Shotgun reloading.

[speedracer211]

Someone give me a quick run down on shotgun reloading. I keep seeing all these cheap lee presses on craigslist and I might just bite the bullet. I dont have the time nor need to reload for shotgun, but might pick up a press to tinker with.

[craig110]

Reloading for shotguns is easy. There is essentially no "brass prep" (even resizing the plastic hulls is less effort than, say, resizing a 9mm case) and you don't have the OAL finickiness of most pistol or rifle reloads. Decapping and priming are essentially the same as with rifle and pistol reloading and instead of the seating step you have crimping. Beyond that, the major differences are the notion of inserting a wad between the powder and the load along with the variety of things you can use as the load. Overall, I'd say that shotgun reloading is far easier than reloading for rifle or pistol.

Too bad all my books are still packed or I'd give you the specific title of a great shotgun reloading book I have. Taking a glance at amazon I think the book I have is "Reloading for Shotgunners". It is an inexpensive paperback and will step you through it.

[Timberwolf]

Get yourself the Lyman Shotshell Reloading Manual. It explanes the proces using a MEC but it's the same for most.

The Lee isn't too bad but the MEC 600Jr is bettter and not too expensive.

[cvann]

Don't get the Lee shotgun reloader - they are worse than the metallic cartridge models. Get a MEC - you can find them cheap too and 99.99% of the recipes you come across will be for a MEC powder bar\bushing.

[zdogk9]

Unless you're going to be shooting a LOT go with a MEC Sizemaster. I've put about 70# of red dot through mine, not sure how many rounds that is but it's a lot. Still working fine, don't shoot trap any more so I only load four or five hundred rounds a year any more. Get an adjustable charge bar. If you are loading for hunting I'd go with the Steelmaster.

[Pitmaster]

I'm getting ramped up to reload shotgun soon. I'm planning on going with the MEC 600.

I've been saving 12 ga hulls in preparation. Do I need to sort them or when loading are they interchangeable. If I need to sort them what categories do they need to be sorted in?

I'll most likely load for BP, but that may change.

[Tailgunner]

PM
Your best choice for reloading is/used to be the Winchester and Remington "compression formed" target hulls. Most modern receipies are based around them.

For loading BP, I have used the paper base wad plastics, but you have to remove the base wad and the petels from the shot wad inorder to have room to fit in the BP and shot. Now, this was before the advent of CAS, so today there may be better options.

[Timberwolf]

I'm getting ramped up to reload shotgun soon. I'm planning on going with the MEC 600.

I've been saving 12 ga hulls in preparation. Do I need to sort them or when loading are they interchangeable. If I need to sort them what categories do they need to be sorted in?

I'll most likely load for BP, but that may change.

You will need to sort the cases by brand and type.

Get the Lyman manual because it has cross sections of the hulls and a whack of loads.

The best hulls are the WW AA and Remington STS hulls.

I load the hulls with paper baswads by don't keep tham afterwards. I trash them.

[cvann]

I shoot mostly AA hulls for trap, but for hunting loads I just separate hulls by 6 or 8 crimp top.

My 12 gauge trap loads come out of a MEC 9000 hydraulic, and my 20 gauge upland loads are on a MEC 650.

[BoltNut]

I'm all set up to go, but needed to read my ABC's of Reloading 5th Ed. before I dared to try...he writes a very good explanation of the whole process in that book.

[creophus]

I'm looking at getting a Mec Grabber in 12 guage. Funds are tight right now though, so I haven't pulled the trigger.

Same guy is also selling a Mec Jr 600 in 20 gauge if anyone is interested in splitting the cost with me.

The info you guys put out on this thread and some others is very helpful to me.

[snuffy]

Hmmmm, shotgun loading, I cold write a book! But I won't. I've been loading shotgun longer than metallic. 40 + years.

Basically, the more you spend on the machine, the better the finished shell will look and performance will be better. The finished crimp will look better, and the performance depends on how well the crimp is done.

