Components

Hello guys!

I have not reloaded a shotgun shell in about thirty years!!! I have a few MEC loaders Im pullin outta mothballs and will mount on new bench Im building. I have a amount of "old" wads and hulls. Some primers and some shot. I have two buck shot molds. Wanting one more when I can find a mold

My "wants" are primarily 410 & 12 ga Buck Shot and slugs loads.

I have been search in for materials and like most things "gun" the pickin has been slim!

Midway had all the basics I "had to" have. I have dealt with Precision Reloading and Ballistic Products for decades. I just found out Midway had stock and was suprised.

Where is a good online retailer for supplies? I know most places will be slimm these days but looking for other possibilities to search.

Also question on slugs. I reading some these newer 12ga "Italian slugs". They have a proprietary wad column that attaches like Breneke has for a spell. I read very favorable Accuracy. Where can these molds & components be had?

Also same Question with 410. Is there such a animal Or am I stuck with the shuttle cock design?

Thanks guys I appreciate the help!

CW

I recently went through what you're currently going through. At this point in time if there is one source for everything I never found it in my weeks of searching. I found that various retailers spread across the globe* (seriously!) were required to get me what I wanted. Some items are still on backorder.

*I located a LEE #4 buckshot mold in the UK, and another in Russia. I couldn't even buy a fishing weight mold from any source in the USA.

I was in the same boat as you. I found a dearth of 00 buck shells out there in the market.
I picked up a Lee shotshell reloader and started to make my own.
I went to BPI and picked up a bunch of Fiocchi hulls with primers. They still have them available at 13 cents apiece.
I also had to find a wad combination that would work well with 00 buck. Wads are a bit hit or miss too.
I purchased the BPI buckshot manual and it proved to be invaluable. I have 2 different loads from the manual that I use.
One is a 2x3 stack (PT1253 wad) that I call the girlie load for my wife and shooters with a lighter frame
And a 2x5 stack (MG42 wad) that packs a bit more of a punch.

There are vendors here who sell 00 buck but in my case I purchased a Lee smelter and 4 buck and 00 buck molds.

If you have a lot of hulls around, you can use those. In my case, it was easier to go with the Fiocchi ones.

https://www.ballisticproducts.com

I load a lot of shotgun shells birdshot , bismuth shot , buckshot and slugs . In the last four months I e been quietly acquiring 209 primers . I bought three sleeves of WIN 209’s from Brownells which a friend and I split that’s 7,500 each . Then about a week later I got two more sleeves at the local Sporting clays course again WIN and again we split them . So that was 12,500 each . I was at the same sporting course last week and asked if he had primers , he was down to a couple G’s of WIN but he had five sleeves of Chedditte 209’s . So the guy that owns the place and I discussed the Chedditte primers as to OD etc and he told me he’d been using them for years in STS hulls no problem . So to shorten the story I got two sleeves 10,000 for myself . The next day I loaded a few in 410 loads and loaded a few 410’s with WIN as well then shot them . No noticeable difference . I then tried loading three of the hulls that had Chedditte primers but then with WIN primers , no looseness etc so I’m satisfied SO FAR . On a positive note the Chedditte primers were about $15 a sleeve cheaper . Think at the moment I’ve got 7,500 WIN left , the 10,000 Chedditte, a 1000 Federal and a 1000 CCI 209M . I’m satisfied I can get thru the election year and maybe 2021 as well if components dry up . Think I’ve got 30-40 thousand reloads on hand and 10-12 flats of factory so I’m in good shape.

If you have had your wads a long time really check them to see if they are still good. The petals will break if you bend them if they are bad. I have seen mostly Winchester wads to be the culprits. They are also over 20yrs old.

gmsharps

I was looking for a type of powder and it seemed everyone was out. Then I happened on some for sale where it wasn’t three days before. Great I thought. I’m going to make a list of other things I need to average out the shipping costs. The next day when I went to place my order, it was all sold out. Moral of the story, if you haven’t already guessed, if you see something for sale you need, don’t wait. Buy it!

