- Location
- Calgary, AB
Good to know, thanks.
is it worth reloading shotgun shells?
- Thread starter Skeebap
- Start date
Good to know, thanks.
For what ever reason the Winchester powders have gotten way more expensive than the Hodgdon powders. Just saw that Win Super handicap is $100 more for an 8# keg than it was in the early spring while High gun has gone up but still under the $500/8 lber price
Looks like I might be switching over too highgun in the spring
Anyone that's still actively loading shells has had to switch it up ! Been no more production of green, red or blue dot...no ore clays or international..700 or 800 X..etc for a long time now. Least..none availale here in Canada !
Guys in our shooting fraternity, that are still doin it regularly (me included) have gone to Tite Group, Tite Wad (when available)..High Gun which is the exact same as Tite group and Perfect pattern for target loads, also some good field loads.
The odd time you can find some new old stock for sale. Don't last too long tho..lol
I use tight group for most of my 7/8 oz and 1oz target loads for that very reason
I still have a couple pounds of red, green, blue dot and clays and universal but ya they just are not available up here any more
Long shot works good too for heavier loads
I did get a pound of trail boss the other week at Cabellas
That stuff was not available for a long time either, hopefully we get the clays and universal powders again soon as they are also hogdon brand
I still have a couple pounds of red, green, blue dot and clays and universal but ya they just are not available up here any more
Long shot works good too for heavier loads
I did get a pound of trail boss the other week at Cabellas
That stuff was not available for a long time either, hopefully we get the clays and universal powders again soon as they are also hogdon brand
I reload 410 and 16 as I have a problem finding them and it is a lot cheaper. Biggest savings I think is in my slug reloads. I cast my own slugs and buckshot so that cuts my costs even more. I looked at slugs about a month ago in Bass Pro and thought wow have they ever gone up in price. I load for 12 only because I have the components available. I bought stuff a lot cheaper a few years ago. Primers at $2.05/100, wads at $9.55/250,and shot I believe I bought for $37 and those were taxes in. And my powder jam still working on my 2nd 10lb keg of C-300 so should be good for awhile.
If I had to buy everything at today’s price I wouldn’t be loading 12ga or 20ga.
If I had to buy everything at today’s price I wouldn’t be loading 12ga or 20ga.
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Pretty much any cheap target shell will break clay targets out to 25 yards or so regardless of payload (typically 7/8 oz to 1 1/8 oz) and shot hardness which is usually about 2% antimony give or take and shot size which is typically 7.5 to 9. Those same shells will continue to break targets much further out too but when you get out beyond 40 yards the premium shell starts to have a distinct advantage over the cheap shells. Light shot (#9) runs out of energy by the time it gets out there too so a larger shot size is needed. Hard shot of 5% to 6% antimony deforms less as it travels through the forcing cone, down the barrel and through the choke tube and this makes for less "flyers" and produces tighter patterns at longer ranges.
This isn't to say that cheap target shells won't break targets at 60 yards and beyond, I've broken targets out to a hundred yards with them. It's just that the harder shot might put more pellets on the target and it usually takes more than 2 or 3 pellets to break a clay target.
For giggles I've shot trap from the 27 yard line with cheap Winchester 7/8 oz loads at 1400 fps and they will vaporize a target but if I was shooting for money I'd opt for a AA or STS 1 1/8oz load of 7.5's, tournaments are won and lost often by one target so if a premium shell gains me even one target then it's worth it!
I was given all the tools and supplies to load 12ga with a gun a few years ago. I quickly found out the way to make it economically viable is to make your own shot. Then that was dependent on scrounging lead. So went nowhere. Kept the equipment and load a few rounds each year just because.
I do reload 410 with brass cases. With commercial shot.
Very good skills to have. But the RIO needs to be amortized over your shooting lifetime. If you’re casting shot you might as well cast bullets too…I could easily spiral
Also a valuable skill to have if ammunition availability becomes more regulated.
I do reload 410 with brass cases. With commercial shot.
Very good skills to have. But the RIO needs to be amortized over your shooting lifetime. If you’re casting shot you might as well cast bullets too…I could easily spiral
Also a valuable skill to have if ammunition availability becomes more regulated.
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With current costs it may well not be worth it financially. It is a skill that if/when needed is not the day to start asking how to accomplish. A simplified analogy is why learn how to lace your shoes just buy another pair , until the day they are not available
antiqueguy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- windsor ontario
12ga not so much but 16ga 28ga .410 yes. Even slugs and buckshot are not always worth it I can get a 100 pack of challanger slugs for $125 even if they are 1400fps still good enough for hunting if needed and their loaded with those “thug slugs”. My biggest question is instead of importing components from BP why don’t we go to the source of Italy everything ballistic products has basically comes from there and they call it their own.
