Shot shell reloading

Redneck107

Redneck107

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I handload for my leverguns and my odd ball/ expensive cartridges Im not a novice to reloading. Recently I have dabbled in the idea of loading shot shells. I’m looking for any Info. The good, the bad the basics and things to look out for. Or am I just running myself down an other rabbit hole I should stay out of?!? Talk me out of it? Or into it?
 
I enjoy it. I used to reload a lot of 12 gauge when I hunted ducks with my father. I still have all the equipment and supplies. Now I mostly mess around with experimental buckshot, bbq and #2 long range loads.
 
I just started reloading shotgun shells after 11 years of loading handgun/rifle. Bought a used Lee Load All (original) and a Lyman Shotgun reloading manual. Quickly realized that unless you get a "good" price on lead shot, it is cheaper to buy Challenger #7.5 or #8 than it is to reload them.

My local gun store (only one within an hour drive) charges $80 for a 25 lb bag of lead shot. Wads are about $20 per 500. Primers about $10 per 100. Plus tax. My used Load All was $35 but I had to spend about $40 (including shipping) to replace missing parts (bushings, primer seating pieces, resizing "die"). Definitely not saving any money here.

I enjoy reloading, and maybe I need to figure out a way to get cheap slugs or buckshot and reload that (I don't have any lead casting tools though) but unless I can find cheaper components, my first bag of lead shot may be my last (yes, I know of a cheaper place to buy components near Hamilton, but that is ~3 hours away and their hours don't fit my schedule).

YMMV, standard disclaimers apply.
 
wasa said:
I just started reloading shotgun shells after 11 years of loading handgun/rifle. Bought a used Lee Load All (original) and a Lyman Shotgun reloading manual. Quickly realized that unless you get a "good" price on lead shot, it is cheaper to buy Challenger #7.5 or #8 than it is to reload them.

My local gun store (only one within an hour drive) charges $80 for a 25 lb bag of lead shot. Wads are about $20 per 500. Primers about $10 per 100. Plus tax. My used Load All was $35 but I had to spend about $40 (including shipping) to replace missing parts (bushings, primer seating pieces, resizing "die"). Definitely not saving any money here.

I enjoy reloading, and maybe I need to figure out a way to get cheap slugs or buckshot and reload that (I don't have any lead casting tools though) but unless I can find cheaper components, my first bag of lead shot may be my last (yes, I know of a cheaper place to buy components near Hamilton, but that is ~3 hours away and their hours don't fit my schedule).

YMMV, standard disclaimers apply.
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Agreed here as well, if you're loading some 'non standard' loads such as 7/8oz low recoil loads or if you go through a lot of hunting ammunition you may find it is economically worth it but to just load target shells in 12 gauge they're just as cheap to buy factory.

If you're loading 16, 20, 28ga, or .410 I think there's real potential to save money though.
 
In reload all my hunting and target loads in both 12 and 20 ga, in 20ga I'm still saving money compared to promo loads. I don't reload to save money,1. I always have a supply of target loads on hand when needed, 2. most promo loads use soft shot and the quality control is not great, most of time my reloads are of a better quality, 3. I always have the load I want to shoot on hand when I need it at the price I'm comfortable with spending, and 4. I enjoy loading my own.
 
If you shoot in volume it's not worth loading for 12 or 20 unless you want something exotic.
Factory target loads are cheaper to buy than they are to load, IF you can get them.
The last time I checked, reloading 12 ga 7/8 oz skeet loads was costing me about $7.30 per box, I can buy Federal Top Gun or Challenger 1 oz for $7.50 per box.
So I decided it wasn't worth doing.

I still have the press (MEC 600 Jr), and I keep enough supplies to load a year's worth of ammo. If factory ammo gets hard to find, or takes a steep jump in price I'm good for a while.

Reloading shotgun ammo is pretty low effort mentally, you're just sitting there pulling the handle and turning out ammo. In my case, you're adding primers and wads, and moving the shell from station to station too. It's like watching paint dry compared to the attention level required for precision rifle ammo.

If you can pick up a used press fairly cheaply, and want to give it a try, why not?

I've used both a Lee Load All and the MEC. The MEC will be more adjustable and durable in the long run if you stay with it, the down side being that it's more expensive, and you may need different powder bushings and shot bars for what you want to build. Neither is expensive, but the Lee comes with both, or it should.
Either will get the job done.
Stick to published recipes, the Lyman shotshell reloading guide is good, as is Hodgdon's online guide.
 
I load my 28 gauge and 410 skeet loads, for about half the price of factory target loads. I don't other with 12 gauge or 20 gauge though, there isn't enough of a savings to ,make it worthwhile.
 
Reload slugs and various sizes of buckshot, great fun imho. Cast my own slugs and buckshot and then powder coat them. Takes time but I’m retired and it’s a hobby. Check out the Lyman shotshell reloading book. Not worth me reloading for plain shot as I don’t use it much and it’s cheaper to just buy it if I need it. Have had great luck and fun with long range buckshot, single aught, double aught and triple.
 
