Reloading for Shotgun

[kcwolf200]

My girlfriend and I are starting to get in to skeet shooting. We are each using our Remington 870 express (one 12 ga and the other 20 ga).

We have decided to start reloading our own shells and purchased a Lee Load All 2. We are new to reloading shotgun shells, but have been reloading rifle and handgun ammo for a while now.

Any tips, recipes for skeet, types of hulls, powders, etc. to buy? I did purchase the Lyman Shotshell Reloading Manual. Thanks.

 

[slow1911s]

1 oz of 7 1/2 shot, Claybuster wad, Winchester 209 primers, IMR 700X powder (per the manual). I like old Winchester AA hulls. The newer hulls don't reload as well. Others may recommend something newer.

 

[Yeah]

Newer AAs are a 2 piece hull that uses a base wad. This changes their internal capacity as compared with 10 or so year old AAs. It can also come loose.

Remington STS are still a single piece of plastic.

 

[PriestEG]

once you get everything set up, the key will be to getting the propper crimp! took me a box or two to figure out exactly how to get it right. on the initial crimp it is necessary to line up the crimp die with the existing crimp of the hull and hold it down for 3-5 seconds depending on which hulls you use. then on the final crimp, dont push down to far or you will overcrimp and have to scrap the hull and pull the innerds out and start again. if you have any questions i am available to contact you personally as i use the lee load all myself

 

[Limpy88]

i shoot skeet 3 times a week.
i use clay buster cb-0178-12 for Winchester AA old and new, and all Remmington shells. the reason i use in some many shells but one wad is because all of them are taper hulls. its a 7/8oz load wad. the top shooters in amercian skeet use 7/8oz for 12 ga. and all international clay games have a 24gram limit. very close to 7/8oz. i use a 7/8 load for all of my clay shooting(skeet, trap, sporting clays, 5 stand)

i use hodgons titewad powder becuase it is a good combo of clean, cheap and low charge weight. but titewad is 12ga only.

if you want both a powder to use for both 12ga and 20ga. i would suggest alliant green dot. cheap and low preesure, lower recoil. plenty of loads out there.
or hodgons international clays. very clean powder.

i use winchester or cheddite primers. i have cornographed the 2 primers and found no difference. they measure the same diameter as well. early cheddite(over 6years ago) used to be bigger.

other than the 2 mentioned above, all of 209 primers burn different and will change your speeds.

Nobel sport and Fiocchi primers are larger in diameter.once you put them in a hull you need to stay with them in that hull. you wont be able to put a normal sized primer back in.

the 12ga red federal paper base hulls you get from walmart load great with the bright pink and green clay buster wads for strait wall hulls. but the paper base does not hold its shape very well. i reloaded thousands of them.but usually just once .the second and 3rd reloads they were developing primer blow by. i treat the 20ga federals the same.

the green remmington gun clubs from walmart are very good hulls they reload great and last just as long as winchester AA hulls. the 20ga are just as good too.

for 20ga i use the clay buster cb1078-20. i load just a hair over 3/4oz.

clay buster has come out with a new 3/4 oz wad for 20ga, the one listed above it made for 7/8oz loads. i will be switching to once i use up what i have. though it not listed on the web sight you can buy it.

 

[kcwolf200]

Can you get those claybuster wads at Indiana Gun Club? I will be making a trip down there this weekend to get some reloading consumables. Any recommendation on shot to get there?

We went out again last night and tried some reloaded shells from a friend and I think I will be loading 7/8oz for my 12 ga and my girlfriend liked the 3/4oz load in her 20 ga.

 

[Limpy88]

number 8# shot is what i use for 12ga and 20ga. if on olnly shoot in skeet not trap or sporting clays you can use 8.5 or 9's. i stillto8 becuase i can use it in everything.

indiana gun club should have everything you need. call and ask about the new 20ga wad ahead of time.

 

[451_Detonics]

In 12 gauge I prefer Remington green or gold STS hulls. I load them with 7/8 ounce using Ballistic Products 078 Lightning Wad and Red Dot powder. 20 gauge gets Fiocchi hulls, Ballistic Products SG20L wads with 3/4 ounce of shot and again Red Dot.

The shot I drop ends up being about 8 to 8 1/2...works fine for all clays games.

 

[Jarel]

I use to shoot skeet a lot in the 90s. I loaded 7/8 #8. I could miss them just fine with that load. With commercial shot selling for about $40 a bag you won't save much over 12ga. shells on sale. 20ga. are not on sale much so you should save a little more on them. If you plan to shoot a lot I would recommend a Litton Shot Maker. I have one and it will make 35 lbs an hour with just clean wheel weights. (Don't try and clean the WW in the shot maker. You will plug up the orifices.) But before you buy the shot maker buy all the WW you can. It will not be available in a few years as the whole industry switches to zinc and steel. So lay in a ton or more if you can get it. If you end up getting out of skeet I know you will sell your stash of WW for a lot more than you paid for it in 5 or so years.