an old newbie starting at 60

I started reloading shotgun shells when I was 73 . I had been reloading rifle for 30 years so I felt it was natural that I should reload 12gauge. I bought a used MEC 600jr and upgraded it. It also helped I had two bags of shot and was left a 1964 shotgun. There was a possibility of turkeys. I'm also of both the age and temperament to read about something thoroughly.

First off; Buy and Read " Lyman 5th Edition Shotshell Reloading Handbook " This is a universal recommendation. The recipes are stale but it is the most recent how to book. And a good one at that.

Hodgdon Powder reloading data center has all the recipes of what powders that are currently available and is up to date. I print the page and put them in reloading logbook.

I can't overstate what Potashminer said about following the recipes exactly. The one area where there can be some substitution is the wads, there are outside companies like Claybuster making clones.

I watched a competition at our club and was instructed on dumpster diving for Winchester AA hulls. Remington STS hulls are better quality but I have only found one, once. What I'm saying is 12ga hulls for me are free.


I just did a cost per 25 box using current pricing of components, $ 12.50 . I have seen cheap boxes at $15 on sale at Cabelas.
 
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the powder x700 and a whole box of wads and about 70 win aa shells and a bunch of 209 win primers along with the press came with a couple of boxes of reloading gear for rifle so its all free to me and i got 2 50 lb bags free when i bought a lead sled used so all my 12 gauge reloading is gona be extra cheep to start off with once i run outa x700 powder then ill find a good replacement for it
 
and about 300 270 brass and dies for 30 30 270 243 and more so i went and bought a rifle fore the brass lolololol i got a great deal on a sub moa rifle setup and im super happy with them
 
So your press is likely set up for some recipe, hopefully using the components you have on hand. The variables are:
1) the weight of shot (from 7/8 oz to 1 1/2 oz, but likely closer to 1 1/8 oz for target loads.)
2) The weight of powder, in grains (varies with shot weight and desired velocity) 1200 fps is a typical velocity for target loads.
3) Adjustment for a proper crimp.

The press dispenses the desired amount of shot and powder on a volume basis, using bushings and such. So you need to establish what the current set-up is dispensing, and then determine if it is suitable for your intended purpose. The wads are rated for shot weight, it should be written on the bag. The Hodgdon website gives you all sorts of loads based upon powder, wad, hull, primer, etc.
Time to get your feet wet....
 
cosmic said:
So your press is likely set up for some recipe(nope but i have a complete set of shot and powder bushings just need someone to help me figure how to stay away from dangerous situations like adding shot cards when need i have the basics i need a bit of guidance is all), hopefully using the components you have on hand. The variables are:

1) the weight of shot (from 7/8 oz to 1 1/2 oz, but likely closer to 1 1/8 oz for target loads.),,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i can swap out bushings and weigh for exact measurements

2) The weight of powder, in grains (varies with shot weight and desired velocity) 1200 fps is a typical velocity for target loads. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ill swap bushings till i find what i need
3) Adjustment for a proper crimp.,,,,,,, my press should do the crimping np

The press dispenses the desired amount of shot and powder on a volume basis, using bushings and such. So you need to establish what the current set-up is dispensing, and then determine if it is suitable for your intended purpose. The wads are rated for shot weight, it should be written on the bag. The Hodgdon website gives you all sorts of loads based upon powder, wad, hull, primer, etc.
Time to get your feet wet....[/QUOTE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,] yes i know all that ty much !!!
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I was gifted an old MEC manual press and I hope your press is more user friendly for modern compression formed low base hulls than this press was for me. I discovered that the travel distance of the press tooling was geared and set for old high base paper hulls....nothing was compatible with modern stuff.
It was a daunting process to get everything figured out but i persevered and now i have a press that works with newer components
Just watch out for that problem with your press.
 
Shockwave, Pacific was bought out by Hornady. So old Hornady were merely red painted Pacific presses. ( Pacific colour was blue) On Shotgun World forum in the reloading section there are series of posts on rebuilding a Hornady 166? 266 ? press.They are well regarded presses . This and Trapshooters site are the two main shotgun reloading sites I have found. They can be of help with crimping.Crimping besides looks, also effects pressure.

