an old newbie starting at 60

Shockwave001

Shockwave001

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hi im new to reloading but have done a bunch of rifle reloads for a few calibers and now cause i have a 12 gauge press as well i want to learn how to load the empty shells i have,,, i got them with the press and an old rock chucker that im making good use out of for rifle,,,,but i was wondering if there is anyone in the toronto area that does 12 gauge reloading that is willing to teach me a thing or 3 about what to do about the many variables i have a bunch of #7.5 shot winchester aa shells and aa wads i just want to learn to build safe loads do i need shot cards and when do i among other information that i lack,,,,,, thanx in your interest in teaching an old dog new tricks !!!!!!

im in toront at yonge and 401 area i could pick u up and bring u here to my place or u could make ur way here up to u,,,, im also willing to haul all the stuff needed and that i have to ur place if thats better
 
Buy a few reloading manuals and watch a few You Tube videos on the subject. Learn to do it yourself, it's not that difficult. This way, your not letting complete strangers into your house to see what you own. BTW, you're not old at 60.
 
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If where closer I’d help out but a little far. Lyman makes an excellent shotshell manual with how to sections and recipe sections. Shotshells use plastic wads now so find a bag or two of them. In the recipe section it gives exact data on what to use. I learn from a Lyman manual. Shows every step of the process. Welcome to the RABBIT HOLE.
 
Nice to see a young fellow getting started.

I used to load 12 ga but as the price of ammo fell and my income grew, the cost-benefit ratio went offside.

Still fun to experiment with slugs, though.
 
savage112 said:
Buy a few reloading manuals and watch a few You Tube videos on the subject. Learn to do it yourself, it's not that difficult. This way, your not letting complete strangers into your house to see what you own. BTW, you're not old at 60.
Click to expand...

With some help/advice from the masses here @CGN there are lots of you tube productions.
The thing is Not to take everything as gospel until you have gleaned the key information from watching and reading.
Shotshell is relativity easy and safe too with basic safety considerations.
Find a MEC manufacturer production on using their press assuming this is what you have.
I wouldnt worry about trying to produce the fastest loads just yet, but find some info on Win AA trap loads and mimic those.
Hulls, check.
Primers, check.
Powder, ?
Shot size, check
Wads, check
Lots to learn and loads of fun to be had ;) pun intended.
Also, be sure not to spill powder or primers as things get exciting when the significant others decides to vacuum .
Rob
 
I was about the same age when I ventured into shot shell reloading - I had been loading centerfire rifles since mid-1970's - books got through to me to FORGET what I thought I knew about reloading - is NOT the same. Some on here will mention what items can be interchanged, but I do not know which can be - very low pressures in shotgun loads - your shotgun made to handle that and likely a smidgeon more - but not likely 5 Kpsi more - else you turn your shotgun into the pressure test device - is literally thousands of pressure tested loads published - I have BP Inc. books, Lyman books etc. and then a whole plethora on line - like at reloading websites. I am "chicken" - I use EXACT recipe - same hulls listed, same wads listed, same primers, same powder - if any of the things here are different, I do not use that recipe - look some more to find the combination that I have - hulls, wads, powder and primer - I do not think they are "all the same", but I do not know how to make choices to substitute them. Versus centerfire rifle that you can "work up" to see if the load is safe in your rifle or not - get "signs" like tight to open bolt, primer "look", etc. - used for decades to gauge pressure although known to not always be true - but is NO such thing for shotgun - pressure too low to see any signs to "work up" - as far as I understand it, I have to go with what someone already did proper pressure test.
 
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If you dont have a shotgun reloading manual, you can get recipes on the Hodgdon website for reloading. They have data for a variety of powders (Winchester, IMR, and Hodgdon) and hulls, wads, primers, etc. Alliant powders have a similar website. Getting all the components together is your first priority.
Chances are you have a MEC reloader. They were sold with a very informative users manual. If you dont have a hard copy, you can get one on-line.
 
cosmic said:
If you dont have a shotgun reloading manual, you can get recipes on the Hodgdon website for reloading. They have data for a variety of powders (Winchester, IMR, and Hodgdon) and hulls, wads, primers, etc. Alliant powders have a similar website. Getting all the components together is your first priority.
Chances are you have a MEC reloader. They were sold with a very informative users manual. If you dont have a hard copy, you can get one on-line.
Click to expand...

Nope...first get yourself the Lyman Shotshell manual first...then read the first 3 or 4 chapters, now, at 60, reread them all a couple more times ( I'm 69 so know all about having to reread) now find the level of shot charge size & energy level you want your ammo to be and NOW purchase the corresponding essentials...

I wish you were closer as I have just revisited shotshell reloading after a 10 yr hiatus, I have both a manual loader & a hydraulic operated progressive machine (both MEC manuf.). It will probably become evident to you in short order that readily available shotshells can be purchased comparable in cost to components these days, however if you require a custom level of shells not available ( in my case they are for the wife who very much prefferes the very light recoil rounds I can produce that are not always available when we need more) that reloading shines the brightest.
All the above being said about the cost issue, if you just want to reload because its a fine hobby to have, I'm sure the rest of us can help out.
 
Unless you need to make something outside of commercially available birdshot, reloading 12ga is not worth the effort. You won't save a dime on components.

I've had a MEC600 for decades and used to load a lot with it. These days, #7 or #8 ammo can be purchased for the same or maybe even less than you can make the stuff for.

I have loaded a lot of buckshot, which is still worthwhile. There are lots of tricks to buckshot and its considerably slower to assemble.
 
^ That was my thought some years ago for my 28 gauge - not really easy to find where I was - not like 12 or 20 gauge - I thought I would reload my own - then bought out what was left at Regina store when Wholesale Sports went out of business. Some years later, I bought up a couple flats from the guy (or his son) who did same thing at their Winnipeg store. I do not actually use more than 50 to 100 rounds per year of 28 gauge - so I'm actually stocked up not bad with factory 28 gauge - which I had thought I would never find. But, I think the days of "cheap" shot - say #6 Extra Hard - pretty much done for out here - gotta find partial bags of it when somebody cleaning out a garage or basement. Sometimes, #4 or #7 1/2 will "have to do". Since those days, I got another MEC loader for 12 gauge and a Lee "Load All" reloading machine for 20 gauge - never have used either - but I'm assembling components and recipes for "one day".
 
i have and did i still would like some one on one learnin its the best way to get questions answered or cleared up even before they are asked
 
win 44 hulls win aa wads primers are win 209 i have x700 for powder and i have lots of 7.5 shot for clays,,, and copy the no vac up powders my press is an old pacific 105 i do have a full set of bushings
 
thanx to all of u for ur replies i will take them to heart and i do have a new lyman book and have watched a lot of videos but nothing beats hands on one on one learnin
 
oh and i just came back from shooting and shooting my first ever reloaded 270 win reloads it went awesome the 270 i have does sub moa and i was not disappointed WOOOOO HOOOOOO im in big time now boyz !!!
 
Whatever " Ganderite" said, not worth the hassle for 12 guage.

The basic reason is powder availability and I rather use that powder in handguns
I just packed my 366 few years back, just because it was too hard to find any handgun powder

So you can and should try to learn, though it's a bit more complicated than rifle and handgun ammo

And shotgun ammo is still cheaper comparatively. Just my .02 !!!
 
You have all the bits to get going. The issue is the old Pacific press, most folks are familiar with MEC presses. Getting that press operational may be a challenge.
 
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