Shotgun reloading....

[Espire]

So I do not own a shotgun, and was planning on picking one up by the end of season. A buddy of mine dropped about 500 fired shells on my lap (since he knows I reload everything else). Should I sit on these shells, or sell them? I figure with not even consider using any of it until spring, just trying to justify filling my play space with something I am still on the fence about.

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[etrain16]

My father used to reload for shotgun, in fact, I did a lot of his reloading for him, on an old MEC press. One thing I've learned in the last few years is that shotgun reloading isn't necessarily going to save you any money since off the shelf loads are fairly cheap to buy. Now, if you plan on loading for say, buckshot or slugs, then it may be worth it. I have a MEC press at home because I am planning to load for buck and slugs, but for birdshot, I'll probably just stick with store bought - at just under $6 a box most places, I can't see bothering with it for the time involved.

 

[Crohnos01]

I got into shotshell reloading back in the early 80s because I was shooting a lot of trap in order to stay boned up for duck and geese. It's true that today's prices of factory ammo make it a little less incentivising than back in the day if you are only loading for hunting, especially since now there are fewer ways to hunt lead shot for birds and you have to load steel or other non-lead for those applications. However, if you are shooting for trap and practice, it still makes sense to me especially if as in my case you are loading for wives and daughters... I developed a few low recoil loads that make trap shooting a little easier on the females than the magnum hunting loads and they seem to appreciate it.

 

[Rocklock]

Depends on what the shells are. If it's 500 random empties of different lengths, manufacture, etc then they're going to be more trouble reloading than they're worth.

 

[Crohnos01]

+1

 

[bbbass]

I also did a lot of shotshell reloading back in the day on a MEC. Mostly for trap, but also a bit of 6s for pheasant, 4s for duck, and 2s for geese. I'd have to say that nowadays, if I still bird hunted, I'd use factory loads for upland game and duck, and reloads for all others.

BTW I recommend using only one-piece plastic shells such as the Winchester AA for reloads. Much less problematic and many more reloads than others.

 

[bbbass]

So I do not own a shotgun, and was planning on picking one up by the end of season.

So, what are you thinking about buying? Pray tell... so the rest of us can ding on your choice. Just kidding. Nobody here would ever do that!

 

[nammac]

I've loaded a ton of 12 gauge, mostly green or black Remington hulls, all for trap shooting...

I can reload 1 oz loads for about .15 a round using reclaimed shot (professionally cleaned, sorted and graphited) v. .25 or more a round for factory new... I know .09 cents a round doesn't sound like much, but if you shoot 500 or 600 rounds a month, it starts to add up.

Plus, reloading is therapeutic, forces me to focus and block out all the noise and nonsense... And I'd rather roll my own customized load anyway... Just satisfying making your own...

And I do that on an old MEC I acquired, real cheap...

 

[Crohnos01]

Yup, same here.. My MEC is probably 30+ years old now,,,, but I enjoy as you say "rolling my own"... It's therapeutic.

I haven't shot a lot of trap in the last year, but will probably pick it up again in the spring.

 

[Espire]

Not set on any in particular shotgun as of yet. Will have about $700 set aside. Ideally, still debating if I would actually hunt with it (never thought about bird hunting). Just figure it would go nicely with the rest of the toys in the house.

As for reloading, I concur about it being a fantastic therapy. I spend most evenings reloading pistols, and the weekends on rifle ammo. Think I'll have to expand my garage a bit first before taking on yet another press or 2.

Thanks all for the feedback. Been very helpful!

 

[ageingstudent]

Not set on any in particular shotgun as of yet. Will have about $700 set aside. Ideally, still debating if I would actually hunt with it (never thought about bird hunting). Just figure it would go nicely with the rest of the toys in the house.

As for reloading, I concur about it being a fantastic therapy. I spend most evenings reloading pistols, and the weekends on rifle ammo. Think I'll have to expand my garage a bit first before taking on yet another press or 2.

Thanks all for the feedback. Been very helpful!

You should come out to douglas ridge and have the kid shoot trap once. It's pretty much open every other saturday frim 11-4. They have club guns you can use for free and kids shoot for half price. Shoot a couple of the club guns and maybe it will help you deciide what to buy for a scattergun.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Not set on any in particular shotgun as of yet. Will have about $700 set aside. Ideally, still debating if I would actually hunt with it (never thought about bird hunting). Just figure it would go nicely with the rest of the toys in the house.

As for reloading, I concur about it being a fantastic therapy. I spend most evenings reloading pistols, and the weekends on rifle ammo. Think I'll have to expand my garage a bit first before taking on yet another press or 2.

Thanks all for the feedback. Been very helpful!

