shotshell reloading

[traper]

hey yall i got a 16ga shotgun that i wanted to start reloading ammo for but i dont know were to start. i am wantin to reload 1 buck shotshells as well as somethin like 6 shot for small game. i have done reloading an all for my rifles before but i aint never did anything with shotguns so i wanted to know if yall could give me some advice about startin out an what all i need to do it but i am on a budget so i cant aford no 900 dollar reloaders now

[DM]

Just the other day, i bought several boxes of 16ga., #6 shot for $5.99 per box. I'd say you will have to shoot quite a bit to make it worth reloading. BUT, if you are going to shoot enough to reload, get yourself a Mec 600. They are VERY well made and will last longer than you need it to. I have 5 or 6 of them, (including 16ga.) and they are worth the $$$, if you want to reload very much ammo.

DM

[gunsmoke]

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/products.asp?dept=65

Probably the best online source for shotshell handloading info products and supplies. They have been in business for a very long time I've been buying from them since the 1970s, an have a complete collection of their handloading data manuals.

Good stuff from good folks, never a hassle to deal with!

[avmech]

Look at a MEC 650 shotshell reloader in whatever gauge you want (this is not a progressive loader, but you can turn out a good amount of shells at a time). Lyman has a shotshell reloading manual that gives you many different loadings. You will need, other than the shells, powder, primers, shot, and wads.

[avmech]

Make that a MEC 600............650 is a progressive press

[cmdan]

SCareful with shotshell loading. The primers are not like rifle and pistol, the same 209 primer by a different brand can produce quite a bit of more pressures. Don't interchange anything, go by the load data, exactly! This was stressed to me several times when I got into loading shotgun shells. I found a chart on shotshell primers just so I could see what they were talking about. There are some big differences, same everything but different primers.
Good luck and enjoy.

[avmech]

What cmdan said has a ton of truth to it. DO NOT substitute

[farmer48]

Hi Traper,You shoul be able to buy a MEC SHOTSHELL RELOADER NEW FOR ABOUT 150.00.So since you have reloaded rifles shell befor its not very different.Search the internet for exact how to's. Happy Reloading..

[Poonie]

I'll also recommend the MEC 600 loader. My dad bought one off a guy he worked with whe nI was younger and me and him used to load alot of shells. He taught me how to load with that thing. Very easy to use and it puts out a decent shell.

If I were you though, I'd get the charge bar with the changeable powder holes so you can have some options instead of just the one size powder charge hole. This way you can use the same charge bar to load a couple different types of shells (say a high brass load for pheasant vs a lowbrass charge for doves), instead of having to spend $ on spearate charge bars..

[avmech]

I am using this charge bar: http://www.multiscalecharge.com/
the c/cs model on my versamec 700

[MichaelK]

Hi Traper
The MEC might be a good choice for you. I got VERY lucky and picked up a Champian shotshell press at the flea market for 20$. It came with a complete set of inserts to do both 20 and 12 gauge.

A really good source of information about reloading in general, but also shotshells, is the book entitled "ABC's of Reloading". I like the older versions authored by Dean Grennell the most, but newer editions still have chapters on shotshell loading. Very good place to start.

By the way, since you're interested in loading buckshot, MidwayUSA has a OO buckshot mold on sale this month for 45$.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=373263
With a source of scrap lead, you can cast your own shot for your shells. I plan on picking one up too before the end of the month.

Good luck,
Michael

[JeffColorado]

Get yourself one of these:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=887011

or

http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Shotshell-5th-Edition-Handbook/dp/B00162MK2M

[recoilless_57mm]

Traper: I second what Gunsmoke said in his post. Go to ballistic products web site. They are just as he says, great folks to work with. I highly recommend the manual they sell on shot shell reloading. It will answer a lot of your questions. Any other questions you may have just call the folks at BPI. They are the friendlist folks I have run into in a long time.

They also sell a lot of fine items.

Good luck