Shotgun loading is NOT easier than metallic, recipes are very specific, they have to be followed as precisely as any metallic shell. Empty type, brand, and construction are very important. Substitution of primer brand can take an otherwise functional load into dangerous territory.

The Lyman shotshell handbook has specific lads that if followed exactly will result in velocities given for that load. If you substitute any of the components, it COULD result in too high, OR too low velocities.

THE best press for the occasional shotshell loader is the mec 600 jr. It can be found at gun shows/shops for less than the going price. If you find the primer seater ring and spring missing,(it falls out if the loader is tipped over gets lost), MEC will sell you that reasonably.

I agree not to bother with the lee press. The crimps are just not what a MEC will do. The mec crimp station is fully adjustable to make the crimp look like a factory crimp. I had a lee in 20 guage, I couldn't get rid of it fast enough. Gave it to my nephew, he used it once, said it was too much bother to fiddle with. Hmmm getting windy, better stop while you're still reading!:patriot:

[Pitmaster]

I just bought the Lyman Shotgun Manual today. I'll read it and decide on what load then just buy hulls and components to use. I'll continue to scrounge hulls for awhile but may end up just tossing them and reusing personally purchased hulls.

[jtrade]

Guess I need to use the Lee I got for $15 for target practice...

Neighbor has some sort of shotgun reloading press along with some for metallic cartridges too. Have not ever saw any of em, may have to check it out.

J

[nitesite]

When you start reloading for shotgun, it's best to start with one brand of hull (my favorite is Remington STS.Nitro27.TGT.GameLoad) and buy the correct wad for the Remington's inside dimensions and length for the shot charge you want to throw.

Once you start using the same headstamp and settle on a shot weight and primer, it's EASY to set the powder bushing and go to town if you have any kind of a MEC loader. Crimps will probably come out perfect on a press that came right out of the box with factory adjustments.

Here's one example:

I have lots of Remington 20-ga yellow hulls. Some are the premium STS brand but some are the budget brand. What is key here is that the base cup dimensions are all the same as long as it's a Remington. If I buy the Remington 7/8-oz 20-ga wad and use Unique, the powder volume and wad allows the seating depth of the wad to snug right up to where the crimp folds over so it turns out perfectly.

If I buy some other wad, with a different length, then it seats onto the powder charge but it does not form an overall length to help make a perfect 8-pt crimp.

[JW6108]

Hmmmm, shotgun loading, I cold write a book! But I won't. I've been loading shotgun longer than metallic. 40 + years.

Basically, the more you spend on the machine, the better the finished shell will look and performance will be better. The finished crimp will look better, and the performance depends on how well the crimp is done.

Shotgun loading is NOT easier than metallic, recipes are very specific, they have to be followed as precisely as any metallic shell. Empty type, brand, and construction are very important. Substitution of primer brand can take an otherwise functional load into dangerous territory.

The Lyman shotshell handbook has specific lads that if followed exactly will result in velocities given for that load. If you substitute any of the components, it COULD result in too high, OR too low velocities.

THE best press for the occasional shotshell loader is the mec 600 jr. It can be found at gun shows/shops for less than the going price. If you find the primer seater ring and spring missing,(it falls out if the loader is tipped over gets lost), MEC will sell you that reasonably.

I agree not to bother with the lee press. The crimps are just not what a MEC will do. The mec crimp station is fully adjustable to make the crimp look like a factory crimp. I had a lee in 20 guage, I couldn't get rid of it fast enough. Gave it to my nephew, he used it once, said it was too much bother to fiddle with. Hmmm getting windy, better stop while you're still reading!:patriot:
I'm with Snuffy on everything he said, and will only add this: it is harder to come up with a quality product on a consistent basis than when loading for metallic cartridges, with the main reason being the crimp. Factory shells are nice and neat because it is the first crimping on them; crimps degrade in different ways and at varying rates depending on brand and will cause problems in the press and sometimes in the gun when they open up/split/go too deep, etc.

I don't shoot shotgun enough any more to justify loading them and disposed of all the stuff long ago, but in putting together a few thousand over 30 years I learned they are a different breed of cat.