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Posted: 2/23/2024 9:39:59 AM EDT
[#1]
A little bit different than what you guys are doing, but I’m thinking about picking up a Lee Loadall for loading buckshot & slugs. I have a nice ponsness warner progressive, but it’s a pain to try to load those on it(since obviously you have to put them in by hand.
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Posted: 2/23/2024 10:51:28 AM EDT
[Last Edit: wildearp]
[#2]
The Load All works, but has the feel of a cheap toy. It flexes quite a bit. You will be putting in everything by hand with it, except for the powder.
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Posted: 2/23/2024 12:15:33 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By mace2364: A little bit different than what you guys are doing, but I’m thinking about picking up a Lee Loadall for loading buckshot & slugs. I have a nice ponsness warner progressive, but it’s a pain to try to load those on it(since obviously you have to put them in by hand. That is what I use my 12 and 20ga Load Alls for, they're fine. Only addition is a roll crimping tool on the drill press. I seem to get better patterns and more consistent velocity than folded crimp. |
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Posted: 2/27/2024 8:35:13 PM EDT
[Last Edit: WeimaranerDad]
[#4]
I thought I was going to the trap or skeet range tomorrow to test out the first 25 to 30 Winchester AA 12 gauge shells that I made with that SL900, but the weather is supposed to be bad.
If I were to switch to Remington “gun club” hulls, this is what Hodgdon’s website says:  Attached FileThat is for 9/8ths of lead birdshot. I was planning on sticking with Clays powder. And I already have those WAA12 wads. EDIT: Here is the “recipe” for what I am using now:  Attached FileSo it looks all I would have to do is dial down the Dillon powder measure a little bit for the Remington “gun club” hulls. |
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Posted: 2/28/2024 3:31:31 AM EDT
[Last Edit: M-60]
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: I thought I was going to the trap or skeet range tomorrow to test out the first 25 to 30 Winchester AA 12 gauge shells that I made with that SL900, but the weather is supposed to be bad. If I were to switch to Remington “gun club” hulls, this is what Hodgdon’s website says: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/DA12B8D4-8D9D-4425-A118-98FFA2CDE7DA_jpe-3143383.JPG That is for 9/8ths of lead birdshot. I was planning on sticking with Clays powder. And I already have those WAA12 wads. EDIT: Here is the “recipe” for what I am using now: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/7D3F69B3-6582-453C-BB40-391D100EEDAD_jpe-3143400.JPG So it looks all I would have to do is dial down the Dillon powder measure a little bit for the Remington “gun club” hulls. Absolutely do what the manual says. I load AA's and Gun Clubs, exactly the same. |
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Posted: 3/13/2024 6:37:09 PM EDT
[Last Edit: WeimaranerDad]
[#6]
 WOOT! WOOT! Good news! I was finally able to make it to the range today:  Attached FileAnd the first 27 or so shells off my new Dillon all went BANG! Even the ones with the hemorrhoid crimps. No bloopers!  In all, I went through 3 boxes of 12ga and then 3 boxes of 20ga.  Attached FileI think I broke about 20 birds. Just kidding! I didn’t really keep count, but it has been about 2 years since I shot skeet there. Having that voice remote means I have the whole place by myself. If I want to shoot doubles at stations 3, 4, and 5, I certainly can.  |
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Posted: 3/13/2024 7:23:43 PM EDT
[#7]
Thanks for the range report.
