whoo boy shotshell reloading prospect

[GoodOlBoy]

OK Wife and I were discussing the comming Christmas present (sorry guys the 20 I mentioned in scatterguns is already gone) and I decided maybe it was time to start handloading for my 20 gauge single shot since I cant seem to find the loads I want most of the time. SOOOO I need opinions. I am looking to start cheap to make sure I can stick with it, then in a couple years if all goes well I can think about some upgrades.

I was looking at the Lee Load-all 2 (and the add on primer feeder) and need some opinions here. I am only really looking at loading Heavy Field #6 loads for this prospect for now so changing out alot isnt a problem. Not mangum or nitro express or anything like that JUST 1oz 2 3.4 inch #6 loads, although I could settle for a decent 7/8ths #6 load and still be happy.

OK What do you think of this press for a starter press?
What shot should I be looking at?
What Primers?
What wads/shotcups?
I know there is a powder guide with the press that has recipies on it but still what powders am I likely to need to look at (just for pricing idears)
How do you (or do you need to) clean a shotshell hull for realoading?

And finally. . . . . . A good half my hulls are 2 1/2 inch hulls! They are even marked 2 1/2" I just discovered this today and no press I have looked at mentions loading 2 1/2s. Are these just to go in a toss bin for the garbage man? Yes I have checked them beside 2 3/4 inch hulls and they are shorter.

Oh and ok PS I have some old shells (I mean OLD) that have been kept clean cool dry etc, but for some reason the yellow plastic has turned blue/green. NOT the brass the plastic the brass still shines. The seem to shoot ok (I was in a hurry grabbed a handful to kill a chicken snake and afterwards looked at the half green half yellow hull and went "What the heck?" The green does NOT come off so I dunno if it was just a chemical reaction or what. They seem solid and everything. Should I just toss these hulls?

Thanks guys. For some reason the idea of loading my own shotshells appeals to me even more than loading rifle or pistols. I dunno why. Must be me gettin old.

GoodOlBoy

[skeet]

Honestly I would look for a used 20ga Mec 600Jr. I used to sell them for 25 bucks all the time just to get rid of them. When I moved out here I had 17 Mec 600Jr's in the storage area of my shop. Sold 'em all for little or nothing. Tell ya what. I may have a 20 ga die set for a 600 Jr here. If I do I'll send it to ya for the shipping cost. You can probably find a 12 ga 600Jr cheap around there. Don't toss the 2 1/2 inch shells. They are a curiosity now. The best shell to load now is the Remington STS 20 ga. If ya can find some of them or Win AA 20's you would be all set. Winchester or CCI 209 primers...Powder for the 20..I would say Hodgdon Longshot because you can use it in 7/8 oz or 1 oz 20 ga loads....and still get good velocity. If I were you I would use a 7/8 oz load. Easier to load and find components for. It takes different wads for both loads. If using Remington wads 7/8 oz is RXP 20 wads. if 1 oz RP 20 wads. Get a bag of magnum shot. Patterns much better. Shot is now over 30 bucks a bag...Wow!! Not cheap to start up on reloading...but saves quite a bit on ammo. Price of ammo WILL be going up soon!! Be advised.

[fabsroman]

I agree with Skeet. Get a MEC 600jr. That is what I started on when I first started shooting clays. Used it for a couple of years until I was spending my entire Sunday shooting, cleaning the guns, and reloading. The press is virtually indestructible, not very expensive, and will work for almost all your reloading. If you only reload to hunt, that press should last you a lifetime.

I also agree with what Skeet said about the STS and AA hulls as being the best to reload, along with the powder, primer, wad, and shot selection.

What Skeet left out is that you can find data for reloading on most of the powder manufacturer's websites, and you can use this data to figure out exactly what you need for the load you want. Me, I load for a bunch of different hulls and activities, so I have an Excel spreadsheet created for all the different loads with a cross reference to the load data source. Same goes for my metallic cartridges.

[skeet]

An exel spread sheet? Fabs seems to be a bit anal about the reloading thing. I can tell you off the top of my head about the loads that I use for shooting most anything. One load in each of the gauges for clay targets and a couple of loads for hunting. Now I do agree with him about the rifle stuff. Pistol too. I keep my favorite and most accurate loads written down and go back to them time after time. Fabs is a bit more organized than I am though so you can't go wrong when you use his ideas.. Now I just have to get him out shootin again soon. He IS very competitive also. I'm just a little like that

[sgj3030]

I have a good old 12 Gauge Mec600 jr that I will let you have for 25 + shipping. That is what I started with when I was 15. Now I have 2 12ga and a 20.
I really enjoy reloading shotgun shells. I need to start again but dont have time right now that I have a new son. I spend all the time with him I can.



