Shotshell reloading

lonewolf2810 · August 22, 2009, 08:17 AM

I want to get into loading 12ga shells and would like to know where to find out any info on this matter. I have bought the press a 625 Mec and also have a 600jr that was given to me. Most reloads will be for dove hunting only.

Thanks

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · August 22, 2009, 08:49 AM

Lyman shotshell reloading manual is a must. GREAT manual! Read it thoroughly BEFORE you reload any shells. Follow the recipes EXACTLY. Shotshell reloading is not like metallic. Metallic reloading allows for some experimentation. With shotshell, you are given one charge weight for a specific powder...not a start load and a max load. Use that charge weight and that charge weight only! Hulls matter, too. Not all hulls are the same. Use only the hulls recommeded for the load...likewise with primers and wads. Changing just one component from the recipe WILL alter your pressure in some way. Good luck!

LHB1 · August 22, 2009, 11:06 AM

+1. Shotshell loading is different. Not only must the weight and type of powder be appropriate for the shot charge but the volume of powder, wad, and shot must fill the case to exactly the right level to allow correct crimping. I found it easiest to standardize on just one type of hull. You must use only the plastic wads specified for that hull with that weight of shot with that powder charge. NOT like loading rifle or pistol cases.

BigJimP · August 22, 2009, 05:01 PM

MEC makes very good presses - I use their 9000 HN series for 12, 20, 28ga and .410 ..

Reloading shotshells is pretty easy / and a lot of the basics you learn from metallic will transfer pretty well.

In 12ga - the strongest hull around is Remington STS or Remington Nitro - although you can load the Remington Gun Club with the same recipe as the other 2 - the gun club hull is thinner and more brittle. I'm getting 20+ reloads from an STS (dark green ) or Nitro hull ( gold ).

You should not mix head stamps on hulls. Most presses are set to reload 2 3/4" shells ( which will be fine for you in the field ) - a few can be adjusted to load a 3" shell. Personally in 12ga I use Hodgdon Clays powder, Win 209 primers, Win wads or a Duster Wad equivalent, and primarily 8's in 1oz for an all around shell at about 1225 fps.

To get started - you need to pick a hull ( I'd go with Rem STS ), then you have to look at the manuals for how many ounces of shot you want ( 1 1/8 oz, 1 oz or even 7/8 oz in a 12ga are common), and I like a 1 oz shell, then find the powder in the tables ( I like Clays ), then the primer (Win 209) and the Wad ( WAA 12SL is for 1 oz or 7/8 oz ) - if you go to 1 1/8 oz you will need a WAA12 wad.

My exact recipe I use is Clays 18.3 gr, Green Duster Wads (WAA 12SL equivalent), Win 209 primer in a Rem STS hull.

You cannot intermix shotshell primers / like we do for small pistol primers in metallic as an example / you will see Win 209, Fed 209, Chedite 209, Rem 209P etc and you can't interchange them because they are very different with the combination of the wad and powder for a specific case.

tmd47762 · August 22, 2009, 09:31 PM

An important note since you say you were given the MEC. I have an older (late 1970's) MEC press and the 5th edition of the Lyman guide has bushing-to-weight readings that do not match up (though they fit with the 4th quite well). This is probably because MEC changed their bushings at some point in the last 15 years, so if it's an older press this is something to look out for. An inexpensive scale will let you check that. Otherwise the Lyman books are indispensable.

If you have older bushings, the chart in the 5th ed will throw too much powder. Check the weight on the first few throws and adjust to the next smaller bushing until you get consistent throws within about 0.5 gr of where you're aiming. The MEC bushings aren't incredibly accurate and usually throw less powder and shot than their nominal amount, so don't worry about minuscule variations.

tmd47762 · August 22, 2009, 09:43 PM

Also I should mention +1 for Remington hulls. I've got some that have been loaded 8 times and may go a few more.

Federal hulls have a mixed record with me, though I do load them more than anything else. They crimp nicely on the MEC, but the paper basewads tend to erode after about 5 firings and the primers sometimes slip out when the action cycles (this makes for a lot of excitement in the dove field). I still like the Federal hulls as they are really good for heavier 1 1/4 oz crow loads, but they are sometimes tricky with certain wads (especially Remington 20 ga wads). Most any hull works fine though, but I'd stick to Rem, Fed, or Win, just because those will likely have loading recipes available for decades (which the hulls can last for). My personal favorite dove load is a 1 1/8 of #8 with Win 209 primer with some powder charge of Unique in the low 20's gr range that gives about 1250 fps. Depending on the hull and the wad the charge differs so make sure to look that up in the Lyman book.

