shotgun reloads

goldeneagle76

I can get a MEC 600jr press for $100. After buying shot, powder, primers, etc. Is it worth reloading? Between me and 3 other family members, we shoot about 400 every month. I like the Winchester AA so that is what we usually get each time. I forget what we pay now.

charliemeyer007

The mec 600 jr is an ok machine, I have used them but don't like them. Current conditions for the economics of reloading vary widely. Bass Pro $65 a bag shot makes cheap trap look good, but heavy hunting are a different story. I read somewhere that shotgun shells would be the currency of the future. I really like the fact I can load exactly what I want. Usually I load 3 3/4, 1 1/4, 5 or 6. I also have the lyman sabot slug mold and they wook good to 100 yards or so from my inital test. I can say for certain that all my reloading gear has paid for itself many times. Reloading is a great hobby. I think my ammo is better than factory, and I get to shoot about 10 times as much for the same $ but I shop for bargins.

flyingtorpedo

Get some good equipment. I don't reload for shotgun so I can't help you there but have all 4 of you go in on it and components. With the way things are going it won't take long to pay for itself. Federal and CCI ammo prices are increasing next month and I'm sure other brands won't be far behind. Best of luck.

PA Shootist

I used MEC 600 Jr presses for many years, in various gauges, reloading for Skeet and Trap, and reloaded many MANY thousands of shotshells with them all. They were a bit slow, but did a good job. They did resize each and every shell, to greatly facilitate using the shells in different shotguns, and to allow better reliability when used in semi-autos. Adjustments were simple to make, and overall they were quite satisfactory.

I wanted to go faster, though, and replaced them all over may years with progressive presses. I gave up the resizing with MEC 650 progressives, and had to do that operation separately with a resizing tool, if required. I eventually accumulated enough money from the family budget to replace the 650's with presses that are both progressive and do the resizing as part of the process (Ponsness-Warren, MEC Grabber). None of the progressives are as simple to use, and when they need adjustment, it can be interesting!

Costs? It has always been to my economical advantage to reload over store-bought, and will probably remain so except for the occasional bargain-basement offers sometimes seen. This is even in the face of increased component prices, especially lead shot. You may have to shop carefully, and buy in volume, to enjoy price benefits.