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Posted: 3/13/2024 8:09:37 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By dryflash3: Thanks for the range report. You’re welcome! I guess a few once fired 20 gauges got mixed in with the twice fired’s:  Attached FileIt is subtle but there is a difference in the shade of yellow, and the soot/dirt left on the twice fired hulls. I am ASSuming you guys don’t worry cleaning that off??? |
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Posted: 3/14/2024 4:50:10 AM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: You’re welcome! I guess a few once fired 20 gauges got mixed in with the twice fired’s: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/CB7803D0-CCC3-4EFE-BA7B-2486E7EB86DA_jpe-3158289.JPG It is subtle but there is a difference in the shade of yellow, and the soot/dirt left on the twice fired hulls. I am ASSuming you guys don’t worry cleaning that off??? Awesome! I've got a guy that just ordered an SL coming to my place next Saturday to get some time on my machine. I told him he's welcome to load as many of my hulls as he'd like. I'll even make him a smash burger for his efforts. lol. Glad you got out to the range and everything worked out. The SL is a great machine, you just have to learn its quirks. If you load enough, soon, you won't care about "once fired", or "10th fired". You'll just look at it and go, "yup, this one can go again". No, I don't clean off my hulls. I used to wipe them off with a very slightly oily rag. But don't anymore (unless they're visibly dirty from being on the ground). |
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Posted: 3/14/2024 9:28:27 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By M-60: Awesome! I've got a guy that just ordered an SL coming to my place next Saturday to get some time on my machine. I told him he's welcome to load as many of my hulls as he'd like. I'll even make him a smash burger for his efforts. lol. Glad you got out to the range and everything worked out. The SL is a great machine, you just have to learn its quirks. If you load enough, soon, you won't care about "once fired", or "10th fired". You'll just look at it and go, "yup, this one can go again". No, I don't clean off my hulls. I used to wipe them off with a very slightly oily rag. But don't anymore (unless they're visibly dirty from being on the ground). Thanks again! I had some time last night, so I was comparing the “wad height” between the Dillon and the Mec. The Mec makes perfect, like better than factory crimps. See where the top of the wad petal is here:  Attached FileWhat is that, like an 1/8” ? Here is where the Dillon puts the same wad:  Attached FileThat is closer to a 1/4” . It looks like there is an adjustment I can make on the Dillon. One allen headed set screw to loosen, and then there is a part that reminds me of the threaded clamping part in a C clamp. It has an allen head shaped “receptacle” up top to raise or lower the “wad insertion tube/birdshot delivery tube” |
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Posted: 3/14/2024 3:15:22 PM EDT
[#11]
Yup. I haven't messed with on mine much, but that's what it's for.
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Posted: 3/14/2024 4:54:03 PM EDT
[#12]
Does the SL have a wad pressure indicator like a MEC?
If so, set the SL for the same wad pressure and check the wad column height. |
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Posted: 3/14/2024 6:41:42 PM EDT
[Last Edit: johnh57]
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: You’re welcome! I guess a few once fired 20 gauges got mixed in with the twice fired’s: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/CB7803D0-CCC3-4EFE-BA7B-2486E7EB86DA_jpe-3158289.JPG It is subtle but there is a difference in the shade of yellow, and the soot/dirt left on the twice fired hulls. I am ASSuming you guys don’t worry cleaning that off??? I load them until the sides split or the crimp is too crispy. Usually the sides split before I toss them.. I don't clean them. When I shot more tournaments I saved the once fired / best looking hulls for tournaments. Now they all get loaded and dumped into an ammo box that holds maybe 300 shells. I used to just dump them into a 5 gal bucket, but I don't load that far ahead anymore. ETA. You can overseat a wad using too much wad pressure. You just want the wad to sit on the powder. If your mec is doing more than a little bump on the pressure indicator it's too much. There has to be a way to check the seating depth on your Dillon. On my ponsness loaders you just see if you can push the hull up at all when the wad ram is fully into the wad. If you can move the hull, you need a bit more depth. If nothing else before it moves on to the shot drop station see if you can push the wad down with a pencil. |
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Posted: 3/14/2024 7:37:05 PM EDT
[Last Edit: WeimaranerDad]
[#14]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FB41: Does the SL have a wad pressure indicator like a MEC? If so, set the SL for the same wad pressure and check the wad column height. EDIT: Better circles on this pic:  Attached FileThe part I circled in blue is the drop tube for the bird shot. In a way, it is kinda “spring loaded”. The weight of the birdshot dispenser kinda pushes on that drop tube ….or rather the other way around, the wad and shell have to be present together to push up on the drop tube which then activates the “shot bar” to travel back and forth. The parts in red are the set screw and then that height adjuster. But to answer your question, there is no indicator or gauge on the Dillon which shows your wad pressure or “pre-crush” EDIT: like the indicator on the Mec:  Attached File |
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Posted: 3/14/2024 8:04:36 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By johnh57: I load them until the sides split or the crimp is too crispy. Usually the sides split before I toss them.. I don't clean them. When I shot more tournaments I saved the once fired / best looking hulls for tournaments. Now they all get loaded and dumped into an ammo box that holds maybe 300 shells. I used to just dump them into a 5 gal bucket, but I don't load that far ahead anymore. ETA. You can overseat a wad using too much wad pressure. You just want the wad to sit on the powder. If your mec is doing more than a little bump on the pressure indicator it's too much. There has to be a way to check the seating depth on your Dillon. On my ponsness loaders you just see if you can push the hull up at all when the wad ram is fully into the wad. If you can move the hull, you need a bit more depth. If nothing else before it moves on to the shot drop station see if you can push the wad down with a pencil. Thank you sir! I am kinda tired of buying storage tubs, and firing up my label maker:  Attached FileI have thousands, possibly tens of thousands of hulls I have to sort through, still, from the Grand. There is NO way I am going to have tubs for 3 times and 4 times and more fired hulls. |
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Posted: 3/14/2024 8:47:51 PM EDT
[#16]
I haven't loaded shot shells in years, since that day I found 730 once fired hulls at a yard sale. Components were still fairly cheap.
I have a couple of MEC loaders, including the one my dad used when I was a kid. One in 20, one in 12. The load data was on a sheet that MEC included with the press. I still have some mostly full bags of shot, discounted from my days at Cabela's applied to already marked down torn bags. I have a few pounds of powder, including about a pound in a MEC bottle that I have no idea is because I forgot to mark it.  A few hundred primers. That being said, it's hard to justify compared to buying factory now. Once I run out of some component or other, I'll probably stop for good. |
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Posted: 3/21/2024 12:13:13 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By rcav8r: I haven't loaded shot shells in years, since that day I found 730 once fired hulls at a yard sale. Components were still fairly cheap. I have a couple of MEC loaders, including the one my dad used when I was a kid. One in 20, one in 12. The load data was on a sheet that MEC included with the press. I still have some mostly full bags of shot, discounted from my days at Cabela's applied to already marked down torn bags. I have a few pounds of powder, including about a pound in a MEC bottle that I have no idea is because I forgot to mark it. A few hundred primers. That being said, it's hard to justify compared to buying factory now. Once I run out of some component or other, I'll probably stop for good. This is how I justify it or rationalize it. Running my component costs through an online cost calculator: https://ecsc-skeet.com/linked/shotshell_reloading_cost_calculator.htm I think I am saving about 4 or 5 bucks per box.. A round of trap or skeet costs $7 or $8 here. So what I save on my first two rounds pays for the birds on the third round. Like a lot of threads here: “You won’t save money by reloading. You’ll just shoot more.” |
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Posted: 3/21/2024 12:27:33 PM EDT
[#18]
I cranked out 175 shells last night after I made some adjustments pictured above.
The crimps looked a lot better. I did have one instance of shot bridging in the drop tube. But I caught it early enough. Where the tip out or tilt out wad guide is ….your eyes have to focus on that to get the wad inserted. That’s like in the foreground visually. In the back ground, I could see a lot of that orange wad inside that red hull….with no shot. RUT-ROH! I took a small allen wrench and tapped it up into that cluster of bridged shot. I had an empty hull underneath it which caught most of the shot. |
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Posted: 3/25/2024 3:22:41 PM EDT
[#19]
Had a guy over to check out my SL900 on Saturday after skeet. He just bought one and I let him load a couple boxes and gave him the run-down on the press.
He thinks he made a good choice. And so do I. He's going to have to be a bit less picky about his hulls though. That will come with time.
