Shotgun ammo

[Nevada Ed]

Well it is getting a little better.

A while back shotgun ammo on one site was.....
410............. $14.99 a box
28 ................ 15.99
20 ................. 9.99
12 ................. 9.99

Today at a reno store the price was;

410 .............. 9.97
28 ................ 12.99
20 ................. 5.97
12 ................. 5.97

but there was no flats for sale, just 100 counts.

Glad that I load my own.

 

[Greyman50]

GT has had assorted buck shot 5 packs for about a month, some restricted to LEO and Veterans and they have a limit per customer. To buy ammo have to have account/ name on file.

 

[max]

It is still impossible to find any hunting loads.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I really enjoy a good .410 shotgun, but the ammunition costs have always been double (or more) the cost of good 12 or 20-gauge. Other than levels of demand I have never been able to figure that out.

Old friend has a beautiful 16-gauge Winchester that is absolutely deadly for anything with wings. I am constantly on the alert for 16-gauge ammo to help keep him supplied. Even during "normal" times it can be difficult finding 16-gauge ammo regularly.

I down-sized to 12-gauge only about 20 years ago. Anywhere there is shotgun ammo there will be 12-gauge. A 12-gauge target load (1-oz. shot) will do anything that a 1-oz. load will do in 20 or 16-gauge. Decent quality is available in "promo" shells by Federal, Winchester, and Remington in both target and field varieties.

Over the years I have accumulated hundreds of rounds of 12-gauge ammo. Target loads (#8 and #7-1/2 shot), field loads (#7-1/2, #6, #4, some steel shot loads, and an old box of lead BB-shot), buckshot (#00, #1). My shotgun has 3" chamber but I have never fired a 3" shell in it, never felt the need or desire.

I've been reloading rifle and pistol calibers for 49 years, but never got around to shotgun shells. Always meant to do so, but in retrospect I recognize that I never shot the shotguns enough to justify doing it.

I recently saw a post somewhere on-line that described the efficiencies of 12-gauge shotgun ammo; the box that comes with 25 rounds is just about the right size to hold the two doves I am able to hit with 25 shots!

I'm over 70 and good to go for all the dove, quail, grouse, pheasant, and waterfowl seasons I have left to enjoy.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I like the .410 and the 28 Ga. for a "Specialty Gun".
That is one reason the shells cost so much, they are in a league of their own.

First time I picked up a O/U 28 Ga. at out trap club, I broke 24 of 25 at the 16 yard line, without even having it fitted to me.

One reason that I load my 12 Ga, down to 7/8 oz. loads for Skeet and close trap shooting.
Good patterns and less recoil let you get on the birds faster if you need a second shot.

If the reloader can find them, 8.5 shot is a great size lead pellet for the close shots and tight patterns
however you seldon find this size pellet in a factory folder and some stores don't carry #9 shot.

However in a pinch, #8's will work on any Skeet or Trap loads with the correct choke.


Already August........
my how time flys by.

 

[444 Magnum]

Even during "normal" times it can be difficult finding 16-gauge ammo regularly.

I picked up 105 boxes ranging from 8 shot standard loads to 4 shot hi brass at a local auction a few years back. I didn't even own a 16 gauge shotgun at the time. Buying them just seemed like the thing to do and it gave me an excuse to go gun shopping!

 

[Jeppo]

I just saw 12ga, low recoil 00 at $90 for a case of 250, shipped.

 

[weatherby]

I like a good 410 too.
We have some old style shops around and I take what they want to get rid of cheap.
Generally 5 a box.
My nephews son he's 8 and he hasnt missed a can yet with mine.
He wants to hunt and I see a limit of squirrels in his future.

