Canniballizing shotshells

[WestKentucky]

I can’t believe I’m actually considering this. It’s a sign of the times we are in.


The problems:
Lead shot is not available locally. The cost to get a bag of it and pay shipping is surprising to a guy who grew up seeing skids of shot for sale at 10 bucks a bag. Online sourcing leaves me at over 2 dollars a pound after shipping if I buy in bulk.

Also 209 primers are nonexistent here. I’m hoping that muzzleloader seasons being upon us will let me find a tray to overpay for in the near future, but assuming I do find them that’s going to be about 9 bucks for a tray of 100.

16 ga shells that fit my chamber are also nonexistent, even online I’m having trouble finding any. I have a few hulls I can reload, and I’m not opposed to buying shells and shooting them through my dads 16ga just to get the hulls to trim. Buying fresh hulls for 16 ga seems to be hard to do.

The harebrained scheme:

I already own all the stuff to load my 16ga but I’m out of primers and almost out of shot. I can’t find what I need reasonably, and I’m not paying ludicrous prices for what I do find available from scalpers. I can however go to wallyworld and buy a 100pk of junk 12ga shells for about $25. I can cut the crimps off (I have done that plenty times for messing around with cut shells) scavenge roughly 7 pounds of shot, and a hundred primers. That’s realistically about a break-even for buying shot and muzzleloader primers which is all I can realistically expect to find, I just have to do the work to harvest the components.

Has anybody else gotten this desperate and stubborn about not paying the scalpers?

 

[EMC45]

I have, in the past, cut open old swollen paper shells and scavenged the shot out of them to load. I tossed the primer and powder however. Your plan is feasible and understandable.

 

[Random 8]

Wish you lived closer. I'm sitting on 4K shotgun primers, probably 2 years supply for me, and I have a shot maker in the garage. Here's a hairbrained scheme. If you sent me 16 ga hulls, I could prime them and send them back. No hazmat needed. Can't help with the shot until I get time and proper weather to try the shot maker.

 

[Random 8]

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Rio-16ga-2-3_4-new_primed-16mm-100_bag/productinfo/RIO167016/ Did find this option. Primed hulls. You'd have to trim the hulls to proper length, assuming you have 2.5" chambers? They also have shot for a not astronimical price, but you will get hit on the shipping, and put you in that $2/lb range. BTW, that is in line with local store prices when they did have shot in stock lately.

 

[Bill M.]

deleted

 

[RKRCPA]

Looking back, buying that spare MEC 600jr. Mk5 that came with two and a half bags of wads, bag and a half of shot and 2000 209 primers wasn't such a hairbrained idea after all.

I would not want to be buying shot and paying shipping fees these days, I feel for you. Good Luck.

 

[George P]

Have you looked at places like RST for 16 gauge ammo? What about Gamaliel? Have you contacted any local trap/skeet/sporting places to see if they sell shot? @ $10/bag, you haven't bought shot in a few decades - the cost has gone up

 

[WestKentucky]

Have you looked at places like RST for 16 gauge ammo? What about Gamaliel? Have you contacted any local trap/skeet/sporting places to see if they sell shot? @ $10/bag, you haven't bought shot in a few decades - the cost has gone up

I have actually never bought shot. I just remember it and my grandpa had some in his garage for weighing stuff down. It’s all used up now. I have t checked gamaliel because I could t remember the name of the place even though I know exactly where it’s at, but I rarely go to Glasgow now and that’s well over an hour. I have looked for clubs and have come up blank. The one in Fairfield Glade didn’t have anything when I was a member there, but some of the old timers would go in together and buy stuff. Since I’m not a member there anymore they don’t give much attention to my calls, and didn’t before either which contributed to me not buying another years membership.

 

[mjsdwash]

never done shotshells, but I have, as have probably 90% or more of long time reloaders done that exact thing with unknown or dangerous ammo.
two months ago, I pulled down 4 boxes of .308 reloads from a guy who got it from a guy who got it from a guy....and so on.... Good thing too, that ammo had was NOT safe to fire.
I also know a few people who buy surplus ammo in significant quantity for the bullets and sometimes powder. I know some people who buy bulk quanities of whats available, for example 7.62x54, and reusing it to load .303 British with a reduced charge of the X54's own powder, or buying those crummy greek 30-06 lots and using them to reload .308.

