Re-loading shot shells. Worth it?

[DeplorabusUnum]

It's been awhile since I've used my shotguns. I used to shoot trap and hunt upland game, but it's been years since my bird dog passed on. Now my wife and I are wanting to dust off the shotguns and shoot trap again.

For those of you reloading shot shells, has anyone analyzed the costs to see if it's really worth it any more given the price of lead shot these days?

 

[venomballistics]

I haven't loaded a hull in many years. Economic considerations aside, there's ample reason to do so even if you only break even. Pattern control is certainly one of those reasons.
The range of control you can coax from was and powder selection can be as effective as a choke swap.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

My pre pandemic answer to this question was always if you are going to seriously compete in shotgun sports [or metallic cartridge shooting sports] yes, if you are only hunting or plinking occasionally no. You have to amortize the costs of your equipment and initial components. If you only shoot a little you never will. But the big [post pandemic] thing is can you even get components where you live. Shotshells are coming back but components not so much. I shoot cas, 25 shells a month but have been doing it for 30 plus years. Was gifted my first reloading press and several bags of shot and pick up free hulls from cas matches. Bought components when obama won, just in case. Good luck.

 

[Krogen]

About 15 years ago I "thought" I wanted to shoot trap. I bought a MEC reloader and proceeded to load my own shells. It was a natural move, I thought, since I'd reloaded metallic cartridges for quite a while. It turned out that I didn't save much money if anything and that tuning shotshells isn't like tuning rifle cartridges. I saw no benefit in loading shotshells and proceeded to buy shells. Target loads and my handloads were about the same price.

I eventually lost interest in trap until the last year or so. Looking at today's shotshell prices, I figured I could save by dusting off my old MEC. A little math proved otherwise. Yes shotshell prices are higher than they used to be, but so are components. Now, as it was then, reloading shotshells vs. purchasing them is a wash and not worth the time it takes. Now this is with regard to target shells. I can't comment about hunting loads.

 

[Fishinfool]

I first started shotshell reloading as a kid in the early 1970's. Most of my shotgun use was split between duck / pheasant hunting, and skeet.

I rarely reloaded my skeet shells, as they were cheap enough to buy for the number I shot. Hunting loads were a different story, and I saved a lot by loading my own 1 1/2 ounce #4 & #6 short magnum loads in Rem. RXP hulls. Real game killers, back when lead was cool.

I stopped reloading for shotgun years ago, as I became more interested in rifles and handguns. A few boxes a year off the shelf for pheasant hunting and maybe a little sporting clay is all I use these days.

I still have about 500 #4 and #00 Buck Shot shells left over from my working days. They are of rather limited, practical use, though I do plink with them sometimes just to burn some up. I keep my bedside scattergun loaded with the #4's.

Larry

 

[Narragansett]

I used to shoot 25K +/- trap loads a year, and reloading was a must. But powder was 72.00 for 8 pounds, and hard shot was 8 bucks a bag. I saw some shot the other day for 45/bag. I would be afraid to run the numbers, but it would not surprise me if the cost was a wash compared to new shells.

I think clay target shooting is a game for the wealthy now

 

[Rlg#17]

Components are what will get you in this day and age. When I was shooting a LOT of shotgun (65000) or so a year I was in all the way. Sporting clays, skeet (all gauges!), 5-stand, trap etc. Even at a few bunker events and live pigeons now and then. Started out with a Mec 9000 in each gauge/caliber.

Ended up with a Spolar hydraulic with all the conversions. I could literally make better then factory ammo, especially in the sub bores. $$20k plus the gun, carrier barrel and tube set, pfs stock, wood stocks x2.

To really cut costs I bought a shot maker. Dropped over 7 tons of shot. BUT, I had a friend that owned several Goodyear dealerships for free wheel weights. Made money on that, saved much money on the 28, and 410.

When I got out of it I was doing a box of 28 or .410 for less then 4 bucks. AA or Remington equivalent. 12 or 20 was less then that.

