20bore reloading ???

[Salop Matt]

Is it worth reloading for 20bore for game loads such as:

 

28gram fibre 5`s, and a few hand fulls of none toxic loads and some 30gram BB`s for occasional fox

 

ATB

 

Matt

[Guest cookoff013]

lee units are £50, so capitol cost is little, a ballance is required (maybe a tenner....)

most reloads hover around the 180/200 mark.

if the shells you are more expensive than 200/k go for it.

there are some great deals out there...

 

at some point you will pick up cheap lead. i once picked up 30kg for a fiver of #6.

the guy should have been dressed as santaclaus !

[Salop Matt]

Cheers for that

 

So some dumb questions from someone who has never done this before.......

 

1) What volume is shot typically bought in ? (ie. if I bout a bag of BB shot how many 30gram cartridges would a bag make me)

2) How many 30 gram cartridges does this shot cover the production of?

3) What used cases in 20 bore are worth gathering to re use ?

4) What`s the best none toxic shot to reload ?

 

ATB

 

Matt

[Stonepark]

10kg and multiples thereof

 

330

 

All, but each different type/brand should be treated however a lot of brands use the same case manufacturer

 

For duck steel is still worth doing but for geese, bismuth, the one of the tungsten variants

Edited August 25, 2016 by Stonepark

[Salop Matt]

Cheers guys

[Guest cookoff013]

Cheers for that

 

So some dumb questions from someone who has never done this before.......

 

1) What volume is shot typically bought in ? (ie. if I bout a bag of BB shot how many 30gram cartridges would a bag make me)

2) How many 30 gram cartridges does this shot cover the production of?

3) What used cases in 20 bore are worth gathering to re use ?

4) What`s the best none toxic shot to reload ?

 

ATB

 

Matt

 

shot is bought in anything you want, i can sell you 1gram if you want. normally it is bought in a volume you can handle. say you shoot 1000 game shells 28grams........ you buy 30kg.

15kg is 500 shells @ 30gram per shell.

i buy new cases because i`m a snob, i love a nice fresh shell, straight out virgin component load.

the best nontoxic load would be --- niceshot with existing components... (ie no special powders to buy, or wads)

if steel was to be reloaded, you`d need some special wads, powder etc...

if you were going after versatility,

you could hardly go wrong with a 28 gram lead load, 9s for clay, 5-6 for birds, then load niceshot 5s for duck, #2 for goose....

i`m betting you wouldnt need to change chokes much either (that changing choke to shoot only steel.)

[TONY R]

I load a lot of 20 bore, one thing needs mentioning here is used cases, Many not all but many once fired 20 bore hulls from the likes of express gamebore hull etc even fiocchis can often have case mouth issues on the lower edge of the crimp folds, This can vary from pin holed cto thin translucent areas on the folds mostly at the lower edge of the folds, the case tubes dont seem as durable as they used to be, they can still be reloaded in most instances but some will split on a fold and can cause uneven crimps or out of bed folds as i call them when a fold goes out of the crimp.

Now its not all cases and im guessing its certain loads because some have no weakening yet are the same case make.

Just something else to consider with the 20ga.

I will post up a few pictures to show this issue, main gripe i have with these weak on the fold line hulls is inconsistent pressures due to this, and in some slightly tight on assembley loads you can have them open up gape now and then, i load on a PW 375 for 20. but RTO some 3 inch copper loads i use.

[Salop Matt]

The selection of cartridges I would like to have available to me are:

 

28gram, Fibre wad, 5`s - For all game shooting and also for crows and pigeon when roost shooting......My go to shell basically.

 

28gram, Fibre wad, 4`s niceshot - For use on and around the duck pond - Only small numbers needed 50 would do me a season.

 

30gram, Fibre wad, BB / 1`s - To be used on fox when around the pheasant pen and should one present on a drive its nice to have two on the belt if there's chance to change cartridge. An initial batch of 20 would be plenty.

 

But I bet if I want to buy a box of 25 30gram 1`s it would be expensive or impossible and then just two box`s of the "niceshot" again I bet would be pricey and tough to find.

 

Hull HPE and GB PG are circa £80 a slab so £320 a thou.

 

With £50 for the machine and £150 in components (recycled free cases) so £200 I think I could have everything I wanted with the enjoyment of rolling my own !

 

I have tried to find someone local who could help me out for a few bottles of something nice but no one round here is either interested or into reloading for shotguns, I have given up asking around!

 

ATB

 

Matt

[Guest cookoff013]

The selection of cartridges I would like to have available to me are:

 

28gram, Fibre wad, 5`s - For all game shooting and also for crows and pigeon when roost shooting......My go to shell basically.

 

28gram, Fibre wad, 4`s niceshot - For use on and around the duck pond - Only small numbers needed 50 would do me a season.

 

30gram, Fibre wad, BB / 1`s - To be used on fox when around the pheasant pen and should one present on a drive its nice to have two on the belt if there's chance to change cartridge. An initial batch of 20 would be plenty.

 

But I bet if I want to buy a box of 25 30gram 1`s it would be expensive or impossible and then just two box`s of the "niceshot" again I bet would be pricey and tough to find.

 

Hull HPE and GB PG are circa £80 a slab so £320 a thou.

 

With £50 for the machine and £150 in components (recycled free cases) so £200 I think I could have everything I wanted with the enjoyment of rolling my own !

 

I have tried to find someone local who could help me out for a few bottles of something nice but no one round here is either interested or into reloading for shotguns, I have given up asking around!

 

ATB

 

Matt

 

the niceshot 25 shells would be £43 in shot alone. but you wont buy special powder etc. this would be a premium style shell. (750g is £43, and does 27, one ounce loads.)

its not cheap, but is the equivalent of fibre bismuth...about £37/ 25. so is slightly more expensive,

steel shot is cheaper, but the overall package, must be looked into. but that £7a box is hard to beat, 3" hulls to source, special powders, recipes and the shot itself is cheap.

[TONY R]

You are on the right track reloading for the 20 i think, they can be loaded much cheaper than ammo can be bought, in 20s it saves you a fair bit, i use reclaimed shot for pigeon shooting its not as cheap as home production but its practical and a mate runs me it here for free so its a win win win sittuation for me.

But this clouds my being able to tell you just how much you will save buying new shot. but it will still be worth wile small and big bores tend to be near certaintys to save worthwile money when you reload.

The other big plus is as you woith your BB request, Where would you buy any of these? Its possible but with reloading its There whenever you want it, and thats for any shot size any load any shot type.

As for non tox 20s are ideal candidates for TSS HW 18, they are ideal to load with these dense shot types very little spacing packing re wading just load them quite simply and get a 20 with true magnum performance its that simple.

In a budget Copper works great in 20s.

As for a reloading press the Lee load all 2 is ok they work fine, but if you can turn up a used mec or even an old lyman or pacific something like that you would be set up.

One big plus on the Lee is its all there bushings everything brand new for 50 quid or there abouts.

[rbrowning2]

If you only want to make a very few in bb size shot just buy a tin of .177/bb lead shot sold my most air gun shops for a couple of pounds saves on buying several kg you may never use and no delivery costs which may otherwise apply.