Skeet... I like it!

[MOGC]

Sporting Clays also... I just joined a local club and will be shooting leagues and monthly tournaments. My son and I are quickly learning the game and just having one heck of a good time shooting together. I see the need for a shotgun loader in my future. I've loaded metallic cartridge for a very long time, but this shotgun stuff is going to be a switch for me. Right now I'm buying by the cases and that keeps box price fairly reasonable, but man a feller can shoot up a lot of shot doing this stuff weekly.

[Sidekick]

If you already load rifle learning shotgun will be a breeze. It's a lot faster and simpler.

[Bayrat]

Welcome to the wonderful world of shooting holes in the sky !

BEWARE! it can be VERY adictive !!!!!! :D


If you already load rifle learning shotgun will be a breeze. It's a lot faster and simpler.

Agreed !!!!!!!


With prices of reloading components still rather high, you may want to compare prices of equipment and components to inexpensive ammo on sale, Walmart, etc.

Some of the guys I shoot with, who have been reloading for a long time, have given up reloading. They say the cost differance per shell isn't worth the trouble. I still reload because I enjoy it and it is a bit of a savings if you can get in on bulk orders of components with others in the club.

Ask around at your club who buys what where, how much is it, and can you get in on it ?

Bayrat

[MOGC]

I'm paying about $5.00 per box for 20's and 12's right now buying them by the case. How much does a box of handloaded 1 ounce 12's running near 1,200 fps cost a feller, not counting his time? If I could only save a buck a box I probably wouldn't bother in the investment of a shotgun loader. My time is worth something...

[Sidekick]

You might not save much money reloading shotgun shells but you can have better quality. Experiment with different wads etc. and find the best patterning load for your shotgun or make special spreader loads etc. Sometimes cheap shells use a fast burning pistol powder and pressures can be a little inconsistent. You can also easily load a box or two of lighter loads for shooters with tender shoulders. A MEC 600 is affordable and pretty straight forward to use. Not as fast as a progressive but I can knock out a couple of boxes of shotgun in less time than it takes to do one box of rifle.

[Bayrat]

I buy from a guy I shoot with who has a dealer's lic and works out of his house - low overhead.

Even at that, with the high cost of lead and primers, some guys won't reload saying they only save a little over a buck a box compared to the cheap 'promo' ammo at Walmart..... if you want to shoot cheap ammo.

I'm reloading with magnum shot and premium components, so it's more equal to the top-of-the-line Winchester and Remington target ammo, which go for $7.49 a box at Walmart - the lowest price for it around here. I save almost half the price.

If your going to get into reloading, progressive reloaders are not much more money than single stage reloaders and will turn out shells MUCH faster. Less frustrating if you realy get hooked on clay shooting. With the economy the way it is, there should be some for sale. Look for good name used ones like MEC or Posen-Warren. I bought used 12 and 20 ga MEC Grabbers, plus lots of powder bushings, empty hulls, and wads for about half what a new Grabber goes for. Bought it from a local guy who shot registered skeet and was getting too old.

Lots of clay shooting guys are using MEC Grabbers because they are just about impossable to wear out, and alot less money than Posen-Warren. You should be able to find one used, plus lots of guys who use them to answer any questions you'll have. Also, alot of shotgun suppliers carry parts for MEC such as shot/powder bottles, charge bars and powder bushings, adjustable charge bars, upgrades for older MECS, etc, and the parts/add-ons are much less expensive than a Posen-Warren.

Bayrat

[MOGC]

Can I load both 20's and 12's with a MEC Grabber?

[Bayrat]

Can I load both 20's and 12's with a MEC Grabber?

Both gauges with one machine, no.

Because of the differant size shell holders they are made for one gauge only, you'll need one for each gauge. They come in 12, 20, 16, 28, and 410.

http://www.mecreloaders.com/ProductLine/8567Grabber.asp

You can get an optional kit to change them over to reload 3 inch shells if you want to make your own hunting loads.

Bayrat

[MOGC]

Ya'll have a recommendation for one machine to load multiple gauges with?

[Bayrat]

Ya'll have a recommendation for one machine to load multiple gauges with?

None I'm aware of.

It takes a bit of adjusting and testing to get them set up properly to re-size the brass, make good crimps, and put the final 'nose' on hulls that won't cause loading/unloading problems, or just outright trash the hulls. Swapping out major parts to change gauges, you'd have to do ALOT of re-adjusting. I would figure it would get very frustrating after awhile.

With a progressive reloader like the Grabber, because of differant diameters of hulls, you'd need to change the rotory guide plate (major tear-down), the brass re-sizer, two drop tubes, and three differant crimpers, then readjust them all. Building a machine all that could be done on easily I assume would be VERY expensive.

Here's one to start looking at.

http://cgi.ebay.com/12-Ga-Progressive-shotshell-shotgun-shell-reloader-MEC_W0QQitemZ150360980827QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item2302367d5b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1205%7C 293%3A2%7C294%3A50

Bayrat.

