Well, you might not consider $3-$4 a box good savings but, I do. Oh, I forgot to mention they are alot better quality.

Good box of 1-1/4oz #6 rabbit/squirrel loads will run ya about 7-8 bucks plus tax, I can load the same for around 3-4 bucks.

Good Luck!

Reloader

Oops...I stand corrected and accept it gracefully (at least on the Ponsness Warren press...

HOWEVER...

I checked several sources on the MEC 650 and the prices are:
$171
$169
$171
$169
and on e-Bay from $66 to $142

As for the PW 375 press...
$369
$383
$383

With my Ponsness Warren 375 it is very easy to switch between 2 3/4" and 3" shells. One of my favorite features is the full length shell holder. I can really crank it on getting a hard tight crimp on my hunting loads without deforming the shell. That helps cold weather ignition immensely.
Like many people on this thread I started out with a MEC 600 JR. When my finances improved I moved up to a Ponsness Warren, and have never looked back. I gave the MEC to a brother in law who was just starting in reloading.
JCN

MEC 650 for a press...and that is all you really need.

Then you have to decide what you are reloading for...trap, skeet, clays, small game, upland game, or big game.

Stick to one hull...if you already have thousands, then pick the one you have the most of and throw the rest away.

Select a wad designed for that hull that will hold the shot charge you want to use.

Pick a powder that will give you the approximate velocity you need.

Any shotgun primer will work.

Load the hoppers (make sure you have the correct charge bar in the press) and off you go.

Nothing to it.

Before we go off recommending equipment, let's hear what you are going to be loading for?

If you are a 15,000 round per year target shooter, you need different stuff than if you want to load up 3 1/2" goose loads.

Generally, though, what you need is a decent press (which varies with what you will be loading for), wads, shot, powder and primers. And a garage to store all the stuff in... LOL! Dutch.

As Steve said, The MEC 650 is the way to go. Although, for someone just wanting to reload alittle and doesnt want to spend a great deal, LEE has a cheap loader that comes w/ the charge bars.

I have reloaded a ton of shotgun shells and here are some tips I can provide:

First off, you will need a shotgun data booklet so that you can study which speed, weight, wad, shell, powder charge, and primer to use.

If you go MEC, you will need to buy the proper charge bars and the proper powder bushing #s. The MEC will come w/ a powder bushing chart so, you will know which bushing provides a certain weight of powder. The charge bars are designated by weight (1 oz, 1-1/8 oz, 1-1/4 oz, etc.)

The best powders I have used has been Alliant Herco for heavy loads and IMR 700x for light loads.

The best 12 ga wads I have used has been Winchester AA (Red for 1-1/8 to 1-1/2 oz) and (Pink for 1 oz)

The AA hulls are hard to beat but, I find that the cheap remington hulls work great as well. I will usually buy a case of shells at Wal-Mart ($29 Rem. case) and save the hulls. You can also get quite a few at your local skeet range. The Remington Premier hulls are probably just as good as the AA hulls and are equally expensive.

The Winchester 209 primers are very dependable and they stay in the hull much better due to their design.

All loads from 7/8 oz to 1-1/2 oz can be loaded in the same low brass hulls. I have loaded magnum turkey loads in low brass AA hulls w/ great results.

The 1-1/4 #8&#7.5s loads at around 1300 fps make great long range skeet/trap loads as well as great long range dove and quail loads too. The 1-1/4oz #4,5,6s make great Squirrel, rabbit, grouse, and pheasant loads.

The 1 oz and 1-1/8 oz loads are great for skeet, trap, dove, quail, etc. If you want a light kicker and your shots are not terribly far, I would stay w/ the lighter loads.

It is kind of like loading rifle and pistol rounds, there is something about it that makes them seem so much better than factory stuff.

If you want any more pointers about loading these shotgun loads send me a pm and email me at rkmsavage@netzero.com ; I will give you load and bushing data or any other info I can help w/.

Good Luck!

Reloader

Hello guys, I want to start reloading 12g shotguns shells and I need some pointers, I do reload metallic cases but I have no idea whatsoever on how to reload shells.
Could you guys help me with information/recommendations for equipment?
Any good web pages out there with information on shotgun shells reloading?
Thank you in advance.

Buy yourself two cases of Winchester AA trap loads, 2-3/4", 3-dram, 1-1/8 ounce of #7 shot.

You can use them to hunt the birds and they will do for the clays.

When you finish using them, you will have 500 empty hulls. Then you go get yourself some WW white wads.

As for powder...that's up to you. I have been loading 18.5 grains of Red Dot for the past 40, or so, years and have no complaints.

