Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Looking to get into shotshell reloading


Iaddrummer

Recommended Posts

I have been using MEC presses for about 25 years. Their progressive presses are simply superb. They don't show up on the used market often because they just run forever. 

 

Easy to find MEC single stage presses for about 1/2 of new retail. They are good, reliable tools. Just slow. 

 

Texan and Ponsness-Warren are older designs that come up often. Parts can be hard to find for them. 

 

I suggest saving up for a 9000G MEC or equivalent Green or Blue Machine. They are worth the cost. I've been told Green and Blue can be tedious to set up, but have no experience. MEC are gauge specific machines, so if you load all 4 gauges for skeet you will want at least 2 machines for the expensive small gauges. 12 and 20 gauge shells can be bought in bulk for less than you can buy component, unless you want a special load. 

 

Hope this helps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, practical_man said:

I have been using MEC presses for about 25 years. Their progressive presses are simply superb. They don't show up on the used market often because they just run forever. 

 

Easy to find MEC single stage presses for about 1/2 of new retail. They are good, reliable tools. Just slow. 

 

Texan and Ponsness-Warren are older designs that come up often. Parts can be hard to find for them. 

 

I suggest saving up for a 9000G MEC or equivalent Green or Blue Machine. They are worth the cost. I've been told Green and Blue can be tedious to set up, but have no experience. MEC are gauge specific machines, so if you load all 4 gauges for skeet you will want at least 2 machines for the expensive small gauges. 12 and 20 gauge shells can be bought in bulk for less than you can buy component, unless you want a special load. 

 

Hope this helps

Where can 12's Bought in bulk for less than components?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Iaddrummer said:

Where can 12's Bought in bulk for less than components?

 

Rogers Sporting Goods right now. Free shipping on orders of $100 makes it affordable. 

 

The price of shot is the killer right now. Shot alone is over $4.00 for a box of shells, maybe more of less depending on where you source your shot. 

 

My local walmart sells gun club 13 gauge shells for $5.20 a box. I can't load them for that. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm wanting to get something comparable to aa's but aa's are about 7$ a box I know the rebate but that's still excessive and it takes 5 or more weeks to get a $2 per box rebate if you get it. And I'm not saying I'm going to do it just yet I'm researching but I think I found a solution to the shot problem

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.cabelas.com/product/shooting/ammunition/shotgun-ammunition|/pc/104792580/c/104691780/sc/104567580/herters-reg-target-shotshells-per-case/1545677.uts         Been using these for years never had a bad shell . Use ther c card earn points  ie money to buy shells etc from them.   every 6-8 weeks they have free shiping and 10-20% off.  every few days they have free shiping.    I can not load for what these cost .   In my opinion just as good as AAs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most of my friends who were into shotgun competition gave up shotshell reloading as you could buy them for about the same cost and you didn't have to save empties and reload.  I'd really think twice about getting into it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It depends on how many shells you need, and what your time is worth. 

I started reloaded them in 1984, for fun. But when I needed 300 shells for a monthly trap shoot I bought them. 

If you get serious, buy Remington STS, or Federal papers, or reload the equivalent. 

A MEC 9000g or H is great for speed. And a Spolar is the best. 

 

You just gotta figure the economics of it. Reloading a few for hunting or a round or two is cheap. But the time you spend doing it for competition is a different ballgame. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Single dad so cost is everything,  reloading or buying for 3 gun and speed shotgun challenge.  So yeah I have been buying Winchester Walmart special at 20$ for 100 so I'm wanting to get better quality without spending $7 a box.  I started asking people and they said look into reloading so since I reload rifle and pistol I thought I would do some research

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I bought an old Mec 650 for $75 dollars a few months ago. Nice upgrade from a single stage MEC 600. I shoot 100-150 12 gauge shells most weeks. I like it as a hobby. To save money I use reclaimed shot. I load for $3.75 a box and it's good to roughly 23 yards. Further then that the shot column gets patchy. I still hit clays at forty or more, but they don't turn to dust, they just break.

I don't know what 3 gun guys shoot, but if your loading buckshot you can save a small fortune. Look for an old MEC 600 or if your really lucky Posness Warren Duo 375 and pick yourself up a lee mold for .310" shot and a Lee 20 pound pot and your in business. 

