Considering getting in to shotshell reloading.

[phatcyclist]

I've got quite a collection of shotguns now.

Maverick 88 12 ga
Winchester 24 12 ga
Baikal MP-153 12 ga
Baikal/Remington SPR-100 .410

Not sure I'll be reloading .410, especially since the equipment is expensive and limited, plus I bought the gun cheap and I'm just going to keep it in the car as a utility gun.

I want to load some decent dove loads/buckshot loads for cheaper than I can buy them. I know I can buy a Lee 12ga press for little money and the components are inexpensive per shell. I mainly want to load for my Baikal as it won't really cycle anything less than 1-1/4 oz reliably, but the cost of a box of 1-1/4 oz lead shells is a bit silly compared to basic 1 oz or 1-1/8 oz loads.

Does anyone have experience with the Lee press? I'd consider stepping up to an MEC if the Lee is just garbage, but I've had good luck with their products in the past and don't expect that it would be. This press will not be used for production quantities, I just want something where I can sit down one weekend and load my fill of dove loads for the season if the urge gets me.

Thanks in advance.


Also, if anyone knows where I could get .410 dies for a standard press, that would work as well but I've never seen them.

 

[Angered_Kabar]

I think I've heard .410 is pretty tricky to reload for.

 

[RetArmySgt]

Ive used a Lee shotshell system it was easy and didnt take long to do a full case of shells.

 

[Vaquero]

Shotshell loading is very easy and goes pretty quick. Appreciable savings are noticed on the dove/quail loads (just because of quantity). Check primer and shot prices. Shop for them and when you find a deal, get all you can. Wads are cheap and easy to find. I've had best luck with Winchester primers in shottys.
The press will pay for itself.

 

[CanTex]

I use a Mec, and find them super easy to use. My rifle and pistol loaders are Lee and I have no issues with them. So, I believe you would be happy with either.

For casings, I was at the Skeet range and they had bags of once fired for a decent price, as well keep a lookout on craigslist as there has been a few people getting out of reloading that have listed on there.

Good luck and enjoy

 

[RetArmySgt]

Check out this ad...Mec Loader, AA reload 12 guage

 

[cleric]

I have mec 600 in all but 16 gauge...I have not figured out a way to make a box for less the I can buy them.

Every now and then I find cases sub 50 so I stock up on them

 

[Dawico]

I didn't see any gains for reloading shot shells. Ofcourse, I don't need any specialty loads either.

I reload for everything else though.

 

[TheDan]

I dunno man, 12ga is pretty darn cheap at the store. Unless you just want to do it for the experience or want make fun loads I don't think it's worth it. Reloading the .410 may be worth it. .410 is a lot more expensive than 12ga at the store

 

[cuate]

Picked up a Mec-Jr. 12 ga. shotshell loader at a garage sale for $25 years ago, loaded hundreds of shells, I prefer AA shot shells to reload and I ise good quality
components, powder. Shooting clays here at home I fudged a little and loaded with #8 shot which puts a little more shot in the air. Can hit 'em even with my old Win. Mod. 1897 with it's 18 1/2" barrel (Cowboy Action Shooting).. Definitly cylinder "sawed or bored" .

 

[phatcyclist]

I dunno man, 12ga is pretty darn cheap at the store. Unless you just want to do it for the experience or want make fun loads I don't think it's worth it. Reloading the .410 may be worth it. .410 is a lot more expensive than 12ga at the store

Well, the cheapest I can buy a box of shells that will work in my Baikal is about $14 after tax and it's not very common. Mainly the ability to load specialty shells or exactly what I want would be nice.

I wish Lee made a .410 press or I could get some .410 dies for a standard press. I don't plan on shooting much .410, but if I could buy a $50 die set or a $60 press I would consider reloading it. I doubt I'd drop $180 on an MEC just to reload .410 a little.

 

[TheDan]

If it were me, I'd be modifying the gun to work reliably with the cheaper ammo

 

[phatcyclist]

I did find a little out about reloading .410 on a standard press. Apparently, a 7.62x54r shellholder works and you can resize the brass bit with a 45 ACP die that has the decapper removed. Then, a .444 Marlin seating die can be used to crimp the top closed and compress the shot. I'm not sure about priming, but something could be figured out. I might buy the bits and pieces I don't have after I get my 12 ga setup running, if the .410 loading is successful I'll get some Youtube videos uploaded and a writeup.

I could modify the gun, but it will fire from 1 1/4oz 2 3/4" to 3 1/2". I wouldn't want to limit the top range by modifying the gas system. I'd like to load some 1 1/4oz 7 1/2 shot loads anyway for all of my 12ga shotguns.

 

[navyguy]

I had a Mec Jr 20 Gauge for a number of years and it always worked very well. It was progressive, but I got two where I'd punch the primers and re-seat new primers before going to the powder- wad shot cycle. Mainly because my then 12 year old daughter liked helping, and those two operations are the least critical.

 

[cleric]

I found my mec 600 410 on craigslist for 50$. I reload 410 every now and then. But not 12

 

[OLDVET]

I used to be competition shotgun shooter. I competed for about 15 years. Reloading became a must for me. At the time I was the President of the Rockwall Gun Club. I shot in two trap leagues and two skeet leagues during the week. I was always shooting at some competition on the weekends. It was not unsual to shoot over 500 shotshells a week including practice sessions.
Do not be fooled by the cheap come-on promotional boxes of shells. If you take the time to "pattern" a few shells you will quickly see they pattern poorly, sort of a donut pattern. For a shotshell to perform well it needs a quality wad that has some kind of cushion built into the base of the wad. Promo loads usually have a fiber waffer seated on top of the powder charge and a cheap finger style shot cup. Needless to say a cushioned type of wad is a little more expensive, but the performance makes up for the additional cost.
A far as reloading .410 shells, all I can say is it possible; but much more work than I care to expend. After a couple of reloads they tend to wad up instead of crimp correctly. When you reload shotshells be sure to only reload shotshells that have a six point crimp.
I have a couple of Mec 600 Jr presses I would sell. One is a 12 ga. and the other is a .28 ga. press. When I was in competition I reloaded on Pacific 366 progressive presses in all four gauges. Hornady now owns the Pacific brand name. I have reloaded 12 ga, shells so many times that I had to put a small piece of scotch tape over the crimp to keep the shot pellets from trickling out. Competition shooters are cheap B#stards.

 

[phatcyclist]

I did some measuring and found that a .45 ACP would size the case (if needed) enough and looking at a 7.62x54r casing and a .410 shell, they sure are pretty similar to each other, so I could see how that shellholder would work. I need to get my hands on a .444 Marlin seater die, I think a .45 colt seater/crimp die could be set up to work for the first action of the crimp, but I'll have to see.

 

[Dawico]

Put up a want to buy ad here and TGTrader for a .410 Lee Loadall, or any other .410 loader. Someone has to have one that is just collecting dust. You might get lucky.