Want to start reloading shotgun shells, whats my best options?

Just start out with a Lee Load All II for $50. It will produce what you are looking for without a lot of problems. If you need to increase quantity and speed it still works when trying out and working up different wad and shot combinations. FWIW I use one exclusively for all my black powder 12 gauge shotgun shell loadings for cowboy shooting.

Few people load up slugs, but the ones that do get components from Ballistic Products Inc. https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Slugs/departments/198/

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Slug-Components/products/71/

Just some thoughts on reloading buckshot and slugs.

If you don't want to load huge quantities and are doing it mostly for fun then buy an inexpensive Mec Jr loader, a used one can usually be found at a very economical cost and have at it.

Generally people who reload shot shells do so for economical reasons, mostly high volume trap and skeet shooters. If you are involved in some combat game where you shoot a lot of buckshot and slugs you need to do an analysis of the costs in both time and money to see if it is worth it to load buckshot and slugs.

Typically the component cost of buckshot and slugs make it prohibitive to economically load the shells over simply buying factory loads in quantity on line. It is rare to find a shooter who shoots 250 rounds of buckshot or slugs every week or two (but not uncommon for a trap or skeet shooter) and saving a buck on a box of 25 rounds of buckshot makes reloading not pay well, specially after adding in hours of ones time reloading the shells.

The costs that add up in both time and money are the shell casings and wads. Trap and Skeet shells that most shooter/reloaders buy are durable cases designed to be reloaded and can be as much as 10X or so before they split or burn through while the common compression cases found in buckshot ammo will be lucky to get 2 or 3 reloadings before they split and can no longer be used. Buckshot loads often will use wads designed for bird shot but work if modified by cutting off the wads pedals. While easy to do, its another task that adds hours of preparation to the time involved in loading buckshot in quantity. One can save money on slugs if you already cast bullets for rifle and handguns by buying a slug mold but each slug uses an oz or so of lead so the cost per projectile adds up quickly.

I suggest buying the Lyman Reloading Shotshell Handbook.

Shot shell presses are generally cheap used. I have seen very nice MEC 600 jr's for under $50, The one I have was given to me and beats the load all and old LMC press I have by quite a bit.

How many are you looking to load a year?

Get a MEC 600 Jr, will do what you want and it is impossible
to wear it out.

Why do you want to reload those two? Thinking about saving money?

It's really hard to save money loading shotgun shells. REALLY hard. About the only way to do it is to buy in bulk and shoot a LOT.

You should first price everything out and see where your return on investment is going to me.

Wildbillz said:

So I have reloaded pistol and rifle ammo for years. I want to start doing some shotgun ammo. Any advice....

Click to expand...

Yes, don't bother !! As expensive as those shells are, reloading shotgun shells is typically far more expensive.

If you'll research your loads, and then price the specific components I think you'll see what I'm talking about. People can "break even" on target shells because they can buy "reclaimed shot", but that will not be the case with slugs and buck shot.
.

With current prices, you will not save any money reloading 12 or 20 gauge shells. My old 12G MEC 600 Jr press has sat idle for a few years for this reason. Now if you are talking 28G or 410 shells, then yes you will save money reloading your own. My 410 MEC 600 Jr gets used all the time.

As far as reloading buckshot and slugs, get a good manual that has load data for buckshot and slugs. Stick with what is in the manuals for the type of hulls, wads/shot cups, powder, and primers. Hulls are not made the same between manufacturers. An example for 410: I have to lower the powder charge for Federal 3" hulls due to the base vs Winchester Super X 3" hulls.

Ballistic Products is a good source for components.

The only buckshot loads I mess with is 3" 410 shells. You can only buy 000 buckshot loads and I have found that my Mossberg shoots 00 buckshot better, so that is what I load.

If you are serious about reloading more that just a few shells, look for a MEC 600 Jr press.

12Bravo20 bought up a very important point about shot shell loading.

