Reloading for your Parkers - Do you do it?

[Pete Lester]

OK we are in the winter doldrums so I thought I would post another question poll for the group, reloading.

I find reloading to be an enjoyable past time by itself. It also allows me to craft economical loads in guages for which shells are more expensive and harder to find like 2 7/8" 10ga. It makes it easier to have non-toxic classic gun friendly waterfowl loads. I can also make loads lighter in recoil and lower in pressure for use in our old guns.

I reload for 2 7/8" 10ga, and 2 3/4" 12 and 20 gauge and I have reloaded shotgun shells for over 40 years, yikes!

Do you reload shotgun shells and if so what gauges?

[chris dawe]

Short ten ,sixteen and now twenty gauge ...it is satisfying .

[George Davis]

12 Gauge field loads for my 1893 Turkey Gun-load 2 1/2 inch shells
12 Gauge SBT
16 Gauge Upland Game Hunting Guns
20 Gauge for my 5 Stand or Sporting Clays

Load them on my various Hornady 366 Reloaders

[Fred Lauer]

12,16, 20 gauge in 2 3/4 and 2 1/2 inch. Also .410. Have loaded steel duck loads some years back before I went to Hevi Shot ammo.

[Bobby Cash]

1 oz, 7/8 and 3/4 oz for an "O' frame 16.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk136/2low8s/photo_zps3ee621bc.jpg

[CraigThompson]

10-12-16-20-28-410 been loading shotgun shells since about 1984 . Don't have Parker's for the 28 or 410 I'm sad to say .

When I started loading in the 80's I used Ponsness Warren 800's for the 12 , 20 , 28 and 410 and a Ponsness Warren 375 for the 10 and 16 . At the moment I have MEC 600JR's for all gauges . It is my thinking in the semi near future to acquire one of the new Ponsness Warren 800 machines with extra dies so I can load the 12 , 16 , 20 , 28 and 410 progressively . But I'll still keep the 600 JR's for all of the 10 gauge loading and for buckshot and slugs in the 12 , 16 and 20 .

And somewhere down the line if I can finally talk Ponsness Warren into changing one of their 1000 3 1/2" 10 gauge machines to 2 7/8" I'll upgrade there as well !

[CraigThompson]

While I load birdshot in variouse weights for all the above my most fun at the moment is loading buckshot for the 10-12-16 and Lyman home cast slugs for the 12 . Hopefully in the semi near future I'll come up with something I like in the slug l line for the 10 and 16 and maybe quite possibly the 20 .

[Rick Losey]

because Prince Andrew Coumo decided I cannot order RST into NY to reduce crime :draw:


short 10s in 2 5/8 and 2 7/8 - I also found some brass hulls to try with BP this summer.

also

2 1/2 12 ga -

and 20 ga

and just picked up a set of MEC 16 dies to convert an extra JR for those

[Craig Larter]

I load 10ga 2 7/8" 1 1/8oz, 5000psi for targets and 1 1/4oz bismuth #5's for ducks. I just switched from Federal to the Remington hulls from Precision Reloading and I like the way they load very much. I load 7625 and the sp-10 wad. (I have 16lbs of 7625 in inventory!)
I load 12ga 1oz 7400psi for targets and 1 1/8 oz bismuth #5's for ducks. I use the Remington Gun Cub hull, TGT wad and Clay Dot powder in the target loads.
I also load 45-90 rifle for my Creedmore 1885 Winchester
I have been reloading since 1972----42 years
I met Morris at the Vegas show and said they are going back to the Federal hull from Cheddite for their 10ga offerings. Apparently Federal hulls in 10ga are available again and are less costly than Cheddite.

[Dave Suponski]

I reload in 12,16,20. Everything I shoot is reloaded and that a bunch!

[Mark Ouellette]

8, 10, 12, 20 and a 16 gauge loader ready for its first use!

[Jack Kuzepski]

I load short 10's, 12 ga, 16 ga, 20 ga and 410, plus rifle and pistol ammo. Started loading 12 ga on my MEC in 1969.

Jack K

[Harold Lee Pickens]

I have Mec 600 jr's in 12 , 16, and 20. Loading shells is kind of relaxing( yeah, and sometimes frustrating). It allows me to have more "quality time" with my 3 setters who stay in the garage. They jockey for posistion to see who can be the closest to me, so there are lots of breaks for ear scratchin' and ball throwin'. Also have a Bose MiniLink sound system that links to smart phones and produces a tremendous sound while reloading.

[Gary Laudermilch]

Currently am loading 12 and 20 but have loaded 10 and 16 in the past. Started loading shotshells in 1962 on a Lee hand, and I mean hand, loader. It took quite a while to pound out a box of shells. No plastic wads available then and paper hulls with cardboard and fiber wads. Hulls were hard to come by in those days so I used to shoot them till I saw the first pin hole just above the brass head. Then, reluctantly, to the trash they went.

[edgarspencer]

2 1/2" 12 & 16ga.
2 3/4" 20 ga.

14 different center fire rifle cartridges from 25-20 Win. to 450-400 NE

[CraigThompson]

because Prince Andrew Coumo decided I cannot order RST into NY to reduce crime :draw:


So drive to PA once or twice a year and buy the shells and transport in your own vehicle !

[Bob Hardison]

Edger: 450-400 NE? Do you hunt dangerous game or just gluten for punishment as mama used to say?

[Rick Losey]

So drive to PA once or twice a year and buy the shells and transport in your own vehicle !

