20 gauge reloading advice!!!

[layfz450]

hi guys, just got a Mossberg 500 for skate and may b some small bird hunting shooting, call me crazy but i like it so much that i am already thinking on reloading my own shells,
so with your help i will like to educate my self in how to do this right!

so what kind of reloading press do you recommend for a newbie like myself?
what kind of gun powder do you recommend?
what kind of supplies do i need to start reloading and where can i find them?
i also can see that right now is a very hard time to find hand gun and rifle supplies and ammo,
so how hard is it right now to find reloading supplies for shotgun?
thanks so much guys for the help in advance.

[valleyhunter]

If your just starting look at a MEC 650. It is a single stage but I have used one for years and they are very reliable. Unless you are going to be shooting a lot of trap, skeet, or sporting clays you do not need a progressive IMHO.
As far as powder goes you that will depend on what type of load you want and what type of hulls and other componets you will be using. You can go on line to any of the major powder manufactures sites and get load data based on what hulls you want to load and for what shot charge you would like. It will also tell you what primer and wad to use for each load.
As far as componets go the only thing I have been having some trouble finding lately is powder.
Good luck and I hope you will enjoy reloading.

[layfz450]

If your just starting look at a MEC 650. It is a single stage but I have used one for years and they are very reliable. Unless you are going to be shooting a lot of trap, skeet, or sporting clays you do not need a progressive IMHO.
As far as powder goes you that will depend on what type of load you want and what type of hulls and other componets you will be using. You can go on line to any of the major powder manufactures sites and get load data based on what hulls you want to load and for what shot charge you would like. It will also tell you what primer and wad to use for each load.
As far as componets go the only thing I have been having some trouble finding lately is powder.
Good luck and I hope you will enjoy reloading.

thanks for the advise
skeet i think is the main reason why iam thinking of doing this,
so where do you buy your components from?
is it even worth the time and effort? how much do you save lets say in a box of 25 shells? i can buy a box of 25 shells at my local walmart for 6 and change

[Squidward]

I'll suggest the Lee load-all. Inexpensive, simple and reliable. From the start most people think reloading is all about saving money. To a degree it is but it is also about tuning the load for your particular firearm. Cost of components depends upon your recipe. Most items you can get at your LGS or the internet, which is what I do.

[valleyhunter]

I get componets from Cabelas when I am up that way or at Sportsmen's Warehouse. I have also ordered wads on line in the past.
I have not priced out what a box is costing me to reload in a couple years but last time I did it was around 3.50 a box.
I know my reloads were better than the cheap promotional loads. They deffinetly had superior componets.
I started reloading back in the day because I was shooting a lot if ammo waterfowl hunting (when lead was legal) because I could not find the loads I liked locally. I just stuck with it and now I load 12, 20, 28, and .410.
I enjoy loading my own shells and seeing the end result of broken clays or birds in the bag.

[AAShooter]

thanks for the advise
skeet i think is the main reason why iam thinking of doing this,
so where do you buy your components from?
is it even worth the time and effort? how much do you save lets say in a box of 25 shells? i can buy a box of 25 shells at my local walmart for 6 and change

If you are happy with the performance of promo loads at Walmart, it is hard to beat the price substantially reloading. As you mention, you can get pretty cheap 12 and 20 guage shells.

This spreadsheet will help you figure out the economics. http://www.mecreloaders.com/CostComparison.html

For example, if you reload a 7/8 ounce load and pay $50 for 25 lbs of shot, you have about $2.75 a box in just shot. If you use recycled shot, you can probably get by with about half that. Powder for a box of shells will run about $1.00. Primers are about $0.80 for a box of shells. Wads are another $1.00 for a box of shells. So assuming hulls are free, you are looking at about $5.55/box. Obviously if you buy in bulk and get better prices on components, you can save more.

I should point out that the shells you are loading at this price are more comparable to competition shells. Those are higher quality shells compared to the Walmart promo loads and you aren't buying them for $6/box . . . more like $8/box.

I generally tell people if they are just reloading to "save money" it is just another job you are probably better off spending your time elsewhere.

[valleyhunter]

I forgot about the Lee Load All. I use to have one for 16 ga. It had all the shot and powder bushings you need. The only down fall was getting the shot and powder out of the hoppers if you wanted to change componets.
It worked well though for the few boxes are year I would load for hunting.

As mentioned above reloading is not always a big money saver, but it can be if you shop around. If you use quality componets you can duplicate a Winchester AA or Remington STS load for much cheaper than the $8 to $9 a box they are going for at Wal Mart.

[AAShooter]

As far as cheap components, start networking with shooters that do a lot of clays sports. Many of those are big time reloaders and know where to find deals on components. They will often coordinate group buys to leverage buying power. If fact, if you decide not to reload, they may be a resource for inexpensive shells. Many will buy pallets of shells in group buys.

For example, the last big buy I participated in was for shot. I and many other purchased 1000 to 2000lbs of shot each.

[layfz450]

thanks guys for all the great information,
i will keed educating mayself in this new sport of mine, that will make me deside if i want to do it or not

happy shooting

[AAShooter]

Many reloaders would be willing to show you their setups. You might be able to link up with someone on the range. Or, if you post your location, you might find a calgunner that will hop in.

