Hand Rolling Shot

[Oberg]

Was wondering if anyone could help me out with a few things... I am thinking about reloading shotgun shells and had a few questions.
1.Can you reload both steel and lead out of the same press or do you need to presses?
2.How much do you think you would have to shoot to make it worth my money? (I would like to reload both 6-9 shot lead in 2 3/4" or 3" and T BB and 2 shot steel in 3 1/2")
3. Is it very different from reloading rifle rounds?

Thanks for your peoples advice,

[VaFisher]

They have different bushings for steel vs lead but some presses can load either.You could get into it heavy and make your own shot.
If you have a C&R lic you can get discounted shot from Graf & Son now for a good price.
Cost calculater so you can figgure from what you pay for the difference in shot.
http://10xshooters.com/calculators/S...ReloadingCost/

[publius]

loading shotshells is lot's easier than rifle. you can get a MEC 600Jr. for around $100 if not less. Don't remember how much the steel conversion kit is but it's not much. you might not even need it on the new presses. it's easy,economical, and definitely worth it.

[Oberg]

Will that alow me to use 3 1/2" shells?

[sargenv]

I would suggest you contact Ballistic Products for all of your shotshell loading needs. They have several manuals about loading steel, lead, bismuth (pricey), and other non toxic options.

As for presses, I've always liked the Sizemaster Single stage over any of the other MEC presses since it has a collet sizer instead of a friction ring and comes with the primer feed as standard. I always added a universal charge bar since I hate bushings, and the size of steel shot you want to load likely will not cycle through the bar at all and will need to be either weighed, or counted. When I say counted I don't mean 1, 2, 3, ...

The way I load steel is that other than the shot operation, everything is done on the press. When it comes to dropping the shot though, I use an old primer tray from Winchester small pistol primers. I initially weigh out whatever the load calls for. For instance my current load is 1 1/8 ounces of #3 steel. My current pellet count for that weight (in the lot I have now) is 180 pellets. I tape off 55 holes in the primer tray, so I have 45 showing. I put the shot in one of those plastic bins that you can get from Dillon, and measure 45 pellets 4 times to get the 180 I need, I drop those into the shell (wad seated) and then put an overshot card on it. I then crimp it as usual on the Sizemaster.

Loading large pellet steel shot generally takes a lot longer than loading massive amounts of lead shot #7.5's . It is more involved, but I would not say it is any more difficult than loading metallic. You need not trim the hulls, but you do need to seat a wad between the powder and shot. Depending on which loading recipe you use, you may be able to cycle the wad through the machine or you may have to seat it by hand, working it into the hull.

Either way, I'd highly suggest contacting Ballistic products. They are the shotshell loading gurus.

[snuffy]

Or maybe a better way to say it not AS fast. Loading steel, or any other non-toxic shot is not simply changing from lead to steel. The wads are entirely different AND the powder is different. In fact, there's ONLY one powder that you should even consider. That one is Alliant STEEL. It was developed strictly FOR steel loads. It lets you load FAST steel loads. Speed is essential for them to work for waterfowl. Ducks and especially geese have heavy feathers on their breasts. If you don't get the pellet to the bird with enough velocity, you will only wound them. A hatfull of pellets at 1300 fps at the muzzle will bounce off a goose at 50 yds. Have a smaller, lighter shot load at 1550 fps at the muzzle hit that same goose at 50 yards, he's a goner.


http://www.ballisticproducts.com/

Sargnv is spot on! Ballistic products is the best source for ANYTHING related to shotgun loading. They have everything anybody could possibly want/need to load shotguns. Log onto their site, request a catalog. You can order from the website or call in an order from the catalog.

[VaFisher]

Sounds like that come from some well desirved experience there snuffy, keep em straight.

[snuffy]

Sounds like that come from some well desirved experience there snuffy, keep em straight.

Yup! I've kept myself and my brother supplied with steel and bismuth shells for over ten years now. But since I quit hunting, he's buying his ammo now.

http://www.mecreloaders.com/ProductLine/SteelMaster.asp

This is the press I would buy if I were just starting out. BUT I notice it comes strictly to load one length of shell. Meaning; you would have to limit it to load 3 inch. It also can load lead, but again only 3 inch shells.

http://www.mecreloaders.com/productline/600JrMark5.asp

The mark 5 600 jr. is cheaper, AND is adjustable to 3 inch. There's a steel kit available, but in my experience is not required. The steel kit consists of a special bar, drop tube and bushings. I only use the loader to size the heads, seat wads, and crimp. The powder is measured in my rifle measure, the shot is either weighed or counted. I used the method that sarge talks about, a primer tray with tape to block holes so you dip it into a tub of shot. Hornady made a steel shot counter for their apex shotgun loader. Since the apex didn't work out, it's no longer available. It worked like a coffee grinder. It had plates with plugs in it that sat at the bottom of a hopper. You simply looked up a pellet count for the size/amount of shot you wanted, figured what half of that was and turned the handle to dump that amount of shot.

I developed a load that sported 3 inch 1-1/8 of #2 steel, that left the muzzle at 1500+. Decoyed ducks OR geese were dead in mid air with that load. Often the pellets would completely penetrate ducks, and geese the pellets were against the ribs after full penetration of the breast and internal organs! It was like shooting old lead loads!

My brother has an old double that he dearly loves, AND he's deadly with it. Sadly the advent of steel meant he had to leave it home. When bismuth became legal for waterfowl, Ballistic products came out with bismuth reloading supplies. The shot is very costly. I just checked, bismuth shot is no longer available. I guess the 7# jug I have is a collectors item! Anyway a load I developed killed ducks with authority.

[VaFisher]

Snuffy, nothing like experience for a teacher. I have always felt like if I didn't learn something in a days time I didn't reach my goal for the day. It's easyer to remember when you learn from experience and some times it help's others when asked.

[sargenv]

Thanks Snuffy

BPI are awesome people!

I picked up a bag or two of wads from them some years ago and I guess they had a bad run since I had about 10 or 15 wads that were deformed.. they sent me a new bag gratis for my trouble. Great people!

My current load is 1 1/8 ounce in a 3" hull moving at about 1500 fps. I could push the load to 1525 but it showed signs of being a little hot. It started to blow the crimps off. I'll stick with the lighter load for now. I tested some Kent Fast Steel 3" loads and was amazed that the lowest velocity was 1555 fps and the max was about 1602 fps. All I can say is they hit ducks and geese like a hammer.

[Oberg]

Is it even cost effective? I just used that calculater that is talked about earlier in this post and I came out spending more per shell then if i just bought them.. least for 8 shot.. and the only other shells i shoot is 3 1/2" t bb and 2 shot..

[snuffy]

Is it even cost effective? I just used that calculater that is talked about earlier in this post and I came out spending more per shell then if i just bought them.. least for 8 shot.

For lead target loads, yes and no. It depends on if you are buying the bargain basement variety of shells, like the federal 100 count box. Those are VERY cheaply made. Yes they throw some shot at whatever target, but they don't pattern worth beans and the shot is soft so it doesn't penetrate well. Re-do your calculator using remington sts or win AA as a comparison, you'll save money.

As for 3.5" steel, you will be shooting for around half what you'd pay for factory shells, and have a better shell to boot.