12ga shotgun reloaders

[257ack]

Claybuster CB6114-12 will make some good 1 1/4 oz loads in straight wall hulls. Also, MG42 wad is great for #4 lead

 

[257ack]

My best coyote load is size T shot in a 3" Fio. hull with a MG42 wad. BPI has size T shot

 

[Homerange]

Years ago I Turkey hunted with a Mossberg 835 with a duplex reload from a friend. So recoil is no surprise to me. But I dont wish to be pounded to death. The auto loaders help to manage recoil so this is the direction I will be taking. #4 lead is where i will start , but I am not looking for a hunting load. So tight pattern at distance is where I will be playing.

Most often velocity is your enemy here. Expect to do plenty of spread patterning.
At least it's easier to tip over turkeys than geese where you need higher pellet energy to punch through their feathers.
I think for long range the smallest I would use is 3 or even 2 shot and as you are using 3" hulls you can compensate with a heavier load for the pellet loss when using larger shot.

As member 257ack says, stick to book loads.

 

[Cecil S.]

If I was to load only 3" hulls , I would go with the euro hulls (Cheddite, Rio, Fiocchi) Thats sold by BPI. The Mg 42 wad might be a good place to start. (You need to use straight wall wads in euro hulls). If your looking to load 00 they dont stack well in the MG 42. but most other large shot does. I use the older Fed S-4.for my 00 Maybe CSD118 may work. Claybuster has came out with a straight wall wad for 2 3/4" hulls that is long enough for 3" hulls and stacks 00 real well but there is no loading data. ONLY USE PUBLISHED LOADS!!!!!! at least untill you really know your limits. If your gonna use 3' euro hulls (in my opinion they are the best for large shot) You need to get the loading manual from BPI (Ballistic Products). Once you set your press up to load these hulls, leave it there. A word of caution: the Lee load all will work fine with 2 3/4 but not with 3' as they say it will

Good stuff here. Thanks

 

[justinp61]

I have three Pacific/Hornady 366’s and one Hornady Apex. I load 3” 410’s on the Apex, 12, 20 and 28 on the 366’s. The 366 that has the 20 gauge dies has loaded many thousands of rounds and was bought new in 1979.

 

[Cecil S.]

Thank you to all that replied. But I am looking for (guess i will keep it basic) ....I dont hunt or shoot clays. So with respect to yall. I am looking for the guys that load for the heavier loads . Powder recommendations from shooters is what i am looking for.

 

[TrapperBR549]

How heavy of a load are you looking for?
I have loaded from 3/4oz to 1 1/2oz in AA or Remington hulls. For heavy 1 1/8oz and 1 1/4oz I believe I have used Winchester Super Field the most. Unique and Herco will also work well. It makes a very nice pheasant load. For heavier loads I have used Blue Dot the most.
I try to find a powder, wad, hull, and shot combination that gives me the proper stack height to give me a real nice crimp. I use an adjustable charge bar so I can tweak the shot charge to make things fit just right if need be.

 

[Cecil S.]

How heavy of a load are you looking for?
I have loaded from 3/4oz to 1 1/2oz in AA or Remington hulls. For heavy 1 1/8oz and 1 1/4oz I believe I have used Winchester Super Field the most. Unique and Herco will also work well. It makes a very nice pheasant load. For heavier loads I have used Blue Dot the most.
I try to find a powder, wad, hull, and shot combination that gives me the proper stack height to give me a real nice crimp. I use an adjustable charge bar so I can tweak the shot charge to make things fit just right if need be.

Thanks Trapper , As a newbie in this area of reloading I wish to stay in the 3" category. I received my Lymans book tonight. I am looking at the MEC 600 have you had good results with the adjustable charge bar? The MEC seem to have a bunch of different charge bars and bushings. I am looking for a very specific load (buck shot) so this is where I will be researching.

 

[Homerange]

Have early cheap adjustable powder 1 1/8oz bar. IIRC it wasn't much more than a couple of powder bushes but some years later owning a lathe I turned my own bushes.
00 buck 1 1/8oz is just 9 pellets so difficult to throw with a bar however that's not to stop a capable person building a custom bar for that need. Needs be well marked so to not use it for anything else.

 

[Cecil S.]

Have early cheap adjustable powder 1 1/8oz bar. IIRC it wasn't much more than a couple of powder bushes but some years later owning a lathe I turned my own bushes.
00 buck 1 1/8oz is just 9 pellets so difficult to throw with a bar however that's not to stop a capable person building a custom bar for that need. Needs be well marked so to not use it for anything else.

Yeah the larger buck shot will be a challenge for me. But the more i read I think I am leaning to the smaller buck shot pushed with a hoter powder. Again this is a learning curve.

 

[257ack]

Longshot or HS6 for what I am guessing that you will be loading for. Or maybe Bluedot for 3" hulls. Longshot and HS6 takes up less space in the hull If you are going to to load 1 1/4 oz in 2 3/4" hulls. For 3" hulls, Its hard to beat Blue Dot. I load most my STS and AA hulls with Longshot and my 3" with Blue dot. I also load some lighter loads (1 to 1 1/8oz.) in the STS and AA hulls. I also have a stash of Federal GM but they take Federal or euro wads to prevent powder migration. Its a learning process. Next to safe loads, stack height and crimp quality is most important. You wont be able to throw buckskot or any shot larger than 4 thru your sliding bar. And, I find it better to use some of the Lee powder drops to dispense powder. The bushings for the bar dont pan out for me unless Im loading a bunch of dove loads. If Im guessing correctly, you will be better off not using the bar to dispense shot or powder for your type loads

 

[Homerange]

You wont be able to throw buckshot or any shot larger than 4 thru your sliding bar.

Hmm, used a std bar for #3 shot on swan and geese, no problem.

 

[Timberyote]

Yeah the larger buck shot will be a challenge for me. But the more i read I think I am leaning to the smaller buck shot pushed with a hoter powder. Again this is a learning curve.

When loading buckshot, you count the number of pellets, I would put the in pill containers. Then at the time of reloading I would go as normal and at the shot charge drop the pellets in from the container.

Easy peasy.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I use a empty 209 primer tray to count large shot(buck), just tape off leaving your number of shot needed.

 

[TrapperBR549]

Thanks Trapper , As a newbie in this area of reloading I wish to stay in the 3" category. I received my Lymans book tonight. I am looking at the MEC 600 have you had good results with the adjustable charge bar? The MEC seem to have a bunch of different charge bars and bushings. I am looking for a very specific load (buck shot) so this is where I will be researching.

I prefer the sizemaster to the 600jr due to the more robust resizer and the primer feed. I don't think either of those will be much advantage to you since it doesn't sound like you will be loading a bunch of shells. If the resizing function of the jr isn't adequate the sizing part of the process can be done seperately.

If a person is loading 3" buckshot, which I have not actually done, you will not need the adjustable bar. As stated buckshot will be added manually. You can count it or weigh it. Coyotefurharvester has a great idea with the primer tray.
If I was going to load a couple boxes a year you could probably get by with a Lee manual loader.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I loaded a box of 1 1/4 oz number 5/5.5 shot using longshot and gray AA hulls. 2 shots at rooster pheasant, killed both. 1 shot at a large flock of starlings on the ground, 7 dead at 50 yards. Lead #5, with nickle plated lead 5.5 on top.

 

[Homerange]

I prefer the sizemaster to the 600jr due to the more robust resizer and the primer feed.

Primer feed was an optional accessory for the 600jr.
Both the 12g 600's I have are fitted with such and the pro check wad finger hold down which works as a visual aid to remind us to install a wad before dropping the shot.

Hate to think how many time I did that in the early days.........