1st time reloading questions

[steelrain82]

I have always taken my youngest brother shooting. He loves shooting the shotgun, nothing fancy, a simple Maverick 88. Every time we go shooting he wants the shotgun to come along. He will spend the whole day shooting 00Buck and slugs. I don't really care to shoot shotgun that much, but we figured we would get into reloading shotgun shells, mainly for fun. So we bought a Lee Load-All II. He have some empty hull, and plan on buying more just to learn how to do it.

Minus the machine, what do you folks recommend for a low recoil #4 and 00 buckshot? Powder, hull, and wad recommendations would be appreciated.

[bubbala]

You're in luck. Seems only primers available are for shot shells.

[Donny1]

I have always taken my youngest brother shooting. He loves shooting the shotgun, nothing fancy, a simple Maverick 88. Every time we go shooting he wants the shotgun to come along. He will spend the whole day shooting 00Buck and slugs. I don't really care to shoot shotgun that much, but we figured we would get into reloading shotgun shells, mainly for fun. So we bought a Lee Load-All II. He have some empty hull, and plan on buying more just to learn how to do it.

Minus the machine, what do you folks recommend for a low recoil #4 and 00 buckshot? Powder, hull, and wad recommendations would be appreciated.

I've never used the Lee but my understanding is that they are ok but I think you will need something better if you want to load a lot. I bought a used MEC Sizemaster that I use for Trap loads and it's a workhorse.

I'm interested in loading #00 and #4 buckshot as well but I never have because they are not found locally and the expense is quite a bit more than loading birdshot. Even at that I don't save much but I can load the way I like.

If you load your own buckshot I think you can save a lot because it's way overpriced. I buy it only on sale, regular price is $1 a round. I like the Remington Gun Club, STS hulls, you can reload them many times. Buy a couple of flats new and you can reload them forever. Some cheap hulls like Top Gun or Wallyword bulk stuff is not recommended to reload. I have reloaded once fired Top Guns to take to the range so I don't have to worry about picking them up. Lots of good info out there on any particular hulls and what to avoid.

[Donny1]

I also want to say that loading buckshot is not like birdshot, get a reloading manual and start with a published recipe. Loading it is very specific, stacking pellets in a certain way, buffers, etc.

[hambam105]

Quality hulls should be easy to find.

#4 buck for me has been over-rated since the 1980s.

Your biggest expense will be the slug or 00 size buckshot. So I'd start
looking into casting your own.

[NapalmCheese]

I also want to say that loading buckshot is not like birdshot, get a reloading manual and start with a published recipe. Loading it is very specific, stacking pellets in a certain way, buffers, etc.

I don't load buckshot yet, but I load a few different shotgun rounds and this is correct. Don't take someone's word for a shotgun shell recipe without looking at their pressure data. They don't have pressure data as measured by a lab or other person with professional pressure measuring equipment? Don't use the recipe.

That being said, the Load All II will be adequate, you'll probably want to roll crimp so pick up the drill (or drill press) mounted roll crimper and some overshot cards. If you already reload metallic and have a powder measure, I'm not even sure I'd use the Load All for loading buckshot other than priming and depriming - you'll have to drop the shot manually anyway and if you're roll crimping (likely for buckshot but not necessary) you wont' be using the Load All for that.

[hambam105]

Powder dipper, you can make your own or maybe ask someone here with a case trimmer to make you one.

Real sure you will have to hand-count and hand-dispense #00 buck pellets for each load.

[tabascoz28]

Hand count yep, I put the 4 bucks on a scale instead of count. I mainly load a ton of bird shot and just shoot clay. I have a set of buckshot and slugs ready. You know, in case of Z Jermans. Also I'm using a Lee. What sucks is cleaning up the powder or shot after you're done. So now my next loading session, I'm just going to load all 300 hulls at the same time. There's no easy way to clean out the dispensers.

[NapalmCheese]

Hand count yep, I put the 4 bucks on a scale instead of count. I mainly load a ton of bird shot and just shoot clay. I have a set of buckshot and slugs ready. You know, in case of Z Jermans. Also I'm using a Lee. What sucks is cleaning up the powder or shot after you're done. So now my next loading session, I'm just going to load all 300 hulls at the same time. There's no easy way to clean out the dispensers.

If found cleaning out the powder and shot dispensers wasn't so bad if you use some masking tape to tape a piece of cardboard over one side when you empty out the other. Easier to tape up the shot side and empty the powder first, then just remove the tape and empty the shot.

[tabascoz28]

I just use a large lee dipper and scoop the powder out. Leave the shot in cause I'm done experimenting.

[fatfreadiescat]

Lee has very good load data for slug and buck using AA winchester hulls.