To make shot or not to make shot that is the q...

[Soundguy]

What I'm hearing
1)you can buy shot for 50/bag.... well no... perhaps where you live, but where i live going rate is $64.99.

2) just drive arround looking for it cheaper somewhere else. We'll, any "big" events are 4-8 hours away. With gas at $5/gallon, that gets silly quick.

3) if you shoot a little it doesn't make sense

4) if you shoot a lot it doesn't make sense...

5) 1.25 x 25 =40...

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I heard the same stuff a month or 2 back when I poked my toe into the shot-making pool. I've been reloading metallic cartridge for decades and lead casting for a while...but just started shotgun earlier this year. I've accumulated about 5 free mec press over the years..and had a few boxes of new hulls and bags of wads and a box of 209 primers. Finally got into it and loved shotgun reloading. Which was great..shells were up to 30$ a box. We had a new sportsmans warehouse open and they got a few bags of shot on the shelf for 45$, sold out and don't expect anymore this year. In the store I met a guy getting out of loading and bought 2 bags from him.

Rotometals wants 180+$ a 2 - bag order plus freight. Locally? Nothing at least within a 2 hour drive ..called every store in a 3 county radius. Saw a total of 2 bags at shows this year... 75$ each.

I took the plunge and got an oasis shot maker. I drip #6 and #7.5. ( I also cast 1oz 12g slug, #4 buck and OO buck ).

It took about 6 hours to get my oasis dripper setup..and figure out a good tank..the geometry..etc.. I use Wal-Mart fabric softener and big a big ammo can set inside a big plastic basin. Shot falls into the can and fabric softener is the coolant. Coolant stays at the can top and slowly overflows as shot accumulates in the can. I have a good setup going with a dripper and other buckets.. I can remove shot and dip coolant back in..works great. I rinse the shot in a tight colander and put the rinse water into the empty fabric softener jugs ( you use a few gallons ). I will add the fabric softener rinse water to the coolant as it heats to keep it under 140. I've found that from 100% up to a 70/30 softner/ water dilution works great..any thinner and the shot cools too fast and is oblong.

Your setup costs should be about like this:

Dripper 500$
3g softener 10$
Ammo can?
Big plastic tub 10$ Wal-Mart
Colander and dipping ladle..3$ dollar store
Powdered graphite or graphite/talc mix... Shop around.. 13-18$ per 32oz
Get a window screen panel.. I got a 12x16 for 11$... Pour shot on to dry in Sun
1-2g plastic container with wide mouth. Put shot in with a couple teaspoons of graphite per 25# shot..shake vigorously. I re used an animal feed bucket with lid.

Then you need buckets or bags to store shot. Kitty litter buckets become free once used..or smaller 2L dollar store containers work.
Lastly..a spendy bit..get a lab grade wire sieve. Same one will do 6 and 7/7.5/8/9. It will grab anything big or clunkers... They go 50-90$. You pour shot into them over a bucket.. Shake am..goot shot goes thru..dump clunkers into a bin to dry and run them in the next sessions melt as clean lead.

Grab a couple extra buckets to manage coolant and pour shot back and forth during stages. 2-4$ each at Wal-Mart or dollar store.

Tips:

use less graphite than you think you need..its hard to separate excess from the shot without a black mess.

Talc/ graphite is cheaper..works near as well.

Soft lead won't work. Seems something 10 or better is needed. Wheel weight is perfect..or lead/lino mixed about 40/60.

Put clean ingots in the lead dripper... The drippers will clog if there is dross.

You can make more shot than you can shoot..pretty fast..once it starts..all you have to do is feed lead..ladle out shot as it starts to build..manage coolant tank.. You can drip almost i0# shot in a couple hours and that's just playing... If you stay in it..probably 50# an hour. More full the lead dripper is..faster it drips... Thus the quantity difference I mentioned.

Add up your startup costs..compare that to non existent 75-90$ bags of shot...figure your lead consumption... You can break even in a DAY, if you just set there lime a machine and drip... Just have to manage Cool and temps... Having excess coolant on hand to pour and swap out is they key if dripping more than a couple hours each session... Pour new in, ladle excess out to cool.. Get a rhythm going.

It's easy to break even at 75-90$ per bag of unobtainable shot....

