Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Any one still reloading shotgun ammo???

With the slump in my shooting, I started loading ammo for spring and summer.. But at the last shoot I attended all my old pals were shooting cheap new ammo... They said it was so cheap reloading wasn't worth the time.. I guess I will still load for a while, I bought 16 pounds of Green Dot at a very good price, then 4000 Fed. primers at a steal, plus I had about a ton of shot that I bought when shot was 11-13 dollars a bag.. I am still looking for a good buy on factory to use in local turkey shoots.. I think it is better than handloads.. Any of you still loading shotgun ammo?????

I still and likely will always load my own shotshell ammo. I load only magnum shot for trap and primarily sporting clay's which makes the cost and effort worth it.

I seriously thought about it, but factory stuff comes up so cheap that it is not worth while for most loads. A specialty load perhaps but I don't shoot very many of those. Perhaps an avid trap or skeet shooter, shooting every weekend could see a savings. I don't shoot that much. Rifles and pistol rounds, now that is different.

I have reloaded since I was a teenager. It used to be very cheap, those days have long since been gone. When I started you could by high power duck loads for $1.25 a box and reload them for about $0.50 a box. Back then it wasn't very popular. But that's not why I started, it began for me with the satisfaction of taking an empty hull and making it useful again. With the onset of the plastic hull reloading got easier and more reliable. So now I reload strictly for fun and hobby, but I still get great satisfaction from taking a cold dead useless hull come alive again!

Swampwood...

I've been loading shotshells the last couple weeks, several hundred 410, a couple hundred 16 ga, and about 2800 rounds of 7 1/2 for the 12 ga. I'm planning a run of 8s in the 12 ga and 20 ga and some 3" 410 next.

I have components left over from long ago so I can still load pretty cheaply. I save a couple bucks a box over factory so it is cost effective for me, especially as I load 7/8 oz for a lot of my 12 ga target loads. I save a lot more on the small bores which makes that a lot of sense.

If not for all the components I have on hand, I would buy factory rather than load for 12 ga. I prefer a lighter shot charge than the typical 1 1/8 oz but I can make do. The 20 ga is iffy, and the others are more economical to reload.

It's hard to justify loading 12 and 20ga. target loads these days with the price of shot in the $40-$50 range. However it makes sense for the 28ga. and 410. I still load my shells however because I don't buy my shot, I make it. That puts me around $1.50/box for 1 oz. skeet loads. I've made enough shot with my Littleton shot maker to sell enough to pay for the machine. Now everything I make costs me virtually nothing! I can make 45lbs. and hour and I've gotten the process down well enough that my shot looks and shoots as well as factory shot. The targets can't tell the difference! I did finally break down and buy some factory 12ga. pheasant hunting loads as one of our local gun shops closed and were selling them for 50% discounts.

Happy shotgunning!

Elk Country

Yup all ways will ,it's the only way to get the things you need. Like Black Powder 10 ga 2 7/8" loads roll crimped . 2 9/16" 16 ga for old 16's, 2 5/8" 12's for my made in 1902 M97 Winchester every thing from 1 oz target loads to 12 ga roundball loads in a cut down hull so it will hold 9 of those dudes., 20 ga ball loads that put 2 54cal balls on a paper plate at 35 yds 10 of them in 3-4 seconds. Any kind of hunting load I think I need for every gauge and never have to worry about some marketing puke discontinuing my favorite load for a specific use. Might as well cut your dick off than let some else limit what you NEED. When I miss a clay pigeon I figure it was me and don't blame my loads, shoot to build your skills, good scores will result. Get back to reloading your own, anybody can buy shells, making your own has meaning and is constructively productive. What would you have done with the loading time you didn't use ? watch gd Oprah or Ellen? MB yup and I drink good whiskey and Bud when I want one.

Interesting comments... I enjoy loading and have so much shot and powder and primers, I suppose I always will load some ammo.. Our clay target season is pretty short here, but my step daughter lives in Colo. and will be moving to Parachute or Rifle soon.. Rifle has a fine shooting complex that seems to operate most of the year.. Don't know about Parachute, most of my shooting has been at the Basalt range... Wy. pretty much closes up for the winter which lasts til April!!!! Thanks again..

