Cost of loading buckshot rounds.

[littlejack]

Hey members, just curious, has anyone lately siphered the cost for loading their own buckshot loads? I don't normally load or shoot buckshot, but wanting to put a few boxes back for hard times. Would it be better to just buy a few boxes and be done with it. I did buy a box of Estate 00 buck the other day for 24.99. Thats easy to sipher, a buck per round.
Regards

[Hogtamer]

I figure I can load 'em for half that, but I've already got the molds, loader, powder, wads, etc. If I had to start from scratch I'd buy a hundred and call it good.

[megasupermagnum]

For general purpose blasting ammo, and only a couple boxes a year, buy it. If shooting in bulk, or wanting to maximize effectiveness, then load.

[EMC45]

I use hulls I picked up at the skeet range (free), I've been using some ancient Green Dot that was given to me (free), I cast 00 buck out of wheel weights that were given to me (also free), on a MEC "Sizemaster" (free) and I'm using 209 primers I got for a song. I say go for it and load them yourself. I'm cheap like that though.

[littlejack]

Thanks fellas for the information and advice.
Heres what I have in the way of components.
Remington Gun Club hulls, "green".
Win. Super-X hulls.
Win. AA hulls (old style)
Herco powder. I Ioad my Lyman 525 slug loads with it.
Wads I have are, BPI Helix Cushion Driver #18.
Win. WAA12, Rem. RP12.
Win. 209 primers.
I have the MEC 600 press.
So with what components I have, I may be able to put some decent loads together if i can find some buckshot around. I have seen plastic bottles of it around from time to time in the sporting stores. Probably kind of scarce, Eh? I have read on line that one cannot nest 9 pieces of 00 buck in a wad with petals, as the diameter of .33 is to large. One needs to use 0 buck .32, to get 9 pieces in the wad, without the case being lumpy on the outside after loading.
Have any of you experienced this?

[littlejack]

Forgot one component. I also have BlueDot powder.

[missionary5155]

The big plus for us is we are not stopped from having plenty on hand because the store was out or the mobs of national terrorists are in the streets...

[littlejack]

Agreed sir.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Get yourself a buckshot mould. Then you can load for literally penny's! You already have everything else you need.

Randy

[RogerDat]

One might consider the Lee 6 cavity .31 round ball molds from track of the wolf or check with MP molds to see if he has any of his 8 cavity buckshot molds left from a group buy. There is also the Lee "string of pearls" buckshot molds. Bit more work but if one has a tumbler for wet tumbling brass one can roll the shot and get any sprue greatly reduced.

Since you already have much of the equipment and components it would seem like a worthwhile investment to be set up to load buckshot rounds as desired rather than being dependent on market availability. Price wise reloading slug and buckshot you cast offer the most savings for shotgun reloading. One can pick up a 100 rounds for $22 at Walmart if all you want is some trap/skeet loads. Cost almost as much to make them as that. Save a couple of pennies a round.

Or as others have said if you just want a box or two for hunting season or self defense buying still makes sense in a rounds to payback calculation. I just tend to favor being able to do for my needs without worrying about what the market is doing.

[dverna]

Midway has S&B buckshot on sale for about $90 per case (10 boxes) two or three times a year. I bought a buckshot mold but it made no sense to load my own when I found the S&B shells on sale. I bought a couple of cases and with shipping it came to about $10/box ($.40/rd). The local coyote hunters were thrilled with the price.

[centershot]

Thanks fellas for the information and advice.
Heres what I have in the way of components.
Remington Gun Club hulls, "green".
Win. Super-X hulls.
Win. AA hulls (old style)
Herco powder. I Ioad my Lyman 525 slug loads with it.
Wads I have are, BPI Helix Cushion Driver #18.
Win. WAA12, Rem. RP12.
Win. 209 primers.
I have the MEC 600 press.
So with what components I have, I may be able to put some decent loads together if i can find some buckshot around. I have seen plastic bottles of it around from time to time in the sporting stores. Probably kind of scarce, Eh? I have read on line that one cannot nest 9 pieces of 00 buck in a wad with petals, as the diameter of .33 is to large. One needs to use 0 buck .32, to get 9 pieces in the wad, without the case being lumpy on the outside after loading.
Have any of you experienced this?

There is a site vendor selling cast buckshot in the swapping & selling section, you'll probably get your best price from him if you want to load your own.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...kshot-hardcast

[swamp]

I use a.310 round ball. Three in a layer fit nicely in a shot cup. I also use in a 32 M/L. The reason I got the mold in the first place.

