reloading tips

[sasquatch222]

i am just getting started in reloading i was given an old mec reloader that has lost its canisters and i was given some odd supplies such as about 500 AA trap shell wads, AA primers, AA shells and some green dot. I am just wondering what the recipe for a AA trap load is, what bar or powder do i use? also instead of buying new canisters can i just make some out of pop bottles or something? thanks in advance

 

[luke s]

I think you have to look at the costs 1st. You likely wont save any money reloading trap loads because of the price of lead right now.

 

[BattleRife]

Shotshell reloading is different from metallic cartridge loading in that you are strongly discouraged from doing any load development. Development is done in labs, and loads are published that you are expected to follow exactly. They will list brand and type of hull, primer, wad and powder, and you are expected to follow without deviation. You can find several loads for Green Dot on Alliants webpage.

If the press you have is quite old, it will use fixed bars. I don't think MEC sells these bars anymore and I was told once I should throw mine away. The new bars take bushings that are easy to change to create different loads.

MEC powder and shot bottles are like $7, it would be a complete waste of time to fabricate one.

 

[H4831]

One other thing in shot shell reloading, the best you can hope for is to equal the factory loads. You can't improve, or make your loads better than equivilant factory loads.