12g Steel Reloading

[Suffolk shooter]

I have purchased a Lee Load-all 2 for the express purpose of reloading 3" Steel cartridges for Wildfowling. My preferred choice of load is the Remington 3" Nitro Steel and I have managed to get a receipe from the Alliant Powder website which mimics this exact load. Only problem is I am having difficulty in getting hold of the components in this country to put such a load together.

 

The components required are as follows: -

1. 
   3" Remington Nitro Steel
   
2. Federal 209A Primer
   
3. Alliant Steel Powder
   
4. Precision Reloading TUPRW123 (Orange) Wad
   
5. 1/8" felt spacer for the inside bottom of the shot cup
   

Can anybody point me in the right direction for any of these items? I am aware you can get them from the US but would prefer not to at this point. I am also aware I can get the Powder from a shop in Cambridge, but the primer and wads?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

SS

[Suffolk shooter]

I had this response from GMK who are Federal reps in the UK.

 

Many thanks for your message.

As you are, no doubt aware, shotshell reloading in the UK is not

terribly popular, so the demand is relatively small.

 

We do import some shotshell primers, but only the CCI 209,

which should be compatible. If you particularly want the Federal

one, we could "Special Order" some for you - but it would have to

be a case of 5,000.

 

As a wholesaler, I regret we are unable to deal directly with you,

but you could place your order with your local dealer.

 

Best regards

GMK Sales

 

So does anyone know if the CCI 209 is ok (safe) to use in lieu of the Federal 209A Primer?

 

SS

[pavman]

I use clay game re loaders http://www.claygame.freeuk.com/

 

I told you to join me in my Garage when I next have a re loading session and i would "show you the ropes"

 

for safety purposes we have to wear a leather waist coat and rubber thigh boots,

 

 

 

 

 

 

not my rules bud elf and safety

[Suffolk shooter]

Cheers Pavman, not sure if reloading or you wearing leather waistcoat and Rubber thigh boots is more dangerous

 

Got an answer back from GMK, he is asking the experts Hopefully if I can use the CCI primer then that is one thing solved, the next is the wad. People reading this will say "why does he want those wads, when there are other 3" wads etc out there"?, well the reason being is that I feel compleately confident with the Remington Nitro shells, I just don't like paying the price, and so by using identical components I can get virtually the same if not better performance cartridges for about a 1/3rd of the cost.

 

SS

[pat 1]

Cheers Pavman, not sure if reloading or you wearing leather waistcoat and Rubber thigh boots is more dangerous

 

can we all come?

[Stu S]

So, how easy is this reloading?

 

What is it like in terms of cost compared to buying pre-loaded (if thats the right term?)

 

Stu

[Mungler]

Pavman,

 

Next time you are reloading let the Essex massive know. We have no interest in home loading but Matt is most intrigued by your health and safety procedures.

[Suffolk shooter]

Stuart,

 

I worked out the following for loading wildfowling loads similar to the Remington 3" Nitro Steel 3's that I use for Duck: -

 

500 shop brought of the above from J Forsey or elsewhere @ £16.99/25 = £339.80 excluding petrol or delivery costs.

 

500 homeloaded shells to match worked out at approx £191/500 this excluded cost of the reloading machine which I can use time and time again and also doesn't allow for re-use of the hulls once fired again. The items you can't use again are as follows: - Primers, Wads, Powder and Shot. So approx saving of £148.80 for between 500-550 cartridges (Dependant on load size etc.

 

Have to say I'm not too sure on lead loads, ask MC as he has looked into homeloading clay loads for his use, and he might be able to tell you based on Lyvale World Cup.

 

All the articles, websites, info I have found tells me that it works out cheaper for Non-Toxic loads as opposed to Lead, but that all depends on what cartridge you buy in the first place.

 

It works out even cheaper I believe for alternate sizes such as 20g, .410, 10bore or 8bore loads

 

SS

Edited February 12, 2008 by Suffolk shooter

[Suffolk shooter]

Email recieved this morning from GMK regarding the use of CCI209 in lieu of Federal 209A primers.

