night owl Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Me and a few friends are seriously thinking about starting to re load are own as prices are starting to get silly around this way we are starting to pay £60 a slab due to freight . what i would like to know is how do reloads compare to factory loads performance wise I know when reloading centre fire reloads are better but what do you lot think about 12 gauge reloads vs factory loads also have tried googling for the lee load all press i have seen and am only getting u.s sites any one know where i can purchase the reloading gear and cartridge components in the uk + shot maker cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Me and a few friends are seriously thinking about starting to re load are own as prices are starting to get silly around this way we are starting to pay £60 a slab due to freight .what i would like to know is how do reloads compare to factory loads performance wise I know when reloading centre fire reloads are better but what do you lot think about 12 gauge reloads vs factory loads also have tried googling for the lee load all press i have seen and am only getting u.s sites any one know where i can purchase the reloading gear and cartridge components in the uk + shot maker cheers Hi night owl. Check out Ian Charlton at Clay & Game Shotshell Reloaders. He has a good website which you will find food for thought. Paladin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Hi night owl. Check out Ian Charlton at Clay & Game Shotshell Reloaders. He has a good website which you will find food for thought. Paladin His prices will scare the **** out of you though. Peter Lawman is better for many components Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 His prices will scare the **** out of you though. Peter Lawman is better for many components The guy needs education in reloading, Ian Charlton can give him this. Hense 'food for thought'. Paladin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mag357 Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 I load my own 12ga carts and also make my own shot.I also do quite a bit of clay shooting and pigeon shooting so dont want to put myself at a disadvantage with inferior carts. Ballistically I reckon my carts are as good if not better than factory bought and this also applies to centrefire carts as well. After making my own shot I opened up several factory carts and measured the average diameters of shot against mine and found that my shot was to a tighter tollerance, especially No.6's (2.6mm ave). I have also tried them on a pattern plate 1/4 choke at 30yds and pattern density was just as good with no big holes. The big advantage I have found I can control the powder more accurately, as measured against a chrono, velocities being more consistant (30 grm No6. at 1300ft/sec). Also taking care to complete the crimp my hand tool crimp uniformer ensures uniform pressures. Components I use are Vectan AS powder ( as used by top manufacturers) Cheddite CX primers and B&S wads. Hope this helps to make your mind up, also a satisfying hobby and carts at just over half the price of factory. I load all my centrefire ammo, .223 Rem, .303 British, 308 Win, 44 RemMag and 12ga shotshells on a Pacific (Hornady) 366 progressive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 (edited) Reloaded cartridges can be better. The point is you can make them how you want them. I reload because I like 32g fibre wads and no 7 shot. Bought cartridges often contain 28g of the cheapest shot , the cheapest wads and the cheapest powder just to be competitive on price. If you want cheap forget reloading. I don't think my reloads aren't any cheaper than eqivilent quality cartridges like three crowns or eley grand prix. The trouble is everybody is obsessed with price. I've been reloading for so long that I don't think I could stop now if I wanted to Edited April 3, 2010 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 I'd go along with Vince and Mag357. I load mainly fibre wad 1oz loads for the clay shoots where I have to use them. I have never been a fan of fibre wads for clays but since deveping a load which gives good long range kills I quite enjoy using them. If all you use is the cheapest cartridges in the shop then reloading will not save you money, however I used to use World Cup which are now nearly £200 a thousand. I can reload the same spec cartridges for less than that. Also there is nothing more satisfying than a clean kill with a cartridge that you loaded yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mag357 Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 I get the lead free of charge from various sources and since I make my own shot can make carts for £90/1000 approx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
night owl Posted April 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 cheers all some very intresting stuff and thanks for the links one of the guys that is also intrested is a lead worker so all lead will be free of charge so is very handy hopefully will be looking to reload 32 gram no 6 in plas wad as thats what i have always used those lee load all 2 units does any one use them are they any good as they seem quite cheep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 I use a lee loadall and once you get it set up and get the hang of it they are great. I bought mine second hand but well worth the money. It is a lot easier to set up than the MEC grabber I have borrowed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