When you find a load recipe you have to follow it EXACTLY. Don't substitute ANY component. A simple primer swap can cause over 2K of pressure increase.

rfwobbly said:

Yes, don't bother !! As expensive as those shells are, reloading shotgun shells is typically far more expensive.

If you'll research your loads, and then price the specific components I think you'll see what I'm talking about. People can "break even" on target shells because they can buy "reclaimed shot", but that will not be the case with slugs and buck shot.
.

Click to expand...

I save money reloading because 1) I reload something not commercially available and 2) I buy components in bulk. I stopped using reclaimed shot years ago as the price versus new is not that great and the patterns suck compared to uniform, hard, round shot of the same size.

Texas10mm said:

12Bravo20 bought up a very important point about shot shell loading.

When you find a load recipe you have to follow it EXACTLY. Don't substitute ANY component. A simple primer swap can cause over 2K of pressure increase.

Click to expand...

That's a tad overstated. Yes, primer swap can change pressures, but not 2K worth.There are many acceptable (and safe) substitutions of components from wads, to primers to hulls, BUT the substitutions are not as wide spread as metallic. Remington hulls and Winchester AA hulls are tapered and can be used interchangeably. European hulls are all straight-walled and can use federal data as federals are straight-walled as well. Aftermarket clone wads can be used in place of expensive OEM wads, and yes - certain primers can safely be substituted.

If you load for slug s then you might save some money. It all depends on what
you want to shoot. I shoot the Lyman 525 grain slug from a O/U that has rifled barrels.
The MEC I use has been with me for over 45 years and has paid for it self many times.
Please note I buy my tooling to load shells and do not care about the cost.
For trap in 20 and 12 gauge I use a Hornady 366 and a MEC 650, my loads
are lighter than what is available over the counter, That is 3/4 oz. and 7/8 oz..
I'm always looking for sales or "deals" on components.

Some want to make it about economics, but I enjoy loading my own shells regardless, while I am another one who cannot buy what I really want except for a couple choices that I don't see as cheaper than reloading or better shells for my purpose. There are really only a couple offerings from Remington (STS) that are great for reloading, but they come loaded a bit heavy. Once you suffer through shooting them and loading the empties, you're good. New hulls are not simple to load well, all are imported, and all have ribbed outer surfaces rather than the smooth finish of Remingtons that is easier to extract.

George P said:

That's a tad overstated. Yes, primer swap can change pressures, but not 2K worth.There are many acceptable (and safe) substitutions of components from wads, to primers to hulls, BUT the substitutions are not as wide spread as metallic. Remington hulls and Winchester AA hulls are tapered and can be used interchangeably. European hulls are all straight-walled and can use federal data as federals are straight-walled as well. Aftermarket clone wads can be used in place of expensive OEM wads, and yes - certain primers can safely be substituted.

Click to expand...

I agree. Though I do caution that you make sure that your choice of substitutes are safe for your loads. I have only reloaded 410 in the last 10 years or so and Use Claybuster wads exclusively in both 2 1/2" and 3" 410 shells. Now 410 wads are different than the other gauges in that the 410 is more of a shot cup for the most part. And George brought up another good point. Don't use load data for straight walled hulls with tapered wall hulls.

I did a lot of research for safe loads for a bunch of 3" Cheddite 410 hulls that I got really cheap. I could not find any load data for the Cheddite hulls and any wad except Ballistic products wads and Hodgdon H110 powder. After much research and talking to others that reload 410 shells, I am using the load data for Federal 3" shells.

I did a lot of research for safe loads for a bunch of 3" Cheddite 410 hulls that I got really cheap. I could not find any load data for the Cheddite hulls and any wad except Ballistic products wads and Hodgdon H110 powder. After much research and talking to others that reload 410 shells, I am using the load data for Federal 3" shells.

Click to expand...

And how'd they do?

George P said:

And how'd they do?

Click to expand...

The Cheddite hulls loaded using Federal hull data does just fine. I have only tested them out of my Mossberg 500 with a 24" full choke barrel. I need to try them in my O/U and Shockwave.

