[DocWong]

Also Nebs, thanks so much for your insight, but to honest with you, I’m a bit lost with so much data.

I’m now reading the shotshell reloading book that timb99 suggested and then I’m going to relook at your post and if you don’t mind I’d like to run by you what components I plan to use before I jump in.

 

[Nebs]

Also Nebs, thanks so much for your insight, but to honest with you, I’m a bit lost with so much data.

I’m now reading the shotshell reloading book that timb99 suggested and then I’m going to relook at your post and if you don’t mind I’d like to run by you what components I plan to use before I jump in.

Feel free to communicate via the PM system.

 

[oldshotgunner]

It's really tough to justify reloading these days when Gander is selling Gun Clubs for $4.99 and Wally world sells 4 packs for around $22.00. The price of new shot just went up to $42.00 a bag where I shoot which puts my cost for a 1-1/8 load at just over $5.00, using reclaimed shot, $28.00 a bag, is still slightly cost effective. But I reload anyway because I can tailor my load to what I want and since I'm retired I have the time. I load 1 oz. Gun Club hulls and 1-1/8 Federals for practice. Registered shoots and competition I shoot new shells. If I was a new shooter I'd buy my shells in order to take one variable out and to get consistent speed and weight.

 

[Hatchet Shadow]

Still just slightly cost effective for me to reload. .but savings is not a driving force for me to reload..it is great therapy for me to unwind. .I reload shotshells and rifle /pistol brass...get custom loads as needed and relax and unwind...hope the cost never surpasses the gains I get now...

 

[DocWong]

Yep, before even considering reloading shotshell it was readily apparent that the cost savings was not a factor. It’s not like rifle loads which is a no brainer. Not only does it bring down the cost from over a dollar a round to about a third of that but the performance advantages which is customized to your barrel is huge.

I think I need some "therapy!"

 

[timb99]

I’m a bit lost with so much data.

Reading the Lyman book will help a lot.

Here are a few tips as to what is important and what is less so.

Standardize on a hull, and don't waste your time with others.
Standardize on a primer and don't waste your time with others.
Decide what you are going to reload:

• A one-ounce soft recoil load for singles?
• An ounce-and-an-eighth low muzzle velocity load for singles?
• A heavy ounce-and-an-eighth handicap load.
• Maybe a 7/8 ounce really low recoil load?

One powder, and one wad, will probably not work for all of these. But may (I have a one ounce singles load that uses the same wad as my ounce-and-an-eighth handicap load.)

 

[USSR]

Standardize on a hull, and don't waste your time with others.
Standardize on a primer and don't waste your time with others.
Decide what you are going to reload:

• A one-ounce soft recoil load for singles?
• An ounce-and-an-eighth low muzzle velocity load for singles?
• A heavy ounce-and-an-eighth handicap load.
• Maybe a 7/8 ounce really low recoil load?

Or do as I did, have 2 reloaders set up to produce different loads.

Don

 

[beagle1]

All really good info. The lyman manuals and the wealth of opinions on these sites are a good start. What they don't show in the manuals is what fits best with regard to stack height. It shouldn't be a battle requiring numerous reloader adjustments.

Start with the basics:

Pick a primer you like such as W209's or cheddites.
Get some downrange or claybuster windjammer 1 1/8th wads.
Settle in on a powder such as red dot or similar.
Get some remington hulls and AA hulls.

With the above you can load a soft shooting 1 or 1 1/16 oz in the AA hull and also a hvy 1 1/8th oz in the remington hull and hardly change anything else.

The beauty of the smaller internal capacity and taper of a AA hull is you can use the same 9/8 wad for your 1 oz loads and its absolutely marvelous. My favorite is the 1 1/16th, w209, 17.5 - 17.7 red dot, AAHS hull, spolar gold windjammer. clocks in at avg speed of 1200 and the pattern is terrific.

For competition and throwing the max at it to maybe pick up an extra fringe hit on an off shot, I'll use the STS hull and 9/8 oz and bump up to 17.8-18 red dot. Patterns a little better yet but a little more pop to go with it.

The more you shoot, the more you appreciate the sweet spot in 12 ga of the 1 or 1 1/16 where its really soft and also has all the pattern you need.

Keeping it simple and quite frankly about the best loads of either you can put together.

 

[Nebs]

All really good info. The lyman manuals and the wealth of opinions on these sites are a good start. What they don't show in the manuals is what fits best with regard to stack height. It shouldn't be a battle requiring numerous reloader adjustments.

Start with the basics:

Pick a primer you like such as W209's or cheddites.
Get some downrange or claybuster windjammer 1 1/8th wads.
Settle in on a powder such as red dot or similar.
Get some remington hulls and AA hulls.

With the above you can load a soft shooting 1 or 1 1/16 oz in the AA hull and also a hvy 1 1/8th oz in the remington hull and hardly change anything else.

