Noobie questions

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winchester '97

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First of all, i am new to loading, not to firearms.
Second, i dont know if this is the right place for this, as all the threads i see are about reloading pistol/rifle rounds and i am going to be reloading 12 guage shells.
Okay, down to business: I have the mec 600 jr reloader, which powder bushings am i going to need to come as close as possible to replicating federal top gun and Winchester AA loads? And more importantly what are some good load books or reloading manuals that i can buy?
I am going to be loading 1 oz. and 1 and 1/8 oz. or no.8 lead shot if that helps, also is there such a thing as an adjustable powder bushing?

Mods please move the thread if this is indeed the wrong place.
 
Welcome to reloading. Yes, you're in the right place for this website although there may be better ones for reloading shotgun shells. I loaded for many years before I swtiched over to rifle an pistol rounds. To answer one of your questions: Yes, you can get an adjustable charge bar for the MEC. You can adjust both the weight of shot and the weight of powder. I don't recall now where I got mine but any good reloading supply outfit ought to have them. It replaces the entire charge bar and uses adjustable chambers instead of the bushings that you ordinarily use with the MEC and you can adjust without having to remove it. Best of luck to you. Break 100 straight.

Historian
 
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/RecipeList.aspx?gauge=12&gtypeid=3

http://data.hodgdon.com/shotshell_load.asp

http://www.mecreloaders.com/documents/Miscellaneous/PowderBushingChart.pdf

The first two links will give you a starting point for the powder charge/wad/primer/hull combo. The second link will give the bushing number that you will need for that charge that you chose.

Shotshell reloading is different than cartridge reloading in that the wad/powder/primer must match the recipe. You can't just mix and match those combos at will, they muct match the recipe.

Look up the velocity and load of the factory load you wish to match and read through the above links to match that velocity and load to get the recipe.

I tend to stick to one type hull and make the load changes I need. It is much easier than keeping up with several hull/wad/primer combos. To save $$ in shotshell reloading you need to buy in volume.... wads/primers/shot.

http://www.accuratepowder.com/data/Acc Guide v3.3 version.pdf
Another link ^

Jimmy K
 
Thanks all, i will definately be going with the adjustable bar, Also: do the basic mec reloaders resize shells or do i have to spend 75 bucks on a resizer?
 
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