Reloading 12 g Cartridges.

[Frenchieboy]

I am jus after opinions here please gents. I have a friend who is teaching me about home loading for a .243 using his equipment and just paying for the materials I use. I enjoy this and it has got me thinking about reloading my own 12 bore cartridges. There is a post on the For Sale section offering a Lee Junior Reloading Press which looks to be quite affordable for a beginner to home loading.

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/174966-12g-lee-junior-reloading-press/

 

My question is: If I were to buy something like this what sort of a saving might I see (In the long term) by reloading my own 12 bore cartridges as opposed to buying them from a gun shop, and what sort of price might I reasonably expect yo pay for the powder, shot, primers and fibre wads please?

 

Edit: My mind is not made up yet which is why I am asking these questions, but I can see this as a way of getting even more satisfaction from my shooting so please be honest about the costs!

Edited July 29, 2011 by Frenchieboy

[Guest cookoff013]

unless its a specialised, or very expensive comercial type cartridge you want to copy, then it is a viable option.

 

wheras the normal clay buster, pigeon poker cartridges are value for money.

 

also you can make cartridges that just arnt available.

 

for instance, i wouldnt even try and make 28g loads for clays as it costs too much (thats comercial shot aswell)

 

if i shot 36g#5s all the time, i`d save money. at most? £40 maybe more per 1000.

 

the cost of reloading is expensive. but i go through phazes when i have stuff to load, then the loader is quiet.

i`m currently burning of 1/2 lb of titewad. theni`ll be going vectan or gm3.

[phaedra1106]

Short answer seems to be that unless you have access to lead and can make your own shot then only special loads (high pigeon etc.) are worth doing otherwise standard loads for clays etc. are no cheaper or more expensive than retail.

[poontang]

Homeloading will turn you into a geek.

 

True story

[Frenchieboy]

Homeloading will turn you into a geek.

 

True story

 

So would that make me the first senile and decrepid old geek on PW then?

[nabbers]

So would that make me the first senile and decrepid old geek on PW then?

 

I find reloading quite therapeutic and highly satisfying. It gives an extra interest to ones shooting, bit like tying your own fly and then catching a trout with it.

[sitsinhedges]

I couldn't shoot what I do using just factory loads.

 

From my light 24gram trap loads to my fibre 28gram 20gauge subsonic 6's to my mild 32gram roost shooting loads.

 

All of these feel and seem better than what I can buy for various reasons and none of them would be cheap if I could buy them. I make my own shot and have been very lucky with getting components either cheap or free which helps.

 

You can't beat dusting a tough bird using something you made yourself. It's not about the money.