12 gauge shot shell reloading

Shots shells are slightly different than metallics....
It's all about filling the hull completely and compacted enough for powder burning...
Meaning you may substitute powder weights here and there...but you have to fill the voids.....can't be any air pockets or things fizzle out before leaving the barrel...and shot hitting the ground at the end of the barrel will leave you embarrassed.....
I've mostly loaded for 28ga....long ago tried 12ga for duck hunting...busted the internals in the shotgun due to a 'hot load'...ruined that gun.....

Take your time..learn your machine.....

Have fun cleaning up powder messes and lead spills.......
Best advice for reloading gauge guns....get a giant cookie sheet to mount the loader on to of it....keeps the spilled shot and powders off the cabinet and floor....

Or..buy factory....12ga and 20ga are cheap compared to 28ga and 410ga

Lots of info at BPI
 
It's been over 30 years for me. Components may have changed.

I found Winchester AA Trap to be the best quality hull. The others tended to bulge and not crimp properly. I second the advice to be ready for powder and shot spills. I used a coupe different MEC loaders. Quit because it was cheaper to buy the dove loads plus I never could make high brass pheasant or other large game loads work well.
 
What do you want to know about it? What do you intend to use the shells for? I used to shoot trap years ago and did all my own reloading. The Winchester double AA hulls were good as were the Remington's and the Federal Gold Medals. Although I got a slightly better crimp with the Winchester's. Keep an eye on the ends of the case that gets crimped. When they start to tear and split, it's time to toss them. For my trap loads, I used a lot of 700X powder. Some guys used Red Dot. Follow the load recommendations from the powder manufacture. Make sure you got the appropriate wads for both the case you are using and the amount of shot that you are using.

I used to use a MEC 600 press for my reloading. A good quality press and easy to learn on. Although it is true that there is some powder spillage that comes from sliding the charge bar from one side to the other, don't misunderstand the amount we are talking about here. It's only a minute amount. I never had much issue with the shot unless I spilled it trying to load the shot bottle. I always used a funnel and emptied my shot bag into a cool whip container that I was able to squeeze together to aid in filling the shot bottle.
 
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MarkInPA said:
What do you want to know about it? What do you intend to use the shells for? I used to shoot trap years ago and did all my own reloading. The Winchester double AA hulls were good as were the Remington's and the Federal Gold Medals. Although I got a slightly better crimp with the Winchester's. Keep an eye on the ends of the case that gets crimped. When they start to tear and split, it's time to toss them. For my trap loads, I used a lot of 700X powder. Some guys used Red Dot. Follow the load recommendations from the powder manufacture. Make sure you got the appropriate wads for both the case you are using and the amount of shot that you are using.

I used to use a MEC 600 press for my reloading. A good quality press and easy to learn on. Although it is true that there is some powder spillage that comes from sliding the charge bar from one side to the other, don't misunderstand the amount we are talking about here. It's only a minute amount. I never had much issue with the shot unless I spilled it trying to load the shot bottle. I always used a funnel and emptied my shot bag into a cool whip container that I was able to squeeze together to aid in filling the shot bottle.
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So was looking into reloading for trap and once that figured out maybe dabble into hunting loads I have two kids shooting trap as of now and as they practice and starting to shoot ata the shell counts are going up so was looking reloading to lower cost a little and don't have to pay shipping for shells all the time
 
bowhunter1287 said:
So was looking into reloading for trap and once that figured out maybe dabble into hunting loads I have two kids shooting trap as of now and as they practice and starting to shoot ata the shell counts are going up so was looking reloading to lower cost a little and don't have to pay shipping for shells all the time
Click to expand...
Sounds like you are on track. If you are shooting a lot of shells, you can save, "some", money and if you are like me, the reloading can be enjoyable. With the kids, are you looking at shooting reduced 1 ounce loads or do you want to use the 1 1/8" ounce loads? If you are not recoil conscience, I would probably stick with the 1 1/8" ounce loads. Especially if you are shooting handicaps or doubles.

I'll see if I can not find my old recipe. Keep in mind that the powder amount is somewhat dependent on what hull you are reloading.
 
MarkInPA said:
Sounds like you are on track. If you are shooting a lot of shells, you can save, "some", money and if you are like me, the reloading can be enjoyable. With the kids, are you looking at shooting reduced 1 ounce loads or do you want to use the 1 1/8" ounce loads? If you are not recoil conscience, I would probably stick with the 1 1/8" ounce loads. Especially if you are shooting handicaps or doubles.

