Shotshell reloader.

Kevin M.

Kevin M.

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Playing around with the idea of buying a Dillon SL900 Progressive 12 gauge reloader.

I have a few questions though, since I have never loaded shot before.

How easy is it to change the size of shot you are loading? Such as from birdshot to #4 to 00 Buck? Is it possible to load slugs on the machine?

How many shells can you load with a 50lb bag of shot?



I have no problem with the complexity of the machine, I run a 1050 for all my bulk needs, and I just got a Benelli M4, so I am running a lot of shells through it, so I need high volume.

Thanks.
 
Kevin M. said:
Such as from birdshot to #4 to 00 Buck?
[...]
Is it possible to load slugs on the machine?
[...]
How many shells can you load with a 50lb bag of shot?
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1) 00 will likely not feed through the normal system, you'll count them out individually and drop in manually. Other loaders (going on reading the manuals) top-out at #4 birdshot, and they all seem to use the same slide-bar system.

2) it is on every other shotshell loader that I know of, you just manually insert the slug, so I assume on this one too.

3) 50 pounds = 800 ounces. 1 1/8 ounce load = 711 loads. Smaller payload, more shots. Typically "smallest" load in 12g would be 7/8 ounce, giving you 914 loads.
 
For slugs, many slug loads are roll crimp, so you would have to remove the shell from the machine to crimp it.

If your looking for larger shot sizes, consider that many loaders don't work well with nontoxic shots, or require adapter kits.

If your looking to do large shot sizes, and non toxics, a Ponsness Warren LS-1000 may be a better option. It allows you to load up to BB shot, and steel, bismuth etc. It also can do up to 3 1/2" 12 gauge, with the conversion kit.

If your looking to make trap thousands of trap loads, and a few hunting loads, you might want to just get a Dillon, and a single stage of some sort for your hunting loads. If you want to make lots of hunting loads, waterfowl, not buckshot, then an LS-1000 might be the way to go.

I looked heavily at the dillon, as I have a 1050 as well, but ended up with the LS-1000 as I can convert it to 10 gauge. I don't have a hull feeder yet, but one is available for it. So far I'm very happy with my LS-1000, but I have only loaded a few hundred rounds on it, and have not tried longer hulls yet.
 
acrashb said:
1) 00 will likely not feed through the normal system, you'll count them out individually and drop in manually. Other loaders (going on reading the manuals) top-out at #4 birdshot, and they all seem to use the same slide-bar system.

2) it is on every other shotshell loader that I know of, you just manually insert the slug, so I assume on this one too.

3) 50 pounds = 800 ounces. 1 1/8 ounce load = 711 loads. Smaller payload, more shots. Typically "smallest" load in 12g would be 7/8 ounce, giving you 914 loads.
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Awesome, thanks.

For the slugs, I assume a different die is needed for crimping it?
 
Shootshellz said:
IMHO the MEC Grabber will produce just as fine a reloaded round as the Dillon will at much less ca$h outlay.
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X2 and Mec parts can be found anywhere. Plus their customer service is excellent.

Shot usually comes in 25 lb bags.
 
Kevin M. said:
For the slugs, I assume a different die is needed for crimping it?
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As scar270 pointed out, some slug loads call for a roll crimp, for which you would use a roll crimper in a drill or drill press (can't be done, AFAIK, on any consumer loader). Other loads can be star-crimped on-press (this is what I do with 7/8 lee slugs). You'd have to research exactly what you want to do to find out.

Roll crimp thingy from BPI:
bpi_roll_crimper.jpg
 
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Whatever reloader you buy there will be a learning curve. With a progressive it will be even larger, but you won't outgrow it. If you can, run it in single stage mode at first to get the feel of what each station does.

Try to get a copy of Lyman's 5th, lots of good info in it.

If you already reload metalic you probably have a scale. You will need it for shotgun. Most reloaders use bushings for powder (not sure on Dillon). There are charts for different bushing/powder combination to show how many grains are dropped. These charts are notoriously inaccurate. Usually on the low side. Partly because of potential liability issues and partly because the mounting and forces the user exert vary somewhat and that varies the weight of the dropped powder. You must weigh some sample powder charges after cycling the machine a few times to get it in a "steady state" of operation. Single stage machines such as the MEC 600 are worse than the progressives because it takes several stokes of the handle to finish a shell and each stroke causes some compaction of the power in the bushing. You may find it takes several bushing sizes on either side of the chart recommendation to actually drop the charge you want.

Good luck and enjoy!

John
 
That is very true about the bushings, and compaction. The exact same bushings seem to throw light in my progressive over my single stage, and my theory is also that the powder isn't getting 6 cycles of the machine to shake down into the bushing.

There is no doubt that a MEC will produce every bit as quality of a shell as a PW or Dillon, however I know the PW's are a much more pleasant reloading experience for myself.