 

[mjsdwash]

This won't help with the primers, but I used to buy reclaimed shot from a trap range. It was very dirty, overpriced and mixed diameter, but it was available.

 

[.38 Special]

Expensive, but apparently does the job.

http://www.oasisleadshotmaker.com/

Doesn't make primers, though...

 

[whughett]

Then there’s me who last autumn melted down a bag of #8 to cast round balls for my revolvers. Up side is I can recover most of the lead from my clubs back stops.

 

[Johnnyd]

I've never been that desperate but its exactly what I do to reclaim components from bad reloads.

 

[Thomasss]

Yep Yep and Yep. When I first started reloading shotgun shells shot was $8 for 25 lbs(1964). Now its $39 for 25 lbs. A relative bought a case of 16 gauge loaded ammo and now he reloads them. Think that's bad wait until you buy wads for 16 gauge. You might find some deals on E-bay. You might want to contact Recob's Target Shop, In Prairie Du Sac, WI. They ship all over the U.S. They use both UPS and private carriers depending on the destination. Check with you buddies and try to buy powder and primers together to save on hazmat and shipping charges.

 

[FROGO207]

Is that small sized shot what you want to load? If so you could do it and reload yours. I look at gun shows for my shot. I have had good luck finding shot or partial bags of shot there. The last time I ran out of primers for loading my 410 I did this and used my # 4 shot that I had stashed for such use. I now have a jar of #8 lead shot to use somewhere or to make bullets out of.

 

[George P]

This won't help with the primers, but I used to buy reclaimed shot from a trap range. It was very dirty, overpriced and mixed diameter, but it was available.

Then you got hosed; reclaimed should be cleaned and have some new graphite added; yes there will be mixed sizes - and maybe some steel from idiots who shoot that at the club but it can do a great job in a lot of applications

 

[George P]

I have actually never bought shot. I just remember it and my grandpa had some in his garage for weighing stuff down. It’s all used up now. I have t checked gamaliel because I could t remember the name of the place even though I know exactly where it’s at, but I rarely go to Glasgow now and that’s well over an hour. I have looked for clubs and have come up blank. The one in Fairfield Glade didn’t have anything when I was a member there, but some of the old timers would go in together and buy stuff. Since I’m not a member there anymore they don’t give much attention to my calls, and didn’t before either which contributed to me not buying another years membership.

Here's a list of clay target clubs in TN:
https://www.claytargetsonline.com/tennessee/

Shot is available here:
https://cacassociatesinc.com/collections/shot

Blue Dot, Herco and Unique from Alliant work for powders as well as 12 others from Hodgdon

 

[Project355]

When I was a kid, about 17, I lived in the family's garage at the house. It wasn't too bad, a bit hot in Florida...but I did ok. One amusement was shooting "Palmetto Bugs" (huge ass roaches) with a 12 gauge. What I did was take apart a 12 gauge target load, pull out the shot, the wad and the powder, then seat the wad in backwards. It was fired by primer ignition only. Shot 'em from my old Winchester 1400. And it was deadly on Palmetto Bugs.... sometimes the gooey bastards would spray me clear across the room with their "juice" when hit. Kid stuff. 1975....

 

[jmorris]

Has anybody else gotten this desperate and stubborn about not paying the scalpers?

I have plenty of stock to cover what I need but have always wanted to make a shot dripper, really like the design that uses MIG wire feed tips. If I get even close to running out, I'd move that target up the list. I have seen used Littleton shot makers go for as little as $25 but where is the fun in that.

Anyway, I have cut open shells to get shot out of them before. Was testing pistol shot shells and didn't want almost all of a 25lb bag of shot I'd never use.

 

[NMexJim]

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Rio-16ga-2-3_4-new_primed-16mm-100_bag/productinfo/RIO167016/ Did find this option. Primed hulls. You'd have to trim the hulls to proper length, assuming you have 2.5" chambers? They also have shot for a not astronimical price, but you will get hit on the shipping, and put you in that $2/lb range. BTW, that is in line with local store prices when they did have shot in stock lately.