night owl Posted April 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 ok one more question lol as i have not read any thing on those sites yet do you have to clean the insides of the cases before use as you would with centre fire rounds using a tumbler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vipa Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Me and a few friends are seriously thinking about starting to re load are own as prices are starting to get silly around this way we are starting to pay £60 a slab due to freight .what i would like to know is how do reloads compare to factory loads performance wise I know when reloading centre fire reloads are better but what do you lot think about 12 gauge reloads vs factory loads also have tried googling for the lee load all press i have seen and am only getting u.s sites any one know where i can purchase the reloading gear and cartridge components in the uk + shot maker cheers http://www.midwayuk.com/apps/eproductpage....leItemID=436640 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vipa Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 I load my own 12ga carts and also make my own shot.I also do quite a bit of clay shooting and pigeon shooting so dont want to put myself at a disadvantage with inferior carts. Ballistically I reckon my carts are as good if not better than factory bought and this also applies to centrefire carts as well.After making my own shot I opened up several factory carts and measured the average diameters of shot against mine and found that my shot was to a tighter tollerance, especially No.6's (2.6mm ave). I have also tried them on a pattern plate 1/4 choke at 30yds and pattern density was just as good with no big holes. The big advantage I have found I can control the powder more accurately, as measured against a chrono, velocities being more consistant (30 grm No6. at 1300ft/sec). Also taking care to complete the crimp my hand tool crimp uniformer ensures uniform pressures. Components I use are Vectan AS powder ( as used by top manufacturers) Cheddite CX primers and B&S wads. Hope this helps to make your mind up, also a satisfying hobby and carts at just over half the price of factory. I load all my centrefire ammo, .223 Rem, .303 British, 308 Win, 44 RemMag and 12ga shotshells on a Pacific (Hornady) 366 progressive. Mag... I thought the 366 was a shotshell only press, will it take dies for CF Metalics too? if it will I may completely change my mind as to the press I'm going to get!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 ok one more question lol as i have not read any thing on those sites yet do you have to clean the insides of the cases before use as you would with centre fire rounds using a tumbler No you don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Mag... I thought the 366 was a shotshell only press, will it take dies for CF Metalics too? if it will I may completely change my mind as to the press I'm going to get!!! it is a shotshell only press KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 (edited) Mag... I thought the 366 was a shotshell only press, will it take dies for CF Metalics too? if it will I may completely change my mind as to the press I'm going to get!!! It just reads wrong the pacific 366 is what he uses just for the shotgun shells.... i use a mec 9000g for mine... and kdubya uses a ponsness warren for his shot gun shells.. Edited April 3, 2010 by hawkeye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
night owl Posted April 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 well i dont know if i got this correct but with buying the lee load all 2 press with another powder/wads/primers/ for 500 cartridges its going to cost me £79.48 delivered i still have to sort out shot maker will cost me £28.48 per slab once its all up and running this is all looking very good what is a good cart to reload as i have just read that some of the cheeper ones have cardboard in the base and they become loose and its not a good idea to reload them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 i`ve started reloading. just loading for nontoxic wildfowl shot. it cost me £100 for 100 bismuth cartridges. they are awful. i will never use those cartridges again. i could make a good load of steel cartridges for the same price, and they will outperform all bismuth loads. i shot steel quiet alot lately, just to get some cases. i can honestly say i was really impressed. they were very fast. i was sport shooting and ABT. they were cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefcat Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Try Folkestone engineering for a shot maker, don't have one myself, but have been told it's good kit. http://www.metal2models.btinternet.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 well i dont know if i got this correct but with buying the lee load all 2 press with another powder/wads/primers/ for 500 cartridges its going to cost me £79.48 delivered i still have to sort out shot maker will cost me £28.48 per slab once its all up and running this is all looking very good what is a good cart to reload as i have just read that some of the cheeper ones have cardboard in the base and they become loose and its not a good idea to reload them you dont seem to have factored the lead into your costing, 12g shotmaking IS cheaper and you can make a better cart BUT to do so you really need to make your own shot and have a decent supply of cost free lead to do so. KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
night owl Posted April 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 i know that read all the topic lol its going to cost a bit for all the equipment but once i have it that should be the price i will be able to make them for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Just remember , that shot gun cartridges and rifle cartridges can be made consistantly inaccurate as well as consistantly accurate . You really do have to load and test . Just making your own dosent mean they will perform better than factory loades . But loaded properply they will be . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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