MN used to close up for the winter but it is more active now. For just shotgun I can shoot 5 stand at the local club year round on Sunday. 25 minutes away another club has trap, skeet, 5 stand, and a duck tower open all year. I've shot 5 stand and 410 winter skeet league there regularly. One can usually find a sporting clays shoot on most weekends but I don't chase that like I used to.

The three gun people put on a couple of shotgun events over the winter but I haven't made one of them yet. I've done a couple in the summer and it is challenging enough for me then.

With any of the serious registered events you are going to shoot new or be DQ'd.

I do, but it's rare now....since I don't shoot any longer. Nearest trap/skeet range is 25+ miles away.. If I shot a bunch I would reload until I ran out of ingredients - since I still have a lot of shot that I bought at $10.65 a bag (magnum Lawrence shot) about 15-17 years ago.. I've got two cases of wads, a couple thousand primers, about 20# of powder and at least 4,000 cases..

Problem is, I already have enough loaded boxes laying around that I probably won't have to fire up the MEC 9000 for another 10 years...

Redneck you must a been a Boy Scout also, I never have forgot "Be Prepared " either. MB

I load for a Dickinson SxS 16 ga I bought a couple years ago, and Cheesys 100 year old Oscar Will SxS. 16 ga are a little thin on most store shelves and priced accordingly. I've got a few flats of the Cabelas Herter brand on the shelf to use for empties as well as new primed Cheddites from mail order suppliers. 12 and 20 I have quite a few loaded, but they don't get used as much since I got the 16

Yes, I do. The reason I load is that I shoot a lot of sporting clays, and have found that 7/8 oz of the best magnum shot is a load not easily found commercially. The key is hard shot. These hold patterns together extremely well even on rangy targets (over 50 yards) out of my gun choked M/IM. Shot over 300 today. I find that buying components smartly in large quantities allows me to load for $4.35/box.

I load on a Mec 9000, and am pretty fast. I don’t mind the chore most of the time.

I have also found a 3/4 oz is wonderful in the 28 gauge. And as a 16 gauge fan, I am also driven to handload the 16 too.

In the 28 gauge and .410, it’s strictly about cost.

I will reload some 12 gauge from time to time... I don't shoot skeet or trap... I hunt grouse in the Wisconsin North woods... I have found the copper plated lead zips thru the leaves and small branches and can take out a bird a lot better than the plain soft lead shot. Copper plated shot in a light load in #7 can be a tough find and expensive when you do find it... Federal will load it in a special Quail Forever load. I tend to load some a little hotter for the late season incase I have to reach to the tree tops as they go over me.

I want to start flirting with non-toxic load for ducks... and do some roll crimping with ITX shot for ducks.

I just picked up 10 flats of 12 ga one and one eighth ounce loads for $45.00/ flat or $4.50 a box. These are for my nephews to use for high school trap. They haven't realized that the amount of shot is not what's important.

That is 15-25 cents a box over what one can reload an equivalent load at today's prices for components. Even though my equipment paid for itself decades ago, it doesn't make sense to reload these 12 ga target loads at current prices. Even my standard 7/8 oz loads only save about 60 cents per box at current prices. I like this weight as it is easy on the shoulder and stretches a bag of shot. Screw in improved modified and/or full chokes and one is set for any shot.

Back on topic- those who buy their 12 ga target loads haven't had it so good i

The 7/8 oz load will break birds as smartly as any 1 oz or 1 1/8 oz load.

Most don't understand the dynamics of shotgun patterns, shot strings, and shot column. Take one to a pattern board and their eyes will light up at what they see between heavy loads and light loads. Light is right!

Agreed!!


Absolutely.. My trap loads are very similar, and with the cheap supplies I got at the time I'm under $4.00/box..

Ditto.. But I haven't used the 9000H now for about 5 years.. I really should sell it since I have a MEC progressive I can use if I find I'm running low..

You can shoot the 7/8 ounce loads if it makes you feel good. They do hold together great, but don't fool yourself into thinking they are the best choice to break targets. You would be further ahead when it comes to breaking targets, to shoot 1 or 1/1'8 at reduced speed. They hold together great also.

You won't save that .70 cents a box, but you will probably break more targets.