[MOGC]

Ok, I'm beginning to understand shotshell loading a little better now. Thanks for the advice gents...

[Hi Ball]

MOGC.......If you can afford to purchase those shells by the case, I would do so ok. The reloading of shotshells is time consuming and still expensive. A good variable station machine (MEC "Grabber" model $450 dollars at Cabela's) is going to cost you several hundred dollars. It is multistation machine, I do not know what the rounds per hour is on that model but YOU can call up Cabela's and find out from them MO.

How much do you shoot? Ok, lets put it this way shall we. What is the amount of shotshells you and your son shoot during a months time?

I have both a 20ga & 12 ga MEC 600-Jr. loader (cost is $155 dollars for a 12ga or 20ga loader) I purchased years back from a store not far from you. However, these are not much help to someone that is going to shoot up a case of shells on the weekend etc. I would rate this loader at around 150 shells per hour loaded up. I myself have not used either of these shotshell reloaders for over 10 years. I just buy my shells by the case and be done with all the hazzle of finding components and reloading.

[OKShooter]

Sporting Clays also... I just joined a local club and will be shooting leagues and monthly tournaments. My son and I are quickly learning the game and just having one heck of a good time shooting together. I see the need for a shotgun loader in my future. I've loaded metallic cartridge for a very long time, but this shotgun stuff is going to be a switch for me. Right now I'm buying by the cases and that keeps box price fairly reasonable, but man a feller can shoot up a lot of shot doing this stuff weekly.

Shotshell reloading is not at all difficult. If, however, you are seriously contemplating reloading shotshells, I strongly suggest that the first thing you do is pick up a good shotshell reloading manual. The Lyman manual has been the go-to reference for most shotshell hand loaders for many a moon, but I do not know if they have a current manual published. My last Lyman manual was the 4th edition.

Anyway, if you and your son shoot a flat or more a week, you would be better off with a progressive. I guess that the MEC Grabber and 9000G are the two most popular progressive presses, and they both are excellent, cost-effective tools. The 9000G is an automatic indexing/finished shell ejection machine, while the Grabber is a manually indexing machine. Essentially, the Grabber is the 9000G without the auto indexing feature. With your son helping you, it is quite possible to load 20 boxes of shotshells an hour with the 9000G and 15 boxes or so with the Grabber.

There are others, of course. The Poness-Warren progressives are good, rugged machines and are convertible from one gauge to another. The conversion kit, however, costs almost as much as a Grabber or 9000G. The Hornady 366 is a decent machine, but I can't recommend it. The Spolar is an excellent machine, but it is the most expensive shotshell press on the market and, quite frankly, I think overkill for the 12 and/or 20 gauge.

Just so you will know where I am coming from, I have three Grabbers (12 gauge, each set for a different load), one 9000G (20 gauge), one Hornady 366 (28 gauge), one Spolar (.410 bore), and a MEC Sizemaster (a single-stage press) for each of the gauges/bore I load.

If you buy your components in bulk, the cost of reloading 12 and 20 gauge is about 1/2 the cost of premium ammnunition and about 3/4 the cost of cut-rate ammo. Since you are an accomplished metallic reloader, you no doubt recognize the sense of accomplishment when shooting that tight group or bagging the game with your handloads. The same sense of accomplishment will be had breaking the clays or downing the birds with your shotshell handloads. Reloading shotshells can also be quality-time with your son, as it has been for me with my grandson.

[Bushman]

I would look forward to winter league starting more if I could find the trap loads that I use. I'm starting to panic because there isn't a box of those Remington Handicap 1 1/8 ounce loads for sale anywhere in the entire city. I suspect that I'll need to do a road trip to Cabela's in Richfield and buy a case of them. Ammo availability really is starting to concern me. I could see where .223's might be diverted to Iraq and Afghanistan, but these are trap loads that I'm looking for. Wouldn't you think that people shoot more targets than small game nationally, so why is production so far off?

[Snapdragon]

Get two machines. I have two grabbers that turn out shells a whole lot faster than my old 600 Jr does. You really don't want to be messing with them once you get them set up and running right. I used to spend a lot of time trying to get the old 600 Jr adjusted when changing from 12 to 20. It was a real pain.

You might want to consider the type of factory shells you buy before you get the loaders. Some cases are better for reloading than others. I like the one-piece Remington cases such as Gun Club.

[Hi Ball]

Now buying by the case is the way to go, other wise you spend to much of your time reloading instead of shooting practice!~.......Trust me I know all about that fact, I have a few Mec's down stairs gathering dust with some 6,000 (blue magic & AA ) hulls. Yes, you can produce a better load for your shotgun (it can take you 2 weeks or better every day shooting & loading) however, it gets to be a real drag and lost time at the practice range with your gun. Time is worth something and a lot more than a dollar or two on a box of shells!