SHHHHH :rotf::rotf:

other than shooting with friends of course -why do you think I was disappointed about missing Hausmanns last year

[wayne goerres]

8 10 12 and my latest project is 16ga pin fire. I cant remember all the rifle cartridges off the top of my head but like edger 450/400 3'Ne and 500/450 no2 musket, 416 rigby,50/90 sharps 45/70 and on and on.

[Frank Cronin]

Cool thread Pete.

12 and 10 gauge. I enjoy reloading short 10 the most.

Metallic for rifle, pistol - .223, 30-06, .358 Winchester, .357 Mag, .44 Mag, .45ACP

[edgarspencer]

Edger: 450-400 NE? Do you hunt dangerous game or just gluten for punishment as mama used to say?

It was the 3 1/4" variant. No more powerful than the 3" except on the receiving end. I sold it to a friend, but still reload it for him. It never hurt me that much, because (at that time) I was only about 165lbs, and the gun moved me. A stocky friend of mine asked to shoot it, and was furious with me after one shot. I'm not sure if it was because it hurt him, or because I laughed. I proceeded to shoot about a dozen more rounds. Kynoch Nitro cellulose, as dusk, is very impressive.

[Daryl Corona]

Good thread Pete. I load 12,16,20 and 28 all in 3/4oz. for targets and birds. Shoot Kent T/M for waterfowl as I have 2 flats.

[Greg Baehman]

I load four different gauges, .410/28 and 20/12, with these two P-W 375 reloaders.
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o166/bamb00zler/Reloadingbench002.jpg

[charlie cleveland]

i reload only shotgun shells...i reload 8 ga 10 ga mostly the short ten in 2 7/8 length also load a few in 12 ga in steel or a few turkey loads and deer loads in buckshot...just dabble with the 20 and 16....charlie

[Virginia Hessler]

I reload 12 using 7/8 oz loads I find it relaxing to do my own.
I'm another victim of Cuomos foolishness.
Tom

[CraigThompson]

SHHHHH :rotf::rotf:

other than shooting with friends of course -why do you think I was disappointed about missing Hausmanns last year

I used to live close to Scranton in a little place called Dicksons City about exit 190 on I81 . Anyway how far is this Hausmanns place from Scranton ?

While I lived there I belonged to the Factoryville Sportsmans Club which was not to far from Clarks Summit . And we had a clays course as well .

[Gary Laudermilch]

Craig,

Haussman's is about 1/2 hour north of Factoryville Sportsman's Club.

[Rick Losey]

Hausmans is in the Friendsville area

a little more than an hour - 55 - 60 miles north and a little west of Scranton

[Steve Havener]

I'm going to date myself, I started reloading in 1969 after Bob Deitemeyer founder of Western Gun and Pacific Tool taught me how to use one of his DL 266 loaders. Since then I have loaded 10, 12, 16, 20 and .410 gauges using Pacific, PW and old Bridgeport roll crimp tools for 10 and 16 gauge.

[paul adams]

Reload 12, 16, 20, 28 and 410 and also find it very relaxing/enjoyable plus able to taylor the type of shell for pressure and shot charge.

Presently only reload for a Parker 12 SBT. QUESTION: Should the loads be low pressure to protect the shotgun. If yes, what pressure threshold?

[Carvel Whaley]

I load 2 7/8 tens, 2 1/2 and 2 3/4 twelves, twentys, twenty eights, four tens and about 20 different rifle and pistol calibers. I have 4 MEC 650's 2 MEC 600's and a PW in 4 Gage's. Also have a RCBS rock chucker, a Lee press, a Dillon square deal, a Dillon 450 and several hand loaders of various makes. I have been loading since 1959. How time flys. Carvel

[Les Van Drie]

I load the short ten, 12ga 16 ga. Load several rifle and pistol calibers. Started in the late 1960s with the little Lee hand tools. Now use Mec 600s , Mec 9000 and Dillon.

[Chad Hefflinger]

Loading light 12's and 16's

[Chuck Bishop]

Paul, assuming your SBT barrel has not been messed with, the lock up is tight, and the wood sound, you can shoot any legal trap load, no problem.

[Bill Jolliff]

I reload 12 gauge 2 3/4 inch shells in 0.5, 0.6 and 0.75 ounce lead shot loads using Alliant Extra Lite powder and Claybuster CB 0175-12 wads.

Nice mild loads for shooting in my Fox doubles.

[Christian Gish]

I load 12ga, 20ga and 410 using 2 presses made by Savage Arms in the late 1960's. I like Red Dot for 12ga, Green Dot for 20ga and 410 f0r the 410. For use in Parkers I have only loaded 20ga for use in Vulcan steel barrels.

[Andy Humphriss]

I load for a VHS 12ga 7/8 oz and 1 oz, custom VH 16 ga 0 frame 3/4 oz and 7/8 oz and repro 28 ga 3/4 oz. I have been shooting sporting clays for some time and purchased 1 ton of shot #7' 8' 8.5 and 9 for $ 16.25 a bag. I'm down to 12 bags but enjoy loading for my Parker's and other guns , as well as metallic cartridges.

[bill grill]

Been reloading since early 80's load 12 and 20 ga. hunting, trap, low pressure, and spreader loads. Find it avery pleasurable way to spend winter afternoons and evenings. I reload on Pacific 366 presses.

[Mike Franzen]

Do these count ?

[Rick Losey]

i count 19

[Dean Romig]

Mike, is that wax securing the overshot wad?

[Pete Lester]

Mike, is that wax securing the overshot wad?

Might be "hot glue".

[CraigThompson]

I've yet to try my hand at reloading brass shotgun shells or pinfire shotgun shells .

Maybe one of these days but not yet :whistle: