any shot shell reloaders in the house?

[mhailey]

Since I now have more room given my new house, and a built in work bench in the basement, I have finally been able to bring out my reloader. I had a MEC Mark 5 Jr. single stage, but it was just too slow, so I went out and purchased a MEC 9000G progressive. However, the most expensive part of this whole thing (well almost), was the lead shot. HOLY CRAP has that stuff gotten expensive! $50 for a 25lb bag. I even went down to a 7/8 oz. load for my gun, just to cut expenses.

I got it all set up last night and this thing works great. I only dumped the shot and powder 3 times.

Matt

[sailchaser]

Originally Posted by mhailey

Since I now have more room given my new house, and a built in work bench in the basement, I have finally been able to bring out my reloader. I had a MEC Mark 5 Jr. single stage, but it was just too slow, so I went out and purchased a MEC 9000G progressive. However, the most expensive part of this whole thing (well almost), was the lead shot. HOLY CRAP has that stuff gotten expensive! $50 for a 25lb bag. I even went down to a 7/8 oz. load for my gun, just to cut expenses.

I got it all set up last night and this thing works great. I only dumped the shot and powder 3 times.

Matt

3 bad shells that's not bad I was cutting the top of a new bag of shot a few months back and the seam ran and 25# of shot on the floor,it sucked.
A bunch of us at my club got together and bought a pallet of shot it sure brought down the price. The delivered directly to the club and luckly we have a hi lo to pull the pallet off the turck. The split ended costing us 28.85 a bag

[freakygar]

Haven't reloaded in years. Use to use a MEC Jr. I'm sure they still sell thise. Slow but you could not kill it.

Post a pic of your set up!

Al

[[OT] Loki]

i hope to get into this one day....after i get the guns...

[travclem]

I used to reload shotshells but I can buy factory shells cheaper... now all I reload is remington ultra mags and my weatherby magnums.

[dccraft]

Still reloading after all these years. Shot is going for about $40 a bag on the west side. I've got a 600 jr Mark iv that works for me. I don't need speed as I only shoot about 3 to 6 boxes per week. I use this time as a personal therapy session.

Loading mostly 1 oz of #8 for my trap shooting. I still figure that I save about $1.00 to $2.00 per box by doing it myself. I'll try later to get a picture up of my little setup.

[Bobb]

As a kid, I use to reload shells for my dad all the time. I think he still does it, but I'm not sure...he has about 2,637 projects going at once so it's hard to tell.

[mhailey]

Originally Posted by ahc4353

Haven't reloaded in years. Use to use a MEC Jr. I'm sure they still sell thise. Slow but you could not kill it.

Post a pic of your set up!

Al

When I get home from work I will post a pic tonight.

Originally Posted by sailchaser

3 bad shells that's not bad I was cutting the top of a new bag of shot a few months back and the seam ran and 25# of shot on the floor,it sucked.
A bunch of us at my club got together and bought a pallet of shot it sure brought down the price. The delivered directly to the club and luckly we have a hi lo to pull the pallet off the turck. The split ended costing us 28.85 a bag

See that's what I need to do, or get one of those shot makers, and pick up some discarded wheel weights from the tire shops and make my own.

[mhailey]

Here is my set up. I'm just using a cardboard box to catch the complete shells, and tupperware to hold the wads. I just can't get over how fast this thing reloads the shells. I went down there for about 8 minutes and loaded two boxes (until I forgot the friggen wad and mixed the shot with the powder and had to stop the whole process and clear that hull). I just got too excited.

[FN in MT]

Shot will HOPEFULLY come down. I stocked up about 18 months ago and already I'm down to 950 pounds left!! But I shoot SKEET, all four gauges as well as TRAP and several rds of Sporting Clays each season.
I shoot too much!!

Used to load with a Ponsness, but when I started shooting skeet and threw 20, 28 and 410 into the mix I needed another loader. A buddy and I bought a SPOLAR forall of our loading. Capable of factory quality VERY easily in 12 and 20 ga at a rate of 500-650 shells per hour. Or more if You have a helper.

Also capable of changing over to different gauges in about FIVE minutes!! And I mean ready to load a perfect shell in five.

