Buying bulk shotshells with an eye towards eventually reloading them?

We aren't huge consumers of shotshells. Typically I've bought a couple hundred a year of whatever was cheap and discarded the hulls when we were done.

However, two things are working their way up my Competent Man Checklist:

1) Become a better wing shot and take advantage of the mourning doves, band tails and occasional grouse that frequent my property.

2) Buy a rudimentary shotshell reloading rig and learn how to use it.

So any advice on what brand of #6 and #7.5 shotshells to buy, with an eye towards retaining the hulls and someday learning to reload them?

Also, I know that reloading shotshells usually isn't economical unless you are a really high volume shooter, but instead of sitting on the couch and watching the Tee-Vee we tend to collect DIY skills and equipment around here. When I die, my daughter will either be standing in the house saying "how am I going to get rid of all this shit?" or "Wow! I'm glad Dad set me up with everything I need to survive this dystopian future!"

My friends who reload for shotgun typically go for Winchester AA or the equiv from other brands. However, I understand just about any can be reloaded as long as you're not too picky about cosmetics or getting multiple reloads out of a hull. Maybe learn the process on bulk pack hulls and switch to premium hulls once you've learned the process?

The Lee Load-All line seems to be "good enough" for light volume. I know one guy who used nothing else until he came across a good deal on a used Mec.

FWIW, you don't need specialized tools for .410. I've found numerous how-tos online for reloading .410 with common tools you probably already have as a "competent man". A friend of mine has tried it with success.

Chris

It really depends how many times you will reload. Win AA will hold up for a very long time but I have used many different empty cases for reloading. Mec shotshell reloader work very well and parts are readily available.

In the late ‘90s I reloaded thousands and thousands of shot shells for trap. Back when you could get a bag of shot for $17. Now, a bag of shot is $50, you can buy a loaded shell for less than the price of components. Further, the quality of cheap shells has gone up dramatically. I can buy a cheap box of target loads, by the case, on sale, for $5.50. At $2 per pound for shot, and 1 and 1/8 per round, that’s $3.50 for lead alone, plus $1.25 for primers, $2 for powder, and I don’t even know how much wads are, anymore.

The only way to save money reloading shot shells is to use reclaimed shot, non-toxic shot for waterfowl, load slugs, or load smaller gauges than 12. Reclaimed shot is pretty bad for patterns.

If you still want to load your own, skip the Lee loader. Lee makes some good stuff, but the Lee shot shell loader isn’t their best item. The MEC 600 is much better, and you can get one used for $50-$100. For $50, the price difference from the Lee loader is a no-brainer.

Another thing: for the sweet love of Jesus do not buy hulls to reload. Ask around, there’s undoubtedly a trap shooter with a garage full who will give you some good ones. Or pick them off the ground at your local trap range.


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I buy AA from Cabelas when they have free shipping, like now. There's also a $2/box rebate from Winchester on them until September.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Winc...ase/731068.uts

Both of my MECs were used and one required a few bucks in parts, but they were way cheaper than new machines and work fine.

Years ago Winchester AA we're the best. One line of Remington shells was exactly the same as AA. I have a MEC size master, and I never could get many reloads out of a single hull. Usually the crimp was bad and shot would leak out. I was in high school then, and that was the pre-internet era. Maybe there is an easy solution, but at this point, reloading doesn't seem to be worth it.

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If you are near Atlanta - I will give you all the hulls you want. As stated earlier, the price of components got so high I quit loading a long time ago. I loaded AA and Remington STS but I also loaded a lot of cheap, low brass hulls because they were so plentiful.

Finding super deals on powder from former shooters and/or old guys or their estates is the best way to save money on reloading shot shells. Too, this powder does double duty as handgun powder. I've had great success doing this throughout the years. First, you must travel in these circles and have contact with dealers who buy such from estates. We have a buyer's market. Winchester, Federal, and Browning have rebates. A few 100 shells with occasional replenishing might serve your purpose. My math says that reloading shotgun shells won't save money if you don't already own equipment and components. Don't laugh, but Henry makes a beautiful, walnut stocked single shot shotgun that would serve nicely for popping doves or pests on your land. Oddly, cost is slightly more than a Mossberg pump clunker.

Reloading is a good skill to have. As others have said, it is not necessarily a money saver today, but that is not the OP’s primary goal. The ability to reload, at least to me, is a skill on the “Competant Man Checklist.”

To that purpose, shoot Winchester AA and learn to reload those. They crimp very well and can be reloaded many times before they start to crack and fail to hold a crimp. Buy a used Mec Progressive and get a reloading manual. I would discourage you from reloading a variety of shells. Different hulls produce different pressures and there are specific recipes for reloading different hulls. I got my Mec set up for AA target loads, which I also hunted with, decades ago. Finally, when you are satisfied with your reloading and get tired of it, those AA red hulls can be turned into Christmas lights. They look pretty cool strung around a patio or outside lounging area.

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Originally Posted by Shotgun

Reloading is a good skill to have. As others have said, it is not necessarily a money saver today, but that is not the OP’s primary goal. The ability to reload, at least to me, is a skill on the “Competant Man Checklist.”

To that purpose, shoot Winchester AA and learn to reload those. They crimp very well and can be reloaded many times before they start to crack and fail to hold a crimp. Buy a used Mec Progressive and get a reloading manual. I would discourage you from reloading a variety of shells. Different hulls produce different pressures and there are specific recipes for reloading different hulls. I got my Mec set up for AA target loads, which I also hunted with, decades ago. Finally, when you are satisfied with your reloading and get tired of it, those AA red hulls can be turned into Christmas lights. They look pretty cool strung around a patio or outside lounging area.

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Yes. It isn't a money saver to grow our own vegetables either, but we place quite a bit of value upon knowing how to do it. It's funny. We don't identify as "preppers" but we wind up doing quite a bit of the same stuff as the prepper crowd, not out of fear of the 'pockylips, but because we value the skills and it's more fun, and more healthy than rotting our brains in front of the television.

I was kind of landing on the idea of AA hulls. It sounds like owning a hodge-podge of hulls can also result in needing to stock a hodge-podge of wads as well. I don't see a factory #6 load in a AA hull, but I'm sure I can figure something out.

I'm just redneck enough to decorate with shotgun shells too...