The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Shotshell Reloading Why reload at these shot prices?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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I made a pledge to myself to start shooting 25 rounds per week when i go to the range for my weekly offhand practice to help my abysmal shotgun skills. I just paid $63 for a case of target loads and wondered if it was time to get back into reloading. Wow! If I add up the price of components, I am saving less than a dollar, maybe even nothing. In my 20s loading your own shaved about 50% off the cost of shells, but today it a break even proposition. Any comments? | ||
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You are right. Reloading 12 or 20 ga is just to improve the loads. Now if you want to save money you need to reload 28 or 410. My son and i shoot about 20 rounds of skeet a week. So the saving really add up in the sub gauges. The 12 or 20 not so much. | |||
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There is no doubt that it is getting harder to show a significant savings reloading 12 & 20 ga. ammo as compared to the big box mart Promo loads. These days unless you are purchasing your components in volume to save; 8# jugs of powder, 5K primers, 5K wads and multi bags of shot it is hard to eke out that savings. Stay away from the Cabela’s, Bass Pro or other big retailers for components and look toward sales at private clubs and local shops that cater to reloaders. Some of the on line retailers like Recob’s Target Shop, Graff & Sons, Gamaliel, Powder Valley can offer decent deals on components. Though in the current market finding powder is the trick. By reloading you have the ability to make loads not usually found on the shelf. Shooting skeet you may find that you will benefit from reloading ⅞ oz. – 12 ga. or ¾ oz. 20 ga. loads. Less shot means less recoil and will allow for more shooting and less fatigue with the added benefit of reducing your cost per load. From experience, at skeet distances you’re either on them or you are not and that added shot will not make much difference. For many of us reloading is therapy or satisfying hobby. The time away from the hassles of the job or boob tube is relaxing and we get satisfaction from tailoring our own. We often compare our reloads to the promo loads but is that a fair comparison? If you are loading extra hard Mag. shot, using quality wads, primers and a good clean shooting powder should we not reference against AA’s, Gold Metal’s or STS which we are trying to emulate? In any event only you can determine if it’s worth it to you. | |||
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I agree with what you said, but I get all the therapy I need by loading rifle and pistol cartridges, where there are still big savings, although to your point, creating loads using extra hard shot, etc. does widen the savings. | |||
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Reloading 12s, 16s, and 20s makes sense as a way to reduce recoil and reap the parallel benefit of shot cost savings. I load 3/4 and 5/8 oz 20s, 3/4 and 7/8 oz 16s and 12s. With 28s and .410s reloading makes better economic sense. I load .410s for close to $4/25. Factory loads are past $12 now. You can get about 8-10 loadings out of .410 Win AAHS hulls. 28 ga HS hulls are pretty good, too. | |||
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410 and 28ga. are pretty much all I shoot at skeet these days. But, for International, I need more shot!!! Peter Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright, that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong; | |||
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If you buy the right ammo, the hulls might also be worth a nickel each.....or more.... As an example, gold metal hulls (especially 12 ga) are quite prized as steel shot hulls by waterfowl hunters..... /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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I like to reload, which is reason enough for me. Plus, I can make specialty loads, like a spreader load, which I can't buy. | |||
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The hunting loads I make have a heck of a lot more expensive shot than $40/bag...  That said, there is little to do in a MN winter other than play around with the reloading press. At least if you can't stand ice drinking I mean fishing... As some have said, you do save a good amount of money with some hunting loads and with odd gauge hulls (10, 16, 28, and .410) and you can make some loads that you can't find anywhere else. One thing I am trying out is some steel shot swatter loads for duck hunting (#7 steel at 1500 or so) so that I don't waste bismuth or hevishot shooting cripples and they don't look like hamburger when the pup brings them back... I also started shooting a 16 ga at some target games and I can't find a dedicated 16 ga target load for sale. That is a pretty cheap load (7/8 oz of #8 at about 1250 FPS) in addition to being able to find it. Of course if I lived in AZ or someplace where I could shoot reasonably all year, I probably wouldn't do nearly as much reloading of 12 Ga target loads as I do- I probably shoot half factory and half reload right now, but its like almost all reload at the start of the year and almost all factory wally world specials by the time hunting season rolls around. | |||
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It's a debate that I have with myself nowadays too but I love my 7/8 and 3/4 oz 12 ga load! Reloading my load is cheaper and lighter on recoil so I'll carry on with the process. (just loaded 500 the past 2 evenings and a total of 2700 within the past 2 weeks) I'm lucky, my gun club goes out of their way to procure great reclaimed shot and sells it to members for $30 per bag. I buy powder in 8 pounds jugs and primers and wads by the case of 5K. It's the only way to feel good about feeding my addiction to shooting 200+ rounds per week! As said before, It's therapeutic too. Zeke | |||
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For what it's worth, at 25 shots per week I would not even consider reloading "clays" loads. Well, yes I would. Sorry! Zeke | |||
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these days it is more the sense of accomplishment... | |||
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My Ponsness Warren is set up for 16 and 28 gauges. The 28 gauge reloads were particularly necessary to me, as I used my 28 gauge O/Us for every bird smaller than a goose. Killed and awfully lot of Greenheads with it. And I used 1 oz. loads in my 28s. Winchester discontinued that weight of 28 gauge load in 1972 or so, and I've never seen any brand of 1 oz. 28 since then. My country gal's just a moonshiner's daughter, but I love her still. | |||
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A.C. - 1 oz. 28 ga loads are still very much available Win., Rio, B&P and a few others offer them. Here’s a listing for a couple of them if you’re interested. http://www.ableammo.com/catalo...-rdcase-p-74202.html http://www.ableammo.com/catalo...t-rdbx-p-113750.html | |||
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Past couple years have been burning some 1000rnds./week in 12 and 28 and reloading is a plus for me especially w/ 28gauge. Agree that the 12 bought is slightly more than reloads, but that 28 is twice as much if not more to buy. Lead is available in my area for just over $40.00/25lbs and choices of powder slim and buy it for few dollars over $100.00 Have the MEC's so might as well put them to work. Ability to alter powder load, shot load, hulls, primers, wads, etc. is advantage to me. | |||
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