Shotgun powders have applications like rifle powders. You wouldn't use 4831 in a 308 . This is not clearly mentioned, but teasing out information by reading posts by the very experienced reloaders, 700x is a fast powder best used on light 3/4 and 1 ounce loads in a 12gauge. If you are using a gas auto loading shotgun you'll want to keep the pressure above the 9,000 psi as the powders then burn clean. Gas guns need cleaning . Inertia loading shotguns rely on the recoil kick so have a shot load range.
 
my pacific is red its a 105 and ty but as my initial post said i want to hook up with an experienced shotshell reloader,,, my rig is a pump action Winchester defender its going to be used to shoot clays only im not a fan of birding and i have rifles that will do a moose if i want so these rounds will be for play so i can load lighter loads with lots of 7.5 shot,,, and again wana get together with someone experienced im not great at theory but i am great at practical
 
ty my friend i will my de caping resizing die might need me looking at it it seems to rip the side of the brass on the short brass hulls ive not tried a large bras hull yet well low and high brass might be the proper term lol
 
The height of the brass is marketing ploy . The high brass were heavy hunting loads and cost more. However, brass is easier to resize than cheaper coated steel.
 
downwindtracker2 said:
Shotgun powders have applications like rifle powders. You wouldn't use 4831 in a 308 . This is not clearly mentioned, but teasing out information by reading posts by the very experienced reloaders, 700x is a fast powder best used on light 3/4 and 1 ounce loads in a 12gauge.
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700-X powder has been available since at least the early 1970s and it is not only for light loads in 12 gauge, it is perfectly suited for standard 1-1/8 oz target loads. I have been using it for almost that long, I still have several of the loading manuals that were published by Dupont and provided free of charge to reloaders. The one I'm looking at right now is 1975-76, and it lists 1-1/8 oz loads with the OPs components from 1135 fps up to 1200 fps. The Hodgdon Reloading Data Center also lists 1-1/8 oz loads with the same components, in the same speed range.

OP, I'm going to assume you have WAA12 wads (the white ones) . . . if so, you have all the components necessary to reload standard 12 gauge 1-1/8 oz target loads.
 
downwindtracker2 said:
The height of the brass is marketing ploy . The high brass were heavy hunting loads and cost more. However, brass is easier to resize than cheaper coated steel.
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Yes I should have been more precise in my post...the brass on the outside has no bearing on loading process , it is referred to as high or low "BRASS" and is sometimes usable when sorting hulls. The high or low "BASE" that I referred to in my post is inside the case and has a significant importance in loading formulas.
 
Another point I should have made in my very first post....I jockingly suggest to anyone I know setting up a shotshell reloader is to do it in an old bathtub so all the inevitable shot spills will just land in the tub & can be drained into a pan under the drain spout
Truth is, that #### goes everywhere if not contained and being underfoot is not a comfortable feeling. When I did a recent re-set of my loader I made a foam rubber (winter door sealer) barrier about 4 ft long & width of the bench that worked for the most part but some of those damn things would still hit the hard surface of the bench and bounce off so now I have a complete coverage foam matt (from Dollar store, $2)that has a woven design of small holes that will trap the buggers....well worth the effort as shot spills are inevitival.
 
You are spot on with bathtub joke. My reloading bench is only 4' long, so my three rifle presses were mounted on a chunks of one inch plywood which in turn could be bolted to the bench with carriage bolts an wing nuts. Not a snap in and out ,but quick enough.When I got my MEC 600jr press, my first though was this could be messy with the charge bar moving back and forth.It leaks. I put a cookie pan between the plywood and the bench. Clays powder wasn't too bad, but I switched to Ramshot Competition , a small ball powder. It was very messy.
 
You are young at 60, shotshell loading is super easy (at least to me). As some have mentioned, maybe not worth your time for target loads. However, if like me you are interested in buckshot or slugs, well worth it to reload and more accurate. I cast my own buckshot and slugs, even though you can buy, and often buy primed Cheddite Hulls in 2 3/4 and 3”. I have a Mec now, used to use the Lee Load All. The Lyman manual is an invaluable place to start. Takes a bit of hunting to find the right wads but they are out there.. I look at it as another hobby/challenge, similar to metallic loading but different enough to be interesting. Good luck, it’s great fun.
 
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