5
tomorrow when my last 2 cases get here... then I'm buying 250 more... I've not started reloading plastic hull shot shells yet...
Do you guys that do a lot of metalic reloading have suggestions for a single stage 12 gauge loader... I have an old MEC that was FIL's but it seems so strange... do you like adjustable charge bars or bushings???
I don't do much shot gun shooting, but as in my metalic reloading, I'm trying to get a base of factory ammo, then reload 100 -200 rounds ( I shoot mostly CAS )... I think the Winchester AA hulls are supposed to be good... I'm a bit concered about crimps, as FIL has a bunch of mixed cheap ribbed hulls that he reloaded & none of the crimps are tight, & he'd put masking tape over the star crimp to keep from leaking shot...
any suggestions would be great...
BTW... if loading lighter loads, how many reloads can you get with smooth AA 12 ga hull???
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Fowler
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 3,559
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Post by Fowler on Oct 17, 2016 14:44:25 GMT -5
AA is still th hull all others are measured by, there are some other ones that might be touch better but you get to be slicing hairs.
In mild target loads. 5-8 reloads seem to be normal life from a AA hull, of at least was 10 years ago when I shot shotgun a lot more than I do now. I am a cheap bastard but I will say if your time is worth anything at all it is hard to justify reloading shot shells these days. I used to but when I sit down and do some math I might save $10-15 a case over reloading. 10 boxes takes a couple of hours to load and so if your time is worth anything at all you are at best a wash. Now I still reload bird loads and such just not a lot of target ammo...
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Post by mhblaw on Oct 17, 2016 14:44:44 GMT -5
AA cases are good for at least 4 - 5 reloads, maybe more. If you are not into trap, skeet or sporting clays, then a single stage press would suffice. Back in the day when I was reloading shotshells strictly for bird hunting, I used a Ponsness-Warren single stage press. Matter of fact I still have it, but should move it on one of these days.
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Post by magnumwheelman on Oct 17, 2016 15:03:49 GMT -5
I'm buying light - low recoil target loads with #8 shot... & it seems to work great in my coach guns at CAS targets... we don't have enough birds in my area ( short of Canada Geese ) to justify bird hunting... I've not shot clay much if ever, but I should practice as I compete in a local sportsmans challege that is 50% shotgun... I want the ability to reload, even if the "current" economics aren't there, because we never know the politics & availability of such things... I didn't shoot CAS for over a year, a couple years ago, because of lack of component availability... in fact, it's still been over a year since I've seen Trailboss on the shelf ( my prefered CAS cartridge powder )... so with shot shells, pending availability... I'd probably try to buy a case, every time I get one shot up... I already have a fair amount of lead shot in #8 & #9, as well as some #5 or #6... I'd probably want to buy some wads that matched my load books, & reload enough shells that I'm proficient at it... but continue to buy shells as long as they are as close to cost, as they are currently... so a single stage functional unit that could keep me shooting CAS if shells were tough to get
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cmh
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 3,745
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Post by cmh on Oct 17, 2016 15:57:45 GMT -5
Check out Longshot powder..... Ive not reloaded any yet but I gathered everything I would need to and its the powder my good friend sweara by for shotshells.
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woody
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,116
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Post by woody on Oct 17, 2016 21:02:18 GMT -5
If you want to load get a new MEC or keep an eye out for a good used one but be careful you don't want someone else's problems. Happen to me with a MEC Grabber .410. I sold it now is someone else's problem!!! As for powder Red Dot,Promo or 700x are excellent for trap loads and on the cheaper side for powder since they have been around for ever. I shoot a lot of skeet and it really doesn't pay to reload 12 or 20 ga. You can buy any of the promotional shells pretty cheap if you watch the sale flyers. Remington Gun Clubs,Rio,Federal Top Gun,Estates etc. You will have to decide what your time is worth and how much you are going to shoot. Don't buy 12 ga. Or 20 ga. hulls. They are so many around from guys not reloading for either of those gauges. I've never paid for 12 or 20 hulls. Guys will even give away AA and STS hulls.
As far as hulls to reload Remington STS are the best hull to reload. Everyone I shoot with prefer the STS to AA. The new AA HS just aren't as good as the original compressed formed AA. Gun clubs load good even with the steel heads. Remington came out with a new load. Clay & Field. They look good and are advertised as reloadable. I have a few boxes of 20's but haven't shot any to reload them yet.
Where it pays off to reload is 28 ga and .410. They don't make any cheap promotional shells in either 28 or .410 and factory stuff is $10-12 a box. I do reload 20's. The only reason is I have a lot of empties given to me. I do supplement my reloads with any of the above mentioned promo shells. I buy flats when I see them on sale. I can get Estates locally for a pretty good price per flat. Gun Clubs are always on sale at Dicks Sporting Goods for $5.48 and you get $10.00 coupons in the mail all the time.
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jgt
.327 Meteor
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Posts: 782
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Post by jgt on Oct 18, 2016 7:52:50 GMT -5
The main thing is to use the correct wad for the shot and overpowder wad pressure when loading the shell. If you pay close attention to the components used in the shells being loaded by the people who wrote the manual you are using, and use those same components, you will get excellent results. The shells will crimp up like factory loads. I have loaded old cheap Remington dove loads with black hulls 10 or more times with no problems. As long as the hulls are kept dry they will stand up. Also, it didn't seem to matter if it was a low brass or high brass hull being used. I have loaded some really hot loads in low brass hulls and had no problem. The length of brass is used to make sure factory loads can be identified even if the writing has worn off or the box is lost. I agree Remington STS are the best. I use to get my hulls by picking up discarded hulls on turnrows in fields the first couple of weekends of dove season. Many times I could find two or three boxes and all the hulls in close proximity to where the hunter sat. I could pick them up with little effort. I would get all the free hulls I could use and clean up the mess left by the hunters. I picked up beer cans and all manor of trash in big garbage bags. When I got home I sorted them and threw away the trash. I traded the ones I didn't want to other loaders for ones I wanted. For good crimps, make sure to have the correct crimp starter in that stage for the crimp originally used at the factory. Since it has already been crimped at the factory, it will easily recrimp while being reloaded.
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Post by bulasteve on Oct 18, 2016 8:56:40 GMT -5
I was taught to shoot trap by my friends Fathers friend. An old gentleman that had a small hobby farm were we hunted grouse. After grousin' we'd shoot trap. Turned out the guy had been an Olympic caliber trap shooter in his day. He had an old MEC bolted to the coffee table, rule was if the TV was on you better be loading. Win's AA's were da bomb back then. Think I have some rounds left around here somewhere from off that press. But yes, have heard Rem STS's are the hull of choice now. Though this info a decade old now !
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