Just getting started.

[RogerDat]

In my spirit of being able to load (and cast) for anything center fire that I can shoot I decided to go ahead and try reloading 20 and 12 gauge. At this point I'm not going for either quantity or quality, just functional. I need to order some stuff to go with some Win AA style hulls in both 12 and 20 gauge that Duke in Florida was giving away. Think he might still have some - you just pay the shipping.

I have Unique in quantity so that is my powder. Reading made it clear that components really matter so go with authoritative sources for recipes and stick to them. I also have a pound of green dot. Aliant web reloading guide has recipes.

One thing I'm confused on is overshot cards. Do I want them sized for the gauge being loaded or next size smaller? E.G 16 gauge card in 12 gauge hull, 28 gauge card in 20 gauge hull.


So I added up what I think I need to get started - did I miss anything?
Overshot cards 2 sizes $13.50
Wads 12 gauge 1 and 1 1/8 oz $14 in WAA or $20 in DR but get 2x as many.
Wads 20 gauge $10 for claybusters which should cover 3/4 and 7/8 oz. shot weight.
Primers 400 Win 209's $14

I think Midway has everything so I can do one shipping. Except primers the hazmat on primers means I get those from Cabela's or the LGS if he has any. I would go with Recob's but no overshot cards.

Lyman's 5th edition shotshell manual $15 on Amazon (free shipping)

Doing Lee Loaders for both gauges, just a proof of concept that I can load for these shotguns. Besides I like using the Lee loaders for metallic so these should be fun. If I can load them so they shoot decent I will probably pick up a couple of Lee molds in #4 shot and .31 caliber round ball (#1 buck) to go with the approx. 300# of assorted shot I have scrounged as lead over the last few years. If I really like loading then might start keeping an eye out for a MEC or maybe pick up some better hulls but for now I'll be satisfied to make a couple hundred big box store bargain loads of my own for not too much money.

I think it takes a lot of shooting to make reloading shot shells save enough to pay for the equipment. I don't do any competitive shot gun sports so not likely to "save" enough to pay for even a used MEC and a charge bar over the next decade.

Does Cabelas sell 209 primers by the hundred? Or by the 1k bricks only?

12 gauge wads I'm tempted to go with WAA12 with some inclination toward DR12 XL 118 for 1 1/8 oz. loads and maybe a bag of WAA12SL or DR12 XL 1 for 1 oz. loads (have to use the green dot for that weight)

In 20 gauge wads I'm looking at the CB1078 20 in part because there is a 3/4 oz. and 7/8 oz. load published on Alliant web site for this wad and Unique powder. For some reason the WAA20 doesn't show up for both shot weights and Unique powder, wad does appear for Green Dot in 3/4 oz. shot weight so I might go that route. I only have the one pound of Green Dot. Have about 10# of Unique so really want to use some of that.

Might have a line on a 12 gauge rifled slug barrel at a good price and I would certainly love to cast for that.

[rancher1913]

cabelas has the 209 primers by the brick, sportsmans warehouse has the rio's by the brick if you want to load rio hulls. most foreign hulls use the metric primers like rio so watch out for those. when loading for shotguns any change in components can cause a serious over pressure problem so be cautious and start with light loads. reloading slugs and buckshot are the only place you can save, the normal loads bought in bulk are cheaper than reloads if you figure your time in.

[RogerDat]

cabelas has the 209 primers by the brick, sportsmans warehouse has the rio's by the brick if you want to load rio hulls. most foreign hulls use the metric primers like rio so watch out for those. when loading for shotguns any change in components can cause a serious over pressure problem so be cautious and start with light loads. reloading slugs and buckshot are the only place you can save, the normal loads bought in bulk are cheaper than reloads if you figure your time in.

Bulk loads I sort of figured to be cheaper. Just hoping to establish ability to reload for shotgun. Got the shot mostly as scrap lead so saved some money there, and hulls for the cost of shipping. Good price on the Lee Loaders too.

Molds would complete the "self sufficiency" aspect I am aiming for..... provided I can make shot shells that pattern worth a darn.

[huntnman]

I do not use any overshot cards, on shot shells, crimp hold the shot in. Any time I miss with a reload its MOST likely MY fault, I have blamed every thing under the sun, including the sun, the gun, wind, tree or limb in the way, ect. Might have to add @#! reloads. My reloads seem to work better for others. Greg<huntnman

[toallmy]

That's about it , and your powder selection is perfect . But don't let it get over complicated ......it can become a obsession .

[GhostHawk]

I started the same journey last year. Found an old Lyman Easy loader for 12 ga at pawn shop for 20$.

