Questions about reloading 12g shotgun

[Opiy]

I plan to get a Benelli M2 Tactical as soon as funds allow and plan somewhere after to try to reload for 12g. I have a few questions for those of you that do reload 12 gauge.

1. You can reuse the hulls from fired rounds right? I guess get the ones with the brass bottoms?

2. Do you tumble the hulls?

3. Is it cost effective considering the Dillon SL900 ( I know there is MEC) is little over $800.

4. How easy is it to find primers, powders, new hulls, and wading?

5. How big is the Dillon because it looks HUGE in the pictures.

I guess this is it for now.

Thanks

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: Questions about reloading 12g shotgun

I have reloaded thousands.
I only load winchester AA hulls they last the longest and are the easiest to load
have not used the Dillon but Dillon makes a quality product
I use a MEC Sizemaster it is very fast accurate and sizes the base very well also it is only $250
I do not tumble hulls, ever.
with my Citori I can usually get about 15 loads before the top starts to tear and have loaded to the point the shot almost falls out and they were still "good loads"
primers are easy to get. Powder is easy also I use red dot. shot has become dam expensive lately and wads are cheap I use claybusters because they work.
reloading 12Ga is not as money saving as metallic but you get to tailor your load. I use a 7/8 oz. load that will dust clays and I can shoot 300 rounds without visiting triage.

 

[3gunF1guy]

Re: Questions about reloading 12g shotgun

I love my Dillon 650. It is by far the best metalic reloader made, well that and the 1050. BUT you could do WAY better than a Dillon shotgun reloader. It is a given in the shotgun world that the Spolar is the best, but WAYYYYYY pricey. The Ponsness-Warren 800 or 900 is the machine you want. They have new names for the P-W's now, mine is called the 2000, but it is a replacement for the 900. The P-W holds the shells in a shell holder and uses a 3 stage taper crimp. It will create reloaded shells that look better than the factory new shells. I have even loaded boatloads of the Federal/Estate hulls for 3 gun and I have never crushed a shell in the machine. No MEC, RCBS or Dillon can claim that. They also have sort of a hard time with the new Win AA hulls due to the fact they are less stiff than the old AA's. I also load Win AA's and the Rem STS hulls for sporting clays and skeet. The shells that you reload on a P-W are a thing of beauty. I tell all of my metalic reloading friends that the Ponsness/Warren is the Dillon of shotgun reloaders. Just becouse Dillon make a great metalic reloader does not mean they make a great shotgun reloader. Their 900 is really just a 650 shoehorned into trying to make a shotgun reloader, They really missed the mark imho.

Scott

 

[Opiy]

Re: Questions about reloading 12g shotgun

Man I see what you are saying about the Spolar. It is $1,500! Looks nice. The P-S is more in my price range. Glad you told me about them I didn't know there were any other loaders out there.

 

[Hoser]

Re: Questions about reloading 12g shotgun

1. Winchester AA hulls and Remington Nitro and STS hulls. If the sides of the hull are smooth, then they are easily reloadable.

2. I tried tumbling hulls *once* to get them clean. Now I just put them in a big trash can with warm water and mild soap. Crank up the pressure washer and let them air dry in the sun.

3. I had a Dillon 900 for about two years. It is great in 12 gauge, good in 20, worthless in 28 and not avail in 410 or 16. You need to shoot a lot to recoup your money, but them again tailoring a load to you, your gun and game is very cool. Finding 1.125 oz #5 at 1200 fps (pheasant and jackrabbit load) isnt cheap or easy. Cost me under $3.00 a box. #4 buck is also waaaaaaay cheaper. Now days I have a Spolar set up for 12, 28 and 410. It is that much better by the way.

4. Everything but the primers is easy. I stockpiled two year ago. Still have 30-40K primers, a shitload of wads and about 200 lbs of powder.

5. The SL900 is built on a 650 frame. It is tall with the casefeeder, but nothing crazy.

 

[BHP9]

Re: Questions about reloading 12g shotgun

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Opiy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I plan to get a Benelli M2 Tactical as soon as funds allow and plan somewhere after to try to reload for 12g. I have a few questions for those of you that do reload 12 gauge.

1. You can reuse the hulls from fired rounds right? I guess get the ones with the brass bottoms?

2. Do you tumble the hulls?

3. Is it cost effective considering the Dillon SL900 ( I know there is MEC) is little over $800.

4. How easy is it to find primers, powders, new hulls, and wading?

5. How big is the Dillon because it looks HUGE in the pictures.

I guess this is it for now.

Thanks </div></div>

I've haven't loaded shot in years - still burning up what I did load, but I still load slugs.

To answer your q's.

1. Yes and yes.

2. No.

3. Mec, IMHO, is the way to go. I use a 1970's vvintage Mec 700 Versamec.

4. Sometimes, but there is alway Ballistic Products Inc. http://www.ballisticproducts.com/

%. I agree that it too big.

 

[Opiy]

Re: Questions about reloading 12g shotgun

I am trying to decide between the Ponsness Warren and the Spolar. I was all set on the Spolar with their lifetime warranty but just started to wonder for half the price would the P-W be good enough. Lets say the $800 difference could go toward more reloading supplies or another gun. I wonder if I should buy once, cry once for the Spolar. I wish I could see both in person.

 

[3gunF1guy]

Re: Questions about reloading 12g shotgun

The P/W may only have a short warrenty, but they are almost indestructable. Just ask aound about the service record and you will be ammazed at how little repair ever goes into one. Go look on one of the seller websites 9Ebay, Gunbroker, Ect) and you will see P/W's for sale that work perfectly, that are 30 years old. I have a 375 that is at least 20 years old and it still works better than any new MEC.

Scott

 

[spaniel]

Re: Questions about reloading 12g shotgun

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Opiy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I plan to get a Benelli M2 Tactical as soon as funds allow and plan somewhere after to try to reload for 12g. I have a few questions for those of you that do reload 12 gauge.

1. You can reuse the hulls from fired rounds right? I guess get the ones with the brass bottoms?

2. Do you tumble the hulls?

3. Is it cost effective considering the Dillon SL900 ( I know there is MEC) is little over $800.

4. How easy is it to find primers, powders, new hulls, and wading?

5. How big is the Dillon because it looks HUGE in the pictures.

I guess this is it for now.

Thanks </div></div>

1. Yes, but you also need to know what hull you have. Just like metallic reloading, loads across hull brands are NOT interchangeable.

2. No

3. I don't see the need. I use a MEC and I don't see any problem with it, the shells are great. Recognize that reloading trap/skeet loads will NEVER pay for itself anymore, you can buy the cheap non-reloadable hulled shells at Wal-Mart at about the same cost per shell, or a little less, than you can reload. However you can reload BETTER shells for that price. If you shoot a lot of game loads, you will save money.

4. I never had a problem until primers got scarce for everything lately. If you want certain sized of lead, that can get hard to find.

5. No idea.