Seeing as it's a beautiful day out, I decided it was a perfect day to do some reloading.

I only shoot a couple of rounds of trap a week, so it's not like I really need to reload. But I am cheap, and I like 1 oz. loads. So by reloading myself I save a couple of bucks a box. (For those who are interested, it works out to about $12/hour for my time. Better than I expected.)

But the thing that made me want to post is that I just ran out of primers. 1,000 primers down; I just finished reloading my 1,000th shotshell.

I plan on reloading 12 gauge next year. I like the idea of being able to customized my loads and make your own buck shot.

Where do you buy your stuff and what reloader do you use!

I have been using a Rem STS shell with Clays and a 1 oz load myself. I just don't like the recoil you get with factory loads.

Shoot it with 9 shot for skeet and I tried it this year with 5 shot on pheasant. Worked wonderful for me.

Nice light recoil and it still runs my cousin's Benelli Super Black Eagle.

I use STS shells myself, but I'm using Red Dot for powder. Old reliable. I was planning on trying other powders, like Clays, but my first load works so well for me I haven't even thought about trying something new.

I got my reloader (MEC Grabber) off of a trapshooting forum on the internet. I've bought stuff from Midway USA, Sportsman's Warehouse, Gander, and Metro gun club.

Sportsman's is probably the best price. I use Gander sometimes, especially when I have a coupon or they have a good sale. And I've been buying my primers, shot, and wad from Metro. The price is close to everyone else, and I like to help keep him in business.

My biggest downfall so far has been getting my C&R FFL. I use an old Pacific 155 press I got in trade for some computer work. Does what I need it to do.

If you thought reloading was cheap , try buying stuff at dealer prices.

How customizable can you make shotshell loads?

For sporting clays, I've always kind of wanted a load that blended #7.5 and #9 shot -- enough #9 to give me whatever advantage #9 gives you on the skeet & close ins, but enough #7.5 to also be competitive on the more distant shots.

I'm sure this isn't practical, from either a loading machine or shooting perspective, and you always can just load a #7.5 shell and a #9 or just shoot #8s, but it seemed like an interesting idea anyway.

That's one of the beauties about reloading your own; you can do just about anything you want.

You could mix up your shot in whatever combination you want and load it up. I remember hearing about a load like that, but I can't for the life of me remember what it's called or find any reference to it.

Don't get caught using these loads at a match. I might be wrong, but if I remember correctly the rules say 9s for skeet and 7.5 for trap, without further allowences.

Not to worry, I'm only slightly less likely than Nancy Pelosi to turn up as a competitive shotgunner. I love skeet and sporting clays, but I'll never be terribly competitive at it. I can make about 22 on a really good day on the skeet fields. I've seen the really competitive people -- Krieghoff doubles in .410, shooting 25s unconsciously -- and I'd rather not waste their time.

Well, for sporting clays, which is what mobo seemed to be intending these for, there doesn't appear to be any rules against it. The NSCA rules just say that it has to be no more than 1 1/8 oz. of shot (assuming 12 gauge here) and that it can't be smaller than #9 or larger than #7 1/2. As long as you stay between the two extremes, there doesn't seem to be a rule against mixing the sizes.

The ATA (trap) also just says #7 1/2 or smaller shot, and the NSSA (skeet) doesn't say anything at all about shot size, but is very fussy about weight (507 grains maximum).

That isn't to say there might not be some local rules against it. Every club will have it's own rules, and it's own standard for how closely it regulates them.

(I shoulda been a librarian. I love researching and looking stuff up.)

farmerj,

if you or anyone that does shotgun reloading wants to upgrade or dive into it

- I have a Hornady Model 366 with 12, 20, and 28 heads (complete turret) that I would let someone adopt....

ETA: I couldn't see small enough to do .410's.................


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Would definitely be interested in exploring that option. Would very much like to get into a progressive shotgun.

Just don't know if I want to do that first or get into a pistol/rifle set-up. Leaning on pistol as that is what I am currently shooting most of right now followed closely by rifle.