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Posted: 3/26/2024 1:25:23 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By M-60: Had a guy over to check out my SL900 on Saturday after skeet. He just bought one and I let him load a couple boxes and gave him the run-down on the press. He thinks he made a good choice. And so do I. He's going to have to be a bit less picky about his hulls though. That will come with time. Which gauge did he go with? Is this his first shotgun reloading press? Is he picky about the crimps? I did a search for “SL900” on Gunbroker. One popped up, but it doesn’t have the hull feeder / case feeder. And the ad doesn’t say which gauge it is in. I sent the seller a question about that about 3 days ago. I still haven’t heard anything back. I really don’t need another 12 gauge Dillon. He is asking $1,000 for it. I think the conversion kits are $625 each. So really, if I wanted a dedicated 20 gauge Dillon, I would be at the same price as a new SL900 already set up from the factory in 20 gauge. Then I would still buy another hull feeder with the 20 gauge plate. As a side note, when doing a bing image search for “Dillon SL900”, A lot of the pics led back to the classifieds section on the SASS Wire forum. Yeah, the forum for the Cowboy Action Shooters. They were old ads, but in a way, it makes sense. The CAS’ers are a demographic that are “age’ing out” and/or their shoulders are just so worn out they can’t handle the recoil of a shotgun any more. |
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Posted: 3/26/2024 4:26:31 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: Which gauge did he go with? Is this his first shotgun reloading press? Is he picky about the crimps? I did a search for “SL900” on Gunbroker. One popped up, but it doesn’t have the hull feeder / case feeder. And the ad doesn’t say which gauge it is in. I sent the seller a question about that about 3 days ago. I still haven’t heard anything back. I really don’t need another 12 gauge Dillon. He is asking $1,000 for it. I think the conversion kits are $625 each. So really, if I wanted a dedicated 20 gauge Dillon, I would be at the same price as a new SL900 already set up from the factory in 20 gauge. Then I would still buy another hull feeder with the 20 gauge plate. As a side note, when doing a bing image search for “Dillon SL900”, A lot of the pics led back to the classifieds section on the SASS Wire forum. Yeah, the forum for the Cowboy Action Shooters. They were old ads, but in a way, it makes sense. The CAS’ers are a demographic that are “age’ing out” and/or their shoulders are just so worn out they can’t handle the recoil of a shotgun any more. He's a long time reloader and has other Dillons including the new 1100. He's a bit picky about his hulls with any splitting or whatever. I showed him how long I use a hull and he indicated that he may change is thoughts on that, not so much picky about the crimp. He bought the 12 gauge with a 20 gauge conversion too. I paid $850 for mine used (a great deal from my point of view). It came with a new hull feeder that I've never used, because the one that's on it is cracked and repaired with duct tape, but works just fine. |
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Posted: 4/3/2024 9:43:51 PM EDT
[#22]
I cranked out 100 shells in 24 minutes and 3.79 seconds tonight with the Mec 9000GN.
I was pulling hulls from a 5 gallon bucket that I have had for almost 20 years, so it had some mix of the old skool Winchester AA compression formed (CF) hulls and the Winchester AA “high strength” (HS) hulls. I don’t feel so bad about the two that hemorhoid’ed themselves via the Mec:  Attached FileNo major issues with the Mec tonight… I’ll just be thinking this: HULL! WAD! HANDLE! PRIMER! HULL! WAD! HANDLE! PRIMER! tonight when trying to go to sleep. There were a few times where the primer went cockeyed, but I straightened it out / pulled it upright with a magnetized screwdriver before I let up on the handle (which then causes the shellplate to rotate, which drops the primer in at station #2. |
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Posted: 4/3/2024 11:17:24 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By M-60: He's a long time reloader and has other Dillons including the new 1100. He's a bit picky about his hulls with any splitting or whatever. I showed him how long I use a hull and he indicated that he may change is thoughts on that, not so much picky about the crimp. He bought the 12 gauge with a 20 gauge conversion too. I paid $850 for mine used (a great deal from my point of view). It came with a new hull feeder that I've never used, because the one that's on it is cracked and repaired with duct tape, but works just fine. I guess the main thing for me having come from a 550 and then a 650 and then another 650 is the pushing forward of the handle to seat a primer. If you encounter NO resistance or too much resistance on the push forward, then there is something wrong. I don’t know if the 1100 seats primers like that, though. |
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Posted: 4/3/2024 11:31:04 PM EDT
[#24]
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Posted: 4/5/2024 1:54:24 PM EDT
[#25]
I recently bought a Loadall from someone I know. It was in the box, but it had been opened and he said he wasn’t sure if everything was there. For the $30 he wanted for it, I figured what the hell. It looks like it has everything.