Short story long, unless you are going to get into manufacturing on a scale like that, making shot with something like a Littleton, you won’t save a nickel over buying the couple a boxes of shells you might use one weekend out of the month.

Regards, Rick Gibbs

 

[rosewood]

I think shotgun is much like Metallic. Unless you have free components, you are not going to save any money over buying factory fodder for target loads. Where you save the money is on the custom/hunting loads where you can load them yourself significantly cheaper than store bought. That being said, there is satisfaction to reloading your own. That is worth something to me.

Rosewood

 

[David Sinko]

I started loading shotshell back when I was in junior high school. The greatest appeal was the "non-traditional" loads. I recall that 1 1/2 oz. of #9 shot was a good one for pest control. Nowadays I load more buckshot and slugs than anything else. Buckshot can be cast out of a Lee mold in various sizes and there are various slug and punkin ball options. Casting buckshot from free lead is cheaper than buying lead shot, which I have seen for sale at over $60 a bag now. My latest endeavor is loading the .410 with the Magtech brass shotshells. They use pistol primers and a traditional shotshell press isn't even necessary, as long as you can install and remove the primers. Factory loaded .410 is very expensive and hard to find and even the once fired shells are not something you find discarded at the range. So yes, shotshell loading still has its place today.

 

[s&wchad]

Let's do the math...

I've loaded 12/20/28 and .410 target shells for decades and have a good supply of primers, powder, wads and shot. It's worth reloading if you plan on becoming competitive at Skeet, Trap or Sporting Clays. It's not worth it if you're only shooting a couple boxes per month.

I looked at current component prices online. Holy smokes! Many gun clubs make bulk purchases of components for their members and offer much better prices.

(1) box of factory 12 gauge Winchester AA shells = $13.99

Component prices for 12 gauge loads:
SHOT
25#'s = $60
(355) 1-1/8 oz loads/25# bag => $4.22/box

209 PRIMERS
$70/1000 = $0.07/ea => $1.75/box

POWDER (700X)
$30/lb
1lb = 7000 grains
(424) 16.5 grain loads/# => $1.77/box

WADS (WAA12 equivalent)
$28/1000 = $0.028/ea => $0.70/box

RELOAD COST: $4.22+$1.75+$1.77+$0.70 = $8.44/box

Based on the above numbers, reloading represents a savings of $5.55/box. If you go through (100) boxes of 12 gauge target loads in a year, you've more than paid off a nice used progress press. That might sound like a lot, but it's less than (2) boxes/week. Many competitive shooters practice several days a week and go through (4) boxes or more in a singe outing.

 

[tops]

I can reload 12 ga. with 7/8 and 3/4 oz of shot at 1000-1100 FPS. They do ok on the Skeet field for kids and old men. The Win. low noise and low recoil is close to that but expensive and difficult to locate. Larry

 

[SS336]

Like a lot of people on here, I started loading shotgun shells when I was shooting trap. I am sure it saved me some money and was part of the enjoyment I got out of the game.
Everything costs more today and I don’t shoot as much as I used to but I still use my Mec a couple times a year. I load several flats over a couple of weeks and am good to go for a while. I don’t have to try and find shells at local sources.
If I was starting out today I would have to see if I could get the components needed first then look for a used reloader. Almost always better to be self sufficient.

 

[LDM]

I reloaded because I could brew up loads that weren't commercially available. For 16-yard trap and the first shot of doubles, i put together a 1 oz. load of 8-1/2 extra hard shot for 1150 fps that was very effective with low felt recoil.

 

[Green Frog]

My gun club is primarily a shotgun club, with multiple facilities for skeet, trap, sporting clays, etc. we also have a nice rifle range and pistol ranges (Target and Steel Challenge). I’m more interested in the latter though and only unlimber the shotguns for special occasions when we have informal “fun” shoots. I’ve always been a reloader, and have enough components squirreled away that at the rate I shoot shotguns, I have about a decade worth on hand. Pre-CoVid I would occasionally buy a flat of factory AA shells, mostly to supplement my supply of hulls. But I have so many now, and the prices have gotten so out of hand, that just doesn’t happen these days.

