Shotshell reloading

[skeet]

[QUOTE=Gil Martin;336571]
I have several MEC 600 presses and they work well when teamed up with a MEC SuperSizer. The MEC 600 press will resize the brass and the MEC SuperSizer resizes the rim. I have a few shotguns that will not accept oversize rims in the magazine tube.

I should have addressed this in my first post..As Gil says the thickening of the rim can and will happen. The cause of it with a 600 is when we use the regular shotshell sizer we have a tendency to try to size too far down and it squeezes the rim out and makes it larger..eventually it will no longer fit in the mag tubes of many shotguns..may not even fit the chamber of some guns. When it happened with me I just pitched the shell. Usually 3 0r more times loaded... And Gil is also correct..the Sizemaster is a very good loader(I have 4)..but unless you can find one under a hundred bucks or even less..stick with a 600 for a starter press JMHO...

[skeet]

Also this is a link to a site where you enter the costs of all your components and it figures the cost of your reloads. When you buy supplies..it may cost more initially but buy enough for a thousand rounds..which figures to be 3 bags of shot 1000 wads..1000 primers and 3 lbs of (target type) powder. Will usually cost less and save you more trips..And as someone said..talk to the local shooters..but find an astute one..not ol Joe that almost knows whats going on.

http://www.10xshooters.com/calculato...Calculator.htm

copy and paste the link..

Oh and keep an eye out on the bulletin board at your local club..I fing components for sale all the time at the one I frequent..Just bout some good ol Unique for my 20 and 28 ga loading as well as handguns..5 dollars a pound and I got 8 lbs that's a little more than 1 cent a piece for my 20 ga loads They have reclaimed shot available at the club too for 20 a bag..bring yer bag.. I happen to have a ton or so...so don't need it. and at a recent gun show I bought 5000 wads for my 20 ga loads for the princely sum of a dollar a bag(250)...You can save money if ya keep an eye out. I also have a shotmaker..makes good 8 1/2 size shot if ya pay attention. Fellow gave me 500 lbs of magnum BBs and 500 lb of Mag 2s and 4s..I'll use it to make shot with this winter.. Just bein in the right place at the right time. If I still loaded 12 ga I have 40 lbs of IMR 700X powder for loading..got it all cheap.. KYEOFGDs

[dovehunter]

I will agree with the others regarding MEC shotshell loaders. I would never own anything else. Whatever you get, avoid the LEE LOADALL shotshell loader like a case of the plague. It is absolutely the biggest piece of junk ever made. I know because I had one.

I will also highly endorse Remington STS shotshell hulls. They are the easiest to reload, give the best the crimps, and last longer than anything else I have ever used.

As far as powder goes, I use Alliant's UNIQUE for all my shotshell loading - 12, 16, & 20 ga. There may be better powders for specific applications but, for all around use, it can't be beat. It also works well for most handgun loads and I use it for reduced loads in my .22 HORNET rifle.

[Mr. 16 gauge]

While I agree that Unique is a great powder (and I do use quite a bit of it myself in shotshell & handgun loads), I feel that if one is just reloading target shells, there are other powders that will do the same thing for less money, i.e. you will get the same velocities with smaller charges......always looking to save a buck or two.