Finishing my shotshell reloading

Started shotshell reloading when I was 12, over 50 years ago. We hunted ducks, geese and doves and reloading allowed my Dad to keep his 4 kids in shells without breaking the bank.

Stopped duck and goose hunting a few years back, for a while we loaded our own steel shot after the regulations for non toxic came out.

Now only load for dove. Have 41 lbs. of shot, mostly 7.5 size. Using new primers at 8 cents each, new powder at $35 per lb, I figure I can load almost 800 shells for about $7 a box. However with lead shot at $60 for 25 lbs. adding in 15 Cents for every shell brings it to $10.75per box.

Brother just went on a company sponsored hunt and bought 2 cases of Rem. heavy dove for $12 a box at Academy. They have a $1 rebate for each box, so its actually $11 a box.

No longer worth it load shells when you only save a quarter per box.

Loading for the sub gauges is still worth doing. The main reason, IMO, for 12 and 20 is just having them available when you want them. A few years ago, 12 and 20's were almost non-existent.

I'm still loading for 410 and 28. For the occasional 20 gauge of Sporting Clays I buy AA Super Sports in 7.5. Haven't loaded or shot a 12 in over 12 years. I have 5 bags of shot in the garage, that's 4000 410's, I would need some H-110 or WW296 to load that many, My 410 hulls are getting pretty long in the tooth too. I still have 5 flats of 410 Super Sports from before the pandemic shortages and about 14K of W209 primers. I have powder (Longshot) for about 2 or 3 thousand 28's. I just don't have the drive to go bust clays!

Ivan

If you are lucky enough to find a lead field & trap load that gives you a great pattern
and a #5 to steel BB load for ducks & Geese that kills them dead at long ranges,

it is worth it to me, to keep on reloading ammo.

If the factory stuff works for you, great,

it just not perform as well in my shot guns and chokes, used in the fields.

I only load for trap and skeet now. I bought a goodly supply of primers before Covid at a fraction of the current price. Wads are not an issue, but shot is now above $60 per 25 lb bag. Powder is up also, so even with loading only a 1 oz load I'm not beating new factory prices very much. When my current supply of shot is gone I'll probably stop loading and just buy my shells.

I thank the Gods that a friend and I bought a ton of shot around 12 years ago. Didn't use any for 10 years. Started shooting trap up here 2 years ago and am reloading now. If I had to pay the $85 they want for a bag of shot up here, I would just buy at Scheels. At the $11 a bag I paid, it's pretty cheap as I have around 9K primers that were around $17 a thousand. At 78 I think I'll be OK for a few years. Guys at the range are giving away AA hulls and I have two garbage bags full of once fired. Now all I have to do is find wads and powder. Ran out of Windjammers and am running out of Clays.

It really depends on the load.
1 1/8 oz @ 1350 ish ... probably not
1 1/4oz @ 1300+ might be a better argument.
Considering how exotic a shot shell load can get, it starts to matter when you're building Ferrari's instead of Chevy's

There may come a time when you'll be glad you have the supplies. Who knows when the next crisis makes it impossible to find shotgun shells.

As a note on custom reloads.

I get a kick out of breaking trap and skeet loads with "Powder puff" loads that
hardly have any recoil and just enough pellets to break the birds, while
the other shooters are using a 3 Dram load or 1250fps to 1300fps, to get er done.

I have won some "Anie Oakly" shots, just because the next shooter pulled the trigger
thinking I missed, when my X-lite load of 7 1/2's breaks the bird, spilt seconds later.

My shell bag holds two x-slow loads, that I will use to keep the guys on their toes
and not jump the gun, on the flying birds, when following me.

DeplorabusUnum said:

There may come a time when you'll be glad you have the supplies. Who knows when the next crisis makes it impossible to find shotgun shells.

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You nailed it. I load 12ga-20ga & 410 bore.....I pour my own shot from WW's. I cast bullets for every CF gun I own.............My ammo shelves are always full.............Even when the stores are not......The ups & downs with ammo availability in the last 15 years has had little to no effect on me.......Iffen I wuz you I'd keep that loader and components.

I shoot 4 gun Skeet and practice with 410 for 2 reasons. One is the 410 won't lead to a flinching issue. Two is that it's 2 dollars a box cheaper to load 410 than it is to load 1 ounce 12 gauge. When you are loading 12,000 shells a year that 2 dollar a box savings adds up to nearly 1000 dollars.

PS: considering that Winchester AAHS target loads are currently 20 dollars a box the saving of 13.50 per box for 410 is the price of a very good shotgun such as a Beretta 694 ACS.

