shot shell loading ?

Ammo Junky · January 13, 2007, 03:46 PM

I got a great deal on a nib mec 9000G from a guy at work. I am new to loading shot shells. Do any of you reload your game shells? I have read that the plastic base wad can come out and cause a bbl obstruction. Anyone hear of this actualy happening? Does anyone clean shells between loads as with rifle loading? I will mostly be loading 7/8 oz 12 ga loads with a few 1 1/4 oz loads for hunting. What would be a good powder? After doing some reading I am looking at hodgdon clays.
TIA
AJ

wolverine350 · January 13, 2007, 03:56 PM

Loading your own shotshells is a lot of fun and economical, only thing is you need to use good hulls to do so, such as winchester AA, or Remington STS, federal gold medal, the will last a long time and reload with ease with no crimping issues such as regular casings, the winchester super field is good powder and the alliant green or red dot is also good, dupont 800x is good also, hadn't experimented with any hodgden powders, some say the universal clays is good

20YearVet · January 14, 2007, 07:56 AM

Although I still reload my 12 ga target loads, it's now alot cheaper to buy factory loads from pretty much any store. In other words, even if you buy 1000 rounds worth of components, you are still better off buying factory loads.

With that said, I've been using Clays for several years and highly recommend it. I've had no problems with it and one of the main reasons I like it is that it burns very clean as compared to Red Dot.

As for cleaning hulls, unless they're being ejected onto muddy ground there should be no reason for needing to clean them between reloads.

Bud_Ugly · January 17, 2007, 01:05 PM

I've been reloading 12ga. w/ a used 9000g for about a year and I'm lovin' it! I only used Winchester AA hulls and have found that I can usually get at least 8 loads out of one before the crimp wears out, I've gotten as many as 12 loads out of some hulls. I use the Claybuster equivilent of the WAA12SL wads w/ 1 oz of #8 shot and Winchester 209 primers. I've been using 19.5 gr. of Green Dot because I got 8lbs. of it with the deal.... Overall, I am very pleased with the loads.

For me the toughest thing was adjusting the collet to re-size properly. Since yours is NIB you may not have to worry about that for a while. Do get a shell checker and some of the MEC collet grease. I found after a while that the loader was sticking on the upstroke but a bit of the grease had it working smooth again in no time.

Take your time and focus when you start out to avoid spills. Occasionally a primer may not fall into the slot properly, if you do not keep an eye out for that you will pour powder into a hull w/out a primer. The result is that you will spill powder into the seating stage and will have to stop and clean up...

There are some very good deals on 12ga. shells out there so the savings is not as great as you would hope, but then you don't get the satisfaction of having done it yourself.

Enjoy!
bud

RERICK · January 19, 2007, 08:26 AM

Where do you guys get your lead shot?What are you paying for it?Around hear where I live the cheapest i have found is $26.00 for a 25 pound bag.I figured I would save about $4.00 or there about on a case of shells.And that doesn't take into account my time either.I would love to do my own if I could find a way to make it worth it.

Ruger4570 · January 19, 2007, 10:29 AM

With the current prices for shot and primers going up, it is HARD to really save a lot of money loading 12 and 20's. I shoot a lot of skeet with 28 and 410. Those are the 2 you can save some money on as no one is making cheap factory shells for them. I have never tried to factor my "time" into the equation, if I did, loading would be a waste of time and no savings at all. I derive a lot of pleasure and satisfaction loading my hulls so my time isn't counted. The advice on getting lube for the sizer is good, but you can go to any auto supply store and simply get a tube of anti seize..same stuff as MEC product..Good luck on the reloading.

RERICK · January 19, 2007, 10:46 AM

Ruger4570
You sound like my buddy.He shoots skeet with a 410 and he loads because it really is cheaper for him.I'm not as good a shot as he is and I use a 12 ga.I mainly shoot trap in the warmer months once a week or so.Until the price of components comes down the MEC I own will be a little lonely.I think if we did count the time we put into reloading we would really be in the hole.I do think that prices will come down sooner or later.Its just a matter of when.But I think for now I have a better chance of seeing Buddha.

amamnn · January 20, 2007, 12:47 PM

The problem with the wad you mention is a variation of the old wad rumor that gets perpetuated by people substituting wads. There is a real difference between brands and models of wads and if your manual calls for, say a Rem figure 8, then you use a Rem figure 8. I can't really speak with any authority on the relative cost of reloaded vs. new match loads these days as I bought a lifetime's worth of components when a local gun store went out of business here. However, all the shooters I know who belong to the trap and skeet club here that used to reload shells, are still reloading. I suspect the cost is much like metallic reloads: cheaper to buy off brand cheapo factory stuff, but not the premium/match ammo.

20YearVet · January 20, 2007, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Lead shot

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Where do you guys get your lead shot?What are you paying for it?Around hear where I live the cheapest i have found is $26.00 for a 25 pound bag.I figured I would save about $4.00 or there about on a case of shells.And that doesn't take into account my time either.I would love to do my own if I could find a way to make it worth it.

"around here" for me is in Southeast Wisconsin. The place I get mine - the best bulk purchase place - is about the same right now, $26 a 25 lb bag.

I reload because I enjoy it. It's cheaper to by Federal Target loads from a big chain store like Wal-mart or some other place.

