10 ga reloading?

swinginberrys

swinginberrys

Regular
Rating - 100%
6   0   0
Location
Mallorytown
So I'm starting to think a little more about reloading for my 10 but honestly have no idea what the first step is. Was hoping for some pointers, input, recommendation's...anything that you guys are willing to share is greatly appreciated.
it'll be 99% goose loads if that plays any part in the set up
 
You'll need a press of course. I recommend a MEC 600jr. It's one of the best presses in terms of value for your dollar. I'd hunt around for a used one as they go for ~$250 new but I picked up mine for .410 reloading for $100 and the guy threw in a few hundred wads.
10ga components can be harder to come by so you may have to hunt around some. If you are looking for simple fibre wads you can order them from Track of the Wolf from the US but plastic wads are restricted (that or no one will ship them anyway).
Bilozir Fine Guns is the Canadian distributor for Ballistic Products which has pretty much everything in terms of shotshell reloading. Should be able to get everything through them.

Load data is of course important so I'd pickup at least 2 shotshell reloading manuals. I have the Lyman one and it's quite good. I forget who makes the other one I have; I think it might be MEC. Steel shot can be expensive but is still often cheaper than buying steel shotshells; especially 10ga.
 
For me and IMO reloading steel 10ga
Order in a rsi manual from the US
Buy your steel shot and sam1 wads from wsports ( only place I can get it in canada) or where you can
Use Allient STEEL powder
Federal and Remington hulls where you can find them probally have to buy some factory shells and save them
Loader if a mec jr you will need a Mec collet resizer since the jr will not resize the hulls properly for use in a semi
If I was starting with nothing I would get a MEC steelmaster or MEC sizemaster to get the collet resizer
Get a good 10/10 scale since most guys weigh each reload powder and shot one by one
Also pick up some over shot cards, felts and buffer
Finger nail polish for the primers to be sealed

Also if you have not reloaded shotgun before I would get familiar with the process on some 12, 20 whatever ga lead target loads first before doing steel shot. Hopefully you know some one that will help there and you can pick up some pointers
Cheers
 
Last edited:
3macs1 said:
For me and IMO reloading steel 10ga
Order in a rsi manual from the US
Buy your steel shot and sam1 wads from wsports ( only place I can get it in canada) or where you can
Use Allient STEEL powder
Federal and Remington hulls where you can find them probally have to buy some factory shells and save them
Loader if a mec jr you will need a Mec collet resizer since the jr will not resize the hulls properly for use in a semi
If I was starting with nothing I would get a MEC steelmaster or MEC sizemaster to get the collet resizer
Get a good 10/10 scale since most guys weigh each reload powder and shot one by one
Also pick up some over shot cards, felts and buffer
Finger nail polish for the primers to be sealed

Also if you have not reloaded shotgun before I would get familiar with the process on some 12, 20 whatever ga lead target loads first before doing steel shot. Hopefully you know some one that will help there and you can pick up some pointers
Cheers
Click to expand...

I'll second that advice. Exactly what I did. My favorite load was 1 3/8 oz #2 steel shot.
 
do you shoot enough 10 gauge to cover the costs of the equipment? I though about reloading it too, and ended up accepting that a few 10ga shotshells a year was less expensive than another press and components...
 
Kryogen said:
do you shoot enough 10 gauge to cover the costs of the equipment? I though about reloading it too, and ended up accepting that a few 10ga shotshells a year was less expensive than another press and components...
Click to expand...

For me it was never about the cost it was about the performance and the ability to make whatever combination I wanted.
I started doing 10ga steel the year after it became law mid 90's ??? and did lead prior to that. The factory steel back then was very poor and just wound not kill at any range. The reloads were like night and day even today there is not a steel factory shell out there that will compete with the high speed duplex reloads but there is some good steel now.
Back then I was probally shooting 20-25 plus boxes a year so for sure well worth it. To the guy going to use 3 or 4 boxes today no probally not.
Then again to me at least there is always something special about hunting with your own made ammo and that is from rifle to shotgun.Money will come and go but that 80 yard goose you flattened with your home grown duplex reload is priceless and a memory that stays for life
Cheers
 