Forget the guy's name, but there are several videos about reloading buckshot on YouTube.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did it for a bit when I was shooting sporting clays.  and at best with free hulls and counting my time as free I was saving maybe 1.00 over gunclubs and 1.50 over AAs.  I just last month sold all my shotshell stuff as I have bought shells for the last 3 years.  The only time I think I really saved anything was 10ga stuff and maybe some of my steel 12ga stuff.  run the numbers  and make sure it works out for you.  It did not for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a used MEC Grabber I would part with and a sh!t ton of wads, primers etc I would be interested in parting with reasonably.  I hav been wanting to rent a table at one of the local gun shows to have a garage sale for all this stuff.  Look at it on youtube and if you are interested PM me.  If not thats cool too.  If I were to buy again I would probably go 9000G but the Grabber is nice also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

You will save money on what I will term Specialty shotshells.  An example would be high performance steel shot loads for ducks.  I can load steel shot 3/4 ounce loads that will do 1800 fps (200 fps faster than any commercial ammo I have seen), far cheaper than commercial steel shot ammo.  To get this level of performance I have to weight powder, weigh shot charge, and hand assemble, but the difference on a duck is easy to see.  

 

Smaller gauge ammo is quite expensive.  Loading it will save you lots.  

 

For your typical ounce-and-an-eighth 12 gauge load, it will be hard to beat the price of promotional loads.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Started in a Lee Load All then Got a used Mec gRabber from ebay and never looked back. The materials cost per round is almost the same as factory but i can shoot my custom rounds. Not a high volume shooter but my custom reduced loads are very soft and reliable in my sx3 and 1301 that I think Im gonna continue rolling my own for a long time. 

 

Eta. I shoot practical shotgun competition only. 

Edited by BoyGlock
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/17/2017 at 12:04 PM, 12glocks said:

I have a used MEC Grabber I would part with and a sh!t ton of wads, primers etc I would be interested in parting with reasonably.  I hav been wanting to rent a table at one of the local gun shows to have a garage sale for all this stuff.  Look at it on youtube and if you are interested PM me.  If not thats cool too.  If I were to buy again I would probably go 9000G but the Grabber is nice also.

My step father gave me a MEC Grabber and I have had it for 28 years.  Now, IMHO, to the important part, start pricing out the Lead/steel shot before you get into this and factor in the press cost.  I reload because its a secondary hobby for me after shooting but its not something I do to SAVE money especially for shotgun.  I buy lead in bulk when its at a big discount, otherwise I buy shotshells when they are on sale.  So do the math before you get into this and make sure you are doing this for the right reason.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
On 7/11/2017 at 6:23 PM, Iaddrummer said:

I'm wanting to get something comparable to aa's but aa's are about 7$ a box I know the rebate but that's still excessive and it takes 5 or more weeks to get a $2 per box rebate if you get it. And I'm not saying I'm going to do it just yet I'm researching but I think I found a solution to the shot problem

with 2days prices. i load a box of 12ga using AA hulls,700x,Fed primers,claybuster wads for $5.50 a box. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I strongly recommend a used complete progressive.   So many old guys getting out of reloading, combined with dubious economics of reloading shotshell, and you shouldnt have to look too long to find a clean used setup.  Estate sales amd auctions are a good place to look.

 

Remind me why I reload shotshell?  

 

 

Dang, this is an old thread!  I could apologize, but apparently there isnt enough traffic to bother. 

Edited by ChillyB
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...

For what it's worth, I have investigated this a lot. Initially, I figured the price of factory "Dove" loads made reloading 12ga and 20ga a waste of time.  And, it probably is if you just shoot a few boxes a month at the 16 yard line. However, cheap factory "Dove" or 100 pack "Field Loads" are all loaded with soft chilled shot and cheap components (hull and wad). That's why you pay $5.00. However, premium shotshell like STS or AA sell for closer to $9-$10 a box because of Magnum Shot and premium, reloadable hulls. For the same $5.00 you spend on cheap shells, you can reload your own with hard Magnum shot with premium hulls and wads. Handicap Trap shooters and Sporting Clay shooters that shoot at LONGER distances all use hard Magnum shot. Either, premium factory (If your rich! LOL!) or their own reloads with Magnum shot. If you shoot 28ga or 410, your going to save 50%-60%. If you look at it that way, I propose that it makes sense to reload your own. At least that's the logic I use, I like to reload!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...