Reloading shot shells, is it just about $$$?

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clav

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I've come to realize through the search feature that due to the current costs for 12 ga shells, reloading is not always cost effective.

Is cost your major factor? If it wasn’t would you load because of the quality of your own loads? What kind of differences/benefits do you get with your own loads? How much "better" are your loads over similar factory stuff?

I am interested in loading my own shells for trap/skeet/s.clays. I shoot as much as I can and do go trough quite a few 12 ga shells. I guess I'm not going to save a bunch of cash loading, but is it worth my time for better quality loads?

I would call myself a beginner at these sports as I’ve only been doing it for around a year. I really enjoy it and will continue for as long as I can so I’m hoping over time reloading is going to be beneficial.

I am hoping to get my wife into the sport with a 20 ga. as well. The idea of loading some lighter loads for her is also appealing.
 
I would say reloading 12g is cost effective. (for lead. I haven't priced steel for reloading yet) The only ones that would be as cheap as reloads would be the box of 100 rnds at Walmart. Your reloads are going to be better quality than those (at least mine are!;)).
So unless you're talking about the Walmart Winchesters, it's worth it. Especially if you're going to do 20g. as well. Not positive, but I think they're more than 12 aren't they?
One mans opinion. Anyone else?
 
lister said:
I would say reloading 12g is cost effective. (for lead. I haven't priced steel for reloading yet) The only ones that would be as cheap as reloads would be the box of 100 rnds at Walmart. Your reloads are going to be better quality than those (at least mine are!;)).
So unless you're talking about the Walmart Winchesters, it's worth it. Especially if you're going to do 20g. as well. Not positive, but I think they're more than 12 aren't they?
One mans opinion. Anyone else?
Click to expand...




The 12, 20, and 16 gauge value packs were all the same price last time I seen them at Wal-Mart in S.S.Marie, ON.
 
Here is something to remember about reloading.
With rifle, you may improve the ammunition, in your rifle, over factory rounds, especially, if you use "premium" bullets.
With shot shells, you just might be able to make them as good as factory loaded. You won't make them better.
 
H4831 said:
.
With shot shells, you just might be able to make them as good as factory loaded. You won't make them better.
Click to expand...

Really? That's good to know. What about the guys at my club who have told me their "competition loads" are the tits?

So I really should figure out if it's going to save me anything money wise.

I guess the only benefit for me then is lighter loads for the wife to shoot?

Anyone else?
 
H4831 said:
Here is something to remember about reloading.
With rifle, you may improve the ammunition, in your rifle, over factory rounds, especially, if you use "premium" bullets.
With shot shells, you just might be able to make them as good as factory loaded. You won't make them better.
Click to expand...

You can however tailor a load the way you want it, the need for 1 1/8oz of shot I find rediculous, and therefore load all of my 12 gauge for 7/8's oz of shot.FS
 
H4831 said:
Here is something to remember about reloading.
With rifle, you may improve the ammunition, in your rifle, over factory rounds, especially, if you use "premium" bullets.
With shot shells, you just might be able to make them as good as factory loaded. You won't make them better.
Click to expand...

I'd buy that. Except for the Walmart ones. That sh#tty base metal like to try and stick in the chamber after firing. I use Federal shells, no sticking.
 
clav said:
Really? That's good to know. What about the guys at my club who have told me their "competition loads" are the t**s?

So I really should figure out if it's going to save me anything money wise.

I guess the only benefit for me then is lighter loads for the wife to shoot?

Anyone else?
Click to expand...

What I said about loading shot shells, was taken right from a shotgun loading chart.
It was some years ago, so don't know if things have changed, or not. I may still have the original statement I quoted from.
 
Where you can find savings reloading 12G is slug loads. I cast my own slugs and have the price per shot pretty close to bulk pack shot loads. This is based on out of pocket cost, I don't factor in casting or reloading time because it's my free time spent on a hobby that would be otherwise wasted.

The other great thing is being able to adjust your loads as mentioned above to the type of shooting you're doing. You don't need magnum loaded slugs to blast water jugs at 25 yards... This makes it easy on the sholder and the wallet at the same time.

Cactus
 
reloading for me (once I get started) wont be about saving any money, in fact I expect it to never pay off... but I do get to spend more time focused on my hobby, rubbing my guns, making big bangs and hanging out in the shop figuring out load combinations...
 
That's kinda where I'm at to. I don't have allot of spare time but I think this will add to the fun.

MudChucker said:
reloading for me (once I get started) wont be about saving any money, in fact I expect it to never pay off... but I do get to spend more time focused on my hobby, rubbing my guns, making big bangs and hanging out in the shop figuring out load combinations...
Click to expand...
 
catnthehat does a lot of shotshell reloading. He makes countless combinations with different wad designs to get the best patterns.

There is a lot of fine tuning opportunity in shotshell reloading.
 
Hi,

I just started reloading for my coyote gun two years ago. So, I consider myself very green in regards to reloading.
The reason I reload is to have ammunition when I need it. The two stores in my small town don't always stock what I need, when I need it.
So, I'm also researching shotgun reloads aswell. I don't think I should be restricted to what gauge or type of load I can hunt with because they don't want to carry the ammo or keep their PAL up to date. Personally, I could get by with #4 buck and #5 shot but I'd like to own both a 12g. and a 20g. The 20g. is almost 2X the price of 12g. here. I may even start to hunt more often. That is reason enough.:wave:

Rick
 
Reloading of 12ga is marginally cheaper than buying Top Guns or equivalent in bulk (flat lots).
You will never retire on the money you will save.
However...... You will be able to develop the load combo that works best for you.
Subgauge 28 and 410 are a LOT cheaper to load than buy.
Plus you get to enjoy another shooting related hobby.
 
i use to reload ,mainly for the personal ,satifaction a typical weekend i would take 5 rifles of different cal.s at 5in the morning and sometimes fire off 400-500rds if you get cheaper componets in my day it was less than half the price of bought cartridges
 
That's what I wanted to hear. How does one go about finding these different combinations when we are not supposed to stray from the load info in the manual?

Are they listed in the manual, i.e. different combos that work safely, or is Cat using his extremely extensive knowledge on this one?


Silverado said:
catnthehat does a lot of shotshell reloading. He makes countless combinations with different wad designs to get the best patterns.

There is a lot of fine tuning opportunity in shotshell reloading.
Click to expand...
 
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