I've been looking around and thinking about getting a shotshell reloader and after pricing the the components its appears a little cheaper than just buying a flat. The questions I had were, is there much to be saved? How many loads did yall go through before yall found one you liked. I have loaded handgun and rifle ammo before and found that you go through a few before you get one that shoots really well, are shotgun shells the same? Do most of of yall that reload just load what you normally shoot and it works?

any insight into this is appreciated

I reload lead for pheasant and dove. I was looking into it and for as much as I shoot steel the cost of getting the new bars and stuff wasn't worth it. It may have changed since steel prices have gone down considerably

It's simple. get a mud motor. shoot ducks in the face.

Do the math.
http://www.losttarget.com/costcal.htm

For rough cost estimates:
Primers = $150 per 5,000
Wads = $10 per 500
Powder = $150 per 8 pounds
Grains = ~18 is a fairly safe bet. Most my loads are between 16.5-18.
Hulls = Free. Pick a load from a reloading guide and start shooting those shells for the hulls. A good "bargain" hull will be remington gun clubs or similar. I can get 5-6 reloads, my father pushes them to 7 or 8 but occasionally will get a low pressure charge. I only reload for clay shooting to get a lighter load (7/8oz 12 gauge 9 shot)

Shotgun shells are high pressure (11,000 PSI or so load dependent), DO NOT just make up a random load if you want your gun to stay together. Follow tested recipes and do not vary.

Allianz Reloading Data
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/ ... rint.aspx&

I got my dad great deals on all the components, and it was still 10,000 rounds to break even for him, however, you probably will re-coup much quicker on steel depending on your current and future shells.

For reference, it's about $4.20 a box for him and I to reload 1 oz 12 gauge vs. the $5.50-$6.50 we pay for new gun clubs. We both reload to get a more specific load for skeet and sporting clays. It's also a common shell people shoot, so we can get hulls fairly easily from the range if need be.

If you shoot 20 gauge let me know, I picked up a progressive MEC 20 gauge a while back for a steal and haven't touched it I'd be willing to part with.

I wouldn't recommend a progressive machine starting out! Check out the MEC Steel Master! I use recipes from Ballistic Products.


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Go look around at duckhuntingchat on the reloading forum for some steelshot reloading insight.

As far as how much you will save that depends on what you want to shoot. The way the factory promo loads are its hard to beat the deals you can get on them from rogers and dunns. I save the most on 20 and 10 gauge loads.

I can load 12 gauge 2 3/4" for 7-8 dollars a box, 3" I can load for 8-10 a box depending on components. Loading steel shot is very time consuming so unless you're bored for the cost of shells compared to time spent cranking on a handle just buy factory ammo.

I asked a lot of questions on duckhunting chat and found some loads that were consistently getting good reviews and started from there. Some loads work great for some and horrible for others. Some guns like fast loads some won't pattern them worth a damn.

thanks for the input I've been reading a lot on it and pricing components and buying them in bulk is definitely where the savings start. From what Ive read its something im going to have to crank out a few rounds at a starting point then pattern them and see where im at. This definitely looks like a summer project. If anyone is interested I can post when I get started and maybe start a thread with some data to help others if theyre interested.

I reload a lot of lead for feild. Was going to load steel for this season coming but I'm thinking I might just drop down to 20g and shoot lead instead.
If you own the press a micrometer bar is the way to go it has all the inserts to handle steel.
The main reason for reloading steel isn't savings its to find a load that suits you better than factory.
For instance I've got published data that will put an ounce and eighth of steel to a bit over 1700fps or a guy I've talked to about it dropped right back to 7s in steel for mallards.

He's talking about using a progressive to load steel shot. Steel shot and steel powder for that matter,doesn't meter well through a machine so most guys that load steel hand weigh shot and powder. I've loaded steel shells for almost 20 years and in the beginning there was a huge difference between what I could load and factory bug its not like that anymore. I find my self buying factory more and loading less.

Yea, I started loading steel not long after we had to use it! Back in those days the factory loads wasn't that good and I could make better performing loads by reloading!
Steel shot today is much better and I've pretty much quit reloading steel! Hell, I used to reload Bismuth as well!


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I have a MEC Steelmaster for reloading 10 gauge. I have been reading steel for 25 years or more. I bought a lot of components. As mentioned I was able to find a load perimeter and was able to work up a sweet load. I shoot #1's for geese and #3s for ducks. I load both and use the 10 ga. For river hunting late season on both types of fowl.

MEC Steel Master is what I use. You will not save anything measureable by reloading your own. Finding components is a bitch. Hoarders buy up all the powder (mainly Alliant Steel) and primers for the doomsday fear. What you will get are quality loads for the same price you normally pay for cheap off the shelf stuff. It cost me about $10.00 a box to load 3" 1500 fps loads. That is free hulls included. Personally, I get a chance to just go to the reloading room in my shop, turn on some music and get lost in reloading. It is more for relaxing than anything else and the kick I get from shooting my own stuff. You will most likely have to hand measure your powder as I have not found anything that will drop Alliant steel powder consistently accurate. It is a slow process but with the high pressures that powder develops, it is better to be safe. And remember, the only loads safe are those listed in the reloading manual. Wildcatting will get you and others seriously hurt. You have to follow the recipes to a T.

Curl

Do the charge bars not accurately meter alliant for most people, I was using blue dot and it metered it pretty good. Obviously I wasn't reloading steel. Was loading light sporting clays I'd check every 5th one and they were always within 1 grain as long as I pulled the handle and slid the bar the same

It's simple. get a mud motor. shoot ducks in the face.

The Alliant Steel is a flat pancake powder, unlike any of the other types. Charge bars do not handle this well.

The micro charge bar does pretty good, but I check every 5th shell


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I use a Lee Loadall II (retail about $50.00) for steel shells, and file out the bushings to get exact measurements of powder and shot, then roll crimp a bunch with clear over shot cards. A couple years ago I bought a case of primed new Fiochi Tundra hulls from ballistic products for less than $10.00 a hundred, they are awesome hulls.

Get this book and read it - it was a pretty good read and saved me a lot grief loading steel. Get a GOOD digital scale also

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Status ... /00MSTEEL/

rolls.JPG

Thanks to everyone for their input and insight I may pm some of yall if I haven't already when I get started.

Maybe check put the Lyman shotgun reloading book.

It's simple. get a mud motor. shoot ducks in the face.