Reloading Shotgun Cartridges

[9mmepiphany]

I attended a 2-gun match yesterday, rifle and shotgun, and noticed that most shooters abandoned their shotgun hulls on the ground. Granted it wasn't many as we only fired about 30 rounds during the match (7 shooters/squad = 210 hulls).

The question on my minds is why it appears that many reloaders don't reload for their shotgun. I know many Trap Shooters that do reload, but it seems that most multi-gunners don't.

I was looking on Amazon, as saw the Lee shotgun loader going for about $50.

Is it the cost of other components?
Is it the lack of savings over OTC offerings?


Just curious what the brain trust here thinks.

Thanks

 

[USSR]

Is it the lack of savings over OTC offerings?

Ah, Yep! And I say that even though I reload for shotshells.

Don

 

[rcmodel]

I think recent cost of components has driven the price of shotgun reloads up to about what you pay for factory ammo.

Just lead shot alone locally is $50 - $55 a bag now.

And way more if you have to buy buckshot or slugs.

rc

 

[JLDickmon]

IF you can find it at all,
and if you can, good luck finding anything other than 7 1/2, 8 & 9..

Nope. You can buy the cheap-o aluminum hulled stuff for the same or less than what you can reload for. Especially if you are looking for anything other than a skeet load.

 

[kimbernut]

Savings

Savings is so little to none that it is just not worth it. I too reload all my handgun, rifle, and shotgun shells but where the savings in pistol and rifle is $10-$30 a box, savings for shotgun is only $1-$2 a box for 20 & 12ga. If you are reloading .410 or 28 ga then it becomes a big savings again.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Forgive my lack of knowledge.

$50-$55 a bag is just a number for the non-reloader...how much would lead shot have to be to make reloadng shot shells reasonable? A quick look on Amazon shows 25lb bag is $40

I'm shooting Federal 12ga, 2.75" hulls, 1.125oz #8 birdshot for about $2/25 ($200 for a case of 250)

 

[Blue68f100]

The last time I looked at the numbers the only cost saving was for the heavy field loads, which is what I reload. The biggest problem is that I have not seen any of the shotgun powders I use (WST, WSF, HS6) in several years now. You could buy the light bird and trap loads cheaper than you could reload them.

 

[kostner]

I cast both 00 buck & 1 oz slugs my only cost is powder & primers. Can down load the both to get a nice round that don't beat you up. Lead is cheap. Check out castboolits.com for more info.

 

[9mmepiphany]

The biggest problem is that I have not seen any of the shotgun powders I use (WST, WSF, HS6) in several years now.

It is becoming more available.

I just picked up 4lbs of WST for $95 and a friend was picking up WSF for $20/lb...we both use it in handguns

 

[kimbernut]

9mme

9mme,
Please tell me you mis-calculated. $200/case is $20/box. You should be able to shop that to $6.50-7.00/box for factory Federal.
With reclaimed shot at $30/25# bag I can roughly build 12 ga. @$5.50/box and 20ga.@$4.75/box. .410s I have to use new #8-9 shot (to prevent bridging in the loader)at $50/bag which comes in right at $4.12/box

 

[243winxb]

Cost to reload shotgun shells Aug. 2014

Using your empty 12ga WW hulls - Reloads .24457 cents each or a box of 25 = $6.11 or 100 for $24.45 using Midwayusa prices. Clay buster wad, 700x powder (16 gr), 1 1/8 oz

Reloads IMR

700-X

Fed. 209A

CB 1118-12



16.0

9,400 PSI

1,150

Factory New ammo Winchester Universal 12-Gauge Shotgun Shells, 100pk $26.77 Walmart

 

[9mmepiphany]

9mme,
Please tell me you mis-calculated. $200/case is $20/box.

Oops...you're right.

I just checked and it was $60 for the case...which my buddy assured me was a good deal. I bought it specifically for 3-gun competition.

We were lamenting, during the match, how we used to be able to buy the same ammo if $1.99/box at Walmart

 

[edfardos]

Jan 1st California will likely require background checks, licenses and permits to buy ammo, and shotshells are the one thing i dont reload. As rc model pointed out, its not cost effective..... yet. If the new law (sb53) passes i'd like to figure it out. Ive seen presses as low as 50 bucks.

edfardos

 

[9mmepiphany]

Here you go...$52 and you can have it by Thursday, if you order in the next 5 hours

 

[243winxb]

In a month, you will be selling the Lee to buy a Mec.

 

[Otto]

I attended a 2-gun match yesterday, rifle and shotgun, and noticed that most shooters abandoned their shotgun hulls on the ground.

Most shooters leave the cheap promo shells on the ground because they're not desirable hulls. The good stuff is Remington's Nitros and STS which have real brass heads. Other brands of shells have steel heads or brass plated heads.

I bought $1k worth of Remington this summer but I also practice alot with Federal 7½ promos that Walmart sells for $19.97 a hundred. Even with reloading, I can't compete with that price.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

If you shoot .410, 16-gauge or 10-gauge you'll save more for sure.

One thing to take notice of though is that most people who say that you don't save much money on shotshell reloading nearly always compare the price of reloading to the cheapest shotshells on the shelf. Yes, if you're talking about the $6-$7 a box target loads then you may as well just buy them.

But if you're talking about the heavy filed loads or steel shot then you'll save a substantial amount handloading them.

If you're a caster you can save quiet a bit of money on buckshot and lead slugs.