January 13, 2007, 03:46 PM	#1
Ammo Junky Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: IL Posts: 537	shot shell loading ? I got a great deal on a nib mec 9000G from a guy at work. I am new to loading shot shells. Do any of you reload your game shells? I have read that the plastic base wad can come out and cause a bbl obstruction. Anyone hear of this actualy happening? Does anyone clean shells between loads as with rifle loading? I will mostly be loading 7/8 oz 12 ga loads with a few 1 1/4 oz loads for hunting. What would be a good powder? After doing some reading I am looking at hodgdon clays. TIA AJ __________________ Will work for brass. I apologise in advance for spelling errors.

January 17, 2007, 01:05 PM	#4
Bud_Ugly Junior Member Join Date: January 11, 2007 Location: Sierra Madre, CA. Posts: 9	I've been reloading 12ga. w/ a used 9000g for about a year and I'm lovin' it! I only used Winchester AA hulls and have found that I can usually get at least 8 loads out of one before the crimp wears out, I've gotten as many as 12 loads out of some hulls. I use the Claybuster equivilent of the WAA12SL wads w/ 1 oz of #8 shot and Winchester 209 primers. I've been using 19.5 gr. of Green Dot because I got 8lbs. of it with the deal.... Overall, I am very pleased with the loads. For me the toughest thing was adjusting the collet to re-size properly. Since yours is NIB you may not have to worry about that for a while. Do get a shell checker and some of the MEC collet grease. I found after a while that the loader was sticking on the upstroke but a bit of the grease had it working smooth again in no time. Take your time and focus when you start out to avoid spills. Occasionally a primer may not fall into the slot properly, if you do not keep an eye out for that you will pour powder into a hull w/out a primer. The result is that you will spill powder into the seating stage and will have to stop and clean up... There are some very good deals on 12ga. shells out there so the savings is not as great as you would hope, but then you don't get the satisfaction of having done it yourself. Enjoy! bud __________________ http://www.uglybrothers.net

January 19, 2007, 08:26 AM	#5
RERICK Junior member Join Date: July 9, 2005 Posts: 369	Lead shot Where do you guys get your lead shot?What are you paying for it?Around hear where I live the cheapest i have found is $26.00 for a 25 pound bag.I figured I would save about $4.00 or there about on a case of shells.And that doesn't take into account my time either.I would love to do my own if I could find a way to make it worth it.

January 13, 2007, 03:56 PM	#2
wolverine350 Senior Member Join Date: November 27, 2006 Location: ponca city ok Posts: 746	Loading your own shotshells is a lot of fun and economical, only thing is you need to use good hulls to do so, such as winchester AA, or Remington STS, federal gold medal, the will last a long time and reload with ease with no crimping issues such as regular casings, the winchester super field is good powder and the alliant green or red dot is also good, dupont 800x is good also, hadn't experimented with any hodgden powders, some say the universal clays is good

January 14, 2007, 07:56 AM	#3
20YearVet Member Join Date: January 29, 2006 Location: Fond du Lac, WI Posts: 24	Although I still reload my 12 ga target loads, it's now alot cheaper to buy factory loads from pretty much any store. In other words, even if you buy 1000 rounds worth of components, you are still better off buying factory loads. With that said, I've been using Clays for several years and highly recommend it. I've had no problems with it and one of the main reasons I like it is that it burns very clean as compared to Red Dot. As for cleaning hulls, unless they're being ejected onto muddy ground there should be no reason for needing to clean them between reloads.

January 19, 2007, 10:29 AM	#6
Ruger4570 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 2,136	With the current prices for shot and primers going up, it is HARD to really save a lot of money loading 12 and 20's. I shoot a lot of skeet with 28 and 410. Those are the 2 you can save some money on as no one is making cheap factory shells for them. I have never tried to factor my "time" into the equation, if I did, loading would be a waste of time and no savings at all. I derive a lot of pleasure and satisfaction loading my hulls so my time isn't counted. The advice on getting lube for the sizer is good, but you can go to any auto supply store and simply get a tube of anti seize..same stuff as MEC product..Good luck on the reloading.

January 19, 2007, 10:46 AM	#7
RERICK Junior member Join Date: July 9, 2005 Posts: 369	Ruger4570 You sound like my buddy.He shoots skeet with a 410 and he loads because it really is cheaper for him.I'm not as good a shot as he is and I use a 12 ga.I mainly shoot trap in the warmer months once a week or so.Until the price of components comes down the MEC I own will be a little lonely.I think if we did count the time we put into reloading we would really be in the hole.I do think that prices will come down sooner or later.Its just a matter of when.But I think for now I have a better chance of seeing Buddha.

January 20, 2007, 12:47 PM	#8
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	The problem with the wad you mention is a variation of the old wad rumor that gets perpetuated by people substituting wads. There is a real difference between brands and models of wads and if your manual calls for, say a Rem figure 8, then you use a Rem figure 8. I can't really speak with any authority on the relative cost of reloaded vs. new match loads these days as I bought a lifetime's worth of components when a local gun store went out of business here. However, all the shooters I know who belong to the trap and skeet club here that used to reload shells, are still reloading. I suspect the cost is much like metallic reloads: cheaper to buy off brand cheapo factory stuff, but not the premium/match ammo. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal