Shotshell reloading lead economy

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Half-Cocked

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So as I am getting into shotgun reloading I've been thinking that it would be more economical to remove shot from factory shells than buy a #15 bag for 58 dollars.

No 8 shot contains 1 to 1 1/8 ounces of shot. 16 ounces to a pound 25 shells in a box. Bird shot is what at most 10 bucks for 25 shells so 25 ounces for 10 bucks plus 25 primers. Roughly 3.3 boxes makes 15 pounds if my math is right.

What I would really like to do is buy the cheap bird shot, gently uncrimp the shell, harvest the lead and cast to a slug then put the slug in the cup, crimp back.

Think it's possible? Paying 1 buck or more for slugs when I can find them sucks.
 
Why wouldn’t you just buy or cast your own slugs from lead and load them in once fired hulls from scratch?
I think you can probably get 25 pounds of reclaimed shot for around $60?
I think lead shot contains a bit of arsenic so be sure to melt it in a well ventilated area.
 
I don’t think your math is quite right. Let’s assume your cheap shells are 1oz loads, that’s 25 ounces per box. It would require 240 shells to get 15 pounds which is almost 10 boxes of shells.

You are right not sure how I figured 3.3 boxes is equal to 15 pounds. Must of been a late night.

Sorry guys you were right. Cast slugs is the way to go. Probably end up getting the lee 7/8 or 1 ounce slug mold.
 
When I was poor, I would go to the range and pick up bullets after a rain. I could fill a 3 lb coffee can up in about 10 minutes.
This is exactly what I would do if I was into casting slugs. I'd be there at first light and I'd be saving the copper jackets too. Scrap copper is getting a pretty good return right now.
 
Not a bad idea at all. I know a shop where they save the wheel weights. However, that type of lead is probably harder.

My uncle used to melt those down and pour into little holes he made in the ground for crude fishing weights. Add a paper clip in the soft lead before it hardens and boom near free fishing weights.

The range harvest idea sounds better. Gives me some exercise and cleans things up just a little.
 
H-C when reloading modern shotshells use a book or published load sheet for each load. Smokeless shotshell re-loading lead, steel, tungsten, or slugs of different shapes and materials use a specific primer -hull- powder- and wad, and sometimes crimp to keep pressures below safety standards.
 
H-C when reloading modern shotshells use a book or published load sheet for each load. Smokeless shotshell re-loading lead, steel, tungsten, or slugs of different shapes and materials use a specific primer -hull- powder- and wad, and sometimes crimp to keep pressures below safety standards.

This right here. A 1 ounce slug will develop pressures differently than a birdshot load as it will interact and compress differently with the bore. It may also require a different wad altogether, or no wad (just fiber cushions and a gas seal) depending on the style of slug.

Get a good manual that explains the entire process. A wad isn’t just a wad, different wads are required for different hulls, different types of shot, etc. their are many different types and styles of hulls that require different components.

Slug loading is an entirely different ball of wax, just like steel, tungsten, bismuth and other types of shot load differently and require different components than lead.
 
Ol Half-Cocked has put the cart before the horse again lol. Honestly I have to buy several reloading manuals.

For now I am holding off on the shell reloading. It kinda scares me for good reason lol. In the meantime the press is mounted and looks sweet!

Waiting on Lyman's 51st to see if they include 350 legend. Also will pick up one of thier shotgun specific books.

One question though maybe you can answer does the actual shell length matter at all as long as the column is tight?

I know you guys work off of proven recipes which are for the standard chamberings. I was just curious.
 
Yes hull length matters to get the correct crimp. That's why you use a book load, kinda figured out for you. 6 star crimp, 8 star crimp, roll crimp, everything under the crimp counts towards combined column length to make a good crimp, not too tight, not too loose. It sounds complicated but it really isn't once you start loading.
 
HC, check out BPI, they have loads listed on their site. There may be some slug loads.
They also have reloading data manuals to purchase.
 
Yes hull length matters to get the correct crimp. That's why you use a book load, kinda figured out for you. 6 star crimp, 8 star crimp, roll crimp, everything under the crimp counts towards combined column length to make a good crimp, not too tight, not too loose. It sounds complicated but it really isn't once you start loading.

I got it I just had an oh yeah moment. You have to have enough gift wrap to cover up the package so to speak. If the plastic is cut too short and you try to crimp the column it might not crimp all the way and leave a hole in the middle.

Or the other way around if you were to have too much material it would bunch up on the middle and it wouldn't crimp properly. It's all kind of making sense.

I'm trying to learn multiple things related to reloading right now including cast bullets gas checks the list goes on. It's a little bit overwhelming.
 
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Ol Half-Cocked has put the cart before the horse again lol. Honestly I have to buy several reloading manuals.

For now I am holding off on the shell reloading. It kinda scares me for good reason lol. In the meantime the press is mounted and looks sweet!

Waiting on Lyman's 51st to see if they include 350 legend. Also will pick up one of thier shotgun specific books.

One question though maybe you can answer does the actual shell length matter at all as long as the column is tight?

I know you guys work off of proven recipes which are for the standard chamberings. I was just curious.
If you're interested, i can share the brochures and manuals that i got from BPI, on shotshell reloading, with you.
 
Yes my friend I would like that. I am still holding off getting my feet wet but this would give me a shopping list. I Going to wait until more supplies are available and see what is involved in smelting slugs. I want to see how cheap I can go to make it worth it. Factory slugs are 12 bucks for 10.

Need rifled slugs or the mold to make em. Plus lead if I make em. Proper shot cup and powder per a recipe. Also want to explore steel shot shells. Basically the pricer stuff if I were to buy factory.

That priorty may change the way prices are going. Looking at 8 shot the other day and it was near 12 a box. That's up from 7 or 8 bucks.

I can tell you that reloading is a fantastic hobby I have more confidence in my small hand made batches of carefully made ammo than factory ammo.

I use 2 beam scales and one digital weighing each charge and verifying. Filling the cases one by one moving an empty case from the left, filling with powder and moving to the right to await a bullet. I have now a overly cautious approach with checks and balances.
 
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I think you’ll be hard pressed to load shot shells for less than $7.50 or $8.00 a box, the cost of shot is the biggest factor. I was in Walmart the other day and they had Remington STS 12 gauge target loads for $8.something a box.
I used to buy wads and primers in bulk, 5 or 10K at a time, powder in 5 or 8lb cans and I’d buy shot in big group buys and it was easy to save money but shot was like $12-$15 a bag back then.
 
I think you’ll be hard pressed to load shot shells for less than $7.50 or $8.00 a box, the cost of shot is the biggest factor. I was in Walmart the other day and they had Remington STS 12 gauge target loads for $8.something a box.
I used to buy wads and primers in bulk, 5 or 10K at a time, powder in 5 or 8lb cans and I’d buy shot in big group buys and it was easy to save money but shot was like $12-$15 a bag back then.

Trap/target loads are about a break even deal, depending what you are comparing with. Using good quality shot you are comparing to STS/AA/gold medal loads. Elcheapo/promo loads use poor, softer and inconsistent shot.

Field, specialty, and heavy steel shot loads is where you really make hay. At today’s prices my 1 3/8 oz lead field and 3 1/2” steel loads are about half what the comparable loads are in the store.
 
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