I'm thinking about buying a reloader for loading shotgun shells. I have a few questions that I hope that some of you guys can answer.

1. Does it really save money? I shoot maybe 400-500 shells a year at skeet in my back yard.

2. What length 12 ga. shells can I reload? I shoot some 3.5 inch shell with buck shot and some steel for geese and duck. From what I have seen so far you can't reload 3.5" shells.

3. What is the best/easiest brand of reloader?

Thanks for any help.

For your usage I'd say the MEC 600 Jr. If you stick with a single gauge and load you will save money. If you do like the rest of us and start experimenting, well...

I've got 2 MEC 600 Jr. and even though they are over 30 years old, they're still good to go and they've loaded some 35,000 shells (maybe as much as 50,000) in 12 and 20 gauge.

For the amount of shells you shoot, and the varitions you have listed, you are better off waiting for factory shells to go on sale at your local mart...

I can reload my 1 1/8th clays load for about $2.65.

Go to the cost calculator at:

http://www.trapshooters.com/rlcalcadv.htm

Finally, yes, you can reload 3.5" shells, but you either need high $ equipment, or use the RCBS shotshell dies (if you can find them), the ones that mount in your metallic press. It's a one at a time proposition, but for field loads, where you are messing with shot wrappers, buffer, and counting steel pellets, that doesn't make any difference.

FWIW, Dutch.

I agree that for the 500 shell per year shooter, your not going to realize any savings by reloading. However, saving money isn't the reason you shoot, and loading your own shotshells is entertaining in itself.

Keep it simple: The MEC single stage units (600, 700) are as good as they get.

My advice is not to mess with steel, or with 3.5" shells. It's easy, however, to duplicate "high velocity" loads like 3 3/4-1 1/4oz, and that will save you some money. Buy a case or two of Double A's (or the equivalent) and you'll have a good stock of hulls that will last you for years.

I shoot about the same as you, only mine are all at birds. I got my reloaders at a pawn shop. I paid 20 bucks each for my 20, 16, and my 12. Two are mec 600 jr, the 12 is a versa-mec. When I first started to reload I used this time of the year to figure out which load I wanted to use. Now that I got what I want as far as loads go. I use this time of the year to reload and remember the hunts. I don't care if I do save any money. I KNOW for a fact that my reloads out preform factory loads. I have hundreds of loads on my computer that I have tested. These are reloads and factory. I say go for it, you will enjoy it. Ron

Once you get into high performance bird loads, everything changes. I can build my 1.5 oz copper-plated loads for about $6 per box; the last time I checked, Winchesters were $16, and federals were nearly $20.

My loads pattern 88% at 40 yards (to point of aim) with 4's, and 77% with 6's. As long as you don't count time, reloading puts you way ahead.

In other words, you can build some really, really awesome loads that would be either hideously expensive to buy, or simply unavailable. Also, you can build Bismuth loads for less than the price of steel, which would eliminate the need for those 3.5" sigars..... FWIW, Dutch.