Value of old shotshell loaders?

[fatelk]

I recently bought a bunch of old reloading gear from a friend of a good friend. It had been his father's and was a package deal for all of it, but most of it I can't use. I figured I could sell it, make a few dollars, and end up with a few pieces I could use.

I thought about putting it on ebay, but that's a hassle. I'm up to my neck in school, homework, and family stuff. The baby is due middle of next month; I have four weeks left of unemployment and eight months left of school. We'll make it OK, but spare time will be a total luxury for the foreseeable future. If there are still no good jobs around here by next June, we will be moving, and I will have a LOT of stuff for sale.

Anyhow, I have four MEC Sizemaster reloaders here, and am wondering about a fair value to ask for them. They are in 12, 20, 28, and 410 gauge. They are all in good, used condition, except that the sizing collet on the 28 gauge is broke ($46 part from MEC).

I have a bunch of hulls, but most of them look to be more than once-fired. There are about 4k 20 ga hulls alone, mostly Win AA and RP. I've been told to throw them away, but they look perfectly useable. Are they really just trash if they're more than 1x, even if they are not cracked?

There are a bunch of 209 primers and powder, but I imagine they are not shippable. There's a Dillon RL500 set up for .223 and .40. It will be for sale, but I want to set it up and load some rounds first. I can't justify owning one at this time, but might as well use it while it's here.

There are a few other things, but mostly I'm wondering about a fair price to ask for the sizemaster shotshell loaders.

[HeavyMetal]

Bad news about the unempolyment hoping it gets better soon!

I have a bunch of Mec stuff some bought new and some bought used.

Paid 140 for my 28 Gauge sizemaster new about 2 years ago With parts broken it might be tough to get over 40 for it. The others should go for 75 to 80 depending on where your at.

The powder and primers I'd set on until the last minute. as you surmised shipping is a huge hurdle but you may be able to trade or other wise barter these things off locally heck you might even get cash!

The Dillon I'm thinking 300 minimum pending die sets and condition. However the no BS warranty takes the buyers worry out of the deal so don't back down on the price.

[fatelk]

Looks like it might be worth going the ebay route. I searched around over there on completed listings, and if I clean them up good and take good photos should be able to get at least 100 each minimum. I guess I could have checked completed listings before, didn't think about it. I might be best to just buy the replacement part for the 28 ga, too. Nobody wants something with a broken part.

It's just a matter of time, really. I haven't even made any boolits in what seems like months, let alone shot any. I probably need to pack all my loading stuff away for the near future.

The job thing stinks, but it could be worse. As a "displaced worker" I've got a free ride on the schooling. I should have gone to school and got a degree many moons ago, but this is my chance now and I really need to stick it out and graduate. I've gotten calls three times in the last few months from my former employer, with very good job opportunities, but I would have to move. I haven't totally given up on finding something here by the time I graduate.

[swamp]

I am interested in the 20 ga hulls. PM sent

[Throckmorton]

why not list the loaders here on this board? plenty of guys buy and sell on here,and things go quick.why pay ebay for a listing that you can do for free here?
I'd ask about 100.00 each,plus shipping.can they be dis assembled and fit into a flat rate box ?

[Poygan]

The 20 gauge hulls should be fine if there are no splits where they are crimped. I've loaded 12 gauge hulls a lot more than once (or twice, etc.) Without splits, I assumed they were good as long as they held a good crimp. I see no reason why 20 gauge shouldn't be the same. I've loaded 12, 20, 28 and 410 but my skeet shooting was mostly with the 12 gauge.

[fatelk]

20 ga hulls are spoken for (thank you, Swamp). The AA hulls, I should say. I sorted them out from the Remington hulls. The RP hulls I'll toss. A lot of them are 1x, but I've been told that the ribbed ones aren't worth saving even if once fired.

The loaders I think I'll wait on. I need to clean them up and order a couple parts. I hate to spend the money on something I'm not going to use, but my experience is that fixed it should bring a fair price, but with a broken part it would sell for almost giveaway.

I might even load up some shells. I have an old Lyman slug mold, the one that makes the giant pellet. It's been many, many years since I loaded any shotgun rounds. I think I used Blue Dot for slugs, IIRC.

One last question, in general: How is loading shotshells worthwhile, financially? A friend asked about loading up some target loads while I had the machines. We sat down and figured out the per-shot cost of shot, wads, primers, powder.

Waiting for a sale at the local Bi-Mart would actually be cheaper than going to the trouble of reloading! Am I missing something? Do you guys that load shotshells do it for a better quality round, or buy shot and powder by the truckload for a discount?

[HeavyMetal]

I load shotgun shells to get what I want not to save money.

If you wait you can get Federal or "Generic" Wincheter 12 gauge loads for under 20.00 per 100 rounds at any Wal Mart. usually this is a 1 1/8 Ounce load doing about 1250 FPS. Fair amount of recoil but IF your gun likes it it is the way to go.