I'll see if I can not find my old recipe. Keep in mind that the powder amount is somewhat dependent on what hull you are reloading.
Click to expand...

Well I would probably stay with the 1 1/8 8 shot they are bouncing back and forth between 1 oz and 1 1/8 now depends what's in stock at time of order now just seems like I'm always buying shells and if I can reload and see them do great with those that's a win for me
 
Oh yea, I would recommend buying magnum shot. A bit more expensive but it is harder. Which means they stay more true and round and that means they fly a bit more straight. Can also translate to more rock being broken instead of bouncing off. At least that is the theory.
 
bowhunter1287 said:
Well I would probably stay with the 1 1/8 8 shot they are bouncing back and forth between 1 oz and 1 1/8 now depends what's in stock at time of order now just seems like I'm always buying shells and if I can reload and see them do great with those that's a win for me
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OK, let me see what I can find from my notes. You might also want to consider 7 1/2 shot. Nothing necessarily wrong with 8 shot but 7 1/2 is an option too.
 
Uggh I'm kicking myself. I had everything to load for my wing wingshooting endeavors. It sat for decades because it just didn't pay to load for shotguns. Field loads were dirt cheap and steel used to be $7 a box. I ended up giving all my stuff to a friend as he would use it. Now, I can't afford to look at the prices of shotgun shells anymore.
He loads everything. Primarily uses it to load custom stuff for his turkey hunting. Bismuth and tungsten shot size mixes and what not for turkeys. He enjoys playing with this stuff and seeing how it performs. Turkey loads have always been pricey so he likes to build his own "high dollar" loads for cheaper.
 
I started loading 12 gauge shells in 1971 with a Lee Loader. Shot was about $6/25# bag and powder was $8/pound. I could load a box of shells for about half the going price of factory loads.

The costs of components changed over the years and for a long time, it was just as cheap (cheaper if you count your time) to use budget priced "value packs" from WalMart for informal clay bird shooting, doves and quail. Hunting ammo, especially magnum loads and steel, could still be loaded for less cost than buying.

I still have two MEC 600s (12 ga 2-3/4" and 12 ga 3") and a MEC 650 (set up for 12 ga 2-3/4" target loads).

I used to binge load shotgun shells, a thousand of any given type at a time, and I am still shooting hunting ammo I loaded in the late 1980s. I've shot up most of my trap/skeet ammo stash.

I really don't think one can save much money any more, probably enough to use equipment you have, but not enough to offset buying new gear

My shotgun shooting volume dropped off and I seldom load shotshells any more. I hunt waterfowl a couple times a year and a box of shells will last me all season, sometimes two seasons. I shoot sporting clays for fun and burn about 100 shells a session and couple times a month and typically use cheap factory ammo.
 
eshell said:
I started loading 12 gauge shells in 1971 with a Lee Loader. Shot was about $6/25# bag and powder was $8/pound. I could load a box of shells for about half the going price of factory loads.

The costs of components changed over the years and for a long time, it was just as cheap (cheaper if you count your time) to use budget priced "value packs" from WalMart for informal clay bird shooting, doves and quail. Hunting ammo, especially magnum loads and steel, could still be loaded for less cost than buying.

I still have two MEC 600s (12 ga 2-3/4" and 12 ga 3") and a MEC 650 (set up for 12 ga 2-3/4" target loads).

I used to binge load shotgun shells, a thousand of any given type at a time, and I am still shooting hunting ammo I loaded in the late 1980s. I've shot up most of my trap/skeet ammo stash.

I really don't think one can save much money any more, probably enough to use equipment you have, but not enough to offset buying new gear

My shotgun shooting volume dropped off and I seldom load shotshells any more. I hunt waterfowl a couple times a year and a box of shells will last me all season, sometimes two seasons. I shoot sporting clays for fun and burn about 100 shells a session and couple times a month and typically use cheap factory ammo.
Click to expand...
My take on it is that there is an initial investment to purchase equipment and supplies. Initially you will not save money until you pay for the press. In the 90's I was still reloading shells for less money than what they cost to purchase. At the time, a box of shells for trap cost approximately $5.50 per box. I had figured that my reloads were costing in the neighborhood of $3.25 - $3.50. If memory serves correct. I still believe there is a cost savings today. The only way to know for sure would be to look up cost of shells and the cost of components and do a comparison. That can be done.
 

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