The beauty of the smaller internal capacity and taper of a AA hull is you can use the same 9/8 wad for your 1 oz loads and its absolutely marvelous. My favorite is the 1 1/16th, w209, 17.5 - 17.7 red dot, AAHS hull, spolar gold windjammer. clocks in at avg speed of 1200 and the pattern is terrific.

For competition and throwing the max at it to maybe pick up an extra fringe hit on an off shot, I'll use the STS hull and 9/8 oz and bump up to 17.8-18 red dot. Patterns a little better yet but a little more pop to go with it.

The more you shoot, the more you appreciate the sweet spot in 12 ga of the 1 or 1 1/16 where its really soft and also has all the pattern you need.

Keeping it simple and quite frankly about the best loads of either you can put together.

There is so much wrong with this post, I don't know where to begin.

First, don't get caught up in claims that a load is "soft" shooting. Felt recoil is a function of the actual recoil of load you are shooting, the weight of the gun, gun fit and how one holds the gun. The factors impacting actual recoil are the weight and speed of the load. It will be nearly impossible to discern any difference in the recoil of two loads shot out of the same gun by the same person going the same speed with a 1/16 oz. difference in the shot charge.

And the objectives of keeping it simple and trying to come up with a 1 1/16 oz. load are at odds with one another. There is no published data for 1 1/16 oz loads, I don't know of reloader manufacturer that sells 1 1/16 oz. shot bushings, so you'd either have to open up a 1 oz. bushing or reduce a 1 1/8 oz. bushing.

I do agree with the suggestion to stick with the basics but the poster then drives straight over a cliff of complexity. The OP is just getting started, he's not yet through reading Lymans and digesting my "hulls 101" post.

 

[Oregunner]

PW has a 1 1/16 shot bushing, and a UCB for a MEC will throw whatever you want, with the twist of the knob.

 

[mg1polo]

All really good info. The lyman manuals and the wealth of opinions on these sites are a good start. What they don't show in the manuals is what fits best with regard to stack height. It shouldn't be a battle requiring numerous reloader adjustments.

Start with the basics:

Pick a primer you like such as W209's or cheddites.
Get some downrange or claybuster windjammer 1 1/8th wads.
Settle in on a powder such as red dot or similar.
Get some remington hulls and AA hulls.

With the above you can load a soft shooting 1 or 1 1/16 oz in the AA hull and also a hvy 1 1/8th oz in the remington hull and hardly change anything else.

The beauty of the smaller internal capacity and taper of a AA hull is you can use the same 9/8 wad for your 1 oz loads and its absolutely marvelous. My favorite is the 1 1/16th, w209, 17.5 - 17.7 red dot, AAHS hull, spolar gold windjammer. clocks in at avg speed of 1200 and the pattern is terrific.

For competition and throwing the max at it to maybe pick up an extra fringe hit on an off shot, I'll use the STS hull and 9/8 oz and bump up to 17.8-18 red dot. Patterns a little better yet but a little more pop to go with it.

The more you shoot, the more you appreciate the sweet spot in 12 ga of the 1 or 1 1/16 where its really soft and also has all the pattern you need.

Keeping it simple and quite frankly about the best loads of either you can put together.

A small bit of advise.
Completely IGNORE everything from the above post.
The whole post is NONSENSE!
There is ABSOLUTELY (0) data that supports NOT one thing in that posting!
MG

 

[beagle1]

There is so much wrong with this post, I don't know where to begin.

First, don't get caught up in claims that a load is "soft" shooting. Felt recoil is a function of the actual recoil of load you are shooting, the weight of the gun, gun fit and how one holds the gun. The factors impacting actual recoil are the weight and speed of the load. It will be nearly impossible to discern any difference in the recoil of two loads shot out of the same gun by the same person going the same speed with a 1/16 oz. difference in the shot charge.

And the objectives of keeping it simple and trying to come up with a 1 1/16 oz. load are at odds with one another. There is no published data for 1 1/16 oz loads, I don't know of reloader manufacturer that sells 1 1/16 oz. shot bushings, so you'd either have to open up a 1 oz. bushing or reduce a 1 1/8 oz. bushing.

I do agree with the suggestion to stick with the basics but the poster then drives straight over a cliff of complexity. The OP is just getting started, he's not yet through reading Lymans and digesting my "hulls 101" post.

Nebs,

The 1 or 1 1/16th load above is nothing more than the same 9/8 oz load backed off slightly in powder and shot for the right fit in the AA. I don't think thats too tough for him. And yes it is noticeably softer. not complex at all. Common sense. And yes I've spoken to Ben at alliant in depth many times over the past decades regarding published loads, changes to components / everything since they were published and common sense.

I just gave the OP a starting point so he doesn't have to muddle through it all.

