Wanting to try reloading

[AnnabellaKennels]

Anybody have any guidance for reloading shotgun shells. I use both 12 and 20 gauge for training and hunting and have always just bought the cheap shells at Wal-Mart. Wondering if it is worth the setup cost to save some money in the long run. Would like to have a little more control in making custom loads for chukar. What type/brand of reloader would you recommend for a first timer?

[brown dog mike]

no experience personally with shotgun shells. but ive loaded several thousand handgun and rifle rounds. i use a dillon .i have some friends who load shotshells it seems like they all have lees.startup is high but i guess it depends on how much you shoot. reloading is not as cheap as it used to be. powder, bullets &brass have all been going up alot over the past few years. but you can still save some money if you shoot alot. and its kinda cool to load your own. if your only going through a few boxes a year i wouldnt bother. but if your up in the thousands i would definitely buy a press and get started. I MAY BE WRONG ABOUT THEM USING LEES THEY COULD BE MECS

[mporter]

Hi Jon
I've used everything from Bair to Mec. loaders and honestly the Mec. 600 will do for the average Upland bird fan using lead shot. When you get into migratory birds where steel shot and 3 or 31/2 inch loads are a requirement, then you need to step up a few notches on the type of loader. Most of the Mec. loaders are available with gauge conversions where you can change the set up to load 20 or 12 gauge by changing the sizing die and a few other components. Check out EBay, want ads, garage sales etc. for loaders. You can find replacement parts and accesories just about anywhere for Mec. Loaders As far as the varations of loads available, hogdon.com is a great place to start. I reccomend staying with one type of hull and building your loads around that. Winchester AA or any of the compression formed hulls are a great choice. Its a great hobby and done correctly you can save a few bucks plus get some fantastic results in the field.

[AnnabellaKennels]

mporter, thanks for the tips. I got on ebay today and bought a MEC 600 Jr. setup for 12 gauge for $77 shipped. It also came with some spare parts and some hulls and shells. Hope to get this figured out and find a recipe that is versatile. Also, I would like to use "poppers" shells with just the primer for gun introduction on these young puppies. Wish me luck.

[RangeViewKennels]

I just got a MEC 700 on e-bay also. Can't wait for it to get here!

[AnnabellaKennels]

I guess the one I am getting is the pre '82 model 600 jr. The guy was very helpful on the phone and said he would set it up for the load I was planning on trying. He even threw in some extras when he heard I was a first-timer. I was able to get on the MEC website and order a complete manual for free. Looking forward to messing around with it.

[RangeViewKennels]

The one I got is also a discontinued model, but has very little use. It came with a bunch of extra stuff that I know nothing about yet. Paid a little more than you ($83 delivered) did. I figured I could save on the poppers and blanks also.