For metallic I load everything from .204 ruger to .416 Rigby. Shoot a lot of rockchucks and PD's during the Spring/Summer. But mostly load; .204 ruger, .222/.223, .22-250 and a mess of .220 Swifts.

Have an old RCBS press and a newer Bonanza Co-Ax press for rifle. And use a pair of Dillon progressives for all the pistol and some of the .223 Rem.

Worse addiction than the stogies in many ways!!

FN in MT

[freakygar]

You are just like my brother-in-law.

Now I have two heroes!

Al

Originally Posted by FN in MT

Shot will HOPEFULLY come down. I stocked up about 18 months ago and already I'm down to 950 pounds left!! But I shoot SKEET, all four gauges as well as TRAP and several rds of Sporting Clays each season.
I shoot too much!!

Used to load with a Ponsness, but when I started shooting skeet and threw 20, 28 and 410 into the mix I needed another loader. A buddy and I bought a SPOLAR forall of our loading. Capable of factory quality VERY easily in 12 and 20 ga at a rate of 500-650 shells per hour. Or more if You have a helper.

Also capable of changing over to different gauges in about FIVE minutes!! And I mean ready to load a perfect shell in five.

For metallic I load everything from .204 ruger to .416 Rigby. Shoot a lot of rockchucks and PD's during the Spring/Summer. But mostly load; .204 ruger, .222/.223, .22-250 and a mess of .220 Swifts.

Have an old RCBS press and a newer Bonanza Co-Ax press for rifle. And use a pair of Dillon progressives for all the pistol and some of the .223 Rem.

Worse addiction than the stogies in many ways!!

FN in MT

[FN in MT]

Originally Posted by ahc4353

You are just like my brother-in-law.

Now I have two heroes!

Al

Give me a few hours, busy right now...I'll post a few pics later of my loading set ups... I'm out of hand.... NOT the worse case scenario...I've seen worse....but out of hand none the less.....FN

[joed]

I load my own shells for Sporting Clays and such - if you think the price of lead is crazy - look at the cost of factory loaded shells!!!

[mhailey]

Originally Posted by joed

I load my own shells for Sporting Clays and such - if you think the price of lead is crazy - look at the cost of factory loaded shells!!!

When I bought the lead I checked out the factory loaded Winchester AA with 7/8 oz. load and they were almost $10/box!!!! THAT'S FRIGGEN CRAZY!!!! A quick Google search found a case (10 boxes) of AA's, "on sale" for $108.70 with an MSRP of $146.70.

[FN in MT]

We just raised our prices on Rem STS and WW AA's in 12/20 at the skeet Club to $8 a box...for Members only. When we run out of those prices will probably rise a minimum of a buck if not more!

18-20 months ago I started REALLY stocking up on DECENT shotshells,not talking the Wal-Mart bargain crap... but AA's, STS's, RP Gun Clubs, etc. And hit any and all gun shops and outlets whenever me or the wife traveled. I ended up with 12K of 12 ga and 8K of 20 ga. I never paid more than $5 a box,with my average probably running near $4.20 to $4.30 a box. But I bought in BULK and REALLY shopped around.

In Nov of 07 I was in Jersey shooting some SC events. I was AMAZED at the prices that Dick's had on GOOD tournement grade shells. Especially if You took advantage of their coupons, credit card deals, talked to the Manager, etc.
Prices were already on the rise and I drove home with another 5K of assorted shells with a totally deflated cash card.

Now I'm VERY happy I went so crazy.

IF shot doesn't drop to the $40 range MANY shotgun sports are going to REALLY suffer. At the Clubs I frequent many have cut back their shooting already.

PO's me as I work for forty years, finally retire....ALL I want to do is do the shooting I never had the time to do....and NOW gas is $4 a gal, ammo is $10 a box and Shot is $50+ a bag!!!


Only suggestion I have is to join a Club as Memebers usually have access to better deals. Both the trap & Skeet clubs I belong to buy shot by the ton and ammo by the truckload.

Back in the mid 1970's when I was first shooting trap my Club bouhgt a car full of shot.... A RAIL Car I forget how many tons, like 80 or 90 IIRC. Shot cost me $3 a bag!! NOW If I find it for $30 or under I buy it ALL.

FN in MT