Getting started loading shells

[banknote]

With a 16ga on the way and a hankerin' to shoot my 20ga at ducks, I think I'm gonna have to start loading my own shells. If you were starting from absolute zero, what would you do to get started?

[NuffDaddy]

PM jehler and Jarbo

[Juice Box]

With a 16ga on the way and a hankerin' to shoot my 20ga at ducks, I think I'm gonna have to start loading my own shells. If you were starting from absolute zero, what would you do to get started?

I've been wanting to do the same but it's expensive to get started :/


Merica!

[banknote]

With a 16ga on the way and a hankerin' to shoot my 20ga at ducks, I think I'm gonna have to start loading my own shells. If you were starting from absolute zero, what would you do to get started?

I've been wanting to do the same but it's expensive to get started :/


Merica!

That's what I'm afraid of and kind of wondering where the break-even point is. Of course I've been tying my own flies for 30+ years and never really considered that a money saver, either. There's gotta be some used stuff out there, right?

[Juice Box]

With a 16ga on the way and a hankerin' to shoot my 20ga at ducks, I think I'm gonna have to start loading my own shells. If you were starting from absolute zero, what would you do to get started?

I've been wanting to do the same but it's expensive to get started :/


Merica!

That's what I'm afraid of and kind of wondering where the break-even point is. Of course I've been tying my own flies for 30+ years and never really considered that a money saver, either. There's gotta be some used stuff out there, right?

Yeah I'm sure there's some used stuff out there. At the least it would be a hobby and something to do on the down time


Merica!

[jehler]

With a 16ga on the way and a hankerin' to shoot my 20ga at ducks, I think I'm gonna have to start loading my own shells. If you were starting from absolute zero, what would you do to get started?

I've been wanting to do the same but it's expensive to get started :/


Merica!

That's what I'm afraid of and kind of wondering where the break-even point is. Of course I've been tying my own flies for 30+ years and never really considered that a money saver, either. There's gotta be some used stuff out there, right?

if you had the budget to throw 5-600$ at it you would be in very good shape. You can really make some nice loads for the 16. The twenty you can buy really good kent loads for, but the 16 is where it would really shine, especially with the denser "designer shot"

[banknote]

With a 16ga on the way and a hankerin' to shoot my 20ga at ducks, I think I'm gonna have to start loading my own shells. If you were starting from absolute zero, what would you do to get started?

I've been wanting to do the same but it's expensive to get started :/


Merica!

That's what I'm afraid of and kind of wondering where the break-even point is. Of course I've been tying my own flies for 30+ years and never really considered that a money saver, either. There's gotta be some used stuff out there, right?

if you had the budget to throw 5-600$ at it you would be in very good shape. You can really make some nice loads for the 16. The twenty you can buy really good kent loads for, but the 16 is where it would really shine, especially with the denser "designer shot"

Is that $500-600 for all new stuff or what I can expect to spend on used?
Let's say I decide to just start out loading 16ga; will I need a press that only loads 16, or will I be able to convert for other gauges?
If you were going to buy a kit (either as a kit or that you put together a la carte) to get started, what would it be?

[jehler]

5-600 would get you into a press, scale, powder and components. If you're the kind of guy who enjoys tying your own flies you will enjoy reloading. I would recommend not being penny wise and pound stupid up front, buying the good stuff and not looking back, look for a used pw press or an rcbs charge master scale used and you'll see you'll get your money back of its not your bag

I have a used mec versa max I got from jgun and bought 16 gauge dies for. I also have a mec size master for the 20. If I was to do it over again I would have dropped the coin on a new posness warren 375, you can put two sets of does in one head and pull a bolt lift and spin to change gauges, and the pw could put a factory crimp on a brick without buckling the hull so help me god. The smaller gauges can be tricky in the mec with full hunting loads.

All that said we have loaded 5 years worth of hunting loads for jr with the mec, they will get the job done, just can be finicky

[banknote]

5-600 would get you into a press, scale, powder and components. If you're the kind of guy who enjoys tying your own flies you will enjoy reloading. I would recommend not being penny wise and pound stupid up front, buying the good stuff and not looking back, look for a used pw press or an rcbs charge master scale used and you'll see you'll get your money back of its not your bag

I have a used mec versa max I got from jgun and bought 16 gauge dies for. I also have a mec size master for the 20. If I was to do it over again I would have dropped the coin on a new posness warren 375, you can put two sets of does in one head and pull a bolt lift and spin to change gauges, and the pw could put a factory crimp on a brick without buckling the hull so help me god. The smaller gauges can be tricky in the mec with full hunting loads.

All that said we have loaded 5 years worth of hunting loads for jr with the mec, they will get the job done, just can be finicky

Thanks, this gets me at least pointed in some sort of direction.
So you use a single stage loader? If I'm dropping the coin anyway, should I go for progressive?

