Shot Shell reloading Take 2

Joined
Mar 17, 2014
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NE Wyoming
So I have circled back around to reloading for Shotgun. I did revisit my old post and found some good info. However, my questions now are more specific. I have hand-me-down MEC reloading press for 20 Gauge. I am seeking specific knowledge for reloading books/manuals for generic shot shell reloading. Also needing to know how you go about choosing a load or working up a load for a specific purpose. Will be looking for target, grouse and small game loads. Any other tips and tricks that you can share would be appreciated.
 

brn2hnt

WKR
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Feb 27, 2012
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Treasure Valley, ID
Lead or steel? That’s the biggest variable to all your questions.

Reloading lead is normal shotshell reloading.

Reloading steel may as well be reloading for a rifle. (IMO)


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Rich M

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Jun 14, 2017
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Reloading steel may as well be reloading for a rifle. (IMO)

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Curious - how so?

I never noticed much difference - size & prime brass, powder charge, shot cup/wad, maybe an under or over card/felt, pellets, crimp. MEC. Lead and steel and anything else. Just need to figure out what load your gun likes the best.
 

brn2hnt

WKR
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
390
Location
Treasure Valley, ID
Curious - how so?

I never noticed much difference - size & prime brass, powder charge, shot cup/wad, maybe an under or over card/felt, pellets, crimp. MEC. Lead and steel and anything else. Just need to figure out what load your gun likes the best.

Charge bar vs hand weighing each shot and powder charge.

Lead just always felt “sloppier” to me for lack of a better term.

Whereas steel was much less forgiving and tighter tolerances. The powder is super fine and doesn’t meter well, larger pellets you have to weigh charges down to the pellet, etc.


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Rich M

WKR
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Charge bar vs hand weighing each shot and powder charge.

Lead just always felt “sloppier” to me for lack of a better term.

Whereas steel was much less forgiving and tighter tolerances. The powder is super fine and doesn’t meter well, larger pellets you have to weigh charges down to the pellet, etc.


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Gotcha - I forget what powders I used IMR 4756 comes to mind, Steel is another one.

We always filled the steel cups by hand for steel shells. Sometimes as far as counting them out to allow for a proper crimp. Most of the time, used a dipper into the containers of steel shot - went pretty quick that way.

My dad has taken over the reloading since he retired yrs ago, I remember buying a load of materials including like 2 garbage cans full of wads and hulls about 25 yrs ago - he's gone thru all that stuff as we used to shoot a case each during duck season, nowadays down to a couple boxes a season, a lot less birds and he's in it more to see the sunrise I think...not willing to put any sweat equity but in his 80s so I'm willing to "just go" and watch the sun rise w him, sometimes we're on the birds but it is usually the earlier risers that get on the birds. Heading out Saturday I think - hoping he'll shoot a few.
 
Joined
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What 20 ga factory load(s) are you trying to duplicate? Most factory target loads are 7/8 oz at 1200 fps in a 20 ga. Some sporting clays loads are hotter by maybe up to 100 fps...not sure in the 20 ga where they top out. Normal hunting loads top out at 1 oz in a 2-3/4" shell. For discussion, assume you'll shoot 7/8 oz of lead, probably in #8 shot size.

The first thing you need to figure out is what empty cases you'll load for. Pick one and stick with it. Winchester AAHS are popular, so are Remington Gun Club and STS hulls. Federal is another option. For normal target loads in the 20 ga I like Winchester cases fine and can usually pick some up at the range.

Now, pick a primer and stick with it....I use Win 209 but there are a half dozen other options. Do not randomly vary primers as they will affect pressures more than you'd expect.

Pick a powder, one you can get locally...Hodgdon (which includes IMR and Winchester) and Alliant are your two main suppliers. Both make good powder for a 20 ga. Get data from their website.

Now, you have to get a wad that works with your hull, primer, powder and 7/8 oz of lead shot. Look a the powder supplier's on-line load data again. Hodgdon's and Alliant's website are very good at listing the wads that will work from the various suppliers. For a 7/8 oz 20 ga load you'll find the wad recommended for use with whatever powder you've chosen. Many of us use Clay Buster wads around here as they have clones of the various OEM wads.

Just as a note, I reload for target shooting, with less emphasis on hunting loads given the lesser quantity of ammo consumed hunting. I also like to reduce the loads I shoot in my light weight SxS shotguns to reduce recoil (saves a bit on components too). My 20 ga loads are only 3/4 oz of shot and travel about 1150 fps and still break clay birds very effectively out of my SxS IC and M choked shotguns, and even the Skeet and IC choked O/U.

Don't expect reloading to save you a lot of $ loading for 20 ga (or 12 ga) vs factory target loads. Odd gages like the 16, 28 and .410 bore will save a bunch though!

Good luck!
 
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brn2hnt

WKR
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
390
Location
Treasure Valley, ID
Gotcha - I forget what powders I used IMR 4756 comes to mind, Steel is another one.

We always filled the steel cups by hand for steel shells. Sometimes as far as counting them out to allow for a proper crimp. Most of the time, used a dipper into the containers of steel shot - went pretty quick that way.

My dad has taken over the reloading since he retired yrs ago, I remember buying a load of materials including like 2 garbage cans full of wads and hulls about 25 yrs ago - he's gone thru all that stuff as we used to shoot a case each during duck season, nowadays down to a couple boxes a season, a lot less birds and he's in it more to see the sunrise I think...not willing to put any sweat equity but in his 80s so I'm willing to "just go" and watch the sun rise w him, sometimes we're on the birds but it is usually the earlier risers that get on the birds. Heading out Saturday I think - hoping he'll shoot a few.

Yeah, I load with ASteel and it’s a PITA as far as metering it out on my RCBS whiz-bang auto dispenser scale thingy. I use a dipper and digital scale for steel shot, but even with 3’s, you can tell when you’re +/- 1 pellet so may as well make it right.


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Joined
May 6, 2018
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Alliant steel won't meter like normal powders in a charge bar on a press, need to hand weigh. There's a few conversions available to run steel shot in the mecs, but overall they don't work that well.

As said I basically reload like metallic cartridges for steel and HTL shot. To speed up the process of hand weighing the shot I use a primer tray with holes blocked off. Scoop it thru the bag of shot and fill the holes. My 10 gauge load uses 100 bb if I remember correctly. Otherwise I figure a pellet count and divide by 2.


For reloading data look to Precision, RSI, and Lymans. Ballistic Products has data but there's reports of it being way off on pressure, I personally have had a lot of trouble getting their loads to work and overall I'm sceptical of it. I'd use BPI info with caution.

Guy who goes by Dave in AZ has a blog with a fair amount of information on 20 ga, also : https://pipesf16.wordpress.com/
I'd say that info is worth what you are paying for it (free) but he has a lot of information that you can sort thru and come to your own conclusions. I trust what he says on other sites.
 
Joined
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BC
You should be able to find a MEC manual online if you don’t have one for your press. Also, their customer support and service is reputed to be excellent.
 
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