If you want to load cheaply, the MEC's are a good machine that works and gets the job done. But they just are not the same to operate as a Ponsness Warren. I have a MEC grabber in 410, and am certainly planning to trade it off on a PW at some point in the future. I would try a Dillon if they ever make one in 410.
 
Just wondering why you are wanting to get into shotshell reloading? If it's for cost savings do the math on it, their is not a lot of money to be saved even if buying components in bulk.

There is some savings, and you get to pick the load you want better, but unless you start making your own shot, or find some way to reduce your component cost, the savings are not fantastic.

Just a heads up before you drop a $1000 so you can save $0.40 a box on ammo. Making my own shot, and using cheap wads I got, I think I can save about $2.50 a box, but shot is a major cost, with it going for $50/25LB bag around here. Since you are in Ontario, you may be able to save on that from Hummonsons by saving on transport costs.
 
I use an old Lee LoadALL.

For my slugs I just use the star crimp. It works fine and the bear I shot this year didn't seem to be able to tell the difference between star and roll crimps.
 
I don't think it matters which crimp you use, as long as the load you use is for the crimp you are using. The style of crimp can change pressures, so stick with the crimp style your load data calls for. I'm assuming you did that, but just want to make sure that's clear for anyone reading.
 
Scar270 said:
Just wondering why you are wanting to get into shotshell reloading? If it's for cost savings do the math on it, their is not a lot of money to be saved even if buying components in bulk.

There is some savings, and you get to pick the load you want better, but unless you start making your own shot, or find some way to reduce your component cost, the savings are not fantastic.

Just a heads up before you drop a $1000 so you can save $0.40 a box on ammo. Making my own shot, and using cheap wads I got, I think I can save about $2.50 a box, but shot is a major cost, with it going for $50/25LB bag around here. Since you are in Ontario, you may be able to save on that from Hummonsons by saving on transport costs.
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Good point.

My main reason is using it to load for my semi auto`s. Some of them will not reliably cycle the light trap loads that are easy to buy in bulk, but only heavier hunting loads. This is especially true with my Benelli M4. It can take the heaviest 3 inch shells and cycle no problem, but trap loads... forget it.

The reloading is mostly so I have the ability to make some hotter loads that will reliably cycle my semi`s without having to buy more expensive trap shooting ammo in bulk.
 
Thats a good reason to do it then, but remember that getting reloads to cycle in a semi can be a bit more work, probably look for a press that can taper the shells a bit to improve feeding.

I know the LS 1000 does, pretty sure the PW 800+ either does or can have that added, the MEC Grabber does, so I suspect the 9000 would too. I don't know about the Dillon.

If you are serious about shooting trap or sporting clays competitively, you will have limits on your reloads, however if its for your own entertainment, you shouldn't have any trouble finding loads that cycle. If you are trying to meet the specs for a sport, you may have try many loads to find on that meets criteria but has the right pressure curve to cycle your gun consistently. If your looking for help with things like that, shotgun world is a good forum to bring it up on.
 
Scar270 said:
Thats a good reason to do it then, but remember that getting reloads to cycle in a semi can be a bit more work, probably look for a press that can taper the shells a bit to improve feeding.

I know the LS 1000 does, pretty sure the PW 800+ either does or can have that added, the MEC Grabber does, so I suspect the 9000 would too. I don't know about the Dillon.

If you are serious about shooting trap or sporting clays competitively, you will have limits on your reloads, however if its for your own entertainment, you shouldn't have any trouble finding loads that cycle. If you are trying to meet the specs for a sport, you may have try many loads to find on that meets criteria but has the right pressure curve to cycle your gun consistently. If your looking for help with things like that, shotgun world is a good forum to bring it up on.
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I find the only difference in loading for a Semi is I don't get as much life out of my Hulls. I usually only reload them no more than 4 times (Federal Gold Medals). If I load for my SBT I can get as many as 7 loads out of the same Hull. After a while they start to swell at the Crimp and don't chamber as well in the Auto.
 
Do you figure your actually wearing out the hulls faster, or do they just not crimp as well? ie. could you take the hulls you used 4 times in a semi, and load them 3 more times for an O/U where feeding isn't as important?
 
Scar270 said:
Do you figure your actually wearing out the hulls faster, or do they just not crimp as well? ie. could you take the hulls you used 4 times in a semi, and load them 3 more times for an O/U where feeding isn't as important?
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As I said they swell at the crimp area and don't chamber as well. And yes I can then load them for the SBT.
 
I would reload shotgun shells even if I spent more in producing them than the factory (which I don't). I enjoy making things with my hands and find reloading a relaxing hobby which is much more enjoyable than watching the boob tube.
 
I think I will get into shot shell reloading to make slug and buck shot shells, seems like there might be more cost saving in that than trap shot?
 
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