And is this a compete piece of crap?
http://www.precisionreloading.com/mm5/m ... STAGE_16GA

[NuffDaddy]

I hand measure and load all my hunting loads. I got a lee load all 2 a while back to load lead target loads, and I use that to make my crimps. It doesn't work perfect, but with a little practice I felt like I was getting decent crimps out of it.
I think it was around $70 and I got a digital scale for $30 to measure everything out. That's pretty much my investment in the equipment. The components cost me somewhere around $0.50 a shell for 3" waterfowl loads. Which is about $0.10 cheaper than the Kents I was using. But I am much happier with the performance of my hand loads than the factory loads. It takes me a little over a half hour to load up a box of shells. So it's not a fast process and would really suck if you load the number of shells Jehler does for a season.

[jehler]

The lee loader works I hear, but it's the reloading equivalent of a 360 pound girlfriend

The progressive loaders will kick out lead target loads as fast as you can pull the handle, but for hunting loads you are pushing boundaries of pressure and absolute accuracy and consistency is a bit more important. Cannon bought a big ass pw progressive and has been able to dial it to load steel hunting loads, but cannon is nuts

[jehler]

Tell ya what, I'm looking at a 16 die set for the pw, if I get it ill box up the mec for you to try, it's jguns so I can't sell it it guve it away but it give you a good idea if what your in for. A cheap 30$ electric scale and you could give it a shot real cheap

[banknote]

I hand measure and load all my hunting loads. I got a lee load all 2 a while back to load lead target loads, and I use that to make my crimps. It doesn't work perfect, but with a little practice I felt like I was getting decent crimps out of it.
I think it was around $70 and I got a digital scale for $30 to measure everything out. That's pretty much my investment in the equipment. The components cost me somewhere around $0.50 a shell for 3" waterfowl loads. Which is about $0.10 cheaper than the Kents I was using. But I am much happier with the performance of my hand loads than the factory loads. It takes me a little over a half hour to load up a box of shells. So it's not a fast process and would really suck if you load the number of shells Jehler does for a season.

This is making me feel a lot better about thing$.

[banknote]

Tell ya what, I'm looking at a 16 die set for the pw, if I get it ill box up the mec for you to try, it's jguns so I can't sell it it guve it away but it give you a good idea if what your in for. A cheap 30$ electric scale and you could give it a shot real cheap

Sounds like an offer I cannot refuse! I would gladly trade you some artwork for the trouble.

[NuffDaddy]

I hand measure and load all my hunting loads. I got a lee load all 2 a while back to load lead target loads, and I use that to make my crimps. It doesn't work perfect, but with a little practice I felt like I was getting decent crimps out of it.
I think it was around $70 and I got a digital scale for $30 to measure everything out. That's pretty much my investment in the equipment. The components cost me somewhere around $0.50 a shell for 3" waterfowl loads. Which is about $0.10 cheaper than the Kents I was using. But I am much happier with the performance of my hand loads than the factory loads. It takes me a little over a half hour to load up a box of shells. So it's not a fast process and would really suck if you load the number of shells Jehler does for a season.

This is making me feel a lot better about thing$.

But like jehler said above. It's pushing it with high pressure loads. I have no doubt that my loads could be better with a more expensive loader. But a 19 year old broke college kid can't afford to drop that kind of money on that kind of stuff. I try and stay away from really high pressure loads, because I know there is some error when I comes to wad pressure and crimping the way I load.
I'm sitting here right now loading some new loads to try out tomorrow. This is pretty much everything I have.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1380401228.770213.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1380401284.332637.jpg

[NuffDaddy]

And get BPIs status of steel

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1380401369.157845.jpg

[jehler]

Nuff you need a lot more shit

[banknote]

I hand measure and load all my hunting loads. I got a lee load all 2 a while back to load lead target loads, and I use that to make my crimps. It doesn't work perfect, but with a little practice I felt like I was getting decent crimps out of it.
I think it was around $70 and I got a digital scale for $30 to measure everything out. That's pretty much my investment in the equipment. The components cost me somewhere around $0.50 a shell for 3" waterfowl loads. Which is about $0.10 cheaper than the Kents I was using. But I am much happier with the performance of my hand loads than the factory loads. It takes me a little over a half hour to load up a box of shells. So it's not a fast process and would really suck if you load the number of shells Jehler does for a season.

This is making me feel a lot better about thing$.

But like jehler said above. It's pushing it with high pressure loads. I have no doubt that my loads could be better with a more expensive loader. But a 19 year old broke college kid can't afford to drop that kind of money on that kind of stuff. I try and stay away from really high pressure loads, because I know there is some error when I comes to wad pressure and crimping the way I load.
I'm sitting here right now loading some new loads to try out tomorrow. This is pretty much everything I have.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1380401228.770213.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1380401284.332637.jpg

What do you consider high pressure? I figure 1500fps to be about the max I'd want to load, probably more like 1425. In my limited experience, high speed loads don't pattern worth a shit and I I'm not looking shoot beyond 40yds, anyway.

[NuffDaddy]

Nuff you need a lot more shit

I know, it's adding up though. 2 months ago I had 1lb of powder, a box of primers, about 100 rem nitro hulls, and 1 type of wad. Got an order from BP coming in early next week.

