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Shotshell Guts

oli700

oli700

12g
Supporter
"Philanthropist"
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My felts, gas seals, wads, buffer and overshot cards showed up today.

I got a used Mec 600jr for cheap that should be here the 19th.

I have a Lee furnace and a Lee 18 cavity 00 buck mold on the way as well.

I have been using most of my spare time to research casting , molding lead and lead alloys. I feel I have a good beginners grasp on it to start. I have a couple 00 Buck recipes picked out of the Lyman shotshell handbook. Starting out with Herco powder and I have been going to the gun club and scrounging shotshells, I am starting with some Federal Top Guns.....that happen to be pink for breast cancer.....but whatever I will reload them with 00 buck and show my support for a damn good cause.

I will update as I find time , more than likely get it perfected this winter.
 
If I get good I'll send you a tube full, I would be honored if you shot your bad guy or deer with my hand rolled 10 pellet buffered 00 buck...I'll post a pic of the shot cup part of the wad, they come unslit so you can customize how much the wad opens in flight, or you can load them "unslit" to mimic FC wad. I am going to try a few different configurations...The far left is the complete wad, components on the right.
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Ooooh, Thats cool!

What kind of cost do you have in it so far? I've thought about getting into this very thing, another hobby/project on a long list of things I wanna do! :lol:
 
Not including shipping;

Lyman Shotshell handbook 5th edition $20

Mec 600jr $66 ebay

Lee production pot $47 midway

Lee mold $48 midway

250 wads, felts, gas saels, buffer, overshot cards $56 Ballistic Products

Alliant Herco 1lbs $16 Sportsman warehouse

300 Winchester 209 primers $15 Sportsman warehouse

About 500 fired shotshells all kinds free

300 lbs lead free

Lee mold handles $12

Lee ingot mold $12

After the first 250 shells I will only need powder, wads primers. I will need to get other wads for the different shells and they will be cheaper because the wads I have now are considered expensive. The shells have a few reloads left still and the lead is like 3000 rounds worth. If you want to cast start trying to collect lead now, wheel weights from tire shops for example and buy the Lyman shotshell handbook 5th edition. Start researching castboolits.com
 
I'm not as interested in the casting end of reloading, and dont mind buying shot if I can find either plated or very hard shot. Though it certainly sounds worth doin!

I do like the idea of trying to replicate the Federal FC, so good luck and let me know how it works!!!

Thanks for breakin it all down Oli!
 
Rossignol said:
dont mind buying shot if I can find either plated or very hard shot.
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And there lies the problem...Hornady makes some harder 00 but I can’t find anything else. Also the money savings part goes to hell quick when you account for buying shot.

There are a lot of #1 buck loads too, buffer, non buffered all kinds of shell and wad configurations. I can’t see casting that unless they come out with like a 24 cavity mold.....you can buy all size molds but could you imagine casting one at a time

Buy the Lyman Shotshell handbook 5th edition to start read cover to cover, then buy equipment and components, start saving and scrounging hulls.
 
I've got a box full of hulls, though I somehow managed to throw a smaller box away at some point...

I started saving hulls long agao with the hopes of reloading, so I'm aff to a good start there, though I dont have 500! yet... I also have a mixture of high and low brass, so not all will be suitable for 00 reloading. I def DO NOT wanna be interested in casting target loads!

#1 buck could work, though I agree, not a singular pellet at a time!

I still have yet to get into researching powders. I believe the Hornady powders are available, and a couple others that are known names and used by better well known manufactures... but the names escape me.
 
get the book my brother, all your shells are good for 00 I promise. High brass was invented for extraction purposes and contrary to popular belief has nothing to do with charge or payload. The strength lays in the shot cup or internal bottom of the shell its self. You can load the hottest charged 00 buck in an AA hull
 
Here’s some AA data, color of base wad is different but identical

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The cool thing about the book is ID of shells. A lot of times manufactures will change the outside of shells and use steel or brass or steel plated brass heads. The key is identifying the inside of the shell because that is really what matters in reloading shotshells. I have been doing a lot of research on this.

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Also check out the data table I posted.
Hodgdon HS6 powder, AA hull, 9 Pellet recipe.
 
I use to reload AA shells only way back in the mid 70's with a Mec Jr., and they were said to be the best to reload at the time. I got married and had a family and got a new job that required alot more hours so I gave all my reloading stuff to my brother who later gave it to one of his sons who by the way still uses it. My nephew still has some of the 20 guage I reloaded back in the day. If I start to shoot more I think I will start to reload again as it was very interesting to find all the data on what components are best.
 
Very cool Oli...

I'll be following this thread with lots of interest.
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SHOOTER13 said:
Very cool Oli...

I'll be following this thread with lots of interest.
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Same Here!!! you know, for when my ducks are in a row!
 
The pot and mold came.The mold came without handles. I must have overlooked that so I need to order a set of those but for the most part this is it so I’ll update when I start molding and loading. :ugeek:

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