New to reloading.

Mustangman94 · July 10, 2012, 12:57 PM

Hey I have got a very simple question. I'm sure that i could find it somewhere but it would be easier this way... I think.. Like I said in the title I am new to reloading. I bought everything I need about a year back and got so busy with school and work that i didn't have time to mess with it. but now I have time and need some help/advice. What I bought is a Lee Load all II (I know cheap and amateur but i figured it would be easier to start off with), Alliant powder (unique), clay buster WAA wads, Remington premier sts primers, and ive got Remington gun club hulls, winchester AA hulls and some winchester universal hulls. I dont know if i can use those hulls interchangeably with the wads ive got or if ill have to order more. I guess im asking for a recipe (if thats what its called) and some advice. I appreciate any help and advice anyone can provide. Thanks
this is for a 20 ga also. i guess thats a pretty important detail.

temmi · July 10, 2012, 01:02 PM

Sorry I have never loaded Shotgun...

someone will be along to help

Snake

SL1 · July 10, 2012, 02:26 PM

Loading shot shells is a different proposition than loading metallic cartridges for rifles and handguns.

Shotshells work at much lower pressures, and they can be VERY sensitive to component substitutions, so there is no room for experimentation.

You need to find a recipe that uses the SAME hull, SAME wad, SAME primer, SAME powder, and the shot charge weight that you want to use. There are some components that can be substitued for each other, but you need to find that the MANUFACTURER says so, not just some guy on You-Tube.

The Internet is your friend, PROVIDED that you use pressure-tested loads that are provided by the various powder and component manufacturers on their websites. You are using some pretty popular components, so you should be able to find recipes that use those components. But, it is usually a good idea to have found the recipe that you want to use and THEN buy components, so that you don't get stuck with a component mix for which you cannot find a recipe.

When you start loading, the most important aspect of assembling the load will be getting the height of the powder + wad + shot to be just right to make the crimp work right. Too low or too high will cause crimps that open up in the box after a while, spilling shot.

Sometimes the recipes don't quite get the column height just right. It is OK to subtract a little shot to adjust the column height, but DON'T ADD any shot. If you need a slightly higher column, you can add some spacer(s) in the bottom of the shot cup. Card stock is best for small changes in column height. Don't use something soft like styrofoam, because some of the shot will stick in it when the shell is fired. Usually, if you need to adjust the column height by much it means that you need a different wad. (Some folks who try to make extra-light loads for which there are no commercially available wads do use styrofoam in the shot cups, but they make sure that they put a card wad between the foam and the shot to keep the shot from embedding.)

There are probably better forums than this one to get information about shot shell reloading. The FLF is more oriented to metallic cartridge loading.

Have fun and stay safe.

SL1

BigJimP · July 11, 2012, 04:46 PM

Since you are trying to use Unique powder....go to their website for the recipes.

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...eid=3&gauge=20

I think you'll find Unique ...is going to give you some good options on a 7/8 oz of shot load ...for the Win and Rem hulls. But you'll have to look thru the tables to make sure you have the specific primer and wad combinatioin for each hull.

In general ...most of us do not mix shotshell hulls / recipes are often different / and you'll get some real bad crimps. Each brand of shell - often has a little different length ( even though they're all 2 3/4", etc ).

Follow the recipe exactly ...don't substitue primers, or wads, or hulls...

but yes, loading all shotshells is pretty easy ( I've been doing it for at least 50 yrs). My preferred hull for 20ga is Rem STS hulls ...they're very durable, they crim consistently - and the Rem STA and Rem gun club hulls take the same recipes.

But be specific in your question / and your data ....the wad you need is not a WAA...its probably a WAA20 or an equivalent in claybuster ( CB1078-20). There may be other clones out there ...like an Orange Duster ( which I like in a 20ga shell )...but you can probably use what you have in some combination.

Not all WIN hulls are equivalent ....some are High Strength hulls ( and may take a special wad ), where the old Win AA's are different...( the hulls are different internally). Winchester created all this mess - with HS hulls and non HS hulls....and they started messing with the overall fired length...and most of us in 12ga and 20ga dumped all of our WIN hulls...and went to Remington STS hulls - because they're consistent and tougher. I have Rem STS hulls that have been loaded 15 or more times...before they'll crack. The Rem gun club hulls are fine ...but the plastic extrusion is a little more brittle and depending on how hot you load them - sometimes they'll crack after 4 or 5 reloads.

drop me a personal note - if I can help you more specifically.

Bailey Boat · July 11, 2012, 05:10 PM

Sounds like someone needs a shotgun specific reloading manual.....