Geeze maybe he just want to reload shotgun shells and isn't all worried about the cost. You can save money loading shotgun shells just like you save money loading metallic ammo if you don't figure in the cost of the tools and other stuff we're always purchasing, lets face it do we really save money reloading?

I could have purchased a small ammo factory with all the cash I have tied up in to equipment and components, who really needs 20,000 pieces of 40 brass or 1000 pieces of brass for a firearm that gets shot every few years? I know I do.

Anyway OP I load for 12 and 20 gauge shot gun all the way from 7/8 oz trap loads to steel waterfowl with slugs, turkey and buck mix in. What I have found best for slugs, buck and steel is the Mec 600jr. I hand weight the powder, hand seat the wad with a dowel then hand weight the shot charge, I actually load these in a 25 round case block just like rifle rounds. Only thing I use the press for is the crimp function and I would use it for resizing and depriming if I didn't have the Mec case conditioner. I have 4 Mec 650's and 2 Mec 9000's I could load on but I find the 600jr works well for the more hands on stuff like slugs and buck. The other presses are used for trap and some waterfowl loads.

I was just on ebay and happened on reloading equipment. You can easily buy a used MEC Jr. for the price of a new Lee Loader. I have a Lee and really like it though. What everyone has said about saving money is generally true. Especially with lead going for around $2.00/pound. However if you are looking into loading buckshot and slugs I think you can save money as well as load shells that are difficult to find commercially. I will also recommend Ballistic Products for shotshell components. I have used and really like their "Thug Slug". One caveat though, most of the data you get from them uses their components.

As long as your goal isn't saving money have at it. A used Mec 600 or 650 can be found for not much money. If you come across a Pacific DL 155 they are great presses.

Muddydogs said:

Geeze maybe he just want to reload shotgun shells and isn't all worried about the cost. You can save money loading shotgun shells just like you save money loading metallic ammo if you don't figure in the cost of the tools and other stuff we're always purchasing, lets face it do we really save money reloading?

I could have purchased a small ammo factory with all the cash I have tied up in to equipment and components, who really needs 20,000 pieces of 40 brass or 1000 pieces of brass for a firearm that gets shot every few years? I know I do.

Anyway OP I load for 12 and 20 gauge shot gun all the way from 7/8 oz trap loads to steel waterfowl with slugs, turkey and buck mix in. What I have found best for slugs, buck and steel is the Mec 600jr. I hand weight the powder, hand seat the wad with a dowel then hand weight the shot charge, I actually load these in a 25 round case block just like rifle rounds. Only thing I use the press for is the crimp function and I would use it for resizing and depriming if I didn't have the Mec case conditioner. I have 4 Mec 650's and 2 Mec 9000's I could load on but I find the 600jr works well for the more hands on stuff like slugs and buck. The other presses are used for trap and some waterfowl loads.

Click to expand...

Why? What is wrong with the wad seater, powder bushing and shot bushing? Tht is adding WAY too many unnecessary steps to a simple process

Well the other nice thing about reloading shot shells besides possible money savings is that you can tailor make specialty loads that you want.

Here is what I do for reloading 410 buckshot loads on a MEC 600 Jr. It will be the same procedure for 12 or 20 gauge.

1. setup the charge bar with the correct size bushing to throw the correct amount of powder that you want for your load and install the charge bar.
2. fill the powder bottle with your powder
3. leave the shot bottle empty if you are loading buckshot
4. de prime and size hull then prime at next station
5. move to next station and drop you charge
6. leave hull and move charge bar like you are going to drop shot (remember that you emptied the shot bottle.
7 take the hull out and drop your buckshot in
8. move hull to the crimp starting station
9 move hull to final crimping station.
All done, you now have a loaded shell of buckshot. It's simple in the fact that you use every station of the press as intended with the exception that you do not drop any shot. No need for dowl rods or to hand weigh the powder charger and shot.