Also, the NRA has a shotshell reloading seminar. It is not taught very often but you might want to consider taking that.

[parcours]

Where are you located?

[layfz450]

from the davis area

[parcours]

OK, a little too far.

[beammeupscotty]

To learn about reloading...

I would suggest you read the Shotgunworld forum's reloading section. I hope it is not violating any rules here to mention it. 20 gauge, you are not going to be able to save a lot of money, but you might be able to reload for a buck or buck and a half less than buying promo shells.

I would suggest staying away from the Lee Loadall. It is a very poorly made machine, all plastic and has many shortcomings. A MEC 600 Jr. or the 650 already mentioned are the minimum I could recommend, though the 650 appears to me to be a progressive, which I do not recommend for a beginner. I reload on the 600 Jr. in both 12 and 20 gauge and it is very easy to do. In 12 gauge, I can reload nearly 200 shells in an hour. With a 600, you can expect to need to spend close to $250.00 to purchase the reloader, a range of extra powder bushings and an inexpensive digital scale. I use a cheap MTM digital that costs under $30.00 and it works great for shot shells. Just don't depend on it for metallic reloading.

This link will take you to a reloading calculator which you can use to determine if it will be cost effective to reload.

http://www.losttarget.com/costcal.htm

In general, it is necessary to buy in bulk to have any chance of saving money by reloading. Always buy your powder in 8 lb. jugs, buy primers by the case of 5000.

The biggest cost in reloading shotgun shells is always the lead. My club currently sells reclaimed shot for about ten bucks less than new shot and it seems to work reasonably well. Your club is often the best resource for buying reloading components, but not always. I buy my shot and wads from my club, because shipping on both those items are quite expensive, shot because of the weight and wads because of the size of the box they come in. I buy powder and primers on line, buying 2-8 lb. jugs of powder and 10,000 primers in an order. This is the maximum allowed under one hazmat charge (running about $27.00 right now) but many of the major reloading suppliers on line do not charge freight on orders over $30.00 or $50.00, depending on the supplier. I use Gamaliel Shooting Supply myself and have been very happy with their prices and service.

[Bill Steele]

I would suggest you read the Shotgunworld forum's reloading section. I hope it is not violating any rules here to mention it. 20 gauge, you are not going to be able to save a lot of money, but you might be able to reload for a buck or buck and a half less than buying promo shells.

I would suggest staying away from the Lee Loadall. It is a very poorly made machine, all plastic and has many shortcomings. A MEC 600 Jr. or the 650 already mentioned are the minimum I could recommend, though the 650 appears to me to be a progressive, which I do not recommend for a beginner. I reload on the 600 Jr. in both 12 and 20 gauge and it is very easy to do. In 12 gauge, I can reload nearly 200 shells in an hour. With a 600, you can expect to need to spend close to $250.00 to purchase the reloader, a range of extra powder bushings and an inexpensive digital scale. I use a cheap MTM digital that costs under $30.00 and it works great for shot shells. Just don't depend on it for metallic reloading.

This link will take you to a reloading calculator which you can use to determine if it will be cost effective to reload.

http://www.losttarget.com/costcal.htm

In general, it is necessary to buy in bulk to have any chance of saving money by reloading. Always buy your powder in 8 lb. jugs, buy primers by the case of 5000.

The biggest cost in reloading shotgun shells is always the lead. My club currently sells reclaimed shot for about ten bucks less than new shot and it seems to work reasonably well. Your club is often the best resource for buying reloading components, but not always. I buy my shot and wads from my club, because shipping on both those items are quite expensive, shot because of the weight and wads because of the size of the box they come in. I buy powder and primers on line, buying 2-8 lb. jugs of powder and 10,000 primers in an order. This is the maximum allowed under one hazmat charge (running about $27.00 right now) but many of the major reloading suppliers on line do not charge freight on orders over $30.00 or $50.00, depending on the supplier. I use Gamaliel Shooting Supply myself and have been very happy with their prices and service.

I agree with just about everything here. I personally don't think the Lee Loadall is poorly made, but being mainly plastic it probably won't hold up to continued use like the MEC presses. The MEC presses cost more, but of you find you don't like loading shot shells, they have a good resale value so you won't lose much.

On the powder question, the shotgunworld forums are a terrific place to get good advice on loads. When loading shot shells, you follow a specific receipe, so the powder selection is driven by the chosen receipe. You can buy something like say Alliant 20/28 and then find a receipe, but a better way is to listen to experienced hands that have loads that work in a similar gun and just use that receipe. If you just go to Hodgdon or Alliant's site and get a receipe, you may find that it doesn't load particularly well with the hull, wad, powder combination in the receipe, or find it doesn't pattern well in your gun. All you are sure is it won't blow your gun up.

As others have mentioned, lead shot is the biggest expense. Clubs are a good source, group buys another. In general, if you buy in 25lb bags from a place like Ballistic Products you will do better buying loaded shells at Walmart, at least for target loads. For field loads and buck, you can save a lot.

Shotgunworld dot com is a great place to go for everything you will need to know.