And you are comparing an $600 press to a $150 press?



Oh...and it's "Ponsness Warren"...

I have to be different on the reloader reccomendation, Ponsnes Warren, I have used Mec, Pacific, and Lee, Ponsnes/Warren is light years ahead. The use of a full length bushing to size and support the shotshell during all reloading operations is just a better mousetrap, IMHO. They are really fast too. With their single stage press you can do a box of 25 in about six minuets. Never used the progressive versions.



http://www.reloaders.com/375c.html



I have used this one for almost 25 years. They are expensive but, a lifetime investment.



Loads, get some books powder company fliers and see what fits your compontents. I do reccomend AA hulls.

He's already stated his intended purpose...small birds and clays...

And since he is just beginning the MEC 650 would be his best choice. IF he is going to load more than 5,000 rounds per year, then the MEC 9000G is the way to go.

The MEC bushing (if he uses Red Dot and 18.5 grains) is the #33.

All the owner manuals are available on my site.

I've got to second the Ponsness Warren recommendation. I have a PW 375 DuOMATIC that I load all my hunting ammunition on (28 gauge through 10 gauge). It is faster than a fleeing felon, and stouter than Dick Butkus. You might as well get the best. Once you start loading boxes of shells for 1/2 the price of new you will shoot more, then load more, etc.
I do all my target shooting and light bird (quail, grouse, early season pheasant & chukar) hunting with 7/8 ounce loads of #8 1/2 shot in the gray Winchester WAA12L wad over American Select powder at 1250 fps. You can bump the speed up to 1325 fps with WST (Winchester Super Target) powder to duplicate the international trap load. Less recoil, less meat damage, more loads per pound of shot.
I have used the Remington STS Premier hull for the last eight years. They have lasted longer than the AA hull. I hear the new version of the AA hull is pretty good, but I haven't loaded any of those, so I don't know.
Enjoy your new hobby. It is very soothing to reload shotgun shells.
JCN

I saw the MEC presses along with the Hornady and Dillon, I take the MEC presses are better.
I don't have any hulls yet, I am new to shotguns I just picked up a Benelli SBEII, I am planing on hunting pheasants, quails and doves with it and clay shooting; maybe turkey hunting too but not too often (I have to fly to another island to hunt turkeys). Any recommendations based on what I want to do? Thank you again I appreciate the help.

http://www.reloaders.com/reloaders.html





http://www.gunaccessories.com/MEC/650.asp



I did not shop. The first places I looked put the MEC 650 @ $329.

$103 for the super sizer device.



The PW was $289 for the basic 12 ga loader.



It is a personal decision. I would try to find a place to look a them face to face before I bought either. I think the PW is a better built and better designed piece of gear.



I do think the shell sizing bushing it a good idea. Mec sells a seperate collet sizer. I would prefer to load the shells and be done with it, I don't want to mess with seperate sizers.



"The MEC 650 gives maximum performance with a minimum of effort. It works on six shells at once. With every stroke, a reloaded shell is completed. The MEC 650 does not resize except as a separate operation. This is the ideal press for the person who wishes to resize and inspect their shells as a separate operation. The MEC SuperSizer is recommended to fill your resizing needs."



So, you have trade off. Four cranks on the PW to get one shell. One crank on the MEC but, you may have to purchase and use a seperate resizer.



With my PW I can gather shells from the sporting clay range and load them. Every one will fit in any gun. I have not found that to be the case with some other reloaders. The PW also makes really nice crimps. Not just on selected nice hulls but the ratty ones too. The PW is very fast. You move the hull around a central pivot point from station to station. Once it is in the bushing/ size die you don't touch it or fumble with it. Crank move, crank move, crank move, crank move, back to the begining, and done. You can do it almost as fast as it took you to read the previous sentence. I have not timed the MEC against the PW. I would bet the production rate is simmilar. Especially if you size seperately for the MEC.



The prices are comprable.

Hey guys, I been looking at all the presses you recommended and I just keep on getting confused, I just don't know what features are better. All I want is a press that is reliable that can Load 12g 2-3/4", 3" or 3-1/2". Like I mention before I don't mind on spending a bit for a product that is wort the price, I don't want to buy a cheap press and later on having to upgrade I just want to buy the right one the first time. Any recommendations? Thank you very much once more.

"Oh...and it's "Posness Warren""

Since Steve felt it his duty to correct posters, hope he doesn't mind being corrected...Oh...it's Ponsness Warren, and their single stage unit sells for less than $300. And if your $150 example was for a MEC650 (assumption), that's way off.

MEC's are great (that's what I own), but I have never heard a P-W owner complain.