What did you do in the reloading room recently?

My wife wants to start reloading shotgun (12ga) so she can practice more with reduced loads. I've never reloaded shotgun, only pistol/rifle. What do I need for equipment (not supplies, I got that knowledge)

I've got a Mec 9000 just sitting you are more than welcome to use it.
 
I've got a Mec 9000 just sitting you are more than welcome to use it.

I definitely appreciate the offer. I'd prefer to just buy something and make the investment. The boys like shooting shotgun too, so its worth me diving in.

The 9000 looks like a lot of machine. I'm gonna pass on the Lee. Not because its a Lee (I have a bunch of lee stuff I use almost daily) but that Mec 650 looks like a reasonable price for a lot more functionality. Seems if I get that I just need the resizing station separate?
 
My wife wants to start reloading shotgun (12ga) so she can practice more with reduced loads. I've never reloaded shotgun, only pistol/rifle. What do I need for equipment (not supplies, I got that knowledge)
back in mid 2000s lead was hard to get and expensive. So everyone was loading light .
i was running 3/4 oz with a claybuster wad ment for 7/8 oz wad and 15 grains of clays. Aprox 1100 fps was nice and soft. Wife used them in her browning gold , it would cycle enough to eject the hull and grab the shell catcher but not enough to cycle a round from the mag.
My best all around light load was using 20g adapter in my 12 g Ultra Trap . 3/4 oz #8 , International clays aprox 1150fps out of a 13lb trap gun it was like reverse recoil!
 
I definitely appreciate the offer. I'd prefer to just buy something and make the investment. The boys like shooting shotgun too, so its worth me diving in.

The 9000 looks like a lot of machine. I'm gonna pass on the Lee. Not because its a Lee (I have a bunch of lee stuff I use almost daily) but that Mec 650 looks like a reasonable price for a lot more functionality. Seems if I get that I just need the resizing station separate?
The grabber will size the hull,

The 9000 is a great machine and it only takes a second to undo the auto index linkage and manual advance like the 650. You can also just run one hull at a time until you get comfortable.
 
I loaded up some of the Xtreme 165 gr bullets over 2.8 gr of Sport Pistol. Damn those bullets are long. Going to test/chrono them tomorrow.
View attachment 393793


Them is big fellas! Be traveling so slow you probably got time to run out passed them and move the target if you think your shot was off.

🐯
 
Tossed roughly a thousand 9mm cases in the Dillon 2000 tumbler for loading 124 FMJ over Titegroup.

Waiting on 26 SHK AR mags and 10 more UTG window mags to be delivered this week. This afternoon when the humidity drops I'll be camo painting an AR carbine and AR pistol, a few Magpul mags and a couple of 40mm ammo cans. Lots of natural vegetation around to use as stencils.
 
Last edited:
I have a question for you guys. I know absolutely nothing about reloading. Other than you not supposed to shoot someone else's reloads unless you trust them.
Well I have never met him and he has since passed. So I don't even follow my own advice 🙂. I picked up about 1000-1200 rounds of reloaded 380 auto. A mix of FMJ hollow point and lead ball. These are a couple of the legible markings I found. The others at hard to decipher.
I was wondering if they seemed like acceptable loads, For a semi-auto?
 
If you can decipher below...
ACCURATE NO.5
80 BARNES XPB 3 .6 8 0 7 4 .0 8 9 7 2 0 , 1 3 0 0 .9 7 0
90 HDY XTP 4 .3 8 1 0 4 .8 9 2 0 2 0 , 4 0 3 0 .9 6 0
95 SIERRA FMJ 4 .3 7 8 4 4 .8 8 9 1 1 8 , 3 1 6 0 .9 4 5
100 (P) BERRY RNHB 4 .3 8 1 3 5 .1 9 5 2 2 1 , 4 9 7 0 .9 6 0
100 (P) RAIN RN 4 .2 8 0 1 5 .0 9 4 8 2 1 , 4 9 1 0 .9 6 0
102 REM GS 4 .1 7 7 7 4 .8 9 1 7 2 1 , 4 7 8 0 .9 6 5