[RogerDat]

If one is willing to DIY or make do with a dripper on a burner rather than a commercial rig designed to drip shot one can drive down the initial cost. I have been looking at dripper tray ready for drip fittings at just over $100 but couldn't make myself do it mostly because I spent a lot of time and money over the years accumulating shot. Have around 800# of it and don't compete in any shooting sports that would warrant reloading shot shells. Then one day....

I started loading shot shells in order to make round ball slug loads. Then larger buckshot which is always an expensive shell to purchase. Got #00, #0, #1 molds and plan to add the Lee #4 This all leads to me coming back to thinking dripping shot might make sense again. The price of shot has generally been 2x the price of lead. If one can get the lead cheaper than the market price that could help. Buying lead $1.25 a pound makes saving money on shot harder.

I have the lead. I like loading shot shells. I like the idea of being able to feed all my barrels with my own makings. Extending that to shot shells seems logical.

I don't think it will be a winner on costs savings. Unless one shoots an awful lot it is hard to save enough from reloading to make shot shell reloading pay for the equipment. Last figure I had was one can save 3 cents a hull over buying Estates at Walmart by loading your own. Might increase those savings a tiny amount by dripping own shot but I think it would take 3,300+ loads to pay for even a $100 dripper pan at 3 cent a round savings of reloads over store bought.

Can't make money off of shot from my attempt at it. Labor and material costs are too high. Beating the market price just doesn't leave a whole lot of room for profit. I think it is simply that one can own the means of production, although wads would be a whole new can of worms to take on rolling your own. Punching out of felt I guess.

Time has a value. If I was retired I might have more time (and less cash) making shot dripping a better option. Or one might want to spend more of that retirement time at the range instead of dripping shot and consider the cost savings too low to warrant the time investment. I know the older I get the more inclined I am to think about paying someone to do jobs I would have done myself in the past just because the time and hassle are not worth the savings. But I do hope in retirement to take back some of that work.

Still it looks like it would be rather intriguing to give a try, being able to make decent shot would be an accomplishment, who knows if the commercial supply will remain available or not have massive price increases. Once the gear is accumulated, and the skill is mastered you have it. Can use it or not as the situation or spirit moves you.

The other option is to invest all the money for gear into keeping a large supply of shot on hand. Then restock as used. Will buffer one from price or availability shocks in the future. Same as all those primers you stacked deep when they were cheap.

[Soundguy]

I don't know where you guys are that have cheap shot. no local stores are carrying shotgun shells. shows are scalping at 30$ a box.

Sure.. if I could walk into walmart and buy a box of #7 for 5$.. yeah.. I never would think of ss relaoding or dripping... and that's what ss used to cost back in the day.. and that's why all those mec press I was given sat in the garage.... couldn't come out $ wise.. but now that it's basically.. not available.. or over a dollar a trigger pull... it's attractive.

For those of you that can walk out your front door in your shower robe and slippers and there is a gun store at the end of your driveway and they have unlimited bags of shot for 45$ and all shotshells for 1999 prices.. I applaud your luck... it's just that the other half of us shooters don't have that luck...

[6pt-sika]

30 bags of shot in a year. Those 8 gauges must be some hungry suckers. I thought I was getting serious a couple years ago when I broke into my 7th bag.

That’s all gauges from 8 to the 410 bore excluding the 24 and 32 gauges .

[6pt-sika]

For those of you that can walk out your front door in your shower robe and slippers and there is a gun store at the end of your driveway and they have unlimited bags of shot for 45$ and all shotshells for 1999 prices.. I applaud your luck... it's just that the other half of us shooters don't have that luck...

It’s actually quite simple I’ve been looking hard for this stuff ever since the Obamite was your so called president (I never accepted him as mine). The $49.99@bag was no great secret , that was at Shyda’s and if bought online it costs $2 or $3 more . As to powder I’ve just been in the right place at the right time and don’t mind buying more than I need or don’t mind buying stuff I’ve not used before as long as it’ll work in whatever application I intend it for . It all boils down to its better to have it and not need it over need it and it can’t be found . I’ve also got an abundance of friends that do the same as myself and buy in quantity , so as you might expect we help each other out from time to time .