I'll also note that shooting the 410 for practice has taught me that you really only need 1/2 ounce of lead to break a target. Those shopping for heavy hitters such as 1 1/4 ounce loads may be wise to re-consider that particular choice. You are wasting lead AND doing damage to your shoulder.

I think you need to refresh your math. I load for around $7.50/box using today's prices. Also believe prices for reloading components are still coming down. I can load 800 rounds for around $7.50/box using the following costs:

1 oz dove/target loads @ 1100fps
Lead - $120 (2 bags shot @ $60 for 25 pounds)
Primers - $50 (Cheddite @$60 for 1000)
Wads - $25 (CB wads @ $15 for 500)
Powder - $50 (based on price for 4# 700X)

I kind of stocked up at the 2022 grand...I'm at $6.87 for 1oz. and $7.28 for 11/8 oz.....I have less problems with my handloads than I have with "promo" shells

Reloading is a hobby in itself. As a retiree with no grandchildren close by I have plenty of time on my hands.

And lead is getting cheaper. In July I paid 65$ per 25lbs locally. I went in this morning and the $60 price from last month was crossed off and $56 was in its place. But on another note, 2024 is an election year. Anyone want to get was becomes in short supply this time?!

"Worth" is a very subjective thing.

If you shoot 12 or 20 gauge, and you shoot the very generic, run of the mill type ammo, then it might not be "worth" it in terms of dollars and cents. The Walmart 100 count value packs, currently about $35, maybe can't be beat. I shoot those sometimes. Particularly if I'm shooting sporting clays with an autoloader, where you often lose your hulls, I prefer to shoot those instead of my AA or STS hull reloads. Also, at today's shot prices, it's probably the cheapest way to hurl a full 1 1/8 ounces of lead downrange.. Sometimes I want to do that for a particularly distant clay.

However, I agree the subgauges are definitely financially worth it to reload. Ditto one of my favorites, the 16 gauge.

Even in 12 and 20 gauge I load things not commonly available. I load 3/4 oz target loads in 12 gauge that will absolutely obliterate skeet targets, as well as probably 80% of most sporting clays birds. In fact, except for .410, I load 3/4 oz for every other gauge. Try finding those at Walmart. In addition to almost no recoil, the shot bottle barely budges as I crank the handle. Very important in these days of $50+ shot.

As I said, if you like the 16 gauge, better reload.

I don't reload my hunting ammo. Honestly a box or two of factory lasts me several seasons. It's not "worth" inventorying the different powders and shot sizes. And face it, at my age I've accumulated more than a "few" boxes of hunting loads. Keep an eye out for my estate sale. But I wouldn't argue with those that do reload their own hunting loads. I get it.

Finally, some people weigh everything by dollars and cents. I never understood that "you've got to figure the cost of your time" mentality. I've always enjoyed reloading. I chose to do that instead of watching TV or frequenting bars. Putting on some music and cranking the handle was relaxing, anticipating the time I'd spend shooting this ammo with family and friends. Sort of like casting bullets. I didn't have a job that paid overtime, it's not like I could elect to just work and get more money. And this isn't because I'm retired now and have time. When I was in the fray, time at my bench was therapeutic.

Anyhow, I'll end the sermon here. Your experiences may be different, so feel free to disagree. Personally I wouldn't have it any other way.

My brother-in-law and I am going to start reloading shotshells now his son has a 410 gauge. Prices are crazy. Had I known, I would have urged him to get a youth 20, and get a full sized stock when he is grown.

I need high velocity shells for my semi-automatic 12s. Turkey loads should run them OK.

Racer X said:

My brother-in-law and I am going to start reloading shotshells now his son has a 410 gauge. Prices are crazy. Had I known, I would have urged him to get a youth 20, and get a full sized stock when he is grown.

I need high velocity shells for my semi-automatic 12s. Turkey loads should run them OK.

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I find myself in a similar position for different reasons.
I haven't loaded a shotshell in over 20 years.
Now that I'm lookin to get into some flavors of hunting, I'm hard pressed to find any of the powders i've used in the past.
Alliant is scarce as hens teeth while the clays line is gone due to the plant being reallocated.
How rude ... A feller finally comes up for air .... and there isn't any

I used to load 4 guns but with the cost of lead and powder have quit 12 and 20. I see no need to shoot 12 in skeet when the 20 breaks just as many targets. I can get Federal and Remington 20 target loads at Midway for $100 a case or less depending on sales and pick them up in Columbia to avoid shipping and hazmat. I only practice with 28.

If I ever have nothing to do, would be nice to load shot in
460 S&W Magnum cases and machine a choke that fits in the muzzle brake/comp area.
XFull of course.
Chaps and aluminum boot cover.
Fast draw handgun Trap.