Shotshell re-loading...

[Overlander]

Does anyone on here play the shotshell reloading game? I would like to learn how to re-load target rounds. Was wondering if there is anyone on here that is willing to show me the basics, share their experience and help with equipment selection. Found a guy on CL but he's in COS.

Thx -
James in Westminster

P.S.
Sorry - should have posted it in General Chit-Chat... plz move

 

[Corbet]

Shot gun is probably the easiest to reload. I have not done it in a long time but my father started me probably at the age of 10 doing it. We both shot trap in a league so it was a 100 shells per week min for us. I've got a pair of units line the one pictured below. (12/20 gauge)

Pretty simple 5 stage loading press.

Primer out
Primer in
powder/wad/shot
form
crimp

With practice you can load a few boxes in short order.

 

[Overlander]

Thanks Corbet - I've seen some Youtube videos and it does look stright forward - once you setup, but the problem is all the finer details: powder selection, weight, size of the shot, type of wads, types of hulls, types/size of primers to choose from the dozens of choices in each category...

Was hoping to hookup with someone so they can hold my hand on the material selection and basic setup for the first time, and then I can take it from there.

Maybe I'll look into getting on a trap league - some of these folks, I'm sure are reloading - so maybe someone would be able to help me.

 

[Corbet]

Get yourself a reloading book. It will provide the load instructions you need. I think your over thinking it a little. Save your empty shells from here on out. Tall brass for hunting loads and shorts for targets. Set up is pretty easy as the slide bar measures your shot and powder. Personally I've only loaded trap loads as dad always purchased his hunting loads. I'm guessing he did not want to invest into more equipment for only a box or two per year.

 

[Overlander]

Get yourself a reloading book. It will provide the load instructions you need. I think your over thinking it a little. Save your empty shells from here on out. Tall brass for hunting loads and shorts for targets. Set up is pretty easy as the slide bar measures your shot and powder. Personally I've only loaded trap loads as dad always purchased his hunting loads. I'm guessing he did not want to invest into more equipment for only a box or two per year.

Maybe I'm overthinking it - but I want to be super cautious here - I don't wanna endup on an evening news...
I spent some time in the library this past weekend reading 'Basic Re-loading book' - it helped me some but still have few questions. I found a Lee's Load-All machine locally which I may spring for ($40.00). I need to get my hands on a Reloading manual next and read through specific recipes to know what I need. Thx

 

[Corbet]

Cautious is good but its pretty hard to screw one up with a decent machine. Not like hand loading a rifle/pistol cartridge with hand measuring a powder charge and then having to press in a bullet. No case sizing. Shotgun loading really is easy

 

[Cheeseman]

When I was younger we, dad brother and myself, loaded a ton of shells. I mean it was nothing for us to have 15-20 boxes of shells ready to go at all times. Think of it this way. In the beginning just reload what you bought. Powder, shot size, etc. Then decide what you want to improve on. More powder for distance. Hotter powder for distance. More shot for killing or breaking clays. Then just understand the parameters that the shell can hold and the chamber can take. If you think of it a 12 gauge 3" mag factory load is a pretty hot shell. You can then juice it up from there if you want. And really that is the jist of reloading. Doing what you bought or making it better and saving a little money and teaching yourself and kids better gun safety through exposing what is behind the shell.