[megasupermagnum]

That's a good point 6pt-sika. Soundguy, one thing you have to realize is that most of us are not that alarmed by this $65 a bag of shot. I've been loading half or less as long as many of these guys here, and I remember shot being way cheaper. It was not that long ago. In 2010 ish you could get a bag of Lawrence shot from Ballistic Products for $25 normal price. Sale was even less. By 2012, shot was already north of $50. It only marginally came down in that 2017-2019 window. So compared to what we've already been through, shot going from $55 to $65 isn't much of a shock.

As you found, making shot really isn't that big of a deal. It's work, sure, but it's really not that much harder than casting bullets. The shot makers do pretty good, it's at least as good as Eagle shot. My bismuth shot is every bit as good as anything I ever bought from Rotometals, which is good stuff.

[6pt-sika]

That's a good point 6pt-sika. Soundguy, one thing you have to realize is that most of us are not that alarmed by this $65 a bag of shot. I've been loading half or less as long as many of these guys here, and I remember shot being way cheaper. It was not that long ago. In 2010 ish you could get a bag of Lawrence shot from Ballistic Products for $25 normal price. Sale was even less. By 2012, shot was already north of $50. It only marginally came down in that 2017-2019 window. So compared to what we've already been through, shot going from $55 to $65 isn't much of a shock.

As you found, making shot really isn't that big of a deal. It's work, sure, but it's really not that much harder than casting bullets. The shot makers do pretty good, it's at least as good as Eagle shot. My bismuth shot is every bit as good as anything I ever bought from Rotometals, which is good stuff.

When I first started loading for shotguns in the mid 80’s chilled was $8 or $9 a bag and magnum grade was $1 more .

[6pt-sika]

When I first started loading Lawrence made three grades . Blue label was the softest and cheapest , red label was chilled and black label was magnum grade . A lot of folks turned their noses up at the blue label stuff but I broke a heck hole of a lot of targets with it . The nuclear reactor closest to me used the blue label stuff in their facility for awhile and then sold it all for $3 a bag . Think I got 40-50 bags of it all #8’s . It was used in the 12-16-20 and 28 loads . It did just fine in competition I was AA/AAA across the board and my averages never dipped because of the lower grade shot .

[Soundguy]

If I had 65$ a bag stuff around me it would be almost ok...there is just -0- shot I can drive and get..anything I can order is 75-90$ a bag plus freight. If I could still walk in sportsmans warehouse and buy bagged shot I wouldn't have started dripping. Now that I'm dripping, with good clean allotted lead about 1.75 a pound.. I'm right at say..45$ per 25# of shot... If I could buy it anywhere near that..i would obviously.. But at 90-105$ a bag shipped? I'm happy to drip... I don't make 45$ an hour at work..and I can drip alot more than 25# of shot per hour..

[dverna]

Good thread. It shows how different folks deal with the same problem depending needs and local conditions.

I question the production rates most people quote. How much lead is processed through the dripper does not include the time to wash, dry, sort, graphite and bag.

The value of being self-sufficient is important. If I was under 40, and short of money, making shot would be attractive. There is plenty of time to amortize the investment and I would not be shooting much anyway. For a person who has the financial resources being self-sufficient can be achieved by building inventory.

It is not practical to make shot if you have a job and shoot a lot as it is time consuming. Been there....I had a 50 bag a year "habit".

How you are wired plays into it. If it is "fun" the effort is not onerous. For example, I dread casting bullets and they are easy. I cast to save money, so I put up with it. But I still ended up buying over 75k bullets when I was working. I would hate making shot. One size does not fit all.

I see used shot makers occasionally so not everyone is successful at it. Either they cannot make good enough shot, or enough of it, or it is too much effort. Same reasons we see so many used 12 ga MEC single stage loaders.

IMO the OP should read these comments and decide which category he fits. There is little downside to buying the stuff and trying it out. He might lose $200, so not a big deal.

If he cannot get shot at all, or at an affordable cost, his only other option is to stop shooting and that is not a good option.

[Soundguy]

Rinsing, if you are using fabric softener as a coolant takes about 30 seconds per 25# of shot. ... then you pour it through your sieve on your drying screen that takes another 15 seconds. Then you just let it dry a day..thats free. When dry..pour into your bucket..add a teaspoon or so of talc/graphite, add lid, shake. Then decant into whatever you are storing in.

