reloading for shotgun help

[Dimis]

im thinking about reloading for my shotguns and ive done a little research online but i figure its better to ask here than get even more confused

what is the basic equipment one needs to reload for shotshells (minus materials of course)?

do you need a different press for each gauge or is it like handgun/rifle presses where you just get caliber (in this case gauge/leanth) specific dies?

ive looked on midway at a few presses and they have them listed by gauge and then the shell leanth so thats what confused me

whats a good brand press to start with (single stage is fine)?

id like to be able to reload for .410 20 and 12 gauge maybe even 16 and 10 down the road (heck i might as well do 28 too right lol)

can you reload slugs and shot with the same equipment?

how difficult is it to reload shotshells compaired to handgun/rifle reloading?

TIA i know its alot of questions but measure twice cut once right?

almost forgot...

what good books are available on shotshell reloading?

 

[Sunray]

The .410 will be the issue. So will the 10 and 28 guage. Don't reload for shotgun, but I'd look at a Lee Load-All Reloader. Does 20, 12 and 16 guage. Less than $50.
"...reload slugs and shot with the same equipment?..." Yep.
http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/publications/shotshell-5.php
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1258785243.1289=/html/catalog/loadall.html

 

[snuffy]

Sunray gave you good advice on "THE BIBLE" of shotshell reloading, the Lyman shotshell handbook..

The lee load-all is a VERY basic loader, for those that want a few shells, and that don't care if a few don't look real good. The solid state crimping die doesn't make for nice tight, good looking crimps.

The standard that all other single stage shotshell loaders are compared to is the MEC 600 jr, mark 5. It is adjustable for 2-¾ and 3 inch shells, with the .410 being 2-½ and 3 inch. The mec 10 gauge will load the 3½. The 12 gauge 3-½ is a special machine as well.

Slugs can be loaded on a mec 600 JR., IF you're loading them inside a shotcup and then star crimping them. If you're loading slugs with a roll crimp, then you need a roll crimper that is turned by a drill motor or drill press. There's loads for slugs in the Lyman manual as well and Lyman sells two molds to cast your own slugs, and give you data to load them.

Changing from one gauge to another on a mec,(or any other shotshell loader), takes a very long time. HOURS! And more that a few new cuss words!

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=389536

 

[Dimis]

thanks guys

so would it be a simpler idea to get a press for each gauge instead of "cussing" the change out?

i have enough room in my shop for several presses and i could get one now and expand later

you mentioned roll crimping and that got me to thinking about the winchester .410 000Buck loads

are these possable to do or would it be better to just keep looking for them on store shelves (whish is almost impossable here)

i primarily want to load 410 so i can feed my judge and saiga (both 3 inch) without searching for shells localy

also with the MEC is it a pain to adjust from 2.5 to 3 inch (2 3/4 to 3 for the 12 and 20)?

 

[JimKirk]

Mec 600 jr.... Loaded tens of thousand of 20 ga with mine! Wish I had got the Mec 9000 G as far as speed of loading. If you shoot very much look at the 9000G. One of the best single stage is the 600 jr, you can't go wrong with it. The only thing I have ever had to replace was the plastic wad guide, only one of them <$3. The first one lasted 15 to 20 thousand and the second one has close to that. I only load for 20 ga, if I loaded for more gauges, I would have a press for each gauge, having the type press based on how much I shot that gauge. The best thing to do is find ONE hull you like and set up for that one, change wads, powder and shot for different loads. Swapping between hulls will make you cuss. It is hard to beat the Winchester AA or the Remington STX hulls. Sorry I am of no help for the .410.

Jimmy K

My friend has a Lee Load All, it will work for what it is, but my opinion it is a peice of junk, go with Mec or one of the other better built brand. Not bashing Lee, but calling it as I see it, sorry.

 

[Jim Watson]

It has mostly been said, but I will emphasize. The MEC 600 Jr is always a good choice. You can go cheaper, you can go fancier, but the MEC will do the job.
Sticking with one brand and type of hull will simplify your life. I load mixed range pickup pistol brass, but stay with AAs for shotgun. As long as my supply of one-piece AAs lasts, that is. When they are worn out, I have some Remington STS hulls that I think better than the current two-piece AA.