 

[beetledude]

Congrats, it appears you have taken the first step towards becoming a "hull-aholic." It's real easy to spot someone with this addiction on the sporting clays field. When they step up to the station, instead of looking up to see where the targets will be coming from, they look down to see whether there are any good hulls on the ground. Don't ask me how I know this. It's a dead give-away. It's really hard to cure.

hi my name is beetle and I'm a hull-aholic. recently i was on a sporting clays course and was delighted to see that at one station the trash bin was completely full of AAs. there were too many for me to pick out, so what's a guy to do? well take the entire trash bag of course! later that day my wife found me squatting on the garage floor separating hulls from actual trash (banana peels, drink cans, etc). she just shook her head and walked out.

 

[BDOG22]

Hello - my name is Dave and I hullaholic..

When I step to the line I see nickels and dimes lying on the ground - not spent hulls..

I believe every hull should be given the opportunity to be loaded with quality components..

I have now resorted to storing hulls in 20 gallon tubs and 55 gallon drums, BUT, I still reload hulls 5 to 10 times until they are no longer usable. At my current rate of collection vs usage I estimate I have enough hulls to last me for at least the next several hundred years

I admit to my addiction, and unfortunately do not see a time when I can refer to myself as a recovering hullaholic

 

[tomk2]

My name is Tom. Over the last 10 years I was able to reload and discard one 30 gallon can full of hulls more than I collected. I am now officially a cured hulloholic! Nevermind that at this rate I will need to live to 135 years old to use up all my other cans full of hulls..... I be cured!

As for the reloading cost counters... the solution is simple. Buy a truck load of components NOW! Not only will you save by buying bulk, when you still havent run out of components 10 years from now your reloading costs will be less than cheap shells !
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[BDOG22]

hi my name is beetle and I'm a hull-aholic. recently i was on a sporting clays course and was delighted to see that at one station the trash bin was completely full of AAs. there were too many for me to pick out, so what's a guy to do? well take the entire trash bag of course! later that day my wife found me squatting on the garage floor separating hulls from actual trash (banana peels, drink cans, etc). she just shook her head and walked out.

Been there, done that.. nothing like finding wads of chewing tobacco mixed in with the hulls and the various discards of food, cigarette butts etc..

 

[beagle1]

A small bit of advise.
Completely IGNORE everything from the above post.
The whole post is NONSENSE!
There is ABSOLUTELY (0) data that supports NOT one thing in that posting!
MG

LOL Pretty bold there Mark.

I've been loading and patterning for over 35 years back to the days of the Lyman's manual publishing and when Tom Roster articles and other published testing were just starting up. A lot of patterning as a hobby and a lot learned by trial and error and research from nearly every component manufacturer out there. That said, I think its fine if you should choose to share a different opinion and quote various publishments however accurate they may be or been that support such opinions. Its all good.

Not so sure about calling my efforts / post total nonsense.

By the way, I did enjoy your post a ways back on testing lead shot. Appeared accurate and an effort that I'm sure was appreciated by many. Keep it up as things keep changing and there is always much wisdom to be gained by those with an open mind.

 

[mg1polo]

LOL Pretty bold there Mark.

I've been loading and patterning for over 35 years back to the days of the Lyman's manual publishing and when Tom Roster articles and other published testing were just starting up. A lot of patterning as a hobby and a lot learned by trial and error and research from nearly every component manufacturer out there. That said, I think its fine if you should choose to share a different opinion and quote various publishments however accurate they may be or been that support such opinions. Its all good.

Not so sure about calling my efforts / post total nonsense.

By the way, I did enjoy your post a ways back on testing lead shot. Appeared accurate and an effort that I'm sure was appreciated by many. Keep it up as things keep changing and there is always much wisdom to be gained by those with an open mind.

It's really poor advise to suggest to a NEW reloader! If you wish to go away from published data after your years of your reloading, that's completly your choice.
To suggest it to others is not very good advise. I, myself, never, ever deviate from published loading data, that my choice.
Others change components, payload weights, primers, hell even powder.
That doesn't make it right.
There are literally thousands of published loads in various payload weights.
The BEST advise, especially to a NEW shooter is to pick one and follow it to the tee.
That's the way it's supposed to be and VERY GOOD advise.
MG

 

[Hatchet Shadow]

I too am a hull-aholic..just in my second year...I also have the same problem with Brass....I find reloading relaxing. So no recovery in site for the near future...

 

[DocWong]

Wow, thanks for the care guys! So....I'd like to choose a good hull to start with. I have an RCBS Grand coming in about a week and can't wait to start reloading. So not what I know the cheaper hulls to stay away from then...

What would be an ideal hull to start with? Remington STS, Nitro, Win AA, Gun Club?????

I'll probably have to buy them, either a once shot hull or just buy the ammo, shoot it and reload. BTW, Now I have to figure out what to do with 15 flats of cheap ammo.