A shotgun reloading press is only going to take up a small spot in your garage. I don't know how you are set up, maybe you have it set-up just the way you like it now and don't want to clutter up your garage. I can relate, mine is that way now. Here's how mine used to be set up:




I used to belong to 3 different clubs that shot trap locally and then shot comp on the weekends, so I was shooting trap 4 days/night per week and sometimes more. It wasn't uncommon to burn up 500 rounds every weekend. When shooting for money, it's best to work up a load that suits your shotgun, your style, your timing, etc. etc... Back then, shot was cheap by todays standards so it was cost effective to load your own. Now days, I'd probably just buy the cheap stuff and find out what patterns the best in your shotgun...

 

[Espire]

Alright...so I took the time to sort these things...I went off visible markings that were on the shell. I figure I would let you shotgun vets tell me if they are worth anything.

Red Shells
15 AA – Heavy: 3-1 1/8-7 ½
4 AA – Heavy: 3-1 1/8-9
70 AA – Light: 2 ¾-1 1/8-7 ½
4 AA – Light: 2 ¾-1 1/8-8
2 AA – Light: 3 ¼-1-8
1 AA – Light: 2 ¾-1 1/8-9
8 AA – Xtra-Lite: 2 ¾-1-8
32 AA – Super-Lite: 2 ¾-1 1/8-8
14 AA – Super-Lite: 1 1/8-9
13 AA – Super-Lite: 1 1/8-8
4 AA – Super-Lite: 2 ¾-1 1/8-9
3 AA – Super-Lite: 2 ¾-1 1/8-7 ½
15 AA – Skeet: 3-1 1/8-9
3 AA – Skeet: 2 ¾-1 1/8-9
2 AA – Skeet: 3-1 1/8-9
47 AA – Super Pigeon: 3 ¼-1 ¼-7 ½
34 AA – Trap: 3-1 1/8-8
18 AA – Trap: 2 ¾-1 1/8-8
1 Win – Dove & Tail: 2 ½-1-8
1 Win – Dove & Tail: 3 ¼-1-7 ½
3 Winchester – Continental: 1 1/8-8
1 Win Super X: 9
6 NSCA: 2 ¾-1 1/8-8
24 red shells unknown

Grey Shells
47 AA – Super-Handicap: 3-1 1/8-7 ½
26 AA – Super-Handicap: 3-1 1/8-8
8 AA – Super-Handicap: 3-1 1/8-9
2 AA – Unknown: 3-1-8
6 grey unknown

 

[WillametteWill]

Winchester AA shell load nicely. I'm a Remington person (loading STS hulls) but lots of folks like the AA's and I have loaded my fair share of them. The grey AA hulls are different and personally I have not had much luck with them but you will find many that have.

You have a nice started batch of AA's if you decide to load in the future, I would hang on to them.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Ok, here goes. Keep all the AA hulls. Those are good hulls to load. Toss the game hulls like "dove and quail" and any of the "unknown" hulls. Those are just not worth the risk, if you don't know what they are. Anything that was marked as "handicap", "light", "heavy" are all good to load. Those should have the plastic base wad inside and are good for 15 re-loads, at least. Looks like they are all probably 2 3/4" hulls. The 2 3/4, 3, and 3 1/4 indicate "dram" equivalent. Meaning the higher the number, the more horsepower (so to speak)... Thus the reason the "light" target loads are marked 2 3/4 and the "dove and quail" and super pigeon are marked 3 1/4....

 

[DirectDrive]

So I do not own a shotgun, and was planning on picking one up by the end of season. A buddy of mine dropped about 500 fired shells on my lap (since he knows I reload everything else). Should I sit on these shells, or sell them? I figure with not even consider using any of it until spring, just trying to justify filling my play space with something I am still on the fence about.

As far as saving the hulls, they may be worthless.
Depends on what they are...not all hulls are considered reloadable.
I've been away from it for a while so I couldn't comment without doing a search on the brand of hull you have.

Edit:
I see that you have the brand thing sorted.

 

[Crohnos01]

I would agree with the AA comments. I have had good luck with reloading those. The "unknowns" are probably not worth the trouble, likewise with the dove & quail. You should be able to tell a difference between the hulls just in how pliable they are. If they are too soft, (use the AAs as a reference) toss em... they won't reload well. Also, just like rifle and pistol brass, shot shells have a life span. Get rid of any that are corroded or have tears around the base or sidewalls.

 

[nammac]

^^^. Or when the crimp area starts to get crunchy, it's time for them to go...

 

[Espire]

Well, I do not plan to reload shotgun (already have enough on my plate between reloading pistol, rifle, and woodworking hobbies).

So if anyone wants these for free, shoot me a PM. Have these up in the vancouver area at the better half's house (All I ask is you come get them)

 

[bsa1917hunter]

^^^. Or when the crimp area starts to get crunchy, it's time for them to go...

Bingo...