Reloading Shot Shells

[jimb16]

I have 4 MEC 600 jr.s for 12, 16, 20 and .410s. They all work fine. But being a skeet shooter, 80% of my shot shell reloading is done on a 12 ga. PW. The 12 MEC is used only for "specialty" reloads like slug loads of which I shoot very few. The 16 is used for hunting so I don't load a lot of them either. The .410 does go out for skeet every now and then, but again, I'm not busting a lot of caps shooting that either. The 20 does shoot a fair amount of skeet, but I find it hard to justify retiring a machine that I've used for literally 50 years and which has required only 1 replacement part, other than wad fingers in all that time. But I'm retired so a little extra time reloading 20s really doesn't make a he double hockey sticks of a lot of difference to me. BTW I also make my own shot; 9, 7.5 and 6. I've got the time and I enjoy the hobby, so what does speed matter to me?

[W.R.Buchanan]

It should be noted, that whereas there is money to be saved, Reloading is more about shooting more, and the "Hobby." You kinda need to enjoy it because if you are going to shoot a lot you are gonna need to reload a lot.

And if it gets old fast for you, then you likely aren't going to do it as much as you need to. I try to keep my loading sessions down to 50-100 rounds in a hour. or more properly reloading whatever I just shot today or yesterday. That way I don't get burned out. I'm also loading 12 ga. an .410's in the same session.

I also leave the machines "Cocked" so that the first pull of the handle dumps out a loaded round, and prevents me from inadvertently pulling the handle on an empty station and making a mess before I start.

Machines are kept covered with Trash Bags so they don't get dirty. Also shot and powder are topped off before quitting.

Remove Bag, Install Primer Magazine, Pull Handle, Check for Primer Drop, Repeat, Wad, Hull, Check for Primer Drop. Off we go.>>>

Randy

sorry about the cockeyed pic but anything taken with my cell phone will not answer the Rotate edit feature . It just ignores it. If you click on the pics the show up right side up.

[HWooldridge]

It should be noted, that whereas there is money to be saved, Reloading is more about shooting more, and the "Hobby." You kinda need to enjoy it because if you are going to shoot a lot you are gonna need to reload a lot.

And if it gets old fast for you, then you likely aren't going to do it as much as you need to. I try to keep my loading sessions down to 50-100 rounds in a hour. or more properly reloading whatever I just shot today or yesterday. That way I don't get burned out. I also loading 12 ga. an .410's in the smae session.

I also leave the machines "Cocked" so that the first pull of the handle dumps out a loaded round, and prevents me from inadvertently pulling the handle and making a mess before I start.

Machines are kept covered with Trash Bags so they don't get dirty. Also shot and powder are topped off before quitting.

Remove Bag, Install Primer Magazine, Pull Handle, Check for Primer Drop, Repeat, Wad, Hull, Check for Primer Drop. Off we go.

Randy

Randy,

That’s good advice on the session length, to prevent burnout. I do the same thing - no more than 100 in a session, but I might load twice in one day, or several days in a row.