I loaded my first few slugs on it today. I’m loving this thing. A LOT easier than what I was doing. |
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Posted: 4/8/2024 8:13:26 PM EDT
[Last Edit: WeimaranerDad]
[#26]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By mace2364: I recently bought a Loadall from someone I know. It was in the box, but it had been opened and he said he wasn’t sure if everything was there. For the $30 he wanted for it, I figured what the hell. It looks like it has everything. I loaded my first few slugs on it today. I’m loving this thing. A LOT easier than what I was doing. NICE! If I was still doing 3 gun, casting and reloading slugs would be at the top of my list. EDIT: the Remington reduced recoil slugs were hard to find 15 years ago. They are probably unobtainium now. |
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Posted: 4/8/2024 9:36:01 PM EDT
[#27]
I bought the 20ga conversion for it. And I loaded up some 20ga buckshot with it the other night.
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Posted: 4/8/2024 9:54:49 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: NICE! If I was still doing 3 gun, casting and reloading slugs would be at the top of my list. EDIT: the Remington reduced recoil slugs were hard to find 15 years ago. They are probably unobtainium now. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: Originally Posted By mace2364: I recently bought a Loadall from someone I know. It was in the box, but it had been opened and he said he wasn’t sure if everything was there. For the $30 he wanted for it, I figured what the hell. It looks like it has everything. I loaded my first few slugs on it today. I’m loving this thing. A LOT easier than what I was doing. NICE! If I was still doing 3 gun, casting and reloading slugs would be at the top of my list. EDIT: the Remington reduced recoil slugs were hard to find 15 years ago. They are probably unobtainium now. Dunno about Remington, but there's a lot of reduced recoil slugs in the 1300-1400 fps range. |
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Posted: 4/10/2024 7:32:28 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By mace2364: I bought the 20ga conversion for it. And I loaded up some 20ga buckshot with it the other night. Are you shooting these through a pump action shotgun? If so let us know how it goes….range report wise. |
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Posted: 4/10/2024 7:45:15 AM EDT
[#30]
I’d have to look through my stash from 10 to 17 years ago. I might still have some of the Remington reduced recoil ones left.
I was at Bass Pro Shops on Monday (right in the middle of the eclipse). I wasn’t really looking for reduced recoil anything at the time. But I did see some Federal buckshot in 12 gauge. I almost picked up a few boxes of that until I looked closer. Only one box actually had the Flite Control Wad (FCW). But I did spy some 28 gauge Winchester AA’s and some 16 gauge shells:  Attached File Attached FileBut no .410’s in normal birdshot sizes. The local reloading store (LRS) had 8 pounders of Titewad ($266.63 out the door), and Claybuster wads (pink) for 3/4 ounce loads. But they didn’t have any #9 shot. So I bought #8.5’s instead. Bass Pro didn’t have any #9’s either. |
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Posted: 4/10/2024 8:13:31 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: Are you shooting these through a pump action shotgun? If so let us know how it goes….range report wise. Whenever I load something new, I always try to test fire a couple of them. I can shoot at my place, so usually I manage to do this. I put these through a mossberg 500 20ga. They ran fine. I didn’t really try to pattern them. I just kinda looked at the splash in the dirt to get some kind of idea. Looked OK that way. Definitely would keep them all in a silhouette at 20 yards. |
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Posted: 4/11/2024 11:44:02 AM EDT
[#32]
Right before I sold my last shotgun reloader. These hulls have been loaded many times.
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Posted: 4/11/2024 11:48:16 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: WOOT! WOOT! Good news! I was finally able to make it to the range today: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/7031FD3C-BB7F-497C-B248-B4F7389ADC40_jpe-3158193.JPG And the first 27 or so shells off my new Dillon all went BANG! Even the ones with the hemorrhoid crimps. |
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Posted: 4/11/2024 12:14:44 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By wildearp: I have seen where manufacturers have melted the center of the crimp for higher reliability on some loads, probably heavy buckshot. When I have a hull that is barely holding a crimp, I put a spot of hot glue on the center. Of course do this at your own risk, but I have had no issues with it. I have buddies that use candle wax. |
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Posted: 4/13/2024 8:35:41 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By M-60: I have buddies that use candle wax. No candle wax here… I cranked out 200 of the 20 gaugers tonight. I used up the rest of my 7/8ths wads tonight. The nice thing about the MTM 12 gauge trays is you can put 20 gauge shells in them headstamp down so you can inspect the crimps:  Attached FileThis was on a Mec 9000GN, so I did make one slight move on the pre-crimp, and then another move on the cam mechanism for the final crimp. |
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Posted: 4/14/2024 5:39:10 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: No candle wax here… I cranked out 200 of the 20 gaugers tonight. I used up the rest of my 7/8ths wads tonight. The nice thing about the MTM 12 gauge trays is you can put 20 gauge shells in them headstamp down so you can inspect the crimps: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/F59A8C11-9817-4EF3-BB34-943B0746780C_jpe-3187126.JPG This was on a Mec 9000GN, so I did make one slight move on the pre-crimp, and then another move on the cam mechanism for the final crimp. Those look great! |
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Posted: 4/14/2024 10:36:19 AM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: You're welcome! I guess a few once fired 20 gauges got mixed in with the twice fired's: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/CB7803D0-CCC3-4EFE-BA7B-2486E7EB86DA_jpe-3158289.JPG It is subtle but there is a difference in the shade of yellow, and the soot/dirt left on the twice fired hulls. I am ASSuming you guys don't worry cleaning that off??? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: Originally Posted By dryflash3: Thanks for the range report. You're welcome! I guess a few once fired 20 gauges got mixed in with the twice fired's: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/CB7803D0-CCC3-4EFE-BA7B-2486E7EB86DA_jpe-3158289.JPG It is subtle but there is a difference in the shade of yellow, and the soot/dirt left on the twice fired hulls. I am ASSuming you guys don't worry cleaning that off??? When I started loading shotgun ammunition I washed and dried a bunch of hulls I bought. The hulls shrunk in the dryer enough that loading required extra work. The length change was substantial, closer to 3/16th's of an inch than not. I probably still have a few that were never loaded as they were in the bottom of the box. Don't run shotgun hulls through a drier. I load hulls until the crimps are split and trash, and I don't clean them. |
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Posted: 4/14/2024 10:52:11 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Chukar]
[#38]
 Attached FilePosted this pic before. 20 pellet home cast and polished #4 buckshot, Remington wad with petals cut off, on top of Blue Dot, in a Remington hull. Fired in a Mossberg Shockwave at 15 yards. 3 rounds If I remember correctly, 1,250 fps. |
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AR, USA
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Posted: 4/14/2024 2:20:36 PM EDT
[#39]
Shotshell reloading is easy, but as others have mentioned, stick to published loads, as SAAMI pressures for shotguns aren’t nearly as forgiving as they are with pistols and rifles.
If loading lead loads for trap, skeet, or small game hunting, I’m in the gun club/STS/Nitro 27 camp. If loading steel for waterfowl, look for straight wall hulls with the highest capacity. Back in the day, the federal GM was the cat’s meow for 2.75”, but things have changed. I’m not opposed to cheddites, although I don’t like European primer pockets because they tend to seep moisture in wet conditions. Rem Nitro Mags are a good choice, particularly if they’re the ones with the yellow base wads - which brings me to another point . . . If loading 3” or larger hulls, always use the base wad color in a particular brand of hull as the identifier. Many (Federal, Remington, Winchester, Kent) cartridge co’s utilize colored base wads to identify their height (which plays a direct role in the capacity of the hull. Capacity is the name of the game in steel shot shells, so understanding base wads will help you to understand capacity and pressure expectations on a given load. Get some literature. One of my favorite references starting out was “Reloading for Shotgunners.” |
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Posted: 4/18/2024 1:42:08 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AeroE: When I started loading shotgun ammunition I washed and dried a bunch of hulls I bought. The hulls shrunk in the dryer enough that loading required extra work. The length change was substantial, closer to 3/16th's of an inch than not. I probably still have a few that were never loaded as they were in the bottom of the box. Don't run shotgun hulls through a drier. I load hulls until the crimps are split and trash, and I don't clean them. OUCH! That’s a rough lesson. I did get my order from Dillon today.  Attached FileSo now I am going to crank out some 3/4 ounce “skeet loads”.
