The dreaded "Is shotshell reloading worth it" question

[Researcher]

About 1971 I started out with a Versa-MEC, sort of a deluxe MEC 600 Jr. and had dies for my four skeet gauges. By the time I was about seven years in, I'd worn the threads out from changing dies, so sent it back to MEC with the 20-gauge dies in. In the meantime I checked out a 12-gauge MEC 600 Jr. loaner from the Potomac River Gun Club, and ordered new 28-gauge & .410-bore 600 Jr Mark Vs from Gander Mountain. Near as I can tell MEC put a new machine on top of my old base plate and sent it back gratis. I still had the clubs 12-gauge press when the commanding officer threw us off the base. The President told me to just keep it when we auctioned off all our assets and divided the money up among the life members. Eventually added a 16-gauge 600 Jr. Mark V to the heard. I have the old dining room table from my folks house in the man cave and have a plywood board with screws set in to attach a loader. I use three C-clamps and secure it to the corner of the table and load while watching my big screen.

There is little money to be saved by loading 1 or 1 1/8 ounce 12-gauge shells or 7/8 ounce 20-gauge shells. The real place reloading pays is for 28-gauge and .410-bore. And of course any "specialty" loads like my favorite 7/8 ounce 12- and 16-gauge loads.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Dave Noreen

There is little money to be saved by loading 1 or 1 1/8 ounce 12-gauge shells or 7/8 ounce 20-gauge shells. The real place reloading pays is for 28-gauge and .410-bore. And of course any "specialty" loads like my favorite 7/8 ounce 12- and 16-gauge loads.

The really big savings is found reloading the big bores. There is nothing wrong with RST shells but 25 of their 2 7/8" 10 gauge shells is running $37.50 using their current price for a case of 100. Last time I ran the calculator using components I have picked up over the years I was loading 2 7/8 10 ga for $9 something a box of 25. For most people if you don't reload for a 10 ga you probably won't shoot it much.

[edgarspencer]

Ballistic Products has several manuals. The Advantages manual has loads of 2.5" and they also have a decent manual for small bores.