HELP......Shotgun Reloading

[2MANY]

OK well maybe this isn't an emergency but I need some feedback.
My family recently has a big interest in busting clay targets and I can't buy the cases of shells fast enough. 
While I did a lot of trap shooting 30 years ago I have gotten out of the loop.

I'm curious if shotgun reloading supplies are as hard to come by as the rifle and pistol stuff?
I'm also wondering if I should be saving all these plastic hulls we are cranking through?
I'm also interested in a reloading system that cranks out a shell every lever pull?

I need I shotgun reloading guru to step forward and line me out!!!!!

Thanks in advance.

[CP]

I'm also wondering if I should be saving all these plastic hulls we are cranking through?

Yes, but be aware not all hulls are created equally.  Some of the flimsy, straight walled, hulls belong in the trash.  I only reload Remington hulls, that may be a bit extreme but it works for me. 

I suggest that you pick a load and then look around for components, when you find them buy in bulk.

[kselkhunter]

Yes keep the spent hulls for possible reloading.  As CP notes, not all hulls are of the same quality. 


Yes shotgun components are a similar limited supply as pistol/rifle.  Although I've found 209 primers online a few times and snatched them up.  Ballistic Products, Precision Reloading, Macks Prairie Wings, etc. are good online retailers to monitor for components.  I'd start loading with new hulls first until you get the hang of it, then move to reloads with your spent hulls that you save.


For me, I only load hunting loads.   Buying factory target loads in bulk for clays is just cheaper and more time saving that trying to load target myself.   But I don't shoot competitively so don't go through a huge amount of target loads and thus don't have a reason to load target loads.  For me I shoot just enough target loads to get me ready for the hunting seasons. 

[2MANY]

I appreciate the feedback.

[Encore 280]

Check in the classifieds, somebody had a MEC9000 for sale a couple days ago, good price too I believe. I used to do Cowboy Action Shooting and did tons of reloading and only reloaded Winchester AA low base and the Remingtons.

[wadu1]

The only components that that are in short supply are primers. I just got 5K wads from Midway, clay buster hot pink for the cheaply Federal hulls.

[Encore 280]

Aren't the Federals a 6 pt. crimp and the Win. and Rem. are 8pt.?

[CP]

Aren't the Federals a 6 pt. crimp and the Win. and Rem. are 8pt.?

Speaking 12g:
Most Remington (green hulls) are 8pt.  - the black hulls are usually 6pt, some go by Peters

Fed and Win are usually 6pt - some Win are 8pt.

Doesn't really matter, 6 or 8pt both crimp fine. 

[C-Money]

The Mec 9000 is a premium shotshell reloader. Like said, the one in classifieds should treat you well. Reloading supplies are hard to come by, mainly powder and primers. I like AA and Remington hulls.

[wadu1]

All the Remington's, Winchester and Federal's are 8 point. Only the foreign shells are 6 point
, RIO, Fio and others, unless you are talking field loads. I load the Cheepie Federal shells from Walmart to use in my auto when I don't care about reloading the hulls. The only problem I've found with the new Federal's the primer pockets are inconsistent, Win 209's fall out about 25% of the time. 

[wadu1]

Here's the ad for the MEC 9000, comes with primers.
https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,267652.0.html

[lee]

Hi,

I bought a MEC 9000 when both of my Sons were on the High School Trap team... we went through shells like poop through a goose. I stopped counting at 4000 shells. Excellent press!!!

As for shells as everyone else has posted excellent advice, only thing I can add is: Look inside of the fired hull, if the base is plastic,... yer probably good, if paper ... throw it away.

[Bwana Bob]

I have a bunch of once fired 20ga Win AA cases for sale if your going to load 20ga

[jasnt]

Strongly recommend the Lyman shotshell reloading hand book.

[thinkingman]

Strongly recommend the Lyman shotshell reloading hand book.

Ditto for the Lyman.