12 guage reloading

[Edward429451]

I have a MEC Grabber, progressive machine, bought used and it is superb. Fully adjustable and cranks out really nice looking shells. I suggest a slug mould and circular crimper also. It's pretty sweet to be able to make my own slug loads. Where I can hold out to about 50-60 yards with factory slugs, that range is extended to about 80 or 90 with home rolled slugs. Big difference!

[snuffy]

Reloading books are kind of old school now....especially with reloading recipes being readily available on the internet ...like the Hodgdon website.

Reloading books will give you some "general info" ....books like ABC's or Reloading, etc ...have been pretty good over the years. I don't know what book you bought...

In general, I will usually trust the powder website for the most accurate info on my reloads.

Bought a reloading book on eBay spiral bound shows a winchester X on the cover hope I chose well?

Never heard of it! Is it shotgun specific? It MAY be alright if it's not too OLD. A lot has changed in the last 10-15 years. Old manuals actually ARE out-of-date.

There's no website that has the info contained in a Lyman shotshell handbook, NONE! Color pictures with descriptions of hull designs that are referred to in the loading manual. Following the EXACT data provided for each hull will result in the best loads. Other data from the beloved internet, could result in a broken shotgun and injury to a shooter.

Shotgun reloading is more data specific than metallic. With metallic, you can "work up" a load. Starting at minimum, then slowly increasing the powder charge to see if you can land on a good group. Shotgun data MUST be followed to the letter. Every component listed MUST be used exactly as written. Primers are different. Some are very mild, made to light small charges of fast burning powder, others would be considered magnum primers. Substituting shotshell primers can be disastrous.

Shotshells operate at very low pressures compared to metallic. 10,500 for standard 12 gauge, 11,500 for 3" and 3-½ " 12 ga. And 12,500 for the lowly .410. This was the old LUP numbers,,(Lead Units of Pressure). Going above that will start to stretch steel and wear actions quickly. You might get away with it for a while, but when it fails, you ruin a gun.

[new_shooter]

guess I should have paid attention to the date on the book should be a good starting point at least? looks like a trip to the gun shop or barnes and noble is in order here

[snuffy]

http://http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-S...shell+handbook

21 bucks will give you the best, considered by most to be the 'BIBLE" of shotshell reloading manuals.

OR;

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/887...loading-manual

[Edward429451]

Reloading books are kind of old school now....especially with reloading recipes being readily available on the internet ...like the Hodgdon website.

This is not a good idea. The manuals have so much info in them that it's a bad idea not to have one, ore three. SG shell reloading is easy, but very very data specific as was noted. Not to mention that internet can go down and then what would you do?

The books are the first thing one should buy when beginning to reload anything. The Lyman book is indeed the best, having a wealth of knowledge about shotshell loading.