So the extra stuff..takes you about a minute....

Now if your coolant is oil..you got lots of washing to do. Not reccomended..imho.

[dsh1106]

I use empty 16.9 oz plastic soda bottles, each bottle holds just over 8#s of shot.

That's just the right amount to fill up the reservoir on my PW 375, IIRC I can get between a 120 and 150 rounds per bottle.

[z4lunch]

Steve here... Jut went through this thread. I too am considering buying an Oasis shot maker. My local dealer I buy shot from was out of shot. The clerk at the counter told me they have shot coming in next month(July). She said it will be $80 a bag.

[Soundguy]

I use empty 16.9 oz plastic soda bottles, each bottle holds just over 8#s of shot.

That's just the right amount to fill up the reservoir on my PW 375, IIRC I can get between a 120 and 150 rounds per bottle.

That sounds correct if you're doing 1 oz or 7/8 Oz loads

[megasupermagnum]

My favorite shot storage is metal 50 caliber ammo cans. They hold about 75 pounds with room to spare, and that's about all the weight I want to be lifting in them. Now that I think of it, the 30 caliber cans might be better if lifting 75 pounds is too much. I don't like canvas bags at all. They don't stack great, you can really only move one bag at a time since they are floppy, and I can't fill a loader from them without spilling. I do admit I'm not the most dexterous person. There is nothing worse than a mouse chewing a bag open. It's always way in the back, and it is amazing how far shot will scatter around a room.

[GhostHawk]

I also use empty 2 liter bottles. Has the added advantage of locking the Oxy out so it does not turn into a solid white mass of lead oxide.

[Ed_Shot]

Rinsing, if you are using fabric softener as a coolant takes about 30 seconds per 25# of shot. ... then you pour it through your sieve on your drying screen that takes another 15 seconds. Then you just let it dry a day..thats free. When dry..pour into your bucket..add a teaspoon or so of talc/graphite, add lid, shake. Then decant into whatever you are storing in.

So the extra stuff..takes you about a minute....

Now if your coolant is oil..you got lots of washing to do. Not reccomended..imho.

+1.....exactly what I do. Never considered making shot to be a chore. It's a personal value-judgement as to whether or not it's worth time and investment.

[smkummer]

When my son started shooting trap in 2003, shot was less than $19 a bag. When it hit over $25, I got a fine Shannon shot maker. But remember I had and still do have a source for wheel weights for scrap metal prices. It took a bit of learning but I use Sierra antifreeze which is pet friendly. Now I only shoot one sporting clays tournament a year and am only using 7/8 oz. for cowboy action, so a bag of shot probably lasts a year. I liked doing it so it wasn’t burdensome. Also my son did it and sold it to local recreation shooters for college money.
Knowing what I know and if I were on a trap team, I would be making it again with my access to wheel weights.

You can also find out where the shot reclaimed vehicle will be working to by reclaimed shot. It works for practice and cowboy action, I would not use it for tournaments though.

[10sandxs]

So I did some math... if shot sells for $65/bag, and I can get scrap range lead for $.50/lb (which I can), and I figure $700 for the shot maker and ancillary equipment to make shot... (drum roll please)
7/8 oz loads break even after 22.6 flats
1-1/8 oz loads break even after 17.5 flats

Based on my consumption rate, that's about a 2.5 year ROI... Most businesses would balk at that... I probably will too... but it's fun to dream...

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[BIGOX]

I've been looking into this myself a lot lately. I can only find shot at $65 to $78 a bag. When i can find it. I might use 6 to 8 bags a year. The rest are slugs and buckshot which is easy enough for me. The only thing that has kept me from getting an Oasis is total lack of time to start a new project. Since I have a good stuck pile of lead I plan to make and clean an alloy for shot, maybe 500lbs or more to start. Then hopefully I can find a someone with an existing setup who is willing to either make the shot for me at a fee or percentage of shot/lead. Or allow me to produce on his set up for a fee or percentage.
Any takers out there?
Any idea what a fair fee or percentage might for this task?
Any members out there selling reclaimed shot or there own made shot?
Anyone interested in trading shot for lead?
Just throwing some ideas out there.