doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Shotshell Reloading Costs

I do pay more for my reloads, but all of my SxS's are Damascus or Twist and I want to control the pressures in these guns.

Im not worried about the cost of shells.
I reload for two reasons.
1. To control the pressure.
2. I trust what I put in the shells over what a machine puts in them.
Bob

I recently found Remington Gun Club 1 oz 12ga loads for $5/box. Not bad, considering that the hulls reload very well. A lot of the cheap factory ammo is often reload once, or else don't even bother.

I've no experience with the two brands described, but unless they're sold as loss leaders, they must have access to cheap shot and powder. If one could buy Peruvian lead shot by the ton and powders manufactured with indifferent quality control and threat of lawsuits nil, the results would be very competitive products.

As do other posters, I handload to get the best possible results at a reasonable price, even though I still shoot a few factory loaded offerings, mostly in modern repeating guns.

The problem I've found with the cheap promotional loads is consistency. When my pet papers got wet in a cloudburst in the dovefield one day, I switched to a box of Winchester "High Speed" 7/8 oz. marked No. 8 shot. After feathering several birds with them, I finished up with some borrowed shells. Curious, I took five or six of the Winchesters apart, found them all loaded with No. 6. Shooting No. 6 in a crowded field is a very bad idea. I've also recently weighed shot charges from another prominent manufacturer's 1 1/8oz. loads and found them to be actually 1 1/16 oz. If these kinds of mistakes happen, what else might be wrong with them, like 13,000 psi?

I have found thru the years that the cost of reloading is approximately equal to the cost of promotional shells (estates, gun club, whatever cheapie is on sale)

BUT

my shells are reloaded the way I want them. (as someone else mentioned), low pressure, low oz loads. Odd shot sizes, etc with a clean burning powder.

reload shells are the equivalent of AA/STS priced shells, not the promo ones.

Plus ,the cost goes down the more you can reuse the hulls.

'Value priced' shells do vary in quality. The worst shells in my experience are the mentioned Winchester 'High Speed' and one called Diana. Crapola.

Federal makes no poor quality shells. Their Top Gun is very high quality, as are the Federal shells sold at (gasp) Walmart. Of course, with the latter you have a choice of 3 Dram or 3 Dram. It's a great trap load if you can handle it.

Winchester AA is still good quality, although I avoid anything else with that brand name on it. The mighty have truely fallen, although their AAHS in 410 is the best 410 available in my humble opinion.

Remington is the best of the best. STS is still compression formed in 12 and 20 anyway. Best reloadable shell in those two gauges and the Gun Club is a good econo load.

RIO is loaded in the US now, and is top quality all the way although they use a hull which is poor for reloading. For a throw away, I recommend RIO all the way. Fine product.

Fiocchi is also most excellent, probably the best 16ga shells available.

Reload if you wish or have to, but right now new shells are priced the same or less than the components if the factory loads are useful to you.

Rem, Win, and Fed all have current rebates on target loads.

The market is a solid 'Buy' right now.

Reloading 28 ga target shells is a must for me, no-one carries 28 ga loaded ammo up here as a rule, too expensive to ship in.
I just bought in 300 Fiocchi primed 28 ga hulls, cost with freight, $90.00, expensive, buy the only way I can feed my 28 ga Sporting 1100, a perfect gun for youngsters and women.
I also load for my English 2 1/2" guns, but I use 12 ga promo loads for my 11-87 Sporting Clays gun
Mike

As regards Rio`s 12ga I load once and use in my semi autos I also reload Rio`s 28ga can get 2-3 reloads out of them.
Take Care Pedler

Every time I think I'm missing out on not buying cheap factory loads, I run the numbers and it always works out that I can reload for about $2/box less. sometimes more, sometimes less, but I just don't worry about it anymore.

Well I count my time in too, 28 ga, and 12 ga 2 1/2, loaded with love for my Damascus guns, I'll sit there all day, but I will not waste my time loading 12 ga 2 3/4" shells the equivalent of Federal Top Gun, a quality and excellent load for sporting at a nice price.
Mike