Shot Gun Re Loading

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scrat

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Ok i have probably 20 years experience reloading rifle and handgun. Not a problem. Who here reloads for shot guns. Never done shot guns. What tips or things should i look out for. Im about to pull out my books and do my research but im looking for any personal experience on things that you guys have done. Or things that i should look for. Things are looking pretty good with this auction. Looks like in a few days i will be finally owning my 410 guage lee loader.


So Fire a way tell me the tips and tricks and stuff to look for.
 
Unlike handgun and rifle there is no load development with shot shell reloading. Look in the data, pick the weight of shot and dram equivalent load you want, for the case and wad combination. Load exactly what the book says and that means down to the primer brand and type.

Settle on one or maybe 2 brands and types of hulls. Easiest to obtain hulls that are the best for reloading are once fired trap and skeet hulls from your local trap and skeet club. The height of the brass base has nothing to do with the load that can be loaded into a shell, for example all 2-3/4 AA hulls are the same in regards to load data and it matters not whether they are low brass hulls that came from target trap and skeet loads or high brass Super X pheasant loads.

Trap hulls can usually be reloaded 8 to 12 times while those that come from inexpensive game loads will usually get no more than 2 reloads.
 
you say Lee Loader..the old hammer type? or Load All ?

If load all,be advised the powder bushings in mine throw light , so I"d start off 1 bushing larger than called for but MEASURE what it throws before going any further.

once the hoppers are loaded , you have to empty them to change bushings ynless I"m missing something.

the will turn okut nice shells.Mine does.
 
You might want to visit 'shotgunworld.com' the forum there has everything you want to know about reloading shotshells; I'm just like you been reloading rifle and pistol for years but new to shotshells; btw, i recently bought a mec 600 jr to reload my 410 with, don't get your hopes up on the lee loader on ebay, it will go for $60 -70 before its over, you can usually find a mec for that amount.
 
It does make a difference with 20g and bigger in that you should use the hull/wad combinations stated in reloading manuals. It's not as critical with .410 shells. Dannyabear, you will have fun reloading .410's. I try to stick with either Winchester or Remington for 3" hulls and of coarse Winchester AA's for 2 1/2" I use Claybuster wads and Hodgdon H110.
 
Shotgun shell reloading is a breeze compared to rifle/pistol. Piece of cake.

I've loaded shotshells on a 12 ga. Lee Load-All for 30+ years. I've turned the job over to my boys and they are still using the same press that I bought when Nixon was president.
 
I just started as well and figured it was complicated. It's not - my 8 year old helps me. We can crank out two boxes in about 20 minutes - if even that. I'm loading 12 and 20ga. Very fun, addictive, etc... I have about 2000 empty hulls and I'm always looking for hulls. Pretty sad. :)
 
i use handgun powders that I already have on hand instead of buying another powder. I have a 12 gage Bullseye powder load, and use it heavily in my handguns also.

Shot prices are so high now I'm no longer loading except for the shot I have on hand.

As high as 410 shells are, you may still be able to save some $$$.

It's a lot of fun, MUCH easier than metallic ammo.
 
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