Shotgun reloading - Should I start?

[schick]

I am considering reloading shotshells. I have MEC 600 jr and an old Lee LoadAll. I'll probably use the MEC as I heard nice things about it. I even bought an adjustable charge bar for the MEC.

So I went and grabbed just under 1000 shells, once fired, by the Estate company. So I figure I'm ready to go, right.

Then I'm told not to bother, as shells are cheap. But I do like reloading rifle and pistol, Maybe I'd enjoy reloading shotshells too.

Then I'm told that I shouldn't relaod the Estate hulls as they have wound paper base wads (am I saying that right?) and these are best reloaded 1 0r 2 times, and the hulls are best reloaded by someone with experience (not a newbie) as they might require paper wads or some such thing.

So now what, should I even bother?

Maybe I should sell the Estate hulls (or toss 'em) and buy some recommended hulls. I don't know what is recommended. Federal, Winchester...?

What do you guys think? I know I'll need a good Shotshell relaoding book too. I sure hope I didn't waste my money buying all this stuff.

 

[Fassteel]

Decisions

Schick

Get rid of the Estates and find yourself some old Winchester AA's, or Federal Gold Medal's, or Remington STS hulls. These hulls you will be able to load several times.
Get 1000 Winchester 209 primers.
Are you loading hunting ammo, or target shooting ammo? If target load data for 7/8oz or 1oz.

A 25 lb sack of shot will do you for about 400 rounds.

Claybuster make cheap wads in bags of 500.

For Powder Alliant RedDot or Green dot, IMR 700X, Clays. The best way to buy these are in bulk packages from some place like Higginsons in Ontario.
FS

 

[BCFred]

Well Schick, it depends on what you are reloading for and what you like to do, whether you reload or not. Quite a few guys in the clays game around here buy flats of 250 cheapies for $60 to $70, but there are quite a few that reload too. You can still save some money by reloading, especially if you are shooting clays. (Or, maybe I should say you can shoot more for the same amount of money.) One trick for saving a bit of money is finding someone who makes shot, because shot at $32 to $40 a bag tends to be the most expensive aspect. We have a couple guys around here that make shot and do a good job. You can usually get a bag of shot for about $25 from them. I would use the MEC Jr in preference to the Lee. It's a decent basic press that most guys approve of. The manual I would buy first is Lyman's 5th edition. Would like to second the suggestion of getting good hulls like Remington or Winchester hulls and stick with loads and components listed in the manuals when you are starting up. I prefer Remington hulls myself and pick them up whenever I can. Now that I think about it, I would suggest sticking with Winchester components when using Winchester hulls in the beginning. There is nothing really wrong with AA hulls but they have changed over the years and I have found that I have to watch the wads I'm using with them, especially if using clones. The old red AA wads are great, but getting in short supply, at least at the matches I go to. You can save a bit of money by buying clone wads, Downrange and Claybuster come to mind. You get some talk about whether they are as good. I have found DR wads to be very good, even excellent, and this seems to be the general feeling about them. Make sure, however, that you go to their site and get the appropriate wad for the hulls you are using (this is not difficult to do). I seem to get a bit more plastic in the barrel of my shotgun from Claybusters, (some do, some don't) but I use them quite happily. For me reloading shotshells is another skill in shooting sports and I enjoy it. So...if you have the press...

 

[schick]

Thanks gents, I will follow your leads.

I will place the Estate hulls on EE, maybe someone will find them usefull.

Thanks again. You've encouraged me to try reloading.