Ah, you did it now! Out of stock, out of stock, out of stock. It's all YOUR fault!

 

[1KPerDay]

Yep Yep and Yep. When I first started reloading shotgun shells shot was $8 for 25 lbs(1964). Now its $39 for 25 lbs. .

Sounds like prices have gotten better.
https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1964?amount=8

 

[BLACKFIN]

I can’t believe I’m actually considering this. It’s a sign of the times we are in.


The problems:
Lead shot is not available locally. The cost to get a bag of it and pay shipping is surprising to a guy who grew up seeing skids of shot for sale at 10 bucks a bag. Online sourcing leaves me at over 2 dollars a pound after shipping if I buy in bulk.

Also 209 primers are nonexistent here. I’m hoping that muzzleloader seasons being upon us will let me find a tray to overpay for in the near future, but assuming I do find them that’s going to be about 9 bucks for a tray of 100.

16 ga shells that fit my chamber are also nonexistent, even online I’m having trouble finding any. I have a few hulls I can reload, and I’m not opposed to buying shells and shooting them through my dads 16ga just to get the hulls to trim. Buying fresh hulls for 16 ga seems to be hard to do.

The harebrained scheme:

I already own all the stuff to load my 16ga but I’m out of primers and almost out of shot. I can’t find what I need reasonably, and I’m not paying ludicrous prices for what I do find available from scalpers. I can however go to wallyworld and buy a 100pk of junk 12ga shells for about $25. I can cut the crimps off (I have done that plenty times for messing around with cut shells) scavenge roughly 7 pounds of shot, and a hundred primers. That’s realistically about a break-even for buying shot and muzzleloader primers which is all I can realistically expect to find, I just have to do the work to harvest the components.

Has anybody else gotten this desperate and stubborn about not paying the scalpers?

yes I refuse to pay the scalpers

also, here’s some primers that you can ship to store if you have a cabelas or bass pro shop near you for free or have it shipped to your house
https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/winchester-209-777-primers

 

[WestKentucky]

Ballistic Products finally had some 16s in stock. I made a suggestion to Santa Clause and something tells me the reindeer might be bringing me some clear shells. I like clear a lot, neat to be able to actually see the whole kit and caboodle.

 

[entropy]

I can’t believe I’m actually considering this. It’s a sign of the times we are in.


The problems:
Lead shot is not available locally. The cost to get a bag of it and pay shipping is surprising to a guy who grew up seeing skids of shot for sale at 10 bucks a bag. Online sourcing leaves me at over 2 dollars a pound after shipping if I buy in bulk.

Also 209 primers are nonexistent here. I’m hoping that muzzleloader seasons being upon us will let me find a tray to overpay for in the near future, but assuming I do find them that’s going to be about 9 bucks for a tray of 100.

16 ga shells that fit my chamber are also nonexistent, even online I’m having trouble finding any. I have a few hulls I can reload, and I’m not opposed to buying shells and shooting them through my dads 16ga just to get the hulls to trim. Buying fresh hulls for 16 ga seems to be hard to do.

The harebrained scheme:

I already own all the stuff to load my 16ga but I’m out of primers and almost out of shot. I can’t find what I need reasonably, and I’m not paying ludicrous prices for what I do find available from scalpers. I can however go to wallyworld and buy a 100pk of junk 12ga shells for about $25. I can cut the crimps off (I have done that plenty times for messing around with cut shells) scavenge roughly 7 pounds of shot, and a hundred primers. That’s realistically about a break-even for buying shot and muzzleloader primers which is all I can realistically expect to find, I just have to do the work to harvest the components.

Has anybody else gotten this desperate and stubborn about not paying the scalpers?

Order direct from Rotometal; yes it's a little more than what regular price used to be, but if you order 2 bags or more, shipping is free!

https://www.rotometals.com/west-coast-magnum-shot-lead-2-25-bags-50-lbs-size-4-9-freight-included/

Yes, $60 a bag may seem a lot, but they have it, ships for free, and you do have choices. Currently only Eagle or West Coast, but at least there is still choice.

 

[George P]

And if you really want to save, you can order a 3000# half-drum on a pallet............................