I have loaded a 7/8 Ounce 12 gauge target load using Federal paper hulls and 14 grains of Bullseye This load generate about 5500 psi and shoots like a dream in a full choke barrel on the trap range ( 82% pattern) plus I can shoot it all night and not feel the pain the nextday!

This is a load you cannot buy across the counter and loading is the only way to get it.

[joatmon]

Remington hulls are only surpassed by the older AA's. Shame to trash em!

[RP]

as long as I have some shot left over from my shot making days reloading is cheaper as soon as its gone buying is cheaper for my needs. Price of shot seems to be the back breaker in my area.

[fatelk]

Remington hulls are only surpassed by the older AA's. Shame to trash em!
I'm confused. I've been told different things by different people about hulls recently. I posted about these elsewhere a while back, and was rather strongly told to trash them all, that if they're not once-fired AA hulls, they're so much garbage.

A friend looked at the boxes piled in my garage and told me to save myself a headache and take them to the dump- nobody would want them. I've sold some cheap and dumped some so far. Are any of these worthwhile?

I also have a bunch of old green high-base Remington 12 ga hulls, the old type with the cardboard base wad. I was going to use these for my slug loads. Are they worth bothering?

I'm kind of regretting buying all this stuff. I paid a lot for it all. I know I'll get my money back with hopefully a little extra, but in the meantime the money is tied up. The hulls are pretty much extra and I just need to figure out what to do with them to get them out of the way. I did get three bags of shot, three bricks of primers, and a couple partial 8 lb cans of powder. I do plan on loading a bunch of .410s before selling that loader. They're cheaper to load and you can't just buy cheap ammo on sale either.

I'm a sucker for a good deal. I figured this stuff would work out OK if I bought it, and it will, just a hassle. My wife is amazingly patient when I spend money and drag a bunch of stuff like this home. Like the half-ton of lino last summer...

[HeavyMetal]

The problem with shot gun shells is yo have to have a "recipe" for each hull type.

You cannot mix and match components in shot shell reloading!

Suggest you find an older Lyman shot shell book it will have picture of all the good hulls and descriptions of otheer types using the same case size but perhaps a different brand or color.

I have two of these shot shell books and they are a life saver when it comes to sorting hulls for re loading or selling!

However I can give you a few tips: if it says WW remington or federal on the hull it is reloadable. the no name stuff, like the old black Mohawk 12 gauge case with the copper case head are trash.

In your picture I see what looks like 4 different 20 gauge case's 3 are remington the one on top seem to be federal the ones on the bottom I can't tell about.

Good luck with this stuff.

[fatelk]

Actually the headstamps on all of them are exactly the same: Remington Peters.

They are at least two different types, though. The ones with the copper base have a separate plastic base wad, whereas the others are a one-piece hull.

I do remember about not mixing components. I used to load these things long ago. I have a Lyman manual floating around here somewhere.

[joatmon]

The one piece rems are great to reload! I have no experince with the two piece, those may be trash. If not for high shipping I'd be all over the one piece.

Aaron

[Kskybroom]

HeavyMetal is right you need a Lyman Shotshell Man...
Dont through any thing out till you know what it is...
Like your High Brass Rems with cardboard wad...
The Cardboard Wad Dries out And Comes loose (Stick in Barell)
Thay Take a Rem # 57 Primer (Small)

[CATS]

PM sent

CATS

[tonyjones]

fatelk,
The hulls have value if they are in good condition and you can access pressure/velocity tested load data for them. Once fired 12 Ga. & 20 Ga. hulls retail for 5 cents to about 12 cents each depending on what they are and how many you are buying/selling. 28 Ga. and .410 hulls can sell for as much as 12 to 15 cents each, if one can find them. For pricing on once fired hulls check out ballisticproducts.com and precisionreloading.com. If the basewads are separating or coming apart, toss them. If the crimp folds are splitting, likewise, toss them.
Lyman is a good source of data as is hodgdon.com. I also use data from Ballistic Products and Precision Reloading (I bought several of their Load Manuals but it may be available online and they will give it to you if you buy their hulls or wads.) Some of the other powder manufacturers have free load data.
As already mentioned, one can load shells that are unavailable commercially. For example, I load 12 Ga. with 3/4 oz. of shot from 1,500 to 1,800 fps! 12 or 20 Ga. Federal Gold Medal, Remington STS and Winchester AA target loads currently sell for about $8 per box. I can load equivalent ammo for less than $5. Premium 28 Ga. and .410 shells are going for $12 to $14 per box and I can load them for less than $4.
I hope this helps.
Tony

[higgins]

Keep shipping cost in mind when offering a shotshell reloader for sale. I offered a 15 lb. shotshell reloader for sale here and found out that the shipping would be 20-25 dollars to a couple of distant states; usps and ups were similar. Two buyers backed out when they found out what the shipping to them would be. Makes you appreciate flat rate boxes!