doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Reloading costs vs factory loads

If I were shooting guns capable of handling a steady diet of whatever is cheapest at Walmart or online, I'd do that in a heartbeat. I don't like reloading very much and the amount saved per box wouldn't make enough of a different for the volume of shooting I do.

However I'm shooting 100+ year old damascus guns with blackpowder, so I load my own, an hour will usually get me about 50-75 shells loaded.

Cost: 16g and light 10g loads about $13.25 per 25; 10g heavy loads (out of a modern double) about 25.50 per 50

Lots of good comments here. Ways to save a few $ when you reload:

1. You'll sometimes find reclaimed shot available, typically $30-35 per bag. A lot comes from trap ranges, so there will be a lot of 7 1/2's. I don't use it too often in loads any lighter than 7/8 oz. I've also found that it can stick in the drop tube of my 20ga reloader, so I mostly use it for 12's.

2. Buy cheaper primers and wads. Cheddites vs Win or Rem; Claybuster wads. Reloading websites are carrying more recipes for Cheddites these days, although in most cases, ballistics seem to be pretty close to Win primers.

3. Be a hull scrounger. You won't find many guys tossing once fired AA's or STS. But Rem Gun Clubs (both 12 and 20) reload about as well as STS, and I'll often find them scattered around when I'm shooting targets.

And your biggest savings:
4. Shoot lighter loads. 3/4 in both 20 and 12 are much easier now with readily available wads and recipes.

Chantry,

I don't shoot much either, but love hunting wild turkey and some pheasant hunting with my damascus Remington 1894 SxS, Remington 1893 single barrel, 28 gauge and Syracuse A grade 12 Ga damascus. Also, not interested at all in reloading since RST offers all the shells I will ever need at today's reasonable cost. Check them out at....

http://www.rstshells.com/

Model2128Ga

Just a couple caveats

Reclaimed shot can effect a large savings if you don't mind the possibility of rocks and steel in your barrel. I used to use well cleaned reclaim and plastic wad always and STILL scratched a couple barrels. You chose.

Powder is currently in way short supply, limited in quantities and types and outrageously priced IMO. Good luck finding what you really want.

And none of the price calculators have those spots to add in the time/expense it takes to chase components down. That $0.50/box savings disappears in a heartbeat.

I use claybuster wads for years and they are as good as any IMO and usually eh best price. Fiocchi primers the same.

but when what I have is gone I'm thinking that may be it for the loader. Way too much trouble to save a couple cents/cart. My time may not be worth much anymore but I got better things to do for a fraction of a penny/hr..

good luck

have another Day
Dr.WtS

I don't hunt, my shotguns are mostly used for cowboy shooting in the BP categories and occasionally some skeet or trap for fun.

FWIW, Just ran the numbers on my present generic 1200 fps 1oz. 12ga. target loads. NOT 'low' pressure. $3.60/box

That's using clean re-claimed shot, Alliant Promo powder, Clay Buster wads & Winchester 209 primers at what I have to pay for those components, when available, today. Changing to any other powder causes a small price escalation.

If I use new West Coast Magnum lead shot, my cost goes up to $4.41/box

If you load 7/8oz. loads [adequate for most clay target purposes] cost naturally goes down some as it does if you can take advantage of a sale on wads or use less expensive primers.



As a side note, reclaimed shot has larger interstices between the pellets than new. For me to get an honest 1 once/28 grams of reclaimed shot from my MEC charge bars, I have to use the 9/8oz./32 gram bar. All I am saying is that reclaimed shot bulks up more for the same weight in new shot and the amount of antimony used in the shot & its size also affect what you may get as a final thrown weight. Another factor can be the shot's source. You need to weigh it to find out exactly what your equipment is doing with a given type of shot.

In the end, the choice to reload or not gets down to personal time, money and expectation issues. I find it enjoyable, most of the time. .410's can sometimes be a good deal more challenging to load than any of the larger shotgun cartridges. Biggest savings is clearly with the small bores.

I've loaded non-toxic rounds for waterfowl and still hunt those birds a lot during most seasons, but I've found it more expedient for my needs to just buy new as even with multiple days afield the numbers of rounds consumed isn't great & I'm not confronted w/having to explain to a Game Warden why I have no-tox rounds in hulls that were originally loaded w/lead .. spent hulls in particular, could become problematic.

Not cheaper at all.

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/rio-game-load-12-gauge-shotshells/pid-1002463?N=131541339

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/estate-c...003?N=131541339

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/federal-...651?N=131541339

I shoot the Brown box Rios all the time. They are very good shells, IMO. I reload for low pressure, but I don't waste my time reloading for my modern shotguns.

I buy them at the store, but they advertise free shipping on orders over $39. I went by at the very end of January and asked if they would entertain an offer on all they had in stock, at a lower price, seeing as how they would have to pay ad valorem tax on them if they were there when the doors closed Jan. 31. Manager said okay. I offered him half price on about 10-11 cases. He countered with $20 off each flat. I said okay, and scored the 1 1/8 oz. Rios at $38.99/flat. I'm an opportunist, I guess. I have a 9000G sitting idle, along with several single stage loaders. Haggling is way more fun than jacking a reloader handle.

SRH

I have not used reclaimed shot but would not be against it if enclosed in a new wad.

As to used wads, no. Years ago I worked in a life test lab, bearings, motor shafts, etc. We routinely used polyethelene and mylar as an abrasive medium. Any dirt or particulate matter embeds itself in the plastic and works like a fine sandpaper. You pick the grit.

I must've missed it. Was someone above claiming that they used reclaimed wads??

I haven't noticed any drop in results with 7/8 oz reloads of reclaimed shooting skeet, nor sporting clays targets that aren't way out there. That being said, when I'm shooting SC, I usually have a box of factory 1 oz along for longer targets. And I don't use reclaimed when I drop down to 3/4 oz loads. But I'm not shooting competition either.

C'mon tw - - you know you got the buy of the century on that reclaim and using those #'s is just cruel. And I'm not even gonna mention the powder scam you're in but I could hahaha

simple cheating and that's all there is to it

have another day
Dr.WtS