Anyone reloading shotgun shells?
- Thread starter dgray64
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I have been loading 410, 20ga and 12ga for a long long time. You will not save money by loading your own Shot Shells. You will save on the price per round, but you will end up shooting more often. In my case, a lot more often.
Mortonspoint
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- Apr 29, 2007
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Well, shot here in MI is running around $43 for 25 pounds and that's enough for about 16 boxes of 1 oz. shells (400 rounds). Best sale price on made shells around here is $4.50 so 16 boxes would cost you $72. Now for the hand loads you have to add in powder, wads and primers and the partial cost of your reloading press setup. Primers cost $11 per 100 so for 16 boxes that adds $10, wads adds in $7 and powder is about $16 per pound so powder for 400 rounds adds in about $4. Forgetting about he press costs, add it all up and...It's cheaper to buy the ready made shells especially if you can get them on sale.
I still reload because I bought a huge supply of reloading components a few years ago. I can reload a box of 25 target shell for about $2.30. That said I now buy all the cheap made shells I can because I know that the day will come when I'll be in the same postion as you..or maybe I'll just quit shooting.
I still reload because I bought a huge supply of reloading components a few years ago. I can reload a box of 25 target shell for about $2.30. That said I now buy all the cheap made shells I can because I know that the day will come when I'll be in the same postion as you..or maybe I'll just quit shooting.
NuJudge
Member
Having amortized the cost of equipment long ago, my economics are a little different from persons just starting. I can save very little by loading 12 gauge now. I can save a bit by loading 20's. There is still a lot of savings on 28 and .410.
Lead is the big cost item now, but you can save a bit by using 1 oz, 7/8 oz, or even 3/4 oz shot charges in the 12 ga. I also feel a lot less fatigued after shooting 4 rounds of Skeet with 3/4 oz handloads, than I do after firing 4 rounds of Skeet with Remington/Winchester/Federal promotionally priced factory Ounce-and-an-eighth loads.
Cases used to be a big cost item, everybody wanting to use Winchester AA's. Twelve and 20 gauge cases are essentially free if now you pick up other people's Remington empties, all of which load about as well as AA's (the exception being UMC, actually loaded overseas).
A lot of money can be saved by buying nock-off wads, but you have to buy in quantity to save. I have a huge inventory of Winchesters, but Claybuster & Downrange are two makers I like.
A good bit of money can be saved by using a propellant such as Promo and using Cheddite, Fiocchi, or Nobelsport primers.
Make your selections, then use this calculator:
http://10xshooters.com/calculators/ShotshellReloadingCost/
CDD
Lead is the big cost item now, but you can save a bit by using 1 oz, 7/8 oz, or even 3/4 oz shot charges in the 12 ga. I also feel a lot less fatigued after shooting 4 rounds of Skeet with 3/4 oz handloads, than I do after firing 4 rounds of Skeet with Remington/Winchester/Federal promotionally priced factory Ounce-and-an-eighth loads.
Cases used to be a big cost item, everybody wanting to use Winchester AA's. Twelve and 20 gauge cases are essentially free if now you pick up other people's Remington empties, all of which load about as well as AA's (the exception being UMC, actually loaded overseas).
A lot of money can be saved by buying nock-off wads, but you have to buy in quantity to save. I have a huge inventory of Winchesters, but Claybuster & Downrange are two makers I like.
A good bit of money can be saved by using a propellant such as Promo and using Cheddite, Fiocchi, or Nobelsport primers.
Make your selections, then use this calculator:
http://10xshooters.com/calculators/ShotshellReloadingCost/
CDD
Thanks, that's about what I figured. I keep thinking that the libs are going to crack down on guns and ammo sooner rather than later and I'd rather have a way to load some if I needed them. I already load pistol. Have a great day and VOTE!
Dave
Dave
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