August 22, 2009, 08:17 AM	#1
lonewolf2810 Junior Member Join Date: April 30, 2009 Posts: 10	Shotshell reloading I want to get into loading 12ga shells and would like to know where to find out any info on this matter. I have bought the press a 625 Mec and also have a 600jr that was given to me. Most reloads will be for dove hunting only. Thanks __________________ Police are NOT protectors, they are investigators of crime after the fact.

August 22, 2009, 08:49 AM	#2
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	Lyman shotshell reloading manual is a must. GREAT manual! Read it thoroughly BEFORE you reload any shells. Follow the recipes EXACTLY. Shotshell reloading is not like metallic. Metallic reloading allows for some experimentation. With shotshell, you are given one charge weight for a specific powder...not a start load and a max load. Use that charge weight and that charge weight only! Hulls matter, too. Not all hulls are the same. Use only the hulls recommeded for the load...likewise with primers and wads. Changing just one component from the recipe WILL alter your pressure in some way. Good luck! __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

August 22, 2009, 11:06 AM	#3
LHB1 Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,545	+1. Shotshell loading is different. Not only must the weight and type of powder be appropriate for the shot charge but the volume of powder, wad, and shot must fill the case to exactly the right level to allow correct crimping. I found it easiest to standardize on just one type of hull. You must use only the plastic wads specified for that hull with that weight of shot with that powder charge. NOT like loading rifle or pistol cases. __________________ Good shooting and be safe. LB

August 22, 2009, 05:01 PM	#4
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	MEC makes very good presses - I use their 9000 HN series for 12, 20, 28ga and .410 .. Reloading shotshells is pretty easy / and a lot of the basics you learn from metallic will transfer pretty well. In 12ga - the strongest hull around is Remington STS or Remington Nitro - although you can load the Remington Gun Club with the same recipe as the other 2 - the gun club hull is thinner and more brittle. I'm getting 20+ reloads from an STS (dark green ) or Nitro hull ( gold ). You should not mix head stamps on hulls. Most presses are set to reload 2 3/4" shells ( which will be fine for you in the field ) - a few can be adjusted to load a 3" shell. Personally in 12ga I use Hodgdon Clays powder, Win 209 primers, Win wads or a Duster Wad equivalent, and primarily 8's in 1oz for an all around shell at about 1225 fps. To get started - you need to pick a hull ( I'd go with Rem STS ), then you have to look at the manuals for how many ounces of shot you want ( 1 1/8 oz, 1 oz or even 7/8 oz in a 12ga are common), and I like a 1 oz shell, then find the powder in the tables ( I like Clays ), then the primer (Win 209) and the Wad ( WAA 12SL is for 1 oz or 7/8 oz ) - if you go to 1 1/8 oz you will need a WAA12 wad. My exact recipe I use is Clays 18.3 gr, Green Duster Wads (WAA 12SL equivalent), Win 209 primer in a Rem STS hull. You cannot intermix shotshell primers / like we do for small pistol primers in metallic as an example / you will see Win 209, Fed 209, Chedite 209, Rem 209P etc and you can't interchange them because they are very different with the combination of the wad and powder for a specific case.

August 22, 2009, 09:31 PM	#5
tmd47762 Member Join Date: April 30, 2009 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 96	An important note since you say you were given the MEC. I have an older (late 1970's) MEC press and the 5th edition of the Lyman guide has bushing-to-weight readings that do not match up (though they fit with the 4th quite well). This is probably because MEC changed their bushings at some point in the last 15 years, so if it's an older press this is something to look out for. An inexpensive scale will let you check that. Otherwise the Lyman books are indispensable. If you have older bushings, the chart in the 5th ed will throw too much powder. Check the weight on the first few throws and adjust to the next smaller bushing until you get consistent throws within about 0.5 gr of where you're aiming. The MEC bushings aren't incredibly accurate and usually throw less powder and shot than their nominal amount, so don't worry about minuscule variations.

August 22, 2009, 09:43 PM	#6
tmd47762 Member Join Date: April 30, 2009 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 96	Also I should mention +1 for Remington hulls. I've got some that have been loaded 8 times and may go a few more. Federal hulls have a mixed record with me, though I do load them more than anything else. They crimp nicely on the MEC, but the paper basewads tend to erode after about 5 firings and the primers sometimes slip out when the action cycles (this makes for a lot of excitement in the dove field). I still like the Federal hulls as they are really good for heavier 1 1/4 oz crow loads, but they are sometimes tricky with certain wads (especially Remington 20 ga wads). Most any hull works fine though, but I'd stick to Rem, Fed, or Win, just because those will likely have loading recipes available for decades (which the hulls can last for). My personal favorite dove load is a 1 1/8 of #8 with Win 209 primer with some powder charge of Unique in the low 20's gr range that gives about 1250 fps. Depending on the hull and the wad the charge differs so make sure to look that up in the Lyman book.