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Posted: 1/1/2009 8:29:41 PM EDT
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I think i can reload for around 200 dollars per 1000.Cheaper once i get through the first batch and reload the hulls the third time(buying once fired).I will also scrounge my club if allowed for hulls,but i need to buy for the first batch.
I am looking at the mec sizemaster.I think i will buy the new lyman manual,seems highly recommended. It seems shot shell would be easier to learn then rifle,am i wrong.Please give me any advice if you reload your own shot.I have asked about reloading before but that was for rifle.I can spend this money more easily as the woman also shoots clays. Eta,sorry i write like a 12 year old. |
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Shotshell loading is way simpler than metallic cartridges and there's really not much similarity when getting down to the details.
Components for 1000 rounds right now costs me, $34 for primers, $30 per 25 pounds for shot, $18 for 1000 wads, and $99 per 8 pounds for Titewad. 34 + 18 + 2.4(30) + (2.65/8)99 = $156 for 1000 1 ounce loads with 18.5 grains of Titewad. Once fired 12 gauge hulls are $50 per thousand in this area, and I get far more than 3 reloads per hull. I haven't bought a hull in years; either someone gives me hulls, or I pick up hulls as I go around the course, and I have thousands now. I've never bought a 20 gauge hull, not even many new shells. I recommend a MEC Grabber or RCBS Grand for your volume loading. I have both. I wouldn't use any single stage MEC press unless my volume was very low for hunting loads. |
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Shotgun loading is a royal PAIN compared to metallic.
Getting a good crimp is very defendant on getting your stacked components (wad and shot) exactly the right height, otherwise you will either crush your hull, or overcrimp and have the shot fall out. So far I have only loaded 20 ga, 12 ought to be more forgiving though. Quality hulls help a lot though. |
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I haven't figured out how much I have been saving compared to Winchester AA's, but it is a fair amount. For me, it is about time at the reloading bench, it is medicinal.
As for the press, I've owned a Sizemaster, and it was a decent press, but I wouldn't buy one again. The MEC 9000 ,and the RCBS Grand, are both great presses. I love my Dillon SL900! 
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Quoted:
I haven't figured out how much I have been saving compared to Winchester AA's, but it is a fair amount. For me, it is about time at the reloading bench, it is medicinal. As for the press, I've owned a Sizemaster, and it was a decent press, but I wouldn't buy one again. The MEC 9000 ,and the RCBS Grand, are both great presses. I love my Dillon SL900! http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/rr32/jakethesnakearfpic/cave3.jpg?t=1230884028 Does the Dillon work smoothly? How many shells per hour? Consistant crimp? |
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Get a progressive for shotshells, I have a MEC grabber, bought it before Dillon came out with theres, but frankly, the MEC is a better deal Here's my press .jpg) Here's my homemade powder and shot funnel .jpg) Quit mucking around with various charge bars and bushings and get one of these as well as the powder baffle .jpg) Mount press on a back pan to catch the shot which you WILL spill sooner or later. I drilled hole in the front and plugged with a bolt and let the tray overhand the table just a bit, it's my drainage system for the spilt shot .jpg) A burka is nice to have as well .jpg) As usual, stock pile components .jpg) .jpg) .jpg) .jpg)  |
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I will be loading shotshell soon. Just waiting for the other components to arrive. Loader I bought used is not fancy but it's a start for me. From what I have been told and have read the right recipe of load components is the key for a good crimp in a shotshell, slugs, or bucks. |
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Sometimes a combination of components is hard to crimp correctly, but mostly once the crimp dies are set correctly, I vary the wad pressure.
There are two secrets to adjusting the crimp on a MEC press. The first is to follow the directions to the letter. The other is to make extremely small adjustments of the screws; I'm talking 1/32nd to 1/16th of a turn at a time, the crimp is very sensitive to tiny, tiny changes. There's a third secret. A MEC grabber press with too much wear is nearly impossible to adjust. As far as speed, my Grand and my two good MEC presses produce shells at the same speed, mostly because the speed is dictated by handling hulls and wads. The quality of the loads is identical. The Grand is a zillion times easier to adjust than a MEC. I use the Grand more, so I have to pay close attention with the Grabbers when I start up as there are three times as many ways to screw up. I have a 12 gauge Grabber that works, but needs a rebuild and operates with more personality than the other two. |
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I use the MEC 600 jr with auto primer feed.
The sizer is basically the only difference between the 600 jr and the Size Master. It works great. Adjusting the crimp can be tedious. Once you get it set don't let the occasional swirled crimp tempt you into re-adjusting. Even factory ammo will have an occasional swirl. |
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Quoted:
Does the Dillon work smoothly? How many shells per hour? Consistant crimp? I love it. It works really smooth, I don't really push it when I'm going, but I'll get about 4-500 shells an hour done if I have everything set up right. I only use double a's, but the crimp is really consistent. If I have a bad crimp, it is usually my fault. |
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Quoted:
I think i can reload for around 200 dollars per 1000.Cheaper once i get through the first batch and reload the hulls the third time(buying once fired).I will also scrounge my club if allowed for hulls,but i need to buy for the first batch. I am looking at the mec sizemaster.I think i will buy the new lyman manual,seems highly recommended. It seems shot shell would be easier to learn then rifle,am i wrong.Please give me any advice if you reload your own shot.I have asked about reloading before but that was for rifle.I can spend this money more easily as the woman also shoots clays. Eta,sorry i write like a 12 year old. a single stage mec 600 jr press costs about $135 and will last forever. on this press i can load about 125 in an hour comfortably. this includes refills, boxing and sipping a drink as i go along. i get about 3000 rounds from: 3000 primers 5000 for $135 or $81 8 pounds of powder $104 or $104 6 bags of shot $35/bag or $210 3000 wads $80/5000 or $48 so for $443 i get 3000 rounds of 12 gauge ammo. i load for skeet. the rem gun club loads go for $7.00 a box of 25 on sale, or $840 for 3000. the sts' are $11 a box of 25, or $1320 for 3000. after 6000 rounds you could have saved enough for a ponsness-warren progressive (think high end) press. then you could load 125 in about 10 minutes. i use remington hulls that are range pick ups. all rem brand hulls load the same on my press. i get about 10 reloads of the cheap gunclub hulls and many more from the expensive sts hulls. i have picked up two 55 galon drums full of hulls. for the most part these are once fired. shot gun reloading is very different than metalic reloading. actually it is much easier in some respects and tougher in others. there are more steps than handgun, but less than rifle. i hope this helps |
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I'm in the camp of "It's about time at the bench listening to a Cup race or a ball game" and less about volume. I reload for some basic trap and at most I'll shoot once a week. It's my time alone or with the dogs while the sleep at my feet.
I have a MEC Jr and love it. Hulls are easy to find, but just watch your hull/wad combo as some hulls are different shapes inside and require a tapered wad. I have in the last year been given by people who don't reload nearly 3,000 empties of different brands and have access to more if I want. Shooters are great people! I like Alliant brand powders and their website is nice since it has a reloading guide that lets you pick your recipe by hull type, wad, primer, powder and shot weight. Nothing But Dust wads are great replacements for Winchester AA wads at about half the price. Good luck and happy reloading. It is a great way to expand your hobby and enjoy it from a different angle. I'm about to venture in to pistol reloading here very shortly. |
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I have a MEC Sizemaster that I've been using for >10 years. Puts out great shells at a moderate saving. The big plus is that you can load the shells up or down in power depending on your task.
And yes, get the adjustable powder bar. Great hint about the cake pan under the press - cuz you WILL spill something. |
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