Then again, everyone has their own needs and situation, so you have to make your own decision as to what makes sense. I sure wouldn’t start reloading “from scratch” these days. It wouldn’t make economic sense.

Froggie

 

[toad67]

Agree 100% with everyone's comments about the cost. But you also might consider the availability of the ammo itself. For quite awhile, 12 gauge ammo was very rarely seen on store shelves, unless it was steel, or some high powered field load.

 

[Nevada Ed]

First off, you can load factory loads or custom loads, when you roll your own.

I use a 12 Ga. O/U for most of my Trap shooting, in case I need two choke sizes.
90% of the time I only shoot the lighter 1145fps loads of 8's or 7.5's
that will break the clays in most temps and weater conditions.
My payloads are from a light 1oz. to the standard 1 1/8 oz. depending on conditions.

I went from 1 oz down to 7/8 oz on my practice rounds at the 16 yard line
and broke the birds with 8.5 or #8 lead pellets with a Mod or Full choke
depending on how long I road the birds.

All my Skeet loads with the 12 Ga. are now light 7/8 loads at only 1145fps.
There is only a 5" lead difference with a 1200fps load and I am saving powder with the lighter loads.

There is actually no recoil in my 391 gas feed "Auto" with this light load
and 100% ejection.

Get er done.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Some of my light loads with w209 primers
and best fit for a flat crimp.

1 oz. with #8.5
Peters Blue Magic: Bullseye 18.0 gr, 12SO wad (Mec Jr bushing #23 )
Estate Hulls: Red Dot 17.5 grs, 12SO wad

7/8 oz c/o STS hulls c/o 1165fps
Red Dot 16.6 grs, cb0178 wad
e 3 at 14.0 grs, aa12L wad

These worked for me after adjusting my units.

You don't need to shoot reduced trap loads but if they work in your shotguns
the kids like them and they are fun and easy on the ears and shoulder.

Oh;
and I also load #6 to BB's in steel shot for my duck & goose hunting
but thats another story.

 

[H Richard]

I've been loading 12 Ga for about 20 years, and 10 to 15 years ago you could save money. I wasn't real high volume, weekly trap league, a few rounds of practice, skeet on weekends, sporting clay's a few times per year. Probably about 2500 or so rounds a year. Currently I an still reloading only because I had a supply of primers bought before the last price escalation, had a few 25 lb bags of shot on hand, and still using powder from before. Once this runs out, I will buy my shells as at the $65 a bag for shot, $82 P/1000 for primers, and $225 for 8 lb jug of powder, will surpass the cost of buying shells. Seasonally shells will be on sale, buy several cases whenever that happens.

 

[dave1918a2]

I'm not so sure about buying trap loads versus loading them. Our Club buys in bulk and this year We are looking at $12 a box for Federal. Can't get a quote for Winchester AA's. At current component cost I'm looking at almost $9 a box, plus My time. Gas for the car doesn't matter anymore than My time. At $3 a round it's a cheap evening. Target price might go up this year, but not much as We have a lot from last year. I think I will keep reloading till My current supply runs out if I live that long. Happy Shooting Year!!

 

[Markpixs]

I've loaded for years and the biggest savings was on the sub-gauges, 28 and 410. Like many metallic loaders I learned the biggest savings are bulk, case of 5K wads, flats of 5K primers, 8# jugs of powder, and luckily I still have a lot in stock. Was making .410 at about $4/box and 28 at $4.50 (more shot). Got through the shortage and kept some friends shooting. I'm down to about 7500 shells a year now so i'm still good for a while. I still load 12 but far less, it's up to about 6.50/box since I bought more powder recently. But not seeing factory-packed for less than $10/box.
There's on online calculator here - Reloading Cost Calculator