JimB
Active Member
I am not new to reloading rifle and pistol but I would like to get into shotgun reloading. Any advise on starting on a budget?
I am not new to reloading rifle and pistol but I would like to get into shotgun reloading. Any advise on starting on a budget?
Currently shooting Remington 870 and Stoeger M3k. A over/under will be next. Anyone have a 12 gauge over/under that I can use to dive into sporting clays? Cheap? Hehe I know over/under and cheap don’t go together.
Currently shooting Remington 870 and Stoeger M3k. A over/under will be next. Anyone have a 12 gauge over/under that I can use to dive into sporting clays? Cheap? Hehe I know over/under and cheap don’t go together.
sorry, I have been lazy replying to this. I am primarily a shotgunner though I shoot rifle and pistol as well. I have been loading since the 80's, I like reloading and I like trying new or new to me toys so I have tried a bunch of the options that are or used to be out there.
I will start with under no circumstances would I use a Lee machine for anything except maybe slugs (I don't load slugs - they might be Ok for that)
Unlike your metallic stuff, Dillon is not the top end here, that would be Spolar followed not closely by Ponsness Warren, I prefer the Mec progressives.
You also don't need Spolar or an automate or hydraulic system for any of the high end progressives unless you have a bad shoulder or like cool toys.
If you are starting rule 1 - don't buy a Lee, don't let anybody give you a Lee for free, if a friend tries to give you a Lee, he isn't really your friend....
For entry level my advice is a Mec Jr or even an old Pacific or Bair single stage. These are well built, adjustable and user friendly. They do not resize shells well which only matters if you are picking up someone else's hulls or using more than one gun.
A step up is a Mec Size master which will re-size your hulls as well but is still a single stage press.
With Mec or Pacific shotgun loaders don't plan to get die sets and change gauges, just buy presses in each gauge you will load, you can do that with a Ponsness Warren single stage (it will hold 2 gauges dies at the same time - it is also more expensive than 2 Mec presses.
Also, there are adjustable shot and powder bars which can save money over buying multiple bars and bushings, I am not a fan and don't use them
If you are shooting a bunch you will eventually want a progressive, I prefer Mec Grabbers which are like a Dillon 550 in that you manually rotate the shell plate as you load - it keeps it simple and if you have a primer not drop or a spill its easy to deal with.
I have owned Pacific 366's Hornady 366's, PW presses and mec 900's I just like the grabbers.
I currently use Grabbers in 12 and 16 gauge and a Mec Jr for 10 gauge with a separate super sizer. I dont currently load 410 28 or 20 gauges.
When you start you will find your bushings throw light for power and shot, its OK this is not precision reloading try to find the closest busing and bar that doesn't go over - you are loading by volume to get close to recipe weight - DO NOT GO OVER ON WEIGHT - DO NOT SUBSTITUTE PRIMERS OR POWDER or hulls unless you know the hull is OK (several brands use Cheddite hulls which are the same hull.
Also remember when you load by volume in a shot bar bigger shot will weigh less as there is more air between the pellets.
I am not new to reloading rifle and pistol but I would like to get into shotgun reloading. Any advise on starting on a budget?
^^^^^^^^ GREAT post!
I've used a MEC 600 Jr. (pre-Mark V), it was OLD when I got it, in '79. Traded a non-working Sears 19" color tv for it, with my (now former) brother-in-law.
Hey! He's the one that made the offer/deal!
I've loaded THOUSANDS of shotshells with this old workhorse!
I bought one of those "Universal Chargebars" and found it to be a POS, for me. Sold it on an old reloading bulletin board, on the 'net.
Good riddance.
MEC chargebars and MEC bushings.
I stepped away from Winchester wads (shot cups) and use Claybuster wads for 1-1/8 oz loads, and for 2-3/4" magnum loads, I use Remington RP-12 wads.
Haven't loaded 3" shells since the early/mid '80s.
Alliant Red Dot powder.
Really like the OLD Winchester AA cases, Remington Gun Club, Remington STS, the old "Mowhawk" black hulls............. and my ALL TIME favorite, the OLD Peter's "Blue Magic" hulls (still have a BUNCH of once-fired Blue Magic hulls, that I 'squirreled away' decades ago!)
A few years ago, on the employee 'classifieds', a guy in Middletown, DE offered up a MEC 9000 for $125.00.
I hurried up and bought that!
He had loaded ONE BOX of 12 ga shells with it. It's on my bench, and isn't leaving.
Get a Lyman Shotshell Reloading Manual and it will have all the data you'll need for loading.
I'd be lost if something happened to my old manual.