Stephen

[Contenderizer]

Many years ago (more than I wish to admit) I started reloading shot shells using a Classic Lee Loader, which at the time cost less than 10 bucks. The procedure was all manual, and I remember after inserting the wads (back then you used several) I compressed the powder and wads on a bathroom scale. It wasn't very scientific - even a caveman could do it - but the results were just fine.

I doubt that Lee still makes the Classic Loader for shot shells (they do for rifles and handguns) as the Load-All 2 is so reasonably priced. Besides, using the Classic Loader was a very slow process and was only good for very low volume shooters, not often found with shotgunners.

I still like and use Lee products. If for no other reason, I like the fact that Lee's low prices help newbees get involved in reloading. And, their prices help keep the other guys honest.

The Load-All 2 comes with a lifetime warranty, and it is so inexpensive that you could throw it away after a couple of years and still be way ahead of the game. And, it will make shot shells like the rest of them.

But, no matter what you decide, have fun. That's what its all about.

[Catfish]

I`m with the Mec bunch. There is no compairson in quality. I would also recomand that you pick up a Layman Shot Shell Reloading manual. They not only have all the data you need, but so much more info on cases, wads, shot size and external blistacs that you can spend months just reading it in your spare time and learn alot along the way. 1 more thing, I load nothing smaller than 5 shot for hunting small game. The shot are larger and it takes fewer to kill the game and you will not only get more game, but it will have less shot in it. ;)

[fabsroman]

Skeet is right. I am pretty anal. My father in-law asked my wife if it was okay for him to get a screwdriver out of my tool cabinet one day, and my wife told him to make sure that he left everything the way he found it. He didn't quite understand what he was talking about until he opened the drawers. Meteric sockets are in one drawer arranged on holders by drive size from smallest to largest, and the standard sockets are the same way in another drawer. Same goes for the box end wrenches. One drawer for metric and one drawer for standard and they are all arranged according to size from smallest to largest. The screwdrivers have their own drawer too. Phillips are lined on the left side and flathead on the right. The largest are in the back of the drawer and the smallest are up front. All the screwdrivers are arranged with the "Craftsman" logo on the top side. After seeing that, my father in-law understood what my wife was talking about. I know where everything I have is located. I hate to have to look for anything for more than 30 seconds. My chokes tubes are in a tackle box with labels in each compartment as to what tubes belong where. My cycling tools have their own roller/chest. Essentially, I know where everything is in my garage and office.

Now, one thing that Skeet does that I do not do, is that he keeps track of how many rounds he fires through his guns. Not me. I just keep on shooting them until they cannot be shot anymore. Haven't had a single gun wear out on me yet to the extent that I had to get rid of it.

[GoodOlBoy]

Alright sgj3030 pm sent! You too Skeet you have one comming from me buddy.

You know I love to shoot, and I love to hunt. Reloading has always been just ok in my book, but for some reason the idea of reloading my own shotgun shells I am REALLY looking forward too. Like I said maybe I am getting old.

Anyway. Still wondering about the greening shells. Should I reload them or toss them after I have popped them off? And how do you (or do you even need to) clean up shotgun shells? Do you use a tumbler or what?

Thanks much guys

GoodOlBoy

[fabsroman]

The only time I clean shotgun shells is if they have mud on them. Other than that, there is no cleanup needed. Obviously, make sure there isn't anything inside of the shell before you load it. I have found shells with dove feathers in them before. Having stuff inside the shell could cause some trouble. Other than that, you don't need to tumble them or anything before reloading them. Shotshell reloading is much quicker and simpler than metallic reloading. You don't even have to measure the length of the shells.

Me, I load shells in 500 batches. Once the batch starts to look rather crappy (e.g., split ends, burnt hulls), I chuck the entire batch and start with a new batch.

As far as the shells turning green, maybe it is a moot point if you cannot find data for them. If you cannot find data for them, then just chuck them. I would probably chuck them anyway, and use STS or AA hulls in lieu of them.

[GoodOlBoy]

Sounds good.

Hey sgj3030 you read my PM yet?

GoodOlBoy