Last edited:
I shoot quite a bit. not hoards but enough that I dropped $1700.00 on a new gold 10. I picked up the big girl to gun spring snows, Canada's over water, divers and maybe the occasional turkey. I figure it would be awesome to make pet loads for each specific type of hunt I'm heading on. I'm pretty limited right now for factory loads. I'm going to try the hevi metal BBB 1 3/4rounds this spring on snows. unfortunately I had a bad case of federals and although Federal looked after me well I don't trust their ammo to not let me down. That leaves Remington's and chesters and which ones I can get in Ontario....really getting limited on loads available to me. I think reloading is a good path for me in the future (Hopefully sooner rather then later)
Thanks for the input fellas.
 
swinginberrys said:
I shoot quite a bit. not hoards but enough that I dropped $1700.00 on a new gold 10. I picked up the big girl to gun spring snows, Canada's over water, divers and maybe the occasional turkey. I figure it would be awesome to make pet loads for each specific type of hunt I'm heading on. I'm pretty limited right now for factory loads. I'm going to try the hevi metal BBB 1 3/4rounds this spring on snows. unfortunately I had a bad case of federals and although Federal looked after me well I don't trust their ammo to not let me down. That leaves Remington's and chesters and which ones I can get in Ontario....really getting limited on loads available to me. I think reloading is a good path for me in the future (Hopefully sooner rather then later)
Thanks for the input fellas.
Click to expand...

Winchesters for me are terrible for reloading in the 10ga so much so I will not use them
Remington are fine but the federals work the best in my golds
They did have a batch that were cracking in the plastic right at the top of the fake brass. Is that the issue you had. If so hulls before and after this one bad batch are fine
Nothing like a 10ga for snows I see mallorytown in your profile is that near Brockville?? If so I hunted up there some years ago . Was suprised how good the waterfowl hunting was since it is never talked about.
All the best with your reloading
Take care
 
Last edited:
3macs1 said:
Winchesters for me are terrible for reloading in the 10ga so much so I will not use them
Remington are fine but the federals work the best in my golds
They did have a batch that were cracking in the plastic right at the top of the fake brass. Is that the issue you had. If so hulls before and after this one bad batch are fine
Nothing like a 10ga for snows I see mallorytown in your profile is that near Brockville?? If so I hunted up there some years ago . Was suprised how good the waterfowl hunting was since it is never talked about.
All the best with your reloading
Take care
Click to expand...

yup, ten minutes from Brockville.
Did you hunt with a guide , freelance, friends?
My ten would eject the brass and leave the plastic hull in the chamber. Only had two out of a case but when you've paid for a three day snow goose hunt and the weather is crap you don't want shells that leave you hanging. like I said federal looked after me, thumbs up for their costumer service.
 
swinginberrys said:
yup, ten minutes from Brockville.
Did you hunt with a guide , freelance, friends?
My ten would eject the brass and leave the plastic hull in the chamber. Only had two out of a case but when you've paid for a three day snow goose hunt and the weather is crap you don't want shells that leave you hanging. like I said federal looked after me, thumbs up for their costumer service.
Click to expand...

Cool. Hunted with my youngest brother and his friends. He was an engineer for Dupont before the buy out and he returned to the US. Had a lot of good hunts up your way :)
That is exactly what was happening with that bad lot number of Federal hulls what you witnessed. My guess is that is what you had but it has never happened with Federals before or after
Now the winchesters will pull right out of the brass or the 10ga will rip a slot in the side of the brass when electing them that is why I stay away from them
Take care
 
Last edited:
3macs1 said:
Cool. Hunted with my youngest brother and his friends. He was an engineer for Dupont before the buy out and he returned to the US. Had a lot of good hunts up your way :)
That is exactly what was happening with that bad lot number of Federal hulls what you witnessed. My guess is that is what you had but it has never happened with Federals before or after
Now the winchesters will pull right out of the brass or the 10ga will rip a slot in the side of the brass when electing them that is why I stay away from them
Take care
Click to expand...

If your ever out this way again look me up. I've got an extra blind or so and would be happy to put you on some honkers. Ive been known to kill the odd one;)
 
swinginberrys said:
If your ever out this way again look me up. I've got an extra blind or so and would be happy to put you on some honkers. Ive been known to kill the odd one;)
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan. I will have some of the RSI duplex loads if you are not making your own by them
Those I sware by those in the golds with a briley IM ckoke
TT over BBB, BBB over BB and BB over No.1 are my favorites
take care
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom