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Shotgun cartridge reloading


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Folks as I don't use many game cartridges in a year I fancy having a go at reloading my own.

But a few questions first!

* What is the cheapest setup to use?

* Are high brass cartridges good for reloading?

* I would be looking to reload in: 20bore fibre 28gram 5 & 6shot, also 12bore 30gram fibre in 5 & 6. Any rcomenadations on materials? I would look to scavenge emptys from clay grounds to make use of.

 

I would only look to make 250-500 per year in combined 12&20bore, it's for the fun/satisfaction of doing it and then getting out on the shoot in the season and shooting my own loads over/on birds I have helped look after and release!

 

ATB

 

Matt

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Folks as I don't use many game cartridges in a year I fancy having a go at reloading my own.

But a few questions first!

* What is the cheapest setup to use?

* Are high brass cartridges good for reloading?

* I would be looking to reload in: 20bore fibre 28gram 5 & 6shot, also 12bore 30gram fibre in 5 & 6. Any rcomenadations on materials? I would look to scavenge emptys from clay grounds to make use of.

 

I would only look to make 250-500 per year in combined 12&20bore, it's for the fun/satisfaction of doing it and then getting out on the shoot in the season and shooting my own loads over/on birds I have helped look after and release!

 

ATB

 

Matt

 

A Lee Loadall is probably the cheapest but a Mec 600 Jr will make better cartridges and be nicer to use. You can also buy different gauge sets for a 600jr and swap over. High brass shells can be a pain to resize etc so I avoid them. Best to find a suitable recipe then get the components to suit that.

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Give John at Folkestone engineering a call.

He should be able to set you up without wasting money buying stuff you don't need.

 

Get hold of the Lyman book (5th edition) or The ABC's of Reloading. Read them a couple of times before you start. You need to remember you are dealing with explosives so stick to recipes. You don't want to blow your barrel or injure yourself. Having said that it is not a black art and can be a very interesting part of your hobby.

 

For the number of shells you want to produce you may not want to buy a full press but you can get simpler loaders.

 

Be warned though, it can become addictive.

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Folks as I don't use many game cartridges in a year I fancy having a go at reloading my own.

But a few questions first!

* What is the cheapest setup to use?

* Are high brass cartridges good for reloading?

* I would be looking to reload in: 20bore fibre 28gram 5 & 6shot, also 12bore 30gram fibre in 5 & 6. Any rcomenadations on materials? I would look to scavenge emptys from clay grounds to make use of.

I would only look to make 250-500 per year in combined 12&20bore, it's for the fun/satisfaction of doing it and then getting out on the shoot in the season and shooting my own loads over/on birds I have helped look after and release!

ATB

Matt

Best bet, is to meet up with someone who reloads. They will show you their equipment in action and give you advice on powder and components etc. Everyone has there own prefered loads that works for them and these loads sometimes take years to perfect. Everything from crimp depth to pressure signs can be explained and you, with the advantage of an unlimited source of answers to your questions. They will also tell you where they went wrong with various components, saving you time and money. This is why I would recommend meeting up with someone.

If you can't meet up with anyone, then I'm sure you will get great advice from the Reloaders on this forum.

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  • 2 weeks later...

If your only making 500 a year then stick with one cartridge. You will find some will not close and they rip when you try reloading them! I settled on Fiocchi mainly as they work well for me in the T2 variant. High T4 can get stuck in the resizing collars I find! I prefer the lower base solely because of that.

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