 
I have a question for you guys. I know absolutely nothing about reloading. Other than you not supposed to shoot someone else's reloads unless you trust them.
Well I have never met him and he has since passed. So I don't even follow my own advice 🙂. I picked up about 1000-1200 rounds of reloaded 380 auto. A mix of FMJ hollow point and lead ball. These are a couple of the legible markings I found. The others at hard to decipher.
I was wondering if they seemed like acceptable loads, For a semi-auto?

Have you ever fired the individual's reloads before?
 
If you can decipher below...
ACCURATE NO.5
80 BARNES XPB 3 .6 8 0 7 4 .0 8 9 7 2 0 , 1 3 0 0 .9 7 0
90 HDY XTP 4 .3 8 1 0 4 .8 9 2 0 2 0 , 4 0 3 0 .9 6 0
95 SIERRA FMJ 4 .3 7 8 4 4 .8 8 9 1 1 8 , 3 1 6 0 .9 4 5
100 (P) BERRY RNHB 4 .3 8 1 3 5 .1 9 5 2 2 1 , 4 9 7 0 .9 6 0
100 (P) RAIN RN 4 .2 8 0 1 5 .0 9 4 8 2 1 , 4 9 1 0 .9 6 0
102 REM GS 4 .1 7 7 7 4 .8 9 1 7 2 1 , 4 7 8 0 .9 6 5


It looks like code to me
 
Well, the link gives a better view of the applicable load data. For Accurate #5 and a Sierra 95g FMJ bullet, Accurate lists a starting load of 4.3 grains and a maximum of 4.8 grains.
Your label would appear to be loaded a bit over max. I can't say if load data has been updated with new powder formulations since the time your ammo was reloaded, of course.
 
Well, the link gives a better view of the applicable load data. For Accurate #5 and a Sierra 95g FMJ bullet, Accurate lists a starting load of 4.3 grains and a maximum of 4.8 grains.
Your label would appear to be loaded a bit over max. I can't say if load data has been updated with new powder formulations since the time your ammo was reloaded, of course.
Thanks again I believe it was probably loaded in the early '90s
 
I have a MEC 650 but haven't loaded shotgun since the price of shot went so high. I've also used the Lee Loadall and it worked fine. It's a good choice if you want to get into shotshell loading without spending much money. I don't know about the availability of components. I haven't bought shotshell components since before this nonsense started.
 
I've never met him he passed away.

In that case, I'd consider the entire lot as components.

If a double charge or wrong powder load blows up in your face or destroys your gun or injures a bystander.....it's all on you. Is a box or three of unknown reloads worth the potential problems?

You had the wherewithall to ask and have been accurately advised.
 
In that case, I'd consider the entire lot as components.

If a double charge or wrong powder load blows up in your face or destroys your gun or injures a bystander.....it's all on you. Is a box or three of unknown reloads worth the potential problems?

You had the wherewithall to ask and have been accurately advised.
From what I gathered it's almost impossible to double charge 380. If it was a couple of boxes it wouldn't be a big deal. It's about 1250 rounds.
 
From what I gathered it's almost impossible to double charge 380. If it was a couple of boxes it wouldn't be a big deal. It's about 1250 rounds.

Send me a couple hundred and I’ll pull them for ya. :)

You’re right though. A double charge in .380 with any powder would overflow the case. You probably wouldn’t even be able to seat a bullet. You never know though, and it’s a gamble either way to fire those rounds.

I pride myself on making good, reliable ammo but I’ve still screwed up more than once. Just like everyone else. It happens, but once you really know your equipment and can take the time to check everything as needed, your level of quality control can surpass factory ammo. Hopefully the old man was at that level. ;)
 
Back
Top Bottom