tlott89 Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 who on here reloads shotshells?and what kinda equip r u using Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry264 Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading Use the Lee "Load-All II", and have for a long long time. Does a great job and loads 2 3/4 or 3 in. shells (12 ga.). Am going to try some 3 1/2" on it some time. If I either raise the wad guide or remove it and use the separate one I have had for 40 yrs. it may work, if there is enough length in the dies to reach. May have to do some appalachian engineering on it to work but I think it will. Between it and my little hand loader (in the box type) it can be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Colorado Bob Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading I use to reload quite abit when I was shooting trap. IMO----MEC is the relaoder to get. I had just a single stage----It was a 650 JR----if I remember correctly. Good machine & simple to operate. I could do about a box every 15 minutes. I had dies for 1 1/8 oz trap loads. Back when lead was legal for ducks----I had a 1 1/4 oz bar for my duck loads. Now in all honesty unless you shoot a ton of clay targets----trap, skeet, sporting clays. It's cheaper just to buy the promo ones at Walmart, Dick's, etc-----when they go on sale for $3.50 a box. CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading I have a 9000G MEC with adj charge bar that allows me to tailor the loads to my desires without the hastle of bushings. I can load 100 shells in 12 minutes if I am paying attention. I bought mine used and have loaded about 30,000 shells (6 sleeves of primers) with it. Like Bob mentioned, unles syou shoot a lot of clays, it does not really pay to reload. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry264 Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading Where one really saves a lot of money is loading hunting type loads. When the name of the load changes to "field" or "game", the price doubles or triples. Especially magnums, one can save a boat load with them. The new Hodgdon "longshot" powder looks like a really good load for heavy loads. As soon as I can find some in stock somewhere I'm gonna have some of that to play with. If the mfr's. think their loads are worth that much, then they had better hang on to them, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Colorado Bob Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading terry------------how many "hunting loads" do you shoot in a year? Turkey loads---1 or 2 per year for me. Pheasant----1 1/4 oz loads are pretty cheap. Grouse & dove-----$3.50 a box. Steel loads for ducks----2 or 3 boxes a year for me. Get them on clearance now at Walmart. Only way I saw it paying was shooting trap. I would shoot 200 rounds a week for practice. Then at a shoot maybe 300 to 500 on that weekend. Iwould got to 6 or 7 shoots a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry264 Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading Hi COBob, didn't mean to step on your toes, but I guess I shoot about as much clays as you shoot hunting loads. The target loads are about as cheap to buy as to load around here. But when you go heavier, the price for factory loads increases dramatically. Have you priced any on the websites recently? I did yesterday and it scared me 1/2 to death! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubleA Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading I used to shoot ATA trap and prolly shot 15-20,000 rounds betwwen practice and competitions. I used and still use a Mec 9000 Hydrualic in various gauges. It does a good job when volume is concerned as it will load 700 rds an hour when in a groove. If you dont count your labor it does produce a quality load at a reduced price. I also used factory win AA's and Ren STS alot due to the walmart next to the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio selling them for cheap usually under $40 a flat. At even $4 a box, the empty hulls can be sold at 5 cents a piece so the final cost for a great target load goes to $3 a box. The thing with shotgun shell loading is that you can produce any type of load you want and taylor it to your gun and needs, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Colorado Bob Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading Terry----No offence taken. It just that it's harder to finf pheasants every year. So, it hard to run a bunch of hunting loads out. Last time I looked 1 1/4 oz loads are about $7 a box. CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlott89 Posted March 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading i shot trap and skeet on a team every tues and thurs so it gets alittle costly still being in high school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlott89 Posted March 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading Only way I saw it paying was shooting trap. I would shoot 200 rounds a week for practice. Then at a shoot maybe 300 to 500 on that weekend. Iwould got to 6 or 7 shoots a year. i shoot close to a hundred each practice days(tues,thurs)and on meets i go to i can go through close to 500 in a weekend so i shoot sometimes clsoe to a 1000 rounds in a week sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlott89 Posted March 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading yeah i only reason i was wondering caus i do go through close to 1000 or so a week just competiton and practice.i also rabbit,squirrel,grouse and pheasent hunt too so that adds to the rounds i shoot.i also use 5 out of my 10 shotguns every week too so thats another reason why i was wondering what ya guys use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading I use a Lee Load All and it works great for me. Then again I only reload about 10 boxes a year. If you are going to reload only a few boxes then that is all you need. Plus, I believe a Lee Load All allows you to make custom loads much easier. If you are planning on shooting in a trap league and making 10 boxes a week, then you will need a progressive reloader like MEC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZooBear Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading I use an old Pacific 366. I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Xen Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading i have 2 pacific 366 machines, one in 20 gauge, one in 12 gauge - love them both Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest beagleman Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading I use to reload alot. I have 2 mec 600 Jrs a 20ga and 28ga, and a Lee Load all 12 ga. Now days I dont shoot but maybe once a month, especially now that hunting season is over. But I still reload, for no other reason than I enjoy doing it. Im debateing on buying a 16ga reloader. Now days Im on a tight budget, and I dont have much $$$. And most of the times when I find 28ga and 16ga shells they are high brass loads selling for around 10 dollars a box. And of course my favorite 2 guns is my 28 and 16. So I can somewhat justify reloading(or at least I try to with the old lady...shhh). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry264 Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading Hi beagleman, since you have the Lee LoadAll, you can get a conversion kit for it for 16 ga. for under $20 and that's the msrp price. Probably less from one of the discount books/catalogs. Will look around in the Cat's. if I see any will get back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
too_pointer Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading I had 2 Mec Sizemasters in 20 ga. and 12 ga. They are probably the best single stage loader out there. too_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
str8shooter48 Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Re: shotshell reloading I have four Mec loaders. 3 Grabbers 12, 20, and 410. A Sizemaster for 28ga. I converted that over to 28ga. It was my original 12ga loader. They all have loaded many many rounds and all have performed darn near flawless for years. Just keep them clean and lubed. Mecs are hard to beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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