Shotgun Shells

dav1965

I try and keep as much ammo as i can afford but i am really really short on shotgun ammo. I need to step up my game.

I have 410s, 16, 20, and 12 gauges.

What would be good numbers to keep on hand just in case.

I have at least 2 of every gun except 12 gauge shotguns and i have about 12 or more of them.

bambihunter

Depends what you use them for and how often. If, for instance, your 12 gauge was only for home defense, it wouldn't take that much practice ammo to test the gun periodically. A 100 rounds would likely last for several years. But, if you are like me and shoot clay's at every opportunity then I'd keep at least a dozen cases (#8 shot ammo is cheap anyway).
.410 ammo is expensive so I personally don't keep much on hand of it. I really only shoot it when I am doing well with my 12 gauge skeet shooting and want a challenge. I also use it in a .22lr /410 Savage model 24 but I don't go through it very quick like that.

Perhaps what you should be thinking is getting a shotshell reloader?!?!?

varian

if you ever shop at a major discount chain, at the end of hunting season they often put shotshells on clearance. i bought a cart load a couple of years ago for 3.00/box, i dont think you can reload for that price...

discusdad

personnaly a case of standard length 12 gauge 7-1/2 short and a case of 12 ga standard length large shot such as 2, 1, BB. your choice.......case or 2 of 20 gauge 3 inch 6 or 7-1/2 shot would cover all needs. considering what you have in centerfire and rimfire ammo....waste of money to tie up funds for 410 or 16 gauge as there isn't much market share for those anymore. consider your shotgun ammo as bartering material or subsistence hunting ammo rather than personal defense items..you have plenty of person defense items already with your rifle/handgun ammo. resist the temptation to hoard even more stuff than you will possibly use.

gruntled2

bambihunter wrote:

Depends what you use them for and how often. If, for instance, your 12 gauge was only for home defense, it wouldn't take that much practice ammo to test the gun periodically. A 100 rounds would likely last for several years. But, if you are like me and shoot clay's at every opportunity then I'd keep at least a dozen cases (#8 shot ammo is cheap anyway).
.410 ammo is expensive so I personally don't keep much on hand of it. I really only shoot it when I am doing well with my 12 gauge skeet shooting and want a challenge. I also use it in a .22lr /410 Savage model 24 but I don't go through it very quick like that.

Perhaps what you should be thinking is getting a shotshell reloader?!?!?

My .410 was my favorite skeet gun & a Winchester model 42 is high on my short want list. Problem is I can't justify the cost of one & even if I got it I couldn't afford to feed it. .410s used to be so cheap I quit reloading them but I did save the empties. I had a shopping bag full when the prices started to soar & reloaded them until the ends came off or the primer pockets became too enlarged. I tried the new @&*$#! plastic shells & I could never get the crimps to hold. I used to get 2 1/2" .410s by the case for $1.75/box. That meant I only saved about a half Dollar a box by reloading. I REALLY miss the paper shells especially for skeet since the @&*$#! plastic shells tighten the pattern too much.

discusdad

the reloading thing can apply to most all guages anymore. the cost of materials went up drastic, and shot fell into short supply. if you didn't have an assembly line type loader and only reloaded small quantities at a session, it wasn't worth the time and effort to save a few pennies/box......too many places have caseload sales before hunting seasons these days to reload

bambihunter

gruntled2 wrote:

My .410 was my favorite skeet gun & a Winchester model 42 is high on my short want list. Problem is I can't justify the cost of one & even if I got it I couldn't afford to feed it. .410s used to be so cheap I quit reloading them but I did save the empties. I had a shopping bag full when the prices started to soar & reloaded them until the ends came off or the primer pockets became too enlarged. I tried the new @&*$#! plastic shells & I could never get the crimps to hold. I used to get 2 1/2" .410s by the case for $1.75/box. That meant I only saved about a half Dollar a box by reloading. I REALLY miss the paper shells especially for skeet since the @&*$#! plastic shells tighten the pattern too much.

