- Messages
- 21,337
- Reactions
- 39,634
Last Edited:
JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
What's the cheapest but useable shotgun shell reloader?
- Thread Starter ilikegunspdx
- Start date
-
- Tags
- reloaded
The cheapest is going to be your own two hands and a ram rod/stick. They're just plastic, the primers are the most difficult part to deal with and I've found shot shells aren't nearly as precision sensitive as rifle ammo.
But yes, the Lee product is the cheapest actual press still.
But yes, the Lee product is the cheapest actual press still.
- Messages
- 481
- Reactions
- 181
I've got a Lee Load do all in 20 and a 12 conversion if interested
- Messages
- 21,337
- Reactions
- 39,634
- Thread Starter
- #4
Yea send me a pm plz. Thx!
- Messages
- 21,337
- Reactions
- 39,634
- Thread Starter
- #5
If you use a ramrod, how do you crimp the shell? I was thinking maybe I could just take some regular bird shot, uncrimp it, pour out the shot, put in salt and recrimp. But how can I recrimp it?
This might be helpful too cuz I could melt down the shot and put into a "BS test pistol match weight" by pouring it into a cheap pistol light where the battery would go.
The folds are already there. You just remake em. It's not as clean or as easy but it's not black magic.
- Messages
- 21,337
- Reactions
- 39,634
- Thread Starter
- #7
So you just force it with a ramrod or similar? Does it stay crimped? Maybe some sealing wax on top to keep it crimped? Have never tried it.
You'll just have to try it and see.
- Messages
- 21,337
- Reactions
- 39,634
- Thread Starter
- #9
I think you're right. Best way to find out.
Maybe make Custom shells like ham and Swiss, but I draw the line at bacon, lettuce, and tomato.
Seriously though, Neighbor had a drone fly onto his porch the other day. Someone looking for things to steal I guess. Maybe make some custom drone Kevlar fishing line with weight on the ends or something. FAA guy was pissed. He said to video and find operator next time.
Last Edited:
- Messages
- 3,826
- Reactions
- 9,270
I'm beyond that now, but for many years I wished they made Draper shot shells available, I thought they were perfect for low usage. I don't know if there was a down side to them but they seemed rather neat, at least one couldn't get much more simpler for a hand load.
- Messages
- 21,337
- Reactions
- 39,634
- Thread Starter
- #11
Interesting. Is that base cap removable? Never seen these before. Kinda reminds me a bit of those old all plastic shotshells. Can't recall the name. Active I think? But those didn't have a removable baseplate.
My Lee Load-all has come and gone. I'm not sure that design is for serious quantity (quality?) shot shell reloading.
I didn't bother much reloading fired hulls. Sometimes the crimp folds split when reworking, some plastic hulls get distorted (melting) at the mouth from powder combustion. So I just bought new Fiocchi primed hulls which weren't that expensive. Which took some of the headache out of the process. Be aware that some unprimed, new hulls of foreign origin take a different (larger) primer size.
The decapping and priming feature on the Load-all worked well enough. I still hand load some shot shells now that the Load-all is gone; I have a small arbor press that I use if I have to prime a hull. I also use the arbor press to tamp down the wad to make sure it's fully seated. When I was loading full brass shot shells, I learned that insufficient wad pressure was a cause of detonation issues. But then again, traditional wad materials are (at least in my experience) trickier to work with than plastic wads.
The folded crimping stage I never liked on the Load-all. It seemed too indeterminate to get consistent crimps. With practice, you could get them close. These days, any shot shells that I hand load get a roll crimp. Which you can use on any payload. For shot loads, you need an overshot card in the absence of a folded crimp. The little roll crimping tool works in a cordless drill.
Simply removing a shot payload and substituting it with rock salt, I don't know how well that works. Because the shot load was calibrated to a certain weight of the shot. Salt surely is less dense than a factory shot load, so you would likely have trouble getting as much salt by weight into the hull. Factory salt loads probably use some combination of powder and wad column that is specific to the weight of salt. If you look at shot shell load tables, you can see that load data is pretty specific. An underweight payload could result in insufficient pressure to perform properly. But then again, this is an area that I've never experimented with; try it and see what happens. If you get a squib load, be sure to check the barrel afterwards to make sure it's clear.
www.theboxotruth.com
I didn't bother much reloading fired hulls. Sometimes the crimp folds split when reworking, some plastic hulls get distorted (melting) at the mouth from powder combustion. So I just bought new Fiocchi primed hulls which weren't that expensive. Which took some of the headache out of the process. Be aware that some unprimed, new hulls of foreign origin take a different (larger) primer size.
The decapping and priming feature on the Load-all worked well enough. I still hand load some shot shells now that the Load-all is gone; I have a small arbor press that I use if I have to prime a hull. I also use the arbor press to tamp down the wad to make sure it's fully seated. When I was loading full brass shot shells, I learned that insufficient wad pressure was a cause of detonation issues. But then again, traditional wad materials are (at least in my experience) trickier to work with than plastic wads.
The folded crimping stage I never liked on the Load-all. It seemed too indeterminate to get consistent crimps. With practice, you could get them close. These days, any shot shells that I hand load get a roll crimp. Which you can use on any payload. For shot loads, you need an overshot card in the absence of a folded crimp. The little roll crimping tool works in a cordless drill.