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Posted: 4/18/2024 2:01:33 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: OUCH! That’s a rough lesson. I did get my order from Dillon today. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/30019A38-FE55-42D3-AF8F-B464B49B2279_jpe-3191253.JPG So now I am going to crank out some 3/4 ounce “skeet loads”. Looking forward to hearing what you think about those heavy 3/4 oz shoulder crushers. |
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Posted: 4/19/2024 1:56:53 PM EDT
[Last Edit: WeimaranerDad]
[#42]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By M-60: Looking forward to hearing what you think about those heavy 3/4 oz shoulder crushers. It might be a few days. I had or rather I am still having issues with getting the wad height or stack height just right inside the hull. I kept making adjustments upward on the shot dispenser . See the pic above with the red and blue circles. I was trying to get the final crimp right, but it would always end up dished or concaved enough that shot would fall out…. Because, I am ASSuming the stack height was too low. Then at some point, I noticed that the shot bar wasn’t cycling back and forth fully. So I started thinking maybe I need a shorter drop tube??? On a positive note, I will say the engineers at Dillon were pretty clever in devising a way to empty out the shot bucket / dispenser:  Attached FileThe white plastic spout is spring loaded, so when you let go, it closes automatically. EDIT: oh…yeah….the bolt in the shot bar is kept in place with a set screw. Not a “garter” like what is on the Dillon powder measure:  Attached FileBut they used the same machined bolt that has a shoulder in it to mate up with the “garter”. EDIT again: so in theory the shot bar bolt could be equipped with a pointer and a “ruler”. This “ruler” would have graduations and numbers. So you just write down the numbers that say jive up with a 1/2 ounce load or whatever numbers jive up with a 7/8ths ounce load. |
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Posted: 4/21/2024 12:15:53 PM EDT
[#43]
I think this one is done now.
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Posted: 4/23/2024 4:39:38 PM EDT
[Last Edit: WeimaranerDad]
[#44]
You can get one more reload out of that.
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Posted: 4/23/2024 4:48:29 PM EDT
[#45]
Still having issues with those 3/4 ounce wads:
 Attached FileIt is like the shot drop tube is too long and is setting the wad too deep. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 3:34:54 AM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By WeimaranerDad: Still having issues with those 3/4 ounce wads: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/136E480F-DC94-4196-9B5A-F3CD4AE7083B_jpe-3196064.JPG It is like the shot drop tube is too long and is setting the wad too deep. What powder? |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 8:46:44 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By M-60: What powder? Titewad. About 17ish grains. But I don’t think that matters. I took some shells apart. Dumped the shot . Used needle nose pliers to extract the wad. And discovered that the “legs” of the wads had too much bend in them:  Attached FileThen I dumped the powder back into the powder measure. So that makes me think that the shot drop tube is too long.. I’ll send you a PM. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 9:36:47 AM EDT
[#48]
Is there a wad pressure adjustment? My MEC loaders use that feature.
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Posted: 4/24/2024 1:23:45 PM EDT
[#49]
  
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Posted: 4/24/2024 9:53:48 PM EDT
[Last Edit: WeimaranerDad]
[#50]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AeroE: Is there a wad pressure adjustment? My MEC loaders use that feature. No. The bottom of the drop tube is only variable in height or distance via this screw circled in blue:  Attached FileThe red arrow’ed part rides up and down on the green arrowed part. When I had the machine dialed in for 9/8ths loads and the WT12 wads, the red arrow’ed part was basically flush with the green arrowed part. The problem I am running into now with the “body collar” or shot dispenser riding so high is that the shot bar won’t go the full stroke. |
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