 

[DWalt]

Back when I was shooting lots of trap and skeet over 25 years ago, I favored using reclaimed shot (from shot fall zone mining, mixed sizes) over new shot for skeet. I shot only 12 and 20 gauges. The gun club mined the range once and sold the reclaimed shot to the members at scrap lead price (but of course the purchaser had to clean it). I bought, I think, over 1000 pounds of it. It took awhile to clean all of it, I would generally clean about 100 pounds at a time in the back yard. Having a leaf blower really helps to blow away dirt, sticks, grass, and target chips before washing.

I haven't loaded any shotshells for many years, but I still have the tools and some components in the garage. I still shoot some hand-thrown targets, but not enough to make reloading worthwhile. I still have, I think, 3 cases of 12 gauge skeet loads I made up years ago.

 

[ajgunner]

Those are really great prices. Would love to find 410 for 10 bucks just for the occasional trap round. The club where I shoot is now at $8 per box and a limit of 2 per visit. Really tough to make it work when you want to shoot 3 rounds of clays per visit. Just glad to see things coming back down and hoping to see similar locally.

 

[sousana]

Not too long before the Pandemic was announced, was like in March of 2020 my Walmart had cases of this stuff on clearance for 2.50 a box, of which I availed myself of it all, I think I ruined my cars springs. Seems to be decent, but I've only shot like 2 boxes so far.

 

[bulletslap]

I have a collection of ancient oddball shotguns, so I reload for them. My 12,16,and 20 gauge presses are set up for 2 1/2 inch shells. My 10 gauge press is set up for 2 5/8ths shells.

It would be cost effective to load 410s, but they are a PITA to load so I sold my 410 loader.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I like the 410 too. I make my own shot from WW's(free). Cost me around $3 a box when when primers were cheap. Also load 12 & 20 with my shot. Can't tell the difference on the dove or skeet field.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Yes the .410 is a PITA to load but................

but wheather you load or buy your ammo, to me , it is one of the most fun shotguns to shoot !!

I do like to drop birds or crush clays but with the little .410 is is so much fun..........
I some times forget the scores or bird count and just love to be able to have a weapon that shots this little bitty shell !!

I would like to see the Olympics make the little .410 the maximum shell size............

Hay, they are the best of the best, right ?? !!

 

[vinn]

I like the.410 and .28 also. woun't buy any with steel shot !

 

[desi2358]

410 has always been pricey, generally attributed to smaller sales numbers = higher markup from the manufacturer. Wally world usually has good prices on Winchester AA and Federal target loads in 410.... when they get them in which is spotty currently. Even there though the 3 inch stuff which small game hunters seem to prefer is much higher, @ 16 to 18 a box depending on manufacturer

 

[AJ]

Guess I am behind the power curve, as I only own one 12 ga. 2 3/4" shotgun. I have been laying in a stock of ammo for it for a long time. The LGS has been selling broken boxes of shotgun ammo for years. They had a box filled with all gauges of ammo for $0.25 a round. I would sort through and find all the 00 and slug in 12 ga. that they had and buy it. When that thinned out pick up the number 4's also. Won't run out for a while.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Just a heads up........

Dove season is two weeks away.

Shotgun ammo might start to show up, at least in small pellet sizes
with maybe a good price, for a change ?

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Lately I have seen a lot of 28 GA.
Maybe it just looked like a lot because it was often the only Shotgun Shells on the shelf!

 

[Llance]

I'm not a fan of 12G and have always favored the 16 so I have three 16G shoddy guns around. I do have a couple of 12's, an Ithaca M500 O/U and a Belgian Browning A5 with a slug barrel which I have never fired. Keep a couple of 20's around too. They are great for when I want a light shooting gun at the turkey shoots I attend.

I keep a Stevens M-30, 410 loaded and ready near the headboard in the bedroom, with the Winchester PDX defender or Hornady critical defense loads, and it's 18+" barrel it's more than enough for home defense. My other 410 is a Savage M-24 that loves .45 Colts and .22 Mags. as well as any 410 I can stuff into the 3" chamber.

I have enough ammo for each to last me well into my doddage.