I could not source hulls for a low enough price to interest me. Then I found these. Price has gone up a little bit, I bought 6-7 bags at 9 cents a hull, PRIMED.
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Rio...nfo/RIO127010/

I am using the the PT wads, 1205's, 1215's, 1220's.
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Lea.../products/394/

Most of my reloads got either #1 buckshot, with corn meal filler and a overshot card made of white milk jug plastic punched out with a 3/4 punch. Some got Lee 7/8ths slugs. A couple of boxes I used my own shot. I hesitate to put a size on it. Essentially a mix of mostly 6's, 7's with a few bigger and smaller. I have a thread on the shot dripper I used to make this.

Enjoy the journey

[RogerDat]

That's about it , and your powder selection is perfect . But don't let it get over complicated ......it can become a obsession .

Appreciate the confirmation on shopping list. I hate ordering, paying the shipping and then finding out I missed ordering one item and get dinged for the second shipping charge. Or worse, my thrifty side kicks in and I put off getting started until I have something else I'm going to order to roll in the missing item.

The recipe did not call for overshot card but I'm hand forming the crimp and an overshot card is supposed to help make it easier to make good crimp so I thought cards might be worth purchasing.

An obsession? Ya think? I started with some scrap lead ingots from work thinking "maybe I could make bullets from these" that I hauled around for 3 moves over several years and a Lee wack-a-mole kit purchased to "see if I am interested" in reloading . Wife would have been smart to have bought stock in Lee back then.

In this case I'm hoping to control me demons and NOT buy a shelving set for shotgun components

[RogerDat]

GhostHawk I have been reading your thread on homemade shot dripper. Interesting. No, Not, Nope, no chance of this becoming an obsession.

[RogerDat]

Ordered the clay buster WAA20 and WAA12 clones. Lyman manual. And overshot cards.
Price was a big factor in going with CB wads. 500 of each and saved $10 over WA brand and that quantity matches up well with a brick of primers. If I get a working load I'll be set for a long time, and plenty of playing around to see how different shot sizes load.

Looking forward to some new fun. Manual before Easter and components after. Good order that.

[toallmy]

I am pretty sure you are going to enjoy loading up your own ,

[RogerDat]

Well I made 5 shells and 2 are really nice looking, one is a little domed in the center. 2 of them the crimp is an 1/8 inch below the rim, I'm going to cut them open to see what is up. I either have less shot, no powder, or I pushed hard enough to collapse the legs on the wad.

I have also been sorting hulls, fair number of Federal Game, Gun Club and USA in the 20's and in 12's Estates and Winchester Light & Heavy. Along with a bunch of Universals for both. I am thinking I'll just skip the paper wad hulls since I have no way to know if they have ever been exposed to damp. Not sure I would trust myself to inspect for safe use.

[nagantguy]

Check your inbox; I still can't find that shotgun reloading book I know I have but I have something else you can use,

[toallmy]

Shotgun hulls are all a little different , witch affects stacking the components for a good crimp .

[RogerDat]

I was using the same make/brand. These were Universal 12 gauge.

[toallmy]

Ok then you did it with pressure when crimping , but it's a start right ..... shoot them and try again as long as charge is safe .

[rancher1913]

I have a preacher stick for checking hulls, its a wooden dowel that is rounded on one end and flat on the other with scratch marks for depths, it allows me to check different brands of hulls to see if the insides are the same.

[RogerDat]

I have a preacher stick for checking hulls, its a wooden dowel that is rounded on one end and flat on the other with scratch marks for depths, it allows me to check different brands of hulls to see if the insides are the same.

That sounds like a good idea. I'm thinking that there might be a small variation in the original hulls since even if they are the same brand they may have had different loads for the powder, hence a slightly different stack height. But it is more likely to be my "oh damn this is hard to crimp, lean my weight into it that'll work" approach. I'm not what anyone would describe as light weight unless comparing me to large farm ruminates. In that comparison I'm almost petite

[toallmy]

How does the height look before crimping with the wad firmly set but not crushed ? If the crimp is to hard to set or seams to push back up you can reduce the shot charge a few pellets to work out a good crimp .

[RogerDat]

Could a hole in the center of the crimp be allowing it to push down further?
The three that are a taller column all have crimp where petals meet in the center, the two that don't appear to have a hole melted in the center so the petals tips don't interlock. There are not tips. Looks like it might be result of what I have read described as crimp spot welded shut at center.

Wondering if crimp petals not locking in center (since the tips are gone) might allow it to push down further?

[RogerDat]

On a related matter. What is a fair price of a used rifled slug barrel for a Mossberg 500? Since I was loading shot..... and a slug mold showed up for sale.... I am not enabling since I'm the addicted party.

Any opinion on value of rifle sighted version vs. the scope mount version.