I have decided to start reloading my own shotgun shells and was curious on what kind of setups a person should look into. I don't want to spend too much because I am not sure if it is for me. I have a 12gauge and a 20 gauge that I would reload and I want to get a 410.

Are there good start up kits for shotguns like there are for rifles?

There is some additional info that would be helpful. How many rounds do you plan to shoot / need? What kind of loads do you plan to reload?

Shot shell reloading can be a good past time but if all you plan to shoot is target loads it's tough to beat the 12 & 20 ga. promo ammo prices. So if your prime goal is to save $ you may not find a lot there. Still it is fun cranking out your own shells and breaking clays. If you are looking to make specialized loads it's the way to go. Now for your .410 its a no brainer at $6.00/box especially if you shoot a lot of them.

There are single stage presse which will allow you to make about 4 to 5 boxes an hour and progressive presses where you can make many hundreds per hour, of course these machines are more expensive.

A simple single stage entry level machine like a MEC 600 will cost about $100 new and you can often find them used for half that. These will make first class shells and are rather easy to use. You will need a good scale to verify weights regardless of the machine you choose.

Pick up a good manual like the Lyman, though a bit dated it does a great job detailing the loading process. If you prefer, you can take the NRA Basic Shot Shell loading class they are often offered at clubs and shops.

Good luck and let us know your needs

quote:

Are there good start up kits for shotguns like there are for rifles?

Not that I know of. Shotshell reloading is uncomplicated compared to metallic cartridge handloading. You don't even need a scale to weigh powder or shot cause most charge bars use bushings that measure by volume. Lots of single stage Mec 600 Mk5's on e-bay. I bought one last year for $40. A little dusty but with all the parts and still very tight. If I didn't already know how to reload shotshells I could have learned from the included Mec instructions. Load recipes were part of the instructions.

That is exactly what I wanted to hear from someone that wasn't trying to sell me something. I sat back and thought to myself "Is there an advantage to reloading Shotshells?" My own answers were Economically: NO! I can buy cases of promo shells for cheap. Ballistically: NO! I have yet to see my shotguns shoot a friends reloads that much differently than factory loads.

When I get my other gauges, not if, but when I get them, the .410, 28, 16 gauges, then reloading will be economical because those are gauges that just are not cheap.

I could once load a box of shells in 5 minutes using a mec 600 Jr.....It's a basic but excellent reloader to start with.

MEC 650...

quote:

Originally posted by MThuntr:

"Is there an advantage to reloading Shotshells?" My own answers were Economically: NO! I can buy cases of promo shells for cheap. Ballistically: NO! I have yet to see my shotguns shoot a friends reloads that much differently than factory loads.

When I get my other gauges, not if, but when I get them, the .410, 28, 16 gauges, then reloading will be economical because those are gauges that just are not cheap.

That's right. You can get cheap promo loads in 12 and 20 gauge, but not in 28 and 410, at least as far as I've ever seen. I don't know about 16 gauge because I do not shoot that size.

I actually enjoy loading shotshells, so, although I do not save much money on 12 and 20 gauges, I load them anyway.

If you shoot much skeet, you may be interested in low power (1125 to 1150 f.p.s.) 1 oz and 7/8 oz loads in 12 gauge. It does pay to load these yourself because you will have trouble finding factory loads with those specs, and if you do succeed in finding them -- which is unlikely -- they will cost more than promotional loads.

The reason it's worthwhile to load for reduced velocity in skeet loads is that you don't really need power for skeet, all you need is to hit the target with as little as a pellet or two to get a minimal break. Any hit at all counts as well as making the target disintegrate into a puff of black smoke. Extra power only adds to the kick and thus to the fatigue of shooting long strings.

Agree with vapodog- the MEC 600 Jr. is asll you need to start- I used one for 30 years without problem.
Once everything is set up and all the components are at hand, you can crank out a box under 10 minutes EASY.
Enjoy your newfound hobby.

I load about 15000 shot shells a year. I shoot trap on a competitive level (well sometimes I’m competitive ha-ha)... and my two sons do also. To get in at the lowest level I would recommend the MEC 600Jr, a single stage loader. A reloading manual from your powder maker, may I suggest Alliant. You do have reloading scales right ?

