Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirk Mckinney
Guys. After getting some great ideals from everyone on this site. Anxious to take on this custom shotgun reloading operation in my garage lol. I began to look at prices and wow. I figure roughly $7 a box. Am I missing anything. I saw Winchester steel shot in Walmart the other day for $5.49 a box and I already have my hulls. Anyone done any research on buying the shells over the counter , taking them apart and using the components to reload their own lol lol. It may be worth looking into. See you in the field. Thanks everyone for help
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Kirk,
For loading these light loads, the economics of it is only part of it. I estimate that my 2 1/2" and 2 3/4" 0.5 and 0.72 ounce loads are costing me around $4.00 - $4.25 per box of 25. To get down in that neighborhood you have to get your components at realistic prices and usually in quantity.
Hulls at no cost, lead at around $42.00 for 25 pounds, primers at around $33.00 per 1000, powder at around $20 - 22 per pound and wads at around 2 cents each. My filler wads for 1/2 ounce loads are from Circle Fly at around 1.5 cents each.
Alliant Extra Lite powder that I use for the 1/2 ounce loads is tough to find. I had to go the internet route to find an 8 pound jug and bite the bullet to have it shipped. The powder, shipping and haz-mat fee put the cost of that jug at about $180.00 or about $22.50 per pound. But when I can load 500 rounds or 20 boxes of 1/2 ounce loads for one pound of powder, I'm happy with that.
RST in PA is a good source of light 12 gauge loads at around $10.50 per box for light stuff and up from there. Shipping is an extra cost. If you go to any of the side by side shoots around the eastern part of USA, they may be there and you can save shipping.
As for finding a good buy on ammo and taking them apart for the components, I think kinda risky unless you find a published recipe for using those components.
AND DO NOT SHOOT STEEL SHOT IN YOUR STERLINGWORTH.
You might research using the quite available IMR 700X powder that works fine for 3/4 ounce using Claybuster CB0175-12 wads, Winchester primers, Winchester AA or any current Remington hull - Gun Clubs, STS's, Nitro Gold, etc. For 7/8 ounce do the same thing but get your self some CB0178-12 wads.
You probably won't save much money but you'll be able to load up some light stuff that would other wise cost you more $$.
Besides, it's fun.