Anyone reload for 12ga?

[Prometheus]

I'm thinking of getting into it. My only experience is with pistol ammo via a dillon 550.

What do you have and use?

Average cost to reload buckshot (between 9 and 21 pellets) and #6 shot?

 

[6birds]

MEC 650, I have trash bags of hulls, Shot is $22-$26 for #6 to #8, I also reload some #2 and #4 steel for waterfowl.

I shoot twice a month (sporting clays) and at least once a month with the kids, So I can really load them down for fun, not pain.

Alliant powders, AA hulls, Citori shotguns.

 

[Limpy88]

lee load all II greatest $42 spent
hodgon's clays powder clean burning a little more expensive than red dot or green dot powder.

lead shot at the stores right now is around $35 a bag.

 

[Prometheus]

MEC 650, I have trash bags of hulls, Shot is $22-$26 for #6 to #8, I also reload some #2 and #4 steel for waterfowl.

I shoot twice a month (sporting clays) and at least once a month with the kids, So I can really load them down for fun, not pain.

Alliant powders, AA hulls, Citori shotguns.

I'm going to be running my S12 primarily, so I want hot loads for reliability.

Recycling hulls, What cost per round are you looking at?

How do you (and others) like you press and how many rounds can you load an hour? I don't want to spend all day loading, I've really got no interest in a single stage press.

 

[Racerdj]

Like you I have a Dillon 550B reloading 9mm and 45acp. I started with a MEC Jr. back in the 1970's and quit shooting. I restarted back in January and purchased a MEC 9000N and have reloaded over 10,000 shells 12 ga.
I love reloading and would be glad to help you if you have any questions.

 

[Clay]

tag for interest

 

[6birds]

I'm going to be running my S12 primarily, so I want hot loads for reliability. The loads can be whatever you want, and very consistant.

Recycling hulls, What cost per round are you looking at? $20 per Thousand

How do you (and others) like you press and how many rounds can you load an hour? 2 hours, I can get my 8-10 boxes (of 25) reloaded and ready for next weeks match.

Cost per round will depend on what you're loading, I shoot mostly 7 1/2 or 8's for clays, 1 oz loads for 12 ga, 7/8 oz for 20 ga.

When I load hunting loads, shot in #4 and #6 is cheaper, but I'm loading 1 1/8 oz or 1 1/4 oz, more powder, but load less than 500 per year at that charge.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Here's a stupid question (I think): Can one use used wads?

 

[6birds]

Here's a stupid question (I think): Can one use used wads?

You "can".

$14 per thousand, why would you?

 

[selinoid44]

I use a Posness Warren for 12 guage. This loader is a tank. I can run 25 shells out in 3 minutes it has 8 stages. "Can you use wads that have been used before?" WHY, they are cheap!
This loader is exspenive but worth the extra doe if your gonna do some serious loading. I use mainly Red Dot. Shoot sporting clays mostly. Cost? I can't help you with because I'm using reclaimed shot.
The Mec loaders are pretty fast once you get a system down, but the progressive loaders are much less work.

 

[parson]

I load just a few boxes per year. The Lee works very well for my purposes.

 

[Disposable Heart]

You "can".

$14 per thousand, why would you?

'Cause I'm Scottish and a cheap SOB! But even then, $14 is CHEAP!

 

[6birds]

'Cause I'm Scottish and a cheap SOB! But even then, $14 is CHEAP!

I'm shooting a few rounds this Friday with friends. Put on your hockey gear, you're welcome to be downrange to catch and keep what we shoot, lead and wads. You should get your first thousand quite easily.

 

[Racerdj]

Here's a stupid question (I think): Can one use used wads?

I use claybusters which is an economical version of the more costly ones. I would not want to re-use wads.

 

[Limpy88]

hell, clay busters are only $9 per 500.

 

[Aszerigan]

Here's a stupid question (I think): Can one use used wads?

NO... you shouldn't. As a wad is fired, the shot imprints on the barrel of the wad causing marks. If you reused wads, the pressure could cause the wad to fully compress, and your patterns would suffer severely.

Besides, they're cheap. No reason to - reusing wads is like reusing toilet paper. You could... but it's cheap enough to buy new every time.

 

[Prometheus]

Cost per round will depend on what you're loading, I shoot mostly 7 1/2 or 8's for clays, 1 oz loads for 12 ga, 7/8 oz for 20 ga.

When I load hunting loads, shot in #4 and #6 is cheaper, but I'm loading 1 1/8 oz or 1 1/4 oz, more powder, but load less than 500 per year at that charge.

You load bird shot?

I'm calculating 21.5 cents a shell (assuming free hulls) for 6-8 shot. Cabelas puts those on sale for 22.5 cents a round. Shot is my biggest cost at roughly 65% of the total cost. I can't see loading just to save a penny.

How much is your cost per shell for the 7 1/2 12 ga?

If I may ask, where do you buy your shot?

Cool cost calculator I found: Shotshell Reloading Cost Calculator

 

[KEHO]

You load bird shot?

I'm calculating 21.5 cents a shell (assuming free hulls) for 6-8 shot. Cabelas puts those on sale for 22.5 cents a round. Shot is my biggest cost at roughly 65% of the total cost. I can't see loading just to save a penny.

How much is your cost per shell for the 7 1/2 12 ga?

If I may ask, where do you buy your shot?

Cool cost calculator I found: Shotshell Reloading Cost Calculator

Here's the breakdown I have calculated for my load. If I purchase all my supplies (in bulk) at Indiana Gun Club (except hulls) this is what I get:

Powder $125 for 8 lbs - 19 grains per shot = $0.0424 per round
Primer $129 for 5000 - 1 per shot = $0.0258 per round
Wad $18.73 for 1000 - 1 per shot = $0.0187 per round
Shot $36.00 for 25 lbs - 0.875 ounces per shot = $0.0379 per round
Hull $0.03 each but used 5 times = $0.006 per round

Cost per round = $0.1309
Cost per box = $3.272

For me, worth it. Mostly because loading is fun!! The price will go up if you use a 1 oz or 1.25 oz load. This is the best case scenario price for my skeet loads: 7/8 ounce of shot with 18 grains of powder. Realistically I assume $3.50 a box when I load to compensate for the occasional error, minor spill, etc. etc.

HTH

 

[jimbo-indy]

My trap loads have been running just under $5 per box. That's higher than some here but I shot 1 1/8 oz of #8 and can't afford to buy in bulk. Usually buy enugh to run of 1000 shells (40 boxes). Still, I get a load I like for slightly less than you can buy in stores unless there is a super sale. My press is an old Pacific single stage that a friend gave me. He picked it up at a garage sale for $10. Hornaday bought Pacific so the bushings are still available. I can run off about about 4 boxes/hr. without pushing.
Advise: pick a brand of shell you like and buy only that, save the hulls. That way when you start reloading, you have a large supply of the same hull and you can find a load that works with that hull.

 

[tenring]

And I picked up 4 cartons [90 per carton] of clays at Wally World the other day, 5 bucks per carton.