tips or good links please

[Jeff2131]

Ive decided id like to start reloading 2 3/4" shotgun shells, slugs to be specific. Im about to start hunting around midsouth shooters supply for equipment and components. Can anyone recommend a good dvd specifically geared toward shotgun shell reloading. Also, a good reloading manual and possibly some basic do's and dont's. Any and all info is greatly appreciated. And if it makes a difference, ill be reloading slugs for a 1960's J.C. Higgins pump action 12gauge.

[Jeff2131]

Just found a lee load all ll in stock for $50. Is that a good basic shell press for the beginner?

[rg1]

Ballistic Products has a new 4th Edition Slug Manual out. They also sell shotshell and slug reloading tools, several type slugs, hulls, wads, etc. Only thing is that using their manuals you will have to buy most components from them which isn't a bad idea as they are a good company. Another highly recommended Shotshell Manual is Lyman's 5th Edition. It has lead, steel, slug, and buckshot data and is also a good tutorial. One thing is reloading shotshells is that you use the EXACT data and the exact components listed in the manual. You need to use the hull, wad, powder, primer, and amount of powder that is in the manual. I have a Mec shotshell press and haven't used the Lee Load All II but I've read it turns out good shotshells. The BPI Slug manual #4 and Lyman's 5th shotshell manual has all the pics and how-to's that you need for loading slugs and other shotshells.
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Slu...tinfo/00MSLUG/
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/887...loading-manual

[Jeff2131]

Awesome, yea, i saw the lyman manual. I have lyman for pistol and.rifle and love that manual. Heres a couple questions that ive come across, can you pick up spent hulls at the range like you pick up brass and reload it? What types of tools are.needed aside from a press? And ive found that reloading pistol and.rifle has saved me a ton of cash, is it worth it to reload slugs, will i cut the cost of purchasing from a store in half? I usually pay $5-$6 for a 5/pack of rifled slugs in store.

[PawPaw]

Just found a lee load all ll in stock for $50. Is that a good basic shell press for the beginner?

Yes it is. The LoadAll is a good little basic shotshell reloader. It's slow, and it's plastic, but it makes good ammunition. There are better ones out there, but the Lee makes good,serviceable ammunition. I've reloaded thousands of rounds (perchance tens of thousands?) of shotshell ammo on one of these things.

One caution, though. With shotshells, you've got to pay attention to the recipe. If you change one thing, you've changed everything. Pay attention to your primer, your powder, your wad, everything that you load into the hull. If you change wads, for example, you might get into an overpressure situation fairly rapidly.

Alliant offers a slideshow tutorial, but nothing will take the place of a good manual, like the Lyman Manual.

[FISHY-A-NADO]

In a past life, I too loaded thousands of shot shells with a Lee Load All. Never had a problem with it. As has already been mentioned, it certainly is not the fastest you could get, but it does turn out a quality product. Since I no longer shoot trap, skeet or sporting clays and only go dove hunting once a year, it is now gathering dust in my basement.

[BigD_in_FL]

Slugs are a little different to load that regular shotshells. Personally, I HAD a LLAII and soon sold it as it is completely non-adjustable, and a plastic POS - (JMO).

Remember, you will want to roll crimp these loads for best results and that is done by hand with different equipment.

Depending on your usage, between the equipment costs and component costs, it might not be too economically feasible.

[snuffy]

Remember, you will want to roll crimp these loads for best results and that is done by hand with different equipment.

You cannot roll crimp "by hand"! You need a roll crimper run by a drill at the minimum. To do it right, you should get this set-up;



The vise is made by/sold by Ballistic Products Incorporated,(BPI).



The drill press is from harbor freight.

The lee load-all can be used to size, deprime, meter powder, seat wads and slugs.

The lee key-drive-slug is one way of loading slugs that don't need to be roll crimped. You CAN use the star crimper on the lee load-all. BUT you HAVE to be sure to identify that those crimped shells have a slug loaded in them!!!





Main problem there is; you have to cast them yourself. Or get them already made by someone that's willing to do it, AND has the mold. I've been known to send a few to people for them to try out.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=417426

PM me.

[Jeff2131]

Ok then. I guess ive made up my mind. I will NOT be reloading slugs/shotshells. Thanx for the input everyone, the simple fact of not saving money on ammo is reason enough for me.