best shot maker?

[pls1911]

Gagging on shot at $50 a bag, I have a couple of tons of lead and a good source for more (free), so maybe it's time I looked at about the only thing I don't already cast... shot.
My target would be #6, and #7.5 sizes and I need some experienced shot makers to give some advice on brands, as well as peculiarities of each brand.
Payback is gonna be PDQ with commitments to buy at $10 a bag less than over the counter.


OK GUYS WHICH BRAND IS BEST AND WHY......

THANKS.

[Black Wolf]

I've borrowed a Littleton shotmaker from a guy I met at Walmart (of all places). I'm cranking out shot at about 30lbs (avg.) per hour. After an hour I shut it down cause my coolant is pretty hot. It's dropping shot, based upon the number of pellets in a 1 ounce load, at about #6.5 to #7.

http://gungab.net/page5.php

[scrapcan]

you might want to look up James Stewart Best Shotmaker. I don't have one but would sure like to try one. He also sells nozzle kits for different sizes at a reasonable price.

[smkummer]

I may add that the Littleton needs a outside temp of 65F or more to work. We have used it down to about 55F but hit the nozzles with a propane torch every now and then when they stop. The Littleton requires one to make there own coolant tanks and clean up takes awhile. My friend leaves his littleton at my place so when he comes over we make 75# of shot, 25 for me and 50 for him. That only takes about 1.5 hours. Then we need at least an hour for washing, drying, tumbling with grafite and bagging. Littletown does make a 220v but most opt for the 115 and its limitations. I can see that the person who first posted his shotmaker working is pre-heating his ingots on the base of the shotmaker and that really helps.

Now if I am just making for my self and need only a bag of 25, the discontinued Shannon shotmake with 2 nozzles, sure cleans up easier and takes up much less room. I can make shot when it 32F in the garage but it makes 25# shot in a 1.25 hours and another 45 minutes for washing, drying, grafite and bagging. If I had to choose one over the other I would go for the shannon but sadly, they are not made anymore. If you search my posts, you will find my post on when I first got my shannon without instructions and all that occured. Its a great learning post for anyone getting started.

Between the 2 of us making shot we have saved maybe 2 thousand dollars in 3 years on shot with my son a trap league, shorting clays and many many boxes of shells loaded.

[686]

go with a James Stewart Best Shotmaker and you will never look back. i have 3. one for # 7 1/2 , one for # 8 and one foe # 9's . all with double drippers. you can reach him by phone and a nice person to takl to. you can never reach liltonjames stewart mechines cost about the same or a little less than lilton . he does make a #6 mechine also. get all the ww you can. ww lead makes the best shot. i hope you are not thinking on saleing your shot for $10.00 per 25 lb. to cheep. to much woork for that price. $20.00 + would sale fast. if i had the lead, i could sale 1-2000 lbs per mo. easy at $25.00 per bag check out the trap shooters forum. a lot of good shoot making info. on there. good luck