Simply removing a shot payload and substituting it with rock salt, I don't know how well that works. Because the shot load was calibrated to a certain weight of the shot. Salt surely is less dense than a factory shot load, so you would likely have trouble getting as much salt by weight into the hull. Factory salt loads probably use some combination of powder and wad column that is specific to the weight of salt. If you look at shot shell load tables, you can see that load data is pretty specific. An underweight payload could result in insufficient pressure to perform properly. But then again, this is an area that I've never experimented with; try it and see what happens. If you get a squib load, be sure to check the barrel afterwards to make sure it's clear.
The Box O' Truth #33 - Rock Salt in a Shotgun
Lots of folks ask me, "Have you ever tried rock salt in a shotgun shell? Would this be a good load for personal defense?" We have seen it done in the movies. I remember an episode of "The Rifleman", where Lucas McCain shot some bad guys with a load of rock salt. I never understood why, but...
www.theboxotruth.com
- Messages
- 26,687
- Reactions
- 62,691
If someone wanted to damage a drone without risking neighbors some of the "Less Than" ammo "might" do it. Several years ago when the county here was trying 3 Cops for murder in a absurd case of virtue signaling I got worried. The "press" here was doing everything they could to get riots started when they found the Cops not guilty. Bought some less than rubber shot. To test it put about 20 layers of cardboard in a box. The rounds with 2 rubber balls sailed right through the entire boxI think you're right. Best way to find out.
Maybe make Custom shells like ham and Swiss, but I draw the line at bacon, lettuce, and tomato.
. The rounds with buckshot went through about half way. Either one would probably take out a prop on a drone and make it crash. The rounds do not make nearly the noise of a regular round and of course would not have the range. As long as the shooter was not in a place were neighbors could see most may not even pay attention.I've considered getting one of these kits to play with: https://www.thexringusa.com/
For ultimate cheapness and simplicity, the roll crimper is your huckleberry:
Not really reloading, but I have one of these muzzleloading adapters for my Henry single shot:
www.gunadapters.com
I've also just stuffed a spent shotshell case and bent the crimp back over as well as I could with reasonable success.
You can also trim the crimping off a spent shell, top with a paper or cardboard wad and seal with wax.
For ultimate cheapness and simplicity, the roll crimper is your huckleberry:
Original Roll Crimping Tool: 12ga
12ga Roll Crimping Tool for use with a hand drill or drill press
www.ballisticproducts.com
Not really reloading, but I have one of these muzzleloading adapters for my Henry single shot:
12 gauge to 209 Muzzle Loading Adapter
Convert your 12 Gauge Break Action Shotgun to shoot Black Power! Sponsored by Dave Canterbury of “Dual Survival”.
www.gunadapters.com
I've also just stuffed a spent shotshell case and bent the crimp back over as well as I could with reasonable success.
You can also trim the crimping off a spent shell, top with a paper or cardboard wad and seal with wax.
- Messages
- 3,826
- Reactions
- 9,270
Yes the base unscrews to insert / change a standard black powder rifle cap as its primer.
I read Starting in the 1860"s they only lasted a decade while transitioning from muzzle loaders to breach loader, at that time folks were still very skeptical of ready made cartridges and use to loading their own via the muzzle. The paper shotgun shell was invented some where about the 1870's and immediately changed the game with its low cost and by that time many were finding the ready made cartridge, for rifle, pistol and shotgun, very useful as well..
Patented on Nov 29, 1864 by William H. Wills of Boston, Massachusetts, for improvements to metallic cartridges. While sometimes associated with F. Draper & Co., the design was a widely used 1860s-era reloadable brass shell.
- Messages
- 7,508
- Reactions
- 12,200
As TTSX stated, the Lee Loader / Load-All are the cheapest presses you can get, however there are cheaper, alternative methods.
Dave Canterbury explains....
As for the Lee Loaders, one of my favourite YT gun channels, 314299 Shooting Channel, has done several videos on those...
Last Edited:
- Messages
- 21,337
- Reactions
- 39,634
- Thread Starter
- #17
Wow I didn't know those existed. Bookmarked all three of them. The muzzleloading adapter may give the most flexibility if experimenting with anti drone loads. Maybe could put more fishing line segments vs a standard shotgun shell. Sort of like having a double barrel blunderbuss. Wouldn't be great for rock salt though.I've considered getting one of these kits to play with: https://www.thexringusa.com/
For ultimate cheapness and simplicity, the roll crimper is your huckleberry:
Original Roll Crimping Tool: 12ga
12ga Roll Crimping Tool for use with a hand drill or drill presswww.ballisticproducts.com
Not really reloading, but I have one of these muzzleloading adapters for my Henry single shot:
12 gauge to 209 Muzzle Loading Adapter
Convert your 12 Gauge Break Action Shotgun to shoot Black Power! Sponsored by Dave Canterbury of “Dual Survival”.
I've also just stuffed a spent shotshell case and bent the crimp back over as well as I could with reasonable success.
You can also trim the crimping off a spent shell, top with a paper or cardboard wad and seal with wax.
I noticed lots of crimper options at that first website you listed.
The second one gives me a couple ideas for DIY crimper.
Upcoming Events
Central Wyoming Machine Gun And Cannon Shoot
- Laramie, WY
Ladies only beginning trap shooting
- Albany, OR
Classic Sportsman Gun & Knife Show
- Monroe, WA
New Classified Ads
-
Two Palmetto State Armory Lowers Complete PA-15 SBA3 Lower + Gen 3 PA-10 Lower
- Started by Rowsboats
- Replies: 0
-
Holosun HS407A3 Red Dot (3 available)- Started by gun_dude
- Replies: 0
-
-
Smith and Wesson CS9 subcompact. Like new in box with 2 factory magazines and new holster $590
- Started by HitorMiss
- Replies: 0
-
-
-
-
-
-