[littlejack]

I disected 5 buckshot rounds yesterday.
Interesting results, sho-nuff.
All weights and diameters, are average for that particular load.
1. First one was my latest buy of the box of Estate 00 buckshot. Results are as follows.
Low brass, straight wall hull, w/ separate white plastic base wad. 9 pellets @ .318 dia. 2 piece wad, separate cup 1.285 tall. One over powder/seal
w/center post as spacer for .200 gap between wads. Pellet weight 47 grains x 9 = 423 grains.
40 grains of buffer, and 22.6 grains of large round flake powder. Six star crimp.
2. Older production, Federal Maximum 00 Buck. High brass, plastic straight wall hull. Separate cardboard base wad. 9 pellets @.330 dia. One .375 cork over powder wad/spacer, one .250 fiber wad under pellets. No buffer, no shot cup. Pellet weight, 53.5 grains x 9 = 482 grains. 28.5 grains round flake powder (very similar to BD, without the dots. Plastic disc over pellets w/roll crimp.

3. Winchester Super Speed Mark 5 00 buck.
High brass, straight wall hull w/cardboard base wad. One .008 mylar wrap. 9 pellets @ .328 dia. Pellet weight. 52.7 grains x 9 = 475.
28 grains of buffer. Two .250 card wads, one opw/seal. 26.5 grains fine grain flattened ball. Six star crimp.

4. Remington Express Buckshot.
High brass, one piece tapered hull. One .375 card wad. One plastic opw/seal. 28 grains of round flake powder. .330 pellet dia. 54 grains x 9 = 484 grains. 31 grains buffer. Six star crimp.

5. Newer Federal 00 Buck.
High brass, straight wall hull w/separate white plastic base wad. (Very similar to the Estate base wad). One wad cup (same as old Federal buck load). One opw/seal, w/post. Same as old Federal load. Same .200 rise between wads. 24 grains round flake powder, as was the old Federal load. .318 pellet dia. @ 48 grains x 9 = 431 grains. Six star crimp.
Seems there is quite a bit of discrepancy between pellet size. So don't be surprised, if you bought 00 buck, you really bought 0 buck, or less.

[Hogtamer]

Which is why all will perform poorly at distance. Soft lead, stacks of 3, no shot cup. If you're looking to stop somebody at the front door, no matter. If you want to kill a deer or hog at 40 or 50 yds you need better components. Do a search for "perfect buckshot load" and "pretty in pink" for proven loads that represent lots of testing and comparisons. Plus lots of dead hogs.

[littlejack]

Hogtamer
Thanks for the heads up on those sites. I won't be doin any deer or hog hunting. With our so called "leaders" giving way to the anti government groups, I'm just interested in home defense.
Regards

[W.R.Buchanan]

Jack: If you consider that you can easily load Buckshot into Regular Trap Loads and they won't kick any harder than a regular Trap Load, it makes loading buckshot even more attractive.

Also she will be able to shoot them, as they don't recoil any more than a Walmart Winchester or Federal Dove Load.

Best way to get her on your side is to get her to shoot. You can sell it by telling her "it is in her best 'motherly interest' to be able to protect the kids with as much force as possible!"

Once she sees how much power she can dish out,,, she'll be hooked too. Then you'll have to buy her a shotgun, and take her to a Tactical Shotgun Class and get her into 3 gun shoots etc.

You will have created a Monster!

Randy

[littlejack]

Swamp, I see that there is a mould
that cast a .319 ball. That would be a good fit in a shot cup, and the bigger pellet would carry more weight, which would transmit more energy.
Randy
I had heard years ago, that " theres nothing more dangerous than a scared woman with a shotgun". I tend to believe that. At least to the point of not wanting to get into that situation with the fairer sex, to see for myself.
Using factory ammunition and swapping out the payload with buckshot, hadn't occured to me. That may be a very good option.
Thank you Randy.

[fcvan]

I had heard years ago, that " theres nothing more dangerous than a scared woman with a shotgun" I beg to differ

"There's nothing more dangerous than a well trained woman with a shotgun." Training builds confidence which can overcome fear. My wife is quite good with her rifles, pistols, and shotgun. The woman can hit a 6" steel plate at 100 yards with her Glock in either hand.

[6pt-sika]

I load buckshot for every gauge from 8 to 28 . I load all sizes buckshot from #3 up to 00000 and will soon try my hand at what I call 000000 for my 8 gauge . I generally use good quality skeet/trap hulls for the 12 , 20 and 28 . For the 10 and 16 I of course use the same hulls I load other stuff with . As to the shot I buy all sizes except 0000 , 00000 and soon 000000 . And while I’m not trying to talk you out of it if you just want even 250 rounds of 12 gauge 2 3/4” you’re far better off in my opinion buying a flat and being done with it and a heck of a lot easier . If you buy a Lee 00 mold I think it’s about $50 or so and then you’ll try this that and the other and quite possibly never be satisfied and finally loose intrest . Anyway back to cost when you figure relative cost not only do you figure in cost of components but also any new tools you buy to get the job done meaning molds etc . And no I’m not suggesting I’ll load for you as I don’t typically load for other folks , that definitely isn’t worth the trouble !