I posted a thread about starting to reload for skeet a week or so ago asking for favorite loads etc. I settled on a AA 12 ga hull, Win 209 primer, 16.5 gr of red dot, 7/8 of 9's and WAAL wad.

I went to Cabelas and got most of the components and priced the rest.

Red dot 1lb 20.00
209 primer 5.00 (per 100)
wads 8.00 (per 250)
shot 51.00 (11 lbs) yikes!

I then plugged these figures in to a shot shell cost calculator (didn't even count hull cost) and it came up with over $9 a box! This can't be right can it? After looking at Midway I can get the cost down a little more but nowhere near what a box of Wally World cheap stuff costs.

What are a box of reloads costing you serious reloaders? I gotta be doing something wrong.

I also found #9 lead shot 89.50 for 50 lbs (free shipping) from Rotometals.com. Has anyone heard of this shot and are they using it?

Thanks

I reload for trap and the cost has gone up in the last few years, but it looks to me like your paying too much for wads and shot. Wads should run about $9.00 per 500, cheaper if you buy in quanity and around here I can buy shot in the $28.00 - $30.00 range for 25 pounds. Hope this helps.

Where are you getting your shot? That's a good price!

Your shot and wad prices are killing you, however with today's prices you can realistically expect to see only about $4.50 a box, it is not as much savings as you see in metallic reloading but you have to figure you are reloading better shells than the cheapies at Wal-mart. I load with clays and here are to prices I am currently paying for supplies.

Wads- $7.99 per 500
Shot - $23.50 per 25lbs
Clays powder - $116 per 8lbs
Win 209 Primers - $33 per 1000

Hope this helps you may be better off waiting until supplies loosen up a little bit.

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Drew

Economy in reloading is all about quantity. You're getting hosed.

I don't use Red Dot. I use 700X and It's about $15/lb, in 8# kegs. I'm still stocked with the discontinued 12# kegs that were $10/lb. You're not that far off, but you can do better.

Primers are no more than $120 per case (5000). Mine were $96 last year. You're paying $250 per case!

Wads are about $60/5000, unless you buy Winchester AA by the bag. Find a good equivalent and buy it by the case. You're paying $160 case!

Shot comes in 25# bags. Last year they were close to $50, but they're currently under $30. 11# bags for $51?!??? Check out a local gun club or contact Ohio Target and buy a lifetime supply. That's gotta hurt!

__________________
"I also cook."

I don't hand load for shotgun but do for pistol. When I
buy primers I buy at least 5000, and powder I buy 8 lbs.
On bullets I buy 3 to 4 thousand of one kind. All this
buying in quantity saves you big bucks. I have no connection
with this company but you might try Powder Vally Inc.
for powder and primers. Don

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"Don't worry be happy"

You have to check around for the best priceing but won't in most cases be from a retailer like Cabelas or Bass ProShop, ect.

Either at a distributor (if they allow walk in's) or on-line, over the phone will be cheaper but shipping costs and HAzMAt fees (powder and primers) can run it back up in a hurry. Some will eat the HazMAt fee on orders over a certain amount, so the suggestion of group buys is a good one.
Powder and primers have to be shipped separately and will each require their own HazMat fee so buy big if they don't waive it,,or go else where.

Use a 'clone' shot shell wad (claybuster brand is one I've used for years) as they will almost always be cheaper and they offer a substitute for almost every brand name one out there. Most reloading lists allow the sustitute wads to be used in place of the brand name ones. When in doubt contact the Powder Co that prints the loading info.
Same with primers. I use Cheddite brand now at a fair savings over Winchester 209. Not all primers are the same, not by a long shot so again check with the Powder Co before any substitution of primers,,or any component for that matter.

Shot has come down from the dizzying high prices a short time ago and is around $30/bag (25#) or less depending on the brand and hardness. Some retailers bought big quantitys at high prices earlier expecting it to go even high and are now left with it. They are still trying to squeeze at least their initial investment out of it as a retail price it seems. The tough life of the commoditys buyer!

Unless you're going big, just settle for 'chilled shot', it'll be the cheapest as it's the softest. The brand may not read "Winchester' or the like but instead some outfit from Peru, but it works fine. Just tryin' to keep the price down!
Step up to 'Magnum' or plated shot and the price jumps as does the shot hardness and overall quality.
Ask what they have in stock as sometimes an over stock size will be a bit cheaper than another. For skeet, 8, 8.5, 9,,,they all work OK for me. Even 7.5 are fine. Most ranges have a rule that no shot larger than 7.5 can be used on the Skeet fields.

Wow. Your shot costs really screws up the whole equation.

You can buy hard magnum shot from here

Browsing EAGLE

and save a ton. They ship in USPS Flat Rate Boxes, 50-lbs for $72 including s/h. And it's Magnum shot which is harder and more uniform and is only a few dollars over chilled shot.

If you buy cheap clone wads you oftentimes get less than perfect crimps and the softer shot gives patterns no better than the promo/cheap WalMart budget 100-rd packs which use cheap components throughout.

Buy magnum shot from Recobs (or try Connies Components) and find some WIN wads or Remington Fig-8s. They are worth it. Buy a thousand wads at a minimum.

Cheddite primers are a good buy.

Plug in those numbers and see if you can get a box of hard magnum shells with premium components for around $6/box and you've got much better ammo than WakkyWorld entry cost stuff, and your ammo will come very near to Remngton STS and Nitro 27 quality that retails at Walmart for $7.96 + tax per box for 1-1/8-oz loads.

Are you shooting skeet at a club or just hand thrown clays in the back yard?
If at a club ask them if they have components for sale. Usually clubs sell them to the members at not much over their cost. For a non member price still might be a bit less than the LGS or online.
If they buy components from the same guy they buy birds from there would be no Haz Mat fee.

A lot of gun clubs will have a once a year truck load sale. You can usually buy about 10% below the better prices. Cabella's prices are ridicules. Last time I shopped at one they wanted $47 for a 250 rd box of Nosler 55 gr. BT's.

In my area, retail prices are $26 per 25 lbs. shot, $34.95 primers, (haven't bought wads in a couple years as I bought a case of 5000 2 years ago. Will be needing to get some for next year, but I buy Claybusters also, can't tell the difference in how they shoot.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244