It is a good idea to know the powders that can be used. For my 00 I use RedDot and Hurco. There are usually close alternatives available.

CW: Those Italian Slugs you speak of are made by an outfit named Gualandi. There aren't any moulds for them because they a Swaged.

They are very nicely made, but at the $cost, they aren't really a plinking type of thing.

They are Big Flat Nosed Slugs and I cna't imagine anything living thru a hit by one.

I bought a 25 pack of 12 ga. 1 1/8 oz Thugs along with Primed Hulls and loaded them all up with 23 gr of Unique. (1250 fps) I shot 3 of them to see if they'd group from my M500 and they were OK.3" 50 yards. But that barrel is Vang Comped and may not be optimum for this type of slug. It shoot regular Federal Low Recoil Slugs and Lee Slugs great.

But the real test is how they shoot from the A5 with either the Buck Special Barrel or Hasting Rifled barrel. I suspect they will be excellent.

They load up real nice. see pics

Randy

https://www.thereloadersnetwork.com/
ebay
facebook

This is where you want to look for the Russian molds. Facebook is the cheapest place to get them from. The wads are made in Russia as well. But the reloadersnetwork has them from time to time. I tried to get the owner of BrenekeUSA to sell the wads but he said no. He is local to me. The Russian wads are a knockoff of the Italian wads.

If you want a buckshot mold in any size right now, the very best option is Marty's Arms. They are more expensive, but it will be here quickly, and you will get exactly what you want. I just bought one 2 weeks ago, and it arrived a few days ago.

The best suppliers for wads are still Precision Reloading, and Ballistic Products.

Slugs is a diverse topic. You can go as simple as a round ball from JT ball molds. A .680" in a wad, or a .735" full bore diameter are the common ones. A Lee 7/8 oz slug can be an option. Another is the Lyman sabot slug, which you can buy from GT bullets if you don't want to hunt down a mold and cast them.

I just ordered a combo from him yesterday!!! I figured IF I FOUND THEM, Id spend 100+ on two LEE molds. So I bought ONE MARTY's W/ Both sizes for same money!!

Should I size a single ball for the choke or bore?

CW

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GregLaROCHE

I was looking for a type of powder and it seemed everyone was out. Then I happened on some for sale where it wasn’t three days before. Great I thought. I’m going to make a list of other things I need to average out the shipping costs. The next day when I went to place my order, it was all sold out. Moral of the story, if you haven’t already guessed, if you see something for sale you need, don’t wait. Buy it!

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When the Obamite was in office I was worried about this type thing and I had a paper in my wallet with ALL powders that could be used in my typical applications . So needless to say I bought a lot of powders I’d never used before . After awhile they were all tried and all did a satisfactory job . So I always keep on hand more pounds of powder than I think it’s wise to state on a public forum .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gmsharps

If you have had your wads a long time really check them to see if they are still good. The petals will break if you bend them if they are bad. I have seen mostly Winchester wads to be the culprits. They are also over 20yrs old.

gmsharps

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I’ve got a large selection of wads and plenty of all I keep . I’ve found the best thing to do is keep them in closed card board boxes . Seems to me UV is the biggest thing to compromise the integrity of the wads .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cwlongshot

I just ordered a combo from him yesterday!!! I figured IF I FOUND THEM, Id spend 100+ on two LEE molds. So I bought ONE MARTY's W/ Both sizes for same money!!

Should I size a single ball for the choke or bore?

CW

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That depends on the gun. Anything cylinder or IC choke, you want an over bore size ball. I might be leery of an old, very thin barrel modified choke, I might be leery. Anything with choke tubes, I would do bore size, and chose a modified or more open choke. If using a very thin barreled gun, as found on old SXS's with a modified, full, or extra full choke, I would size to the choke. I have not seen where anyone got great accuracy sizing to the choke. Say you have a 12 gauge with a bore of .730", a ball about .735" would be ideal.

Thanks brother. Thats my thinking as well!! I have a IC choke tube for just this use!! ♥️♥️CW