I understand you wanting to reload shot shells, unless you shoot a lot I would not recommend it strictly for financial reasons. Good quality new shells are available at good prices, as an example Academy Sports has Winchester AA loads for $3.83 everyday. Which means 38.30 a flat (250 shells), and then you can get 3 to 5 cents for the hulls.

With the price of shot up about %40 over what it was about 3 years ago the new shells are looking better everyday.

Check your local pawn shops for the reloader they get them in sometimes.

quote:

Originally posted by onefunzr2:


You don't even need a scale to weigh powder or shot cause most charge bars use bushings that measure by volume.

I wouild disagree with that statement about the scale being needed. I have loaded many thousands of rounds with various MEC loaders, and I can tell you that the bushings are not to be trusted. Some drop higher, some drop lower, it even depends on whether you are using a progressive or a single stage. Absolutely check you powder drops with a scale. I'm not saying that they will be dangerous, but you never know. Different powder lot, mis-marked bushings, etc. I agree that it is not rocket science, but it does require your attention.

you can get a mec 600 jr and need virtually nothing else. possibly powder bushings ($2 each) or if you want a different shot charge weight another bar ($10).

economically there both is and is not justification for reloading shotshells. depends on what you want. the cost of components, 20 ga shells are abt break even. as noted, 28's and 410's you can save a bunch. but just as in metallic ctg reloading what you put up will be better than what you can buy - FOR THE SAME MONEY. if all you want is cheap blasting ammo, then no, it ain't worth it. but for e.g., i put up a bunch of 3-3/4 1-1/4 loads and some 3-3/4 1-3/8 as well with hardened #8 shot. go to walmart and try to buy something like that cheap. you won't.

my reloads seem to pattern better in anything i've shot them in (subjective; have not tested on paper) and hardened #7-1/2s or #8's seem to shatter targets far more reliably than factory stuff. and for reasons i do not understand, i get a tremendous amnt of enjoyment out of shotshell reloading. rifle/pistol i look upon as grunt work, something that simply has to be done. shotshell loading i actually look fwd to. but that's me; i'm sure others feel the reverse of that.

quote:

Originally posted by MThuntr:
...When I get my other gauges, not if, but when I get them, the .410, 28, 16 gauges, then reloading will be economical because those are gauges that just are not cheap.

Hey MThntr, I believe you are on the right track about the Promotional Shells for the 12s and 20s for the casual shooter.

That said, I also agree with "claybuster" that if you are really serious about this stuff, then going with some slightly more expensive shells makes good sense too.

I began reloading them back in the 1950s because you could actually save money doing it back then. Shot more and more and realized the "better shell cases" were worth the cost. And back then "reloaded shotshells" were more consistent at breaking targets and killing birds for me. Now I don't shoot the shotgun much at all and find the Promotional Shells fit my needs just fine.

It might be worth your time to locate a Gun Club which caters to Shotgun Shooters. They tend to buy large lots of components and loaded shells and can pass the savings along to the Members.

They also have Club Reloaders which you can use to see if in fact you will find Shotshell Reloading something that interests you. That alone can be well worth the Membership cost.
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If you do decide to get the equipment and Reload your own at home, you might want to give serious consideration to having a "separate press" for each gauge rather than switching the Dies in a single press. It can be a good bit of aggravation to get one set up just right and then need to change it over to a different gauge.

Storage for all the different Wads and Shells can be an issue as well. It is not uncommon to have a few large 33gal trash bags full of shells needing to be reloaded.

Best of luck to you.

i whole-heartedly concur w/ separate press for each gage. if you're not trying to load 10k shells/day a mec 600 does fine and can be had for around $90 new, mail order. not remotely worth the trouble of conversion kits/time/effort. my father has a lee press and has loaded thousands of shells on it and is very entry level (i.e. real cheap) and he does have conversion kits. personally i'd spend the difference and get a mec but his works fine.

roger

There is not going to be much $ difference when loading the light stuff such as dove loads. What does it for me is that I have complete control over my shells. You will save $ on the heavier field loads such as 3 1/4, 1 1/4 shells. Truth be known, that is the load I shoot at just about everything.

Catmandu

i vote for a progressive like a grabber IF a guy pays attention & starts slowly it can be as easy to work as a single stage plus you aren't telling yourself that you need to up grade in a year or so.