Has anyone any experience with reclaimed shot? I may have an opportunity to buy some at a decent price and wondering how it may pattern, or anything else to be concerned about.
Shotgun reloading Reclaimed shot
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Ben_hutcherson
Member
That could be easily fixed by sorting with a magnet.
I'd probably try pouring down a cardboard funnel with a couple of old hard drive magnets attached to the back. Do it a couple of times to be sure you have it all.
I used a few bags of it back in the day for my traploads.There was a fair amount of flat shot and dirt in it.
OP
This is "supposed" to have been screened, gone over with a magnet, and washed. It comes off a trap range so there shouldn't be much if any steel in it to start with. We have a couple sample bags coming, and if it's O.K. our trap club will be buying a barrel of it and we weigh it out and sell to members by the Lb. It will be $1.20 per Lb. delivered. Considering all the shot I've been seeing around here is running about $50 a 25 Lb bag, this wouldn't be too bad a price. Boy I sure miss the days of $10 and $12 a bag shot, and $11 a brick primers.
It depends on who reclaimed it,,but as noted it's generally washed & screened. Steel shot is removed with magnets and a lot of it is re-graphite coated by tumbling.
The screening removes oversize and flattened pellets. A bag of #8 will probably have a few #9 in it if they're anything like the stuff I had.
Being used shot, you do get some less than perfect pellets in there too. Not as much as you may think as most never hits a clay bird and just travels through the air and falls to the ground.
I bought some locally at $35 a bag when the best I could find was $45 & $50 from the local reloading distr.
Didn't change my scores on the skeet and trap field any and didn't notice any difference in loading it not that I expected any.
Locally,shot is back down to around $35/bag and no one is offering reclaimed, so I just go with the new cheap stuff from Peru.
The sample bags to look over are nice. You can soon see if they are worth the effort and price.
The screening removes oversize and flattened pellets. A bag of #8 will probably have a few #9 in it if they're anything like the stuff I had.
Being used shot, you do get some less than perfect pellets in there too. Not as much as you may think as most never hits a clay bird and just travels through the air and falls to the ground.
I bought some locally at $35 a bag when the best I could find was $45 & $50 from the local reloading distr.
Didn't change my scores on the skeet and trap field any and didn't notice any difference in loading it not that I expected any.
Locally,shot is back down to around $35/bag and no one is offering reclaimed, so I just go with the new cheap stuff from Peru.
The sample bags to look over are nice. You can soon see if they are worth the effort and price.
rsrocket1
Member
Reclaimed Shot
That's all I use for 16 yard trap and skeet. I use 3/4 oz in 12 gauge which brings my cost to $3.40 for a box of 25. My club sells it for < $1/pound. It is screened, washed and coated with graphite. Early on, I ran a whole bunch through a cardboard trough with hard disk drive magnets to trap any steel. I found 3 pellets in a 25 pound bag so there is very little in there. The shooters at my club are really good about using the proper shot on the trap and skeet ranges where the shot gets reclaimed once or twice a year. They are allowed to use anything on the sporting clays range which shoots in another direction. I've gone through a few dozen bags full and there is zero damage to the barrel of my 1100. YMMV in the cleanliness of the shot.
I try for about 1300 fps chronographed speeds to get a good spread. Slower velocities result in a "hotter" center with fewer pellets on the outside. Here's a picture of one of my shots on a grease board with a clay pigeon hung in the middle. 3/4 oz smokes the birds on the end stations and breaks them fine in the middle stations so long as I do my part.
That's all I use for 16 yard trap and skeet. I use 3/4 oz in 12 gauge which brings my cost to $3.40 for a box of 25. My club sells it for < $1/pound. It is screened, washed and coated with graphite. Early on, I ran a whole bunch through a cardboard trough with hard disk drive magnets to trap any steel. I found 3 pellets in a 25 pound bag so there is very little in there. The shooters at my club are really good about using the proper shot on the trap and skeet ranges where the shot gets reclaimed once or twice a year. They are allowed to use anything on the sporting clays range which shoots in another direction. I've gone through a few dozen bags full and there is zero damage to the barrel of my 1100. YMMV in the cleanliness of the shot.
I try for about 1300 fps chronographed speeds to get a good spread. Slower velocities result in a "hotter" center with fewer pellets on the outside. Here's a picture of one of my shots on a grease board with a clay pigeon hung in the middle. 3/4 oz smokes the birds on the end stations and breaks them fine in the middle stations so long as I do my part.
Great stuff for skeet, 5 stand and trap at the shorter distances.
I loaded 1oz loads to make it last longer but you can go with the larger 1 1/8 oz. if you like. Both break the birds well, even though there are damaged pellets of different sizes but they will do the job out to 40 yards with good patterns.
There should not be any dirt in the bag if from a quality outfit.
If the price is right, get all you can get !!
I loaded 1oz loads to make it last longer but you can go with the larger 1 1/8 oz. if you like. Both break the birds well, even though there are damaged pellets of different sizes but they will do the job out to 40 yards with good patterns.
There should not be any dirt in the bag if from a quality outfit.
If the price is right, get all you can get !!
Kyler Hamann
Member
It’s a great deal for practice or goofing around. But in my experience it won’t be round, it won’t be the right size, it won’t be just lead and therefore it won’t pattern very well.