I used to reload target shells when I was saving $20 a flat, but now I just load specials- like 3/4oz skeet shells for the kids/wife. It is a fun to crank out a lot of shells ( I have a MEC progressive) but personally I just shoot factory loads these days- it is basically the same cost.

One day will get set up with a shot maker- then it will be game on again.
 
Thanks for al the responses. I have realized that there is not real “saving” in reloading unless it’s something exotic or less common and that’s where I tend to find my self. I’m just looking at shot shells more or less to say I can and have done it. I have dabbled in casting my own so I’m definitely interested in trying slugs and buck. I see the cost of slugs and buck shot and I can’t stand to pay the prices they want I like to try and be as self sufficient as possible and do it for my self and end up with a better product at the end of the day. I never have the time of day I want to put into the hobby because of work and family but at the end of the day and when I do end up with time I will be set up and ready to finally enjoy the hobby. I think I’m going to try and find a load all and start there and just try my hand at it.
 
You should be able to find a much better press then a load all for next to nothing.

I agree loading might not be that much of a savings currently but who is to say where prices will be in two more years the way things are going. The cheap shells most are shooting are exactly that “cheap” there is a reason the big 3s premium shells cost way more.
 
If you want to give this a try, do yourself a favour and get yourself a mec reloaded, used ones are cheap and the quality is way better than a load all, in my opinion. Making your own shot is also an option if you have access to lead. Money doesn’t always have to be the bottom line, some people get lots of enjoyment from it and some people want to do it it just because. Way cheaper than smoking, gambling or drinking.
 
Chas59 said:
Reload slugs and various sizes of buckshot, great fun imho. Cast my own slugs and buckshot and then powder coat them. Takes time but I’m retired and it’s a hobby. Check out the Lyman shotshell reloading book. Not worth me reloading for plain shot as I don’t use it much and it’s cheaper to just buy it if I need it. Have had great luck and fun with long range buckshot, single aught, double aught and triple.
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I agree. Just do it for the fun of it. Buy your cheap lead target rounds and they are good for bush chickens as well.
 
The price of ammo will go up again, especially now that all three federal levels of government south of us are Democrat controlled. I believe firearm and ammo stockpiling is going to happen on a scale we've never seen before, shipments of ammo and components to Canada will slow down to a trickle. Prices for the meagre remainder will go through the roof worse than the last time.
Buy your used reloader, preferably one with a good track record for support like MEC, Ponseness Warren or Lee. Even the best is available now at pennies on the dollar. Equip it with a good selection of dies, bushings and basic spare parts such as wad bushings. Stay away from the progressive loaders, they are more complicated, more expensive and less versatile than the single stage machines. Practice with your new to you machine, experiment with different specialized loads, always using published, tested loads until you are comfortable and familiar with your set up. Acquire a good stock of basic components, powder, primers, wads and shot now while you can still find some. There! Now you have a new firearm related hobby. If somewhere down the road you decide this isn't for you any components you have on hand will be easy to sell, maybe even at a profit, and you will have minimal investment in your machine.
 
I have had a shotshell loader for about 5 years now. I have only ever loaded maybe 50 rounds with it. It's just not a priority when there are so many other things to be done. Sooner or later though I will be going hard and loading as much as I can to supplement my stash.
 
As with centrefire rifle and pistol the biggest expense now in shotshell reloading is the projectile (shot). Looking at reloading 12 gauge shells, a quick scan of Lawry's pricing shows that Claybuster wads can be had for about 3 cents each, Federal primers are 5 cents each and Alliant Red Dot (a very popular trap/skeet powder) is about 9 cents per round (assuming a load of 18 grains). Pickup hulls can be found for free at most skeet/trap ranges. So the cost of a 12 ga. round without the shot is 17 cents or $4.25 per box. The major expense is shot which costs about 16 cents for a 1 1/8 oz. load. This totals 33 cents per round or $8.25 per box of 25. This is, indeed, about 50 cents-$1/box more than you can buy economy target shells for.

However, if you have a source of cheap/free lead and want to get into making your own shot then you could probably save $3 per box of 25 which is a substantial saving if you shoot a lot (say 2-4 boxes per weekend). If you have the time and are going to shoot a fair bit it may be worth investigating. Otherwise commercial is the way to go.

As has been noted in other posts the smaller gauges and buck/slug rounds cost quite a bit more so there are probably savings to be had with them even buying the shot.
 
At one time when lead was $15 a bag and 1 LB of 700x was about the same, yes it was cost effective.
I had a Hornady 366 (still do, doesnt get used) and it offset the cost of the press PDQ

Not so much now. Cheaper to buy factory loads
 
You can put anything you want in a shotgun shell ��. Yes, it is a rabbit hole, but a fun one. I will also say get a good used MEC.
 
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