Most Skeet shooters will have four machines because changing dies on a shotshell loader is more work than just screwing dies into a metallic press. It might pay you to have a 650 progressive to load the gauge you shoot the most, single stage 600s for the others.

It will take a while to amortize the price of a shotshell loader if you are satisfied with the usual Cheapmart promotional stuff. If you demand good field and target shells, reloading makes more sense.

 

[Vacek]

I have the MEC jr. for 2.5 410. I really like it now that I have it adjusted. I also have Lee Load Alls for 12 and 20. Love em. All three are great.

Early on for grins I bought the obsolete but still widely available on ebay the Lee Loader WhackaMo's for 12 and 20. They work find but are a little hard to get a perfect crimp.

 

[BullsAndClays]

I recently acquired a used, Ponsness Warren 375C. You can keep tooling for two gauges on each tool head. It will load .410 to 10 gauge, as well as all shot types as long as you have the correct shot bushing.

 

[NCsmitty]

also with the MEC is it a pain to adjust from 2.5 to 3 inch (2 3/4 to 3 for the 12 and 20)?

I know that in my experience with 410 on the Mec 600 jr, it is a pain to switch to 3" and back again to 2.50". It can be time consuming making adjustments to get it right.

It's also debatable whether loading for 12 & 20ga is really worth doing for the economics. Bulk loads at Walmart or other ammo dealers are very competitively priced in that respect.
The fact that you can customize loads by reloading is a redeeming value though.

Component prices have steadily risen over the last year or so, although shot has dropped a little in the last few months.
I also have a 20ga Lee loadall that I bought cheap on Ebay a while ago, and it does make a great looking load with the right components, it's just a bit slow.
The retail cost of 410 and 28ga shells certainly make loading those shells a plus.


NCsmitty

 

[mgkdrgn]

so would it be a simpler idea to get a press for each gauge instead of "cussing" the change out?

Oh god yes.

also with the MEC is it a pain to adjust from 2.5 to 3 inch (2 3/4 to 3 for the 12 and 20)?

It is a pain ... but not nearly as bad as if you wanted to change gauges. I suspect that once you do it a few times you may well decide that 2 3/4 is "good enough" for most uses, and only make the change for "specialty" loads.

 

[jfdavis58]

I've got a MEC SizeMaster in 12ga. I sent to MEC for a special base plate to hold it to my bench. If I ever decide to reload for another gauge, I'll get another press and simply slide it into the base plate once I've removed the 12 ga version. The 'whole' press idea is simply more cost and time efficient.

I bought the press mainly to load buckshot and slugs. I get uniformly sized, primed, charged and wadded hulls and nice star crimps when needed. Buckshot is loaded by hand, one or two pellets at a time. Rubber gloves and some sort of 'pusher' is required to line-up the pellets properly--an old wooden dowel works well, Precision Reloading makes a special tool that also flares the crimp.

Slugs are somewhat tricky and I've wasted more than a few hulls learning the roll crimp technique--you really need a drill press capable of 300-600 rpm speeds. Some slugs get a star crimp and fit a standard shot cup (integral to the wad) so check the load data carefully. I load home cast Lyman Forsters(sp?)-big ugly lead shuttlecocks.

Results for both buckshot and slugs rapidly take on a nice professional look and shooting results are more often than not better than much of the so-called premium self-defense buckshot and slug loads. Once you get a rhythm to the process, you can easily load 100-125 rounds per hour. Factoring all costs except my time shows a 3-5 to 1 round advantage, i.e. I get three to five rounds for the price of one commercial shell.

I keep 100 to 200 slugs shells and 500-750 buckshot loads on the shelf without noticeably slowing my production of other cartridges. During bird seasons and the one or two months leading to them, I can easily change the powder and shot bottles to get #6,7 or 8 shot production going in minutes. Production of these loads is fully 'press-borne' and the output can be 200-300 rounds per hour if the mood is right. Savings here comes mostly in the form of getting the right load for your gun and shoulder, but bulk buying (especially off season) can often produce 2 or 3 for the price of one.