 

 

Herewith the advice from the experts - it would appear that the CCI 209 Shotshell primer will befine for your load.

 

Damn friendly guys at GMK, and quick to boot

 

SS

[MC]

Express World cup can be loaded for about £130 a thousand, they are nearly £200 per 1000 to buy. You can do cheaper depending on the components. This biggest expense is the lead shot.

 

If I can sort out making that I will be laughing.

 

I will be loading non toxic for next season,

[shootingmike]

Suffolk Shooter

 

I do exactly the same load with my lee load all 2.

 

You will not manage to drop the right amount of alliant steel (or 381) with the lee as the biggest powder bushing only holds 27 grains. I have "adjusted" mine to be ablt to do it, for further details, pm me and I'll explain further.

 

I use those wads too and like them, I've been getting them from a mate who had loads of them but he just ordered them from the states. They still work out cheap even with postage because of the dollar rate. Out of interest, where you getting the 3" reminton cases from?

[Suffolk shooter]

Shootingmike,

 

This is the reply I got from Remington when I enquired about the hulls, kinda what I expected too be honest.

 

My initial email

 

Hi, I require an email address to find out who I can go to in the UK (England), to purchase 3" Remington Nitro steel Hulls in order to homeload shotgun shells. No contact appears to be available, including the lack of details for international partners/dealers. Please contact me in order that I can find out who to go to or at least let me have contact details of the person(s)/company in the uk to speak to.

 

The first response:

 

Dear *****

 

Thank you for visiting Remington Country. We do not sell hulls.

 

My next email

 

Further to your recent reply stating that you do not sell Hulls, could you please tell me who the manufacturer of the Hulls is for those used in the 3" Remington Nitro Steel shotgun catridges that are available in England so that I may approach them directly. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Regards

 

Their final response

 

Dear *****

 

Thank you for your response. The information you are requesting is proprietary and we do not release the same. We would encourage you to talk to members of a local sporting club to inquire about the availability of hulls in your country.

 

So there you go you can't "buy" Remington Hulls so you have to use something else similar.

 

I will send you PM SM.

 

SS

[starlight32]

Suffolk shooter- Just use the 3" Lylavale hulls.

 

As for Federal 209's they are rubbish anyway-

 

remember what I said- With steel reloading component 's are lighter. A lee load all are not the best for steel reloading but as mentioned earlier you can use them with modification.As a rule of thumb

 

Lighter the load more progressive the powder and primer

Heavier the load less progressive the powder and primer

 

Try not to get too tied up with reading it to the letter of the rule. A recipie providing the component's provide the same performance characteristics are perfectly fine.As for primers you can use a cheddite that will give you the same performance as a federal for the same load.

 

 

May I suggest a purchase of some reloading data form clay and game reloaders?

 

Otherwise take you may be taking a note out of Mr charlton's book and finding out that St Peter really does exist!!!!!

[Suffolk shooter]

Clay and Game reloaders data disk currently in progress of being sent via a friendly PW member, and the last comment about St Peter, is exactly why I want to replicate the load that I have confidence in. Lyvale's are ok, cheaper than the remington's, but at the end of the day they are not the remington's.

 

I am fully aware of the Lee Load-all 2's capacity for Steelshot, and steel powders and have had advice from someone on here who loads the exact receipe that I want using the LL2 and has given advice as to how to get the right grain and shot load.

 

Shooting is entirely about confidence, i.e. Gun used, chokes used, cartridge manufacturer, steel or lead shot, overall load, shot size, fibre/felt wad etc. At the end of the day I have complete confidence in the gun and the cartridge combination I have used and require to use again, and whilst yes I could buy the cartridges, I want to have a go at re-loading them myself for less money.

 

Best way to do it is to mimic the recipe that is tried tested and CPI approved, can't go wrong on that one apart from difficulty in obtaining components in the UK.

 

SS

[MC]

The case you load the components in won't make any difference though, I have loaded the same powder, wad and shot into a variety of cases and they have all been OK.

[Suffolk shooter]

Fair comment MC.

 

SS