Picking up Shotshell hulls

[jim 44-40]

Now I don't have a 12 gauge right now,but I still pickup any and all brass,shotgun hulls that I find at local shooting range.In a short period of time I have aquired a large box of different brands of 12 gauge hulls once fired,only a handful of 410 and some 20 gauge.Thanks to folks that don't clean up after themselves.One thing I did notice is that Baschieri&Pellagra brand sure is alot different than other brands,Fancy

[Baltimoreed]

Keep your pickup shotgun hulls out of the humidity as most have steel bases that will rust. I don’t know if they’re any good when they rust, thinking it would damage you dies. WW AAs are brass and won’t rust. I only pickup AAs to reload. I also pick up scrap brass. Looks like money to me.

[Misery-Whip]

12 GA hulls are not all equal. Some brands are tapered, some straight. So different wads will be needed. Also different hulls from same manufacture will have different thickness of base wads to screw with your crimp height. Then add in 6 or 8 point crimps it's a chore to setup.

[Winger Ed.]

Before you get off into loading for shotguns:

Check out the Lyman shotgun loading book.
They're real specific about not mixing and matching hulls, wads, etc. in their data.

It's one of those deals where 3 things can happen if you do---- 2 of them are bad, and 1 of those 2 might even hurt ya.

[toallmy]

I have tried to keep my shot shell workings simple over my life time , but I still wound up with a closet full of assorted wads , partial cans of powder , powder and shot bushings never used on and on , & that was just for the 12 gage .
I don't really hunt with a shotgun anymore but throughout my younger years all I needed was the sheet of paper load instructions that came with my first load all , a sack of wads 1-1/8 -1-1/4 , box of primers , can of powder , 100
Win hulls , a couple different sizes of shot 7.5 , 6 , 4 .
Try to keep it simple just use one style hull .

[Baltimoreed]

I’ve always been able to pick up WW AAs at my cas clubs shoots though due to the shortages other shooters have started reloading but I’ve got plenty plus when they get split i trim them back to 2 inch. I’ve never tried to build hunting sg ammo though.

[Rooster]

I agree with buying the manual and putting in some homework time and by all means stick with manual info to the letter to begin the journey. The company has spent millions ironing things out safely for you. Either purchase new loaded ammo for the hulls or call your nearest T&S club and get OF ones from them. It is worth it, at least IMHO. You'll only cry once (bwahaha who am I kidding?). Consistency is the key. Last time I got a buttload (southern equivalent to a crapton) for a nickel a piece tossed into the clay pigeon box at 500ish per box. I'd think they are probably a bit more these days, but IDK. Primers are your worst obstacle as with all other things reloading nowadays. Good Luck!

[dverna]

I agree with buying the manual and putting in some homework time and by all means stick with manual info to the letter to begin the journey. The company has spent millions ironing things out safely for you. Either purchase new loaded ammo for the hulls or call your nearest T&S club and get OF ones from them. It is worth it, at least IMHO. You'll only cry once (bwahaha who am I kidding?). Consistency is the key. Last time I got a buttload (southern equivalent to a crapton) for a nickel a piece tossed into the clay pigeon box at 500ish per box. I'd think they are probably a bit more these days, but IDK. Primers are your worst obstacle as with all other things reloading nowadays. Good Luck!

Good advice.

The only hulls worth reloading more than once are AA’s, STS’s, and Gun Clubs. I used to load a lot of Top Guns for shooting Doubles in competition so I did not need to save the hulls. But they are not good for more than one reload IMO.

Some cheap hulls, like the Top Guns, have paper base wads. They need to sit and dry if they are range pickups and have gotten wet. Also a bit if the base wad is eroded every shot, so not wise to use for multiple reloads.

[MrWolf]

I used to only take red (AA) but much prefer Remington green & goldish? (Handicap). Remington was much easier to find at our trap club and nothing wrong with gun clubs. So green is the color, if green with a nice shine to it even better and of course the Handicap for Handicap shooting. You could have easily had several large garbage bags of hulls to sort after a full day there when shooting the main ATA events.

[Jedman]

It’s been many years since I use to shoot skeet and trap every week but I always picked up hulls from all gauges and loaded them all. When you found brand new 410’s or 28 ga. you thought that it was Christmas as if you bought them they were near .10 a piece 30 years ago.
Federal brand hulls we’re the least desirable except one type of target hull they made with stiffer plastic walls and a 8 point crimp were good.
Now I own some oddball gauge shotguns and I roll crimp most of them.

Jedman

[dale2242]

I recently bought the Lyman Shotshell loading book.
I was very disappointed they did not list Claybuster wads.

[toallmy]

I recently bought the Lyman Shotshell loading book.
I was very disappointed they did not list Claybuster wads.

I use claybuster wads a lot as a replacement wad .

[toot]

many times there is a reason that shooters leave them on the ground. many times it is because they have been shot multilabel times & there reloading life has came to an end. other wise they would take them home and reload them again? a lot of pistol & rifle brass is left on the ground the same way, it is worn out! jmho.

[MrWolf]

many times there is a reason that shooters leave them on the ground. many times it is because they have been shot multilabel times & there reloading life has came to an end. other wise they would take them home and reload them again? a lot of pistol & rifle brass is left on the ground the same way, it is worn out! jmho.

Not really what I observed years ago trap shooting. Watched as a lot of folks broke open new cases, but that was also when gun clubs were around $4 a box so....

[jim 44-40]

Today I watched guys shooting 12 gauge factory ammo, when they were done they picked up the Remington Gun Club hulls and gave them to me.A few boxes were Estate but the rest are Rem. Won't be long till I pick up a 12 gauge Revelation pump gun and reload for it.

[meeesterpaul]

A pile of AA hulls will serve. "Loads"...recipes...for shotshells are more particular than handgun reloading. Get something that someone else is using so you have a productive start. I bought shotshell primers once...oh good...here are 209...sold.. OOps...they are Federal 209 and that is less flexible than other options. (anyone want to trade lol). Wads are cheap enough that you may end up with multiple sizes. If I run light loads of Alliant e3 powder under a Claybuster 1.125 oz (white)wad it doesn't crimp level; collapses in too much. Ok, I'll load 1.250oz of shot. Oops. No such recipe with Alliant e3. But, pink 1oz wad crimps nice with 1.125oz over light load of e3.