Reloading Shotshells

[rivitir]

I'm starting to get into reloading and I've been enjoying it. I've been enjoying it so much I bought a Lee load all from Midway. I've been researching shotshell reloading and I must admit I'm really lost due to all the choices! When I reloaded .357's I just did a little research and ended up picking a load with the help of a local gun shop owner.

 

Unfortunately I have yet to figure out what brand or types of components I need so I thought I would ask you guys for some wisdom. I'm going to start reloading using 2 3/4" 7.5 skeet 12ga. shotshells.

 

I figured I would use the same powder, Alliant's Unique type, since it says its good for 12ga. Would you suggest a different one for someone starting out?

Any suggestions on what type of Wad, Case (can I use used cases?), Primer, etc I should use?

[Clemson]

The Powder Manufacturers publish loads for popular components. Go to, for instance, Alliantpowder.com and enter their "Reloader's Guide." Choose 12 gauge and 2 3/4 inch hulls of the type that you have available. A bit of navigation will give you recipes that list powder, primer, wad, etc. Choose one with relatively low pressure.

 

Clemson

[AzRednek]

Unless you are using the same brand and type of hull choosing the best or correct wad can be a problem. With my old Lee Load-All I used to use what was called a Lage Uniwad to deal with the various lengths. The company that made them went out of business. I've heard and let me emphasize "heard" and haven't tried it myself. The Versalite wad is supposed to be forgiving and can be crushed either partially or completely with the correct amount of wad pressure if it is to long. There is no wad pressure gauge on the Lee but it wont take you long to get the feel to get the correct amount of pressure.

 

Last Dove season I had some wads that were short I wanted to use up. Using a trick I read about years ago I dropped in either 2 or 3 pop corn kernels in the shot cup before dumping the shot to take up some additional space and got a perfect crimp. If the load is short and I get a crimp with a big hole on top. I drip wax off of a birthday candle to seal it and keep the shot from falling out. Keep in mind adding extra shot to take up space is like shooting a heavier bullet with a lighter bullet's powder data and could raise pressure beyond safe. The pop corn worked great for taking up space, don't worry it wont pop. You will often see the kernels fly through the air and it will give you an idea if you're shooting in front or behind missed shots. Buy the cheapest pop corn you can find. Don't mess with the micro-wavable stuff as it is coated with an oily and greasy substance to give it the butter flavor.`

 

As far as I'm concerned paying extra for harder shot is a waste of money. A soft deformed pellet will knock clay or real birds down as well as a perfectly round one.

 

One more tip. You don't need to use any lube but if your finished shells get a bit sticky coming out of Lee's crimp station a real light spray of Armor-all will help. The Armor-all wont attract dirt and dust like oil will.

 

One more!! Sooner or later you will spill some shot. Make sure a shot pellet didn't sneak its way into the primer cup. The only time I've set off a primer unintentionally at my loading bench in over 30 years of reloading. I did it on my 12 ga Lee Load-All. A shot pellet got between the primer and the ram. When I seated the primer, boom. Didn't do any damage except to my ego after scaring the shoot out of me. I darn near fell in the the chair. I instantly pushed myself away from the bench. I moved, the chair didn't. Instead the chair tilted and I nearly fell over backward.

[Spiris]

I thought that I would chime in here, seeing that I reload 410 on my Mec 600JR and occasionally some 20ga on an old Lee load-all. I shoot a lot of 410 at clay targets, and reloading is the only way to beat the $10-15 a box that stores charge.

 

I use Claybuster wads that emulate the major brands at half the cost. I like to use Win AA hulls but they are quite expensive of late, and now I'm using Rem black and green hulls and they also last quite a few loadings with good crimps. They load the same as the STS Remington hulls.

For the larger 12ga-16ga-20ga, there are some new powders that are economical and very clean burning. They also give good velocity and lower pressures than some of the old standards.

As mentioned, loads for shotshells are available at www.alliantpowder.com, www.hodgdon.com, who are the main powder manufacturer/distributors.

The Lyman shotshell manual is always good to have too.

Ebay is still a good place to get new/used manuals and they still handle shotshell loaders also.

 

 

Spiris