Good afternoon guys and gals!
Well after years of saying I’d never do it, I’m about to pick up a shotshell reloader and dive in.
As a threshold matter, I have bene reloading pistol and rifle for 25+ years at this point, and am very familiar and practiced with them, just not with shotshells
So, I am mainly looking to load slugs, and buckshot, as I do not duck hunt (so no steel) and I don’t shoot skeet often enough to justify that (but I guess I could if I got bored).
The slugs will mainly be used for deer and maybe hog hunting, the buckshot will be mainly for stacking away, or possibly heavy pest control as needed.
I also have access to comically vast amounts of processed and unprocessed lead I could use.
I also have access to an inordinate amount of mixed range fires hulls.
I know very little about shotshell loading, and wanted to try and avoid some of the early pitfalls of some of you had prior knowledge, particularly with the type of stuff I plan to load, the guns I may use them in, and the other components.
So, I want to use either/or this 7/8 ounce key drive lee mold, and possibly some of the giant pellet type slugs as well since I love the flat nose and profile of it (and have read great things on it).
Buckshot, I may try and smelt my own, or may just be lazy and try the hornady pre made offerings.
I will be picking up a new Lee load all 2 shortly for a great price.
The shotguns most likely to use them will be:
-Mossberg 835 ulti mag with 26 inch choked barrel, and 20 inch smoothbore barrel (I know slugs aren’t to be used in the ultimag barrel due to overbore
-benelli super 90 m3 with 26 inch choked barrel and 20 inch smooth bore barrel
-savage Steven 320 security with 18 inch smooth ore barrel
-Mossberg 930spx black water with 18 inch smoothbore barrel
Powder wise, I would like to stay with blue dot or unique since I have so much of them, but I am by no means set on those.
Primer wise I have a couple thousand cci 209s on hand
What I have no idea on, is what type of wad is the “good bet” to try first. It’s not as much the cost of them that matters, but I don’t want to have 8 bags of 500 wads with only a handful tested and failed if I can help it. Haha.
It would be nice to have a wad that could work for the slugs and the buckshot, but that’s not required given their relatively low cost.
So, does anyone have experience on this road I’m about to saunter down with regard to powder, shot, slugs, and wads?
I am also curious if 00 or 000 has performed better in game or target for you over the other. Otherwise I’ll just default to 00.
If you have info to share, I would greatly appreciate your help!
I also do not currently have any physical manuals for shotshell loading, so am open to recommendations in that regard as well.
Well after years of saying I’d never do it, I’m about to pick up a shotshell reloader and dive in.
As a threshold matter, I have bene reloading pistol and rifle for 25+ years at this point, and am very familiar and practiced with them, just not with shotshells
So, I am mainly looking to load slugs, and buckshot, as I do not duck hunt (so no steel) and I don’t shoot skeet often enough to justify that (but I guess I could if I got bored).
The slugs will mainly be used for deer and maybe hog hunting, the buckshot will be mainly for stacking away, or possibly heavy pest control as needed.
I also have access to comically vast amounts of processed and unprocessed lead I could use.
I also have access to an inordinate amount of mixed range fires hulls.
I know very little about shotshell loading, and wanted to try and avoid some of the early pitfalls of some of you had prior knowledge, particularly with the type of stuff I plan to load, the guns I may use them in, and the other components.
So, I want to use either/or this 7/8 ounce key drive lee mold, and possibly some of the giant pellet type slugs as well since I love the flat nose and profile of it (and have read great things on it).
Buckshot, I may try and smelt my own, or may just be lazy and try the hornady pre made offerings.
I will be picking up a new Lee load all 2 shortly for a great price.
The shotguns most likely to use them will be:
-Mossberg 835 ulti mag with 26 inch choked barrel, and 20 inch smoothbore barrel (I know slugs aren’t to be used in the ultimag barrel due to overbore
-benelli super 90 m3 with 26 inch choked barrel and 20 inch smooth bore barrel
-savage Steven 320 security with 18 inch smooth ore barrel
-Mossberg 930spx black water with 18 inch smoothbore barrel
Powder wise, I would like to stay with blue dot or unique since I have so much of them, but I am by no means set on those.
Primer wise I have a couple thousand cci 209s on hand
What I have no idea on, is what type of wad is the “good bet” to try first. It’s not as much the cost of them that matters, but I don’t want to have 8 bags of 500 wads with only a handful tested and failed if I can help it. Haha.
It would be nice to have a wad that could work for the slugs and the buckshot, but that’s not required given their relatively low cost.
So, does anyone have experience on this road I’m about to saunter down with regard to powder, shot, slugs, and wads?
I am also curious if 00 or 000 has performed better in game or target for you over the other. Otherwise I’ll just default to 00.
If you have info to share, I would greatly appreciate your help!
I also do not currently have any physical manuals for shotshell loading, so am open to recommendations in that regard as well.