I’ve found rocks and all sorts of odd shapes and sizes of pellets in the re-claimed shot I’ve bought from several different places over the years. But if you don’t care whether you hit them ALL or not it should be okay.
Generally I choke really tight for practice so crumby patterning doesn’t matter much in practice, but I would never think of using it for competition.
So buy and use it, but realize it’s limitations.
I’ve found rocks and all sorts of odd shapes and sizes of pellets in the re-claimed shot I’ve bought from several different places over the years. But if you don’t care whether you hit them ALL or not it should be okay.
Generally I choke really tight for practice so crumby patterning doesn’t matter much in practice, but I would never think of using it for competition.
So buy and use it, but realize it’s limitations.
If you want a "Powder Puff" for skeet or the 16 yard line for that reclaimed you might try this load that works for me.....
12 Ga. 2 3/4" Rem STS or Win AA ( Uni ) hull
w209
Red Dot @ 16.5 grains (PW 420 +/-)
AA12L wad (Gray)
1150 fps
X-Lite recoil, practice load c/o 45 degrees or warmer weather.
If you have some e3 powder I have gone as low as 14grs with a Mec #25 bushing.
12 Ga. 2 3/4" Rem STS or Win AA ( Uni ) hull
w209
Red Dot @ 16.5 grains (PW 420 +/-)
AA12L wad (Gray)
1150 fps
X-Lite recoil, practice load c/o 45 degrees or warmer weather.
If you have some e3 powder I have gone as low as 14grs with a Mec #25 bushing.
OP
I've been loading 16.0 gr Alliant E-3, STS hull, Chedite primer, Pink 1 OZ wads, behind 1 OZ #8's for skeet and 22 yd trap. I chrono it at just over 1200 fps and very consistent. I'm getting pretty low on E-3 and so far haven't found any to buy. It's not a powder puff load, but it doesn't beat you either. Both my Brownings are ported and backbored, the BT99+ has the built in recoil reducer, and the Special Sporting Clays has a Kickeze pad. But half the time for skeet I shoot my little SKB 20 ga. with IC/Mod and a hard plastic butt plate and I like it better. In 20 I just use factory loads.
downzero1911
Member
I've tried reclaimed shot that was supposed to be screened and coated. Horrible patterns. I'll only buy new shot for shotgun reloading. If reclaimed is cheap enough, I'll buy it for bullet casting metal.
BlueOvalBandit
Member
I bought and used the sorted, sized, regraphited stuff before. It was 7.5 and came in plastic pales. It was actually pretty nice looking, not perfect but not bad either, think golf ball dimples. Clays didn't know the difference one bit, be it sporting clays, trap, or skeet.
Almost got my first 50 straight shooting reclaimed but one of the birds had god mode on.
Should have bought more, it was $1/lb.
Almost got my first 50 straight shooting reclaimed but one of the birds had god mode on.
Should have bought more, it was $1/lb.
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Last time I bought factory shot it was $45 a bag.....
reclaimed was $20 a bag for #8 type........
sort of a no brainer for target loads.
Factory or MAG pellets for scores or $$....... you can't afford one extra miss with the big guns.
reclaimed was $20 a bag for #8 type........
sort of a no brainer for target loads.
Factory or MAG pellets for scores or $$....... you can't afford one extra miss with the big guns.
Moe Mentum
Member
If its cheap enough , why not. But for only a few bucks then no.
Rpg
Member
Depends on the source, I expect.
I've had nothing but good experience with reclaimed shot.
I've had nothing but good experience with reclaimed shot.
Back in the mid 80s, I was the president of a trap and skeet club in Rockwall, Texas. We had Gene Seers come down from Oklahoma and do a lead reclamation on our fallout areas. He reclaimed several 55 gallon drums of shot. It was all lead shot back the, but it varied in size from #7 1/2 to #9. We sold it back to our members at very cheap prices.
Even though it varied from #7 1/2 to #9, I was able to load some very good 1 1/8 oz. practice loads using Active hulls and 1 oz. wads. You want to make sure the reclaimed lead is washed, sorted, and prepped correctly. If you look at reclaimed shot under a magnifying glass, it will have the appearance of a small golf ball.
Back in the late 70s or early 80s, it was rumored the Russian Olympic Skeet Shooting Team apparently tried using square pellets. The idea was, it would give them a larger more dense pattern. It seems they were caught and disqualified.
I do not compete in shotgun competitions any longer, but based on my past experience with reclaimed lead, I would have no problem using quality reclaimed lead.
Even though it varied from #7 1/2 to #9, I was able to load some very good 1 1/8 oz. practice loads using Active hulls and 1 oz. wads. You want to make sure the reclaimed lead is washed, sorted, and prepped correctly. If you look at reclaimed shot under a magnifying glass, it will have the appearance of a small golf ball.
Back in the late 70s or early 80s, it was rumored the Russian Olympic Skeet Shooting Team apparently tried using square pellets. The idea was, it would give them a larger more dense pattern. It seems they were caught and disqualified.
I do not compete in shotgun competitions any longer, but based on my past experience with reclaimed lead, I would have no problem using quality reclaimed lead.