 

[jbeltz7]

+20 for MEC Jr. Years ago when I was shooting skeet at a club I loaded a few thousand 12GA. Very simple, once setup you can turnout shells as fast as you can stage the primer and hull. Other then materials you need the loader and the correct size powder and shot bushing you want. Getting the crimp right does take some trial and error so I would recommend buying one in the GA you shoot the most and see if it something you enjoy before you start trying to change gauges. Unless you are shooting allot, there are no real savings in reloading shotgun shells, which is why I have not reloaded sense I stopped shooting skeet league. I'm keeping my MEC Jr. in case I want or need to start reloading again. Good Luck.

 

[lgbloader]

I also have the MEC Jr and use it to assemble slugs. very easy to use and set up. I have assembled more slugs than I can count on it and have never had any issues.
I am glad that I bought this over the Lee Load all.

LGB

 

[snuffy]

Does loading shotshells make sense today? As far as saving money goes?

Yes! Oh I know how wally world and the other big box stores have those economy packs of shotshells. But if you took one of those econo shells apart, you would find soft chilled shot, a small charge of very fast powder, and the cheapest thin wad they could find. Loaded inside a hull that’s NOT made to be reloaded, in some cases attempting to reload them could be dangerous.

Now take one or more of those cheapy shells to the pattern board. Ummm, you do pattern your shotgun,,,right? No? Then how do you really know how the chokes really work? Anyway, the cheapo shells will have blotchy patterns, holes a bird, rabbit, or clays could sit in unharmed!

You can not reload shells cheaper than those econo shells. Can’t be done! Especially with what shot, powder, primers, and wads cost these days. Why would you WANT to?

What you want to load are shells that are as good as, or even better than the top of the line target shells put out by Winchester, Remington, and Federal. That would be the AA, STS and gold medal. To do that you must either buy the loaded shells, shoot them to get empties, or buy once fired empties. The new AA is no where near as good as the older compression formed AA. That leaves the STS and gold medal.

To duplicate the performance of the original loading, you need to buy all top of the line components. No skimping here. Magnum shot,(don’t let that name fool you), is high antimony shot. It’s harder than plain old chilled shot. The hardness translates into better patterns. It’s what the factory STS and others target shells have in them. Wads; The big 3 all sell their wads for reloading. They all work, but you can save some $ by buying claybuster wads. They’re made to the same dimensions as the wad they’re replacing, just cheaper. Some say the plastic isn’t as soft, but I’ve found them to work just fine. Powder; Just about any of the shotshell powders will work well. Just be sure of your recipe and follow it exactly. Primers; Again they all work well, be sure to match them to your recipe.

 

[wolfe]

MEC is the best equipment for reloading shot shells in my opinion.. I have a MEC Grabber for my 12 guage that I have had for 15 + years with no problem. You can find these cheap I am sure lots of guys are getting away from loading due to the price of components, i.e. shot. I still think it is cheaper to load my own.

As far as I know there isn't MEC loader that will change gauges. I would find used equipment in each guage or buy single stage loaders for those that you are not planning on loading a bunch of shells.

Slugs - NO CLUE...

Do you have a large supply of old empty shells? If you don't be cautious of the new shells made today. The plastic is significantly inferior to those of 5 - 10 years ago. I have 15 year old shells that I have loaded hundreds of times with little wear and tear but the new plastic hulls are really thin and don't stand up well...

I don't load handgun shells but I know that shot shell loading is EASY.... been doing it since I was a dumb 15 year old. Get you a good shop vac for the first couple of sessions and after that it is easy...

Also a good recipie for 12 guage that is good for hunting, trap or skeet is

29 MEC bushing of 700x powder (17.5 grains of powder I think, i have never measured)
1 1/8 of no. 8 shot (7 1/2 good too but better suited for Trap).
winchester 209 primer
1 1/8 claybuster figure 8 wads

Powder is a little dirty but a great load.... shoot it all day...