Hey all, my grandmother's boyfriend (at what point is it common law marriage, been together at least 8 years) just gave me a MEC 600 that he used to use but no longer is able to shoot shotguns.

It is missing the things that go on top, for shot and powder. I know absolutely nothing about shotgunning, having only gone shotgun shooting twice (some trap, skeet and 5 stand).

could somebody here give me the ins and outs of shotgun rounds (this is setup for 12 gauge and I have access to an 870 pump) and tell me where to start with reloading for it?

I'd like to do some more five stand and some trap, skeet was difficult for me so I guess I need to do that too. I'd like to eventually try some bird hunting. I have a bunch of boxes of No 8 and 7 1/2 (don't know what it means but it was on sale a few years ago) that I bought to practice with, is that too heavy a load for trap/skeet etc.?

Thanks all.

Red

This is where I would start.
http://www.mecreloaders.com/OwnerManuals/OwnerManuals.asp

What goes on top are 2 plastic jars, but if your cheep a screw top pop bottle will work.

Start with decent hulls (compression formed Win or Rem target) and a reciepe book. Shotgun reloading is cookbook, match the components to the book. Shot size dosn't matter, the receipe is the same if your using #4 shot or #9, as long as the weight of shot is the same (give or take a couple of pellots).

And for the smart ass answer, start in the right rear corner and work your way clockwise around the press

Hey Red, Back in the `50s through early `70s I used to load a good number of shot shells. Had a couple of buddies that were in on it too, and we had some fine - fun - evenings cranking out shells and telling stories.

We could actually load them and come out really well on the cost, because we bought components in large quantities at Shooting Range wholesale prices.

I'd recommend you "pre-price" all the parts for the Press and components(once fired hulls, primers, powder, wads and shot) before you decide to go into this whole-hog today. The cost of shells during the late August Dove Season Promotionals might be impossible to beat today.

If I was going to load shot shells today, I'd only do it because I wanted to use a specific Powder to slightly lengthen the Recoil pulse, or to load a specific Shot that eludes me off-the-shelf.
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By the way, if you do go forward with this, before you put the initial components into the Press, look where you will be doing the actual Shell Reloading and go buy a small 8'x8'(or larger is better) piece of "moveable-carpet" to place directly(centered) under the Press. It will become obvious to you "Why?" this is a good tip later on.

All kinds of "Load Data" is available in the FREE Powder Manual hand-outs. Be sure to use the "exact" component combinations they have listed for a specific Hull. Some are tapered internally and some are not, and this can have potential Pressure Problems if you do not follow the Manual Loads - exactly!

Best of luck to you.

Win and Rem compression formed shell's, the best! But how do you tell? Well Win compression formed are called double A or "AA". In either Rem or Win, look inside the case at the base wad. The compression formed cases won't have one as it's all one piece. Another great case if you find them, Peters Blue Magic, they are also compressioned formed.

If you reload for rifles, thing to remember. Don't experiment to much. Get a book and follow the recipe to the letter. You will now be working with very fast powders. I followed the book religeoisly when I was shotsheel reloading and never had a problem.

Hey Red, Just got the "Dick's Sporting Goods" ad in today's paper. Right on the front page they have Winchester Game Loads in 12 or 20 gauge in the 25 count boxes for $2.98.

If anyone can beat that "loading their own" for, Clay Targets, Doves, Squirrels, Rabbits or Birds(Quail), please post how much you all are saving.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
Hey Red, Just got the "Dick's Sporting Goods" ad in today's paper. Right on the front page they have Winchester Game Loads in 12 or 20 gauge in the 25 count boxes for $2.98.

If anyone can beat that "loading their own" for, Clay Targets, Doves, Squirrels, Rabbits or Birds(Quail), please post how much you all are saving.

Yeah, BUT pattern some of those "sporting loads" some time! They use common cold dropped shot, the cheapest,(read as hardest), wads, and hulls that either can't be reloaded or will only last for a couple reloads.

Then go price some of the best target grade shells, like the rem sts and winn AA's. They have the best magnum hard shot, soft wads, and the hulls can be reloaded as much as 10-12 times.

Oh, I know that you can buy the premium shells, shoot them, then sell the empties for up to 7 cents apiece and come close to loading your own. BUT,(there's another BUT), if you load your own, you can try different wad/powder combos while patterning you shotgun to find the best combination. As always while consulting a good shotshell manual. Lyman's shotshell reloading handbook 4th edition is the "bible" that most refer to.

You might also check out Shotgunworld.com. There is much more information posted there on Shot shell reloading.

BTW, you are getting good advice here. I would have to side with Griz though and say that I load much better quality than the promotional "dove and quail" loads.

Red,
Buy some of those el cheapo shot shells and shoot some more before you get into the loading part.
Don't mess up you intital enjoyment of shooting with the frustration that comes with the first few boxes of loaded shotshells. If you spill an OZ of shot on the floor you will see what I mean.
Find a copy of D. Lee Braun's book on skeet shooting - the one that shows the proper lead for each target. It will help you enjoy skeet a lot more. Also ....find a patient skeet shooter to give you a few tips. And don't be too pround to ask for help. Skeet shooting does not come natural and it will save you a lot of money getting started right. I wasted a pickup truck load of ammo before a guy told me a few things that made it much easier.
If you get stuck on a particular target like the #8 high house shoot it over and over until you start to hit it.
After you get throughly hooked on the shooting then study the economics of shotshell loading.
For most mundane shooting it does't pay if your time counts.
For specialized loads you might come out ahead if you shoot them a lot.

The long and the short of it is that there are only two reasons to reload 12 ga:

1) you are a (very) high volume shooter. I'd say 5,000 rounds per year, or more. You have to buy in very large quantities (5,000 primers, 5,000 wads, 10 bags of shot, 8 lbs of powder) to make 12 ga. loading economical. Right now, in volume, with quality components, I reload for $2.70 per box. (see trapshooters.com for their handy reloading cost calculators).

2) specialty loads. Heavy hunting loads are expensive. I just got back from North Dakota, and Federal's #5 pheasant load sold for $17. I load for just a hair over $3.25 per box, and I KNOW I have a better bird getting load. I also load 7/8th's #7 ruffed grouse loads, and 1 1/8th's # 7 sharptail loads that you can't find anywhere, at any price.

If you just want to try your hand, I'd say, any current Remington hull, 1 oz wad (Win, Rem, Claybuster, Windjammer, Duster or Downrange are all fine), any primer except the Fed209A, and Red Dot, Promo, Tighwad, or Clays powder. I'd load #7.5's or #8's for most of what you're shooting.

Use a scale!

HTH, Dutch.

quote:

Originally posted by Dutch:
The long and the short of it is that there are only two reasons to reload 12 ga:



HTH, Dutch.

Well, I would say that a third reason is that you enjoy handloading.

quote:

Originally posted by AZ Pete:
Well, I would say that a third reason is that you enjoy handloading.

A lot of guys would load even if there was very little savings, but very few would pay to reload! JMO, Dutch.