July 10, 2012, 12:57 PM	#1
Mustangman94 Junior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Posts: 1	New to reloading. Hey I have got a very simple question. I'm sure that i could find it somewhere but it would be easier this way... I think.. Like I said in the title I am new to reloading. I bought everything I need about a year back and got so busy with school and work that i didn't have time to mess with it. but now I have time and need some help/advice. What I bought is a Lee Load all II (I know cheap and amateur but i figured it would be easier to start off with), Alliant powder (unique), clay buster WAA wads, Remington premier sts primers, and ive got Remington gun club hulls, winchester AA hulls and some winchester universal hulls. I dont know if i can use those hulls interchangeably with the wads ive got or if ill have to order more. I guess im asking for a recipe (if thats what its called) and some advice. I appreciate any help and advice anyone can provide. Thanks this is for a 20 ga also. i guess thats a pretty important detail.

July 10, 2012, 01:02 PM	#2
temmi Senior Member Join Date: June 13, 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 531	Sorry I have never loaded Shotgun... someone will be along to help Snake

July 10, 2012, 02:26 PM	#3
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	Loading shot shells is a different proposition than loading metallic cartridges for rifles and handguns. Shotshells work at much lower pressures, and they can be VERY sensitive to component substitutions, so there is no room for experimentation. You need to find a recipe that uses the SAME hull, SAME wad, SAME primer, SAME powder, and the shot charge weight that you want to use. There are some components that can be substitued for each other, but you need to find that the MANUFACTURER says so, not just some guy on You-Tube. The Internet is your friend, PROVIDED that you use pressure-tested loads that are provided by the various powder and component manufacturers on their websites. You are using some pretty popular components, so you should be able to find recipes that use those components. But, it is usually a good idea to have found the recipe that you want to use and THEN buy components, so that you don't get stuck with a component mix for which you cannot find a recipe. When you start loading, the most important aspect of assembling the load will be getting the height of the powder + wad + shot to be just right to make the crimp work right. Too low or too high will cause crimps that open up in the box after a while, spilling shot. Sometimes the recipes don't quite get the column height just right. It is OK to subtract a little shot to adjust the column height, but DON'T ADD any shot. If you need a slightly higher column, you can add some spacer(s) in the bottom of the shot cup. Card stock is best for small changes in column height. Don't use something soft like styrofoam, because some of the shot will stick in it when the shell is fired. Usually, if you need to adjust the column height by much it means that you need a different wad. (Some folks who try to make extra-light loads for which there are no commercially available wads do use styrofoam in the shot cups, but they make sure that they put a card wad between the foam and the shot to keep the shot from embedding.) There are probably better forums than this one to get information about shot shell reloading. The FLF is more oriented to metallic cartridge loading. Have fun and stay safe. SL1

July 11, 2012, 04:46 PM	#4
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Since you are trying to use Unique powder....go to their website for the recipes. http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...eid=3&gauge=20 I think you'll find Unique ...is going to give you some good options on a 7/8 oz of shot load ...for the Win and Rem hulls. But you'll have to look thru the tables to make sure you have the specific primer and wad combinatioin for each hull. In general ...most of us do not mix shotshell hulls / recipes are often different / and you'll get some real bad crimps. Each brand of shell - often has a little different length ( even though they're all 2 3/4", etc ). Follow the recipe exactly ...don't substitue primers, or wads, or hulls... but yes, loading all shotshells is pretty easy ( I've been doing it for at least 50 yrs). My preferred hull for 20ga is Rem STS hulls ...they're very durable, they crim consistently - and the Rem STA and Rem gun club hulls take the same recipes. But be specific in your question / and your data ....the wad you need is not a WAA...its probably a WAA20 or an equivalent in claybuster ( CB1078-20). There may be other clones out there ...like an Orange Duster ( which I like in a 20ga shell )...but you can probably use what you have in some combination. Not all WIN hulls are equivalent ....some are High Strength hulls ( and may take a special wad ), where the old Win AA's are different...( the hulls are different internally). Winchester created all this mess - with HS hulls and non HS hulls....and they started messing with the overall fired length...and most of us in 12ga and 20ga dumped all of our WIN hulls...and went to Remington STS hulls - because they're consistent and tougher. I have Rem STS hulls that have been loaded 15 or more times...before they'll crack. The Rem gun club hulls are fine ...but the plastic extrusion is a little more brittle and depending on how hot you load them - sometimes they'll crack after 4 or 5 reloads. drop me a personal note - if I can help you more specifically.

July 11, 2012, 05:10 PM	#5
Bailey Boat Junior member Join Date: December 10, 2006 Location: NC Posts: 365	Sounds like someone needs a shotgun specific reloading manual.....