Along with my pair of 22/410 O/U Savage 24's, I have a Remington 1100LW .410 in nearly perfect condition. I bought it, then over the next few years I found all the barrels for it. That was quite a feat to find all of them in .410 in as good of condition as the gun. Then, a few years after that, they FINALLY started offering them with screw-in chokes. But, alas for me skeet with .410 is largely just for added difficulty and nostalgia. A friend of mine just puts extra full turkey choke on his gun when he wants a better challenge. I haven't tried it but when he hits with it, there is no clay left at all.


I have saved almost all my brass from reload capable calibers. I still have a lot of AA 12 hulls which were allegedly better for reloading. However, for the past decade, I have mostly just bought 1 1/8 dram #8 for quail, dove, and skeet. I just buy the cheap stuff anymore as it finally cycles my SBE properly. I recently reloaded roughly two five gallon buckets of 10mm auto brass. I lost track at the quantity but it has to be upwards of 50k rounds. Not bad work for a single stage Forrester Co-ax. LOL The problem is, when I have a lot of extra loaded ammo, it somehow gets shot faster. I have found when I have 'just enough' loaded then I shoot however much I feel like, knowing I will need to load more. I do however, buy a lot of supplies at once though. Some to save on Haz Mat, and some just to make sure I have enough in case of the 2008 ammo 'shortage'.

Mr. Perfect

Anything less than 5,000 rounds is totally unacceptable in all circumstances.

bustedknee

One case of ammo per firearm.


That should be sufficient for hunting, defense, survival or if push comes to shove, trade for food, medicine, gas, etc.

In certain situations, a gun with a supply of ammo is much more valuable that just the gun alone.

buschmaster

depends on what you're going to do with it now and going to do with it later. could be anything from 1 box to an ammo fort.

when I had my 12 ga I didn't have any ammo until the day we went hunting.

CaptFun

gruntled2 wrote:

My .410 was my favorite skeet gun & a Winchester model 42 is high on my short want list. Problem is I can't justify the cost of one & even if I got it I couldn't afford to feed it. .410s used to be so cheap I quit reloading them but I did save the empties. I had a shopping bag full when the prices started to soar & reloaded them until the ends came off or the primer pockets became too enlarged. I tried the new @&*$#! plastic shells & I could never get the crimps to hold. I used to get 2 1/2" .410s by the case for $1.75/box. That meant I only saved about a half Dollar a box by reloading. I REALLY miss the paper shells especially for skeet since the @&*$#! plastic shells tighten the pattern too much.

We have a Model 42 Skeet that we will be listing in the near future. Made in 1933 (first year) it was sent to Simmons at some point to get a rib. It is in terrific shape for being almost 90 yrs old. There are also 2 Model 12s in 12ga and 20 ga and a Model 88 all pre 64 but not quite as old as the 42

320090T

Reloading supplies are quite plentiful now that the price has went up for them.

Warbirds

I have about 10,000 Remington STS Hulls wads and lots of lead.

If you need something let me know.

gruntled2

CaptFun wrote:

gruntled2 wrote:

My .410 was my favorite skeet gun & a Winchester model 42 is high on my short want list. Problem is I can't justify the cost of one & even if I got it I couldn't afford to feed it. .410s used to be so cheap I quit reloading them but I did save the empties. I had a shopping bag full when the prices started to soar & reloaded them until the ends came off or the primer pockets became too enlarged. I tried the new @&*$#! plastic shells & I could never get the crimps to hold. I used to get 2 1/2" .410s by the case for $1.75/box. That meant I only saved about a half Dollar a box by reloading. I REALLY miss the paper shells especially for skeet since the @&*$#! plastic shells tighten the pattern too much.

We have a Model 42 Skeet that we will be listing in the near future. Made in 1933 (first year) it was sent to Simmons at some point to get a rib. It is in terrific shape for being almost 90 yrs old. There are also 2 Model 12s in 12ga and 20 ga and a Model 88 all pre 64 but not quite as old as the 42

Now I have to go put another Dollar on the lottery.