Reloading Shotgun Shells Save Your Hulls

[uncle buck]

Even if you don't reload now...You might down the road....So save your fired shotgun hulls...

Why many people don't like Winchester Center Fire rifle and pistol ammo...
One can do all kinds of reloads with Winchester Shotgun Hulls... The so called Winchester AA's. Those things can be used for fine shot and buck shot...This pertains to all shotgun gauges..

Also another good 20 gauge shell for reloading buckshot is the Federal Power Hunter Hull...



I was looking through all the 20 gauge shotgun shells that I have saved...Lucky I do have some WIN AA's and Also Federal Power Hunters... However looks like I use to shoot a lot of Remington Shotgun ammo...Now that's OK for fine shot but so far I could not find any reload data for the Remington Shotgun Hulls for buckshot...



As a suggestion for new reloader of shotgun shells... Try to buy some WIN AA  hulls from your local Shooting Club.. Many times they sale it cheap.  New Win  12 gauge AA's cost about $.11 each... I paid   $.03 each for Win 12 Gauge AA hulls.


Anyway save your fired shotgun hulls...At $.11 a whack they could save you some money should you start to reload down the road..

[Leglifter]

I have a buddy that works at a mill where at the end of the third shift, they shoot these metal "ice sickles" off of the ceiling of some sort of room.
They go through a five gallon bucket of oo buck out of 3 benellis and he saves the hulls for me,
mostly federals and winchesters.

[uncle buck]

Nice especially like I said the Winchesters.. The Federal...Yep down the road or now you will have some excellent hulls should you desire to load your own buckshot...

I posted it before but I will place it on the post also:  Here is where you can get nickel plated lead  # 4 buck and nickel plated lead BB's. I posted my source for the # 4 buckshot and BB lead below the post...

Actually you would not even need a press for 12 gauge. one of those Lee hand held 12 gauge loaders would work just fine... I got one of those a a PTA fleamarket for $5.00. Buckshot and BB can not be loaded entirely through a MEC press.. I deprime and put in a primer and charge the powder and wad but buckshot and BB is placed in by hand. Then I return to the press and crimp it and seal it shut... So a Lee handloader would work fine for buckshot and BB.  That would be just a bit slower but it would  GET HER DONE!  Sadly I does not come in 20 gauge.. Not that I know of anyway...

I just visited the Lee loading web site to see if they still sale the hand held shotgun Lee Loader..It's not listed..Looks like you would have to get one like me at a fleamarket or on the web somewhere...
However they now sale a shotgun press for $69.00 that would probably be better yet then the old hand held units...

http://ballisticproducts.com/

[Critterslayer51]

UB whats it cost to get a reloader for 12 guage? Whats the ballpark for a bench top set up?

[Leglifter]

DJ, around $60 for a shotgun loader from Lee

UB, they make them in 12,16,and 20 ga
http://www.leeprecision.com/html/catalog/loadall.html

[uncle buck]

MEC 600 Jr is a bit more expensive..Maybe about $170.00.  The lee table model goes for $69.00.  I use Lee reloading tools and gadgets in my reloading and they are great.. I am sure their reloading press is outstanding too..Can't beat the price.

[scott]

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat602007-cat20851&id=0003150210677a&navCount=3&podId=0003150&parentId=cat20851&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IA&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20851&hasJS=true

[uncle buck]

Wow now thats one heck of a deal at Cabelas...The hand Lee Loaders for center fire ammo is $39.00 from Lee.. To get the press for $39.00 is one heck of an outstanding deal...

[uncle buck]

I have been playing around with some 20 gauge reloads...Many of the promotional ammo that they sale cheap hulls are hard to match a wad to make it reload properly...

When at the shooting range learn to ID the quality hulls that can be reloaded time after time by the reloading data in books and on line... You just can't beat Winchester Hulls with the AA designation on them..Even the low brass AA's can be loaded with magnum loads..
The so called Duck & Pheasant Loads, Or Rabbit & Squirrel Loads or the Quail & Dove loads are what I refer to as promotional loads... If your going to reload then by all means don't buy the promotional stuff since you can reload the hulls 10 to 15 times but if you don't reload then the promotional stuff is OK to use for just hunting once.

[uncle buck]

MEC Customer service has been real helpful.  They provided me this guidance that I want to share with you should you have a problem with your 5th and final reloading station on your MEC press:


You should be able to reload any casings found as long as the correct
loading data is used for each shell.  Above the cam crimp die (5th
station) there is a cam adjustment with a small hex- headed screw in it.
Loosen this screw and raise the cam slightly.  This will remove some of
the downward pressure on the outside walls of the hull and should
prevent the shell from wrinkling.

If you have any further questions or if this does not help, feel free to
contact us again or call us at 1-800-797-4632
Ron Freitag
MEC Customer Service

[uncle buck]

I performed the adjustment that the MEC Ballistic Tech told me to do to my MEC 600 JR.  It worked fine and I was able to load every hull that I placed in the press without any bulging above the brass..


Tonight...I reloaded 25 nickel plated 20 gauge  # 4 buckshot loads and 25 rounds Nickel plated 20 gauge BB loads without any problems what so ever... I also loaded 1/2 box each of same reloads so I could perform test in the field.. 26 total...