[NuffDaddy]

I hand measure and load all my hunting loads. I got a lee load all 2 a while back to load lead target loads, and I use that to make my crimps. It doesn't work perfect, but with a little practice I felt like I was getting decent crimps out of it.
I think it was around $70 and I got a digital scale for $30 to measure everything out. That's pretty much my investment in the equipment. The components cost me somewhere around $0.50 a shell for 3" waterfowl loads. Which is about $0.10 cheaper than the Kents I was using. But I am much happier with the performance of my hand loads than the factory loads. It takes me a little over a half hour to load up a box of shells. So it's not a fast process and would really suck if you load the number of shells Jehler does for a season.

This is making me feel a lot better about thing$.

But like jehler said above. It's pushing it with high pressure loads. I have no doubt that my loads could be better with a more expensive loader. But a 19 year old broke college kid can't afford to drop that kind of money on that kind of stuff. I try and stay away from really high pressure loads, because I know there is some error when I comes to wad pressure and crimping the way I load.
I'm sitting here right now loading some new loads to try out tomorrow. This is pretty much everything I have.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1380401228.770213.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1380401284.332637.jpg

What do you consider high pressure? I figure 1500fps to be about the max I'd want to load, probably more like 1425. In my limited experience, high speed loads don't pattern worth a shit and I I'm not looking shoot beyond 40yds, anyway.

High FPS doesn't mean high pressure. I was told to stay below 11500psi in my rem 870. So I try to stay Below 1100, preferably 10500. All the recipes in status of steel list pressure.

[banknote]

I hand measure and load all my hunting loads. I got a lee load all 2 a while back to load lead target loads, and I use that to make my crimps. It doesn't work perfect, but with a little practice I felt like I was getting decent crimps out of it.
I think it was around $70 and I got a digital scale for $30 to measure everything out. That's pretty much my investment in the equipment. The components cost me somewhere around $0.50 a shell for 3" waterfowl loads. Which is about $0.10 cheaper than the Kents I was using. But I am much happier with the performance of my hand loads than the factory loads. It takes me a little over a half hour to load up a box of shells. So it's not a fast process and would really suck if you load the number of shells Jehler does for a season.

This is making me feel a lot better about thing$.

But like jehler said above. It's pushing it with high pressure loads. I have no doubt that my loads could be better with a more expensive loader. But a 19 year old broke college kid can't afford to drop that kind of money on that kind of stuff. I try and stay away from really high pressure loads, because I know there is some error when I comes to wad pressure and crimping the way I load.
I'm sitting here right now loading some new loads to try out tomorrow. This is pretty much everything I have.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1380401228.770213.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1380401284.332637.jpg

What do you consider high pressure? I figure 1500fps to be about the max I'd want to load, probably more like 1425. In my limited experience, high speed loads don't pattern worth a shit and I I'm not looking shoot beyond 40yds, anyway.

High FPS doesn't mean high pressure. I was told to stay below 11500psi in my rem 870. So I try to stay Below 1100, preferably 10500. All the recipes in status of steel list pressure.

Cool. Obviously I have a lot to learn.

[NuffDaddy]

[quote="NuffDaddy"]I hand measure and load all my hunting loads. I got a lee load all 2 a while back to load lead target loads, and I use that to make my crimps. It doesn't work perfect, but with a little practice I felt like I was getting decent crimps out of it.
I think it was around $70 and I got a digital scale for $30 to measure everything out. That's pretty much my investment in the equipment. The components cost me somewhere around $0.50 a shell for 3" waterfowl loads. Which is about $0.10 cheaper than the Kents I was using. But I am much happier with the performance of my hand loads than the factory loads. It takes me a little over a half hour to load up a box of shells. So it's not a fast process and would really suck if you load the number of shells Jehler does for a season.

This is making me feel a lot better about thing$.

But like jehler said above. It's pushing it with high pressure loads. I have no doubt that my loads could be better with a more expensive loader. But a 19 year old broke college kid can't afford to drop that kind of money on that kind of stuff. I try and stay away from really high pressure loads, because I know there is some error when I comes to wad pressure and crimping the way I load.
I'm sitting here right now loading some new loads to try out tomorrow. This is pretty much everything I have.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1380401228.770213.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1380401284.332637.jpg

What do you consider high pressure? I figure 1500fps to be about the max I'd want to load, probably more like 1425. In my limited experience, high speed loads don't pattern worth a shit and I I'm not looking shoot beyond 40yds, anyway.

High FPS doesn't mean high pressure. I was told to stay below 11500psi in my rem 870. So I try to stay Below 1100, preferably 10500. All the recipes in status of steel list pressure.

Cool. Obviously I have a lot to learn.[/quote]
I've been at this about a month. Jehler helped out a ton, and so did Jarbo. Some other guys threw in some pointers too. But status of steel has everything you need to know. 90 pages that explain everything you need to know to get started and hundreds of recipes to try. Not many in the 16 gauge though.