One thing about folks leaving their hulls on the ground though. Not all hulls are created equal. Some are great and some aren't worth fooling with. It's nothing like loading for rifle or pistol, where all brass is loadable and even though some of us prefer one brand over another, there's not that much difference. Shotshells differ GREATLY.

We don't shoot much shotgun stuff but we have picked up reloaders for 12 and 20 just to have it. Ya never know.

 

[bockja]

I reload several different loads and all of them are still economical at this point. Here is a break down of my costs to give you an idea. If you do decide to reload, I would advice not getting the Lee. At the least, consider getting an MEC. If you wanting something a little better, consider moving up to a Ponsness Warren or a Spolar. Those however are considerably more money. The prices below are from when I was buy local lead. I am now dropping my own shot for around $0.80/#. I know this price is low, but I only buy lead when I find a good price.

Trap Loads
1-1/8 oz - $35/25# = $0.109 per round
16 gr Promo Powder - $110/8 lb (includes half of haz mat/shipping fees) - $0.031 per round
Claybuster WAA12 Wad - $80/5000 - $0.016 per round
CCI 209M primer - $34/1000 (local price) - $0.034 per round
Hull - Remington STS,Nitro,Gunclub (The steel based gunclub only last a few reloadings) - Free Range Pickups

Price Per Box - $4.75 per box ($3.59 current price)

My cost for Steel Waterfowl loads is running around $7.80 a box. This is where the biggest cost savings is compared to the normal $12 to $15 a box for hunting loads.

The other thing to consider is that when you do reload, the quality is generally better than the cheap target loads you buy and more in line with the higher quality STS or Nitro loads that are more like $8 a box. So realistically, you aren't saving a lot of money on the cheaper trap lots, but you are getting a better round that can be tailored to your gun. Whatever wad, amount of shot, velocity, hull you want. Combinations that you just can't buy off the shelf.

 

[cfullgraf]

I was looking on Amazon, as saw the Lee shotgun loader going for about $50.

Unless you are only planning to shoot a couple boxes of shot shells a year, i would not recommend a Lee shot shell loader.

At the least, get a MEC 600jr. If you shop around, you can get them priced reasonably and the MEC is infinitely better.

When I shot competitive skeet, I reloaded my ammunition for practice rounds. I fired new shells in matches in part to generate new hulls for reloading. back then, there was a definite savings over even the cheap stuff.

Now a days, I reload shells that are not easily available in the stores such as 3/4 oz or 7/8oz loads in 12 ga.

As said, big saving when reloading 28 ga or .410 bore.

 

[Muddydogs]

The real saving in 12 ga reloads is when you realize that 1 1/8 oz payload is not needed and 7/8 oz or 1 oz will get the job done just fine. Maybe the shooters are reloading but they visit there local trap range and have a few thousand hulls they picked up for free so the few lost at the event are no big deal or maybe they load the promotional fed's, Estates or Win hulls once and toss.

 

[gamestalker]

I pretty much retired my Mec when shot went over the 25 mark. we can still get it for between $33 and $35, but that;s just ridiculous. I still load some specialty shells, like turkey and pheasant loads, but I just use the factory stuff @ $5 per box for busting clays and dove / quail.

It really bums me out though, cause I've always enjoyed loading shot shell, as did my wife, grand children, and my once young boys. I was getting reclaimed shot for $10-$15, but now that has faded away as well.

GS

 

[Field Tester]

Jan 1st California will likely require background checks, licenses and permits to buy ammo, and shotshells are the one thing i dont reload. As rc model pointed out, its not cost effective..... yet. If the new law (sb53) passes i'd like to figure it out. Ive seen presses as low as 50 bucks.

edfardos

That didn't pass.

 

[drmajor]

Reloading shot gun

I reload...why?

Better ammo for less. True, u break even with cheaper shells, but not the good stuff, here I save.

Our skeet club has a steel pattern board-4'sq. it is VERY interesting to see how different brands pattern from same gun! Huge difference.

My sons Bennelli loves AA Winchester and STS. My Berretta is good with STS and some of the Remington.

However, all our guns pattern best with my reloads.

Also,since I'm a poor shot for doves, I like to load a hot shell for them to reduce the lead.

 

[Pete D.]

Reload

$50-$55 a bag is just a number for the non-reloader...how much would lead shot have to be to make reloadng shot shells reasonable? A quick look on Amazon shows 25lb bag is $40

Yep...that 25lb bag will cost you $11.30 to ship so the real cost of the shot is $51.30.
One ounce loads work very nicely indeed and 25 lbs will give you 400 of them. That works out to just under 13 cents each load. Add another 3.5 cents for the primer, five cents for the wad and powder at about 4 cents..Totals out to about $6.50 a box.
I save a bit by making my own shot. I invested in a Littleton shot maker some years ago and have access to range lead....I also have time.
So I can save half of the cost per shell. ...figure it cots me about $3.50 a box.

 

[oneounceload]

Unlike metallic, not all hulls are the same, and if folks are shooting cheap ammo, those hulls are typically not worth reloading. Good hulls, like those from Remington, are preferred for 12 and 20, while the Winchester AA (NOT their Universals or Super Speeds) are preferred for 28 and 410.
Forget the Lee, and get a MEC as mentioned.
There are two main hull designs used in the US, tapered and straight-walled, so wad selection depends on the hull.
Buying components in bulk will result in reloading savings, even for 12and 20.
That means powder in 8# jugs primers by the sleeve of 5000, and wads by the case of 5000

I use reclaimed shot and load a light 3/4 oz payload in both 12 and 20 so my per box cost is about $3.50. But I also shoot somewhere between 12,000 and 16,000 rounds a year