reloading vs purchase of 12ga light target loads

[ruggerio]

i have been doing a bunch of shotgunning and was wondering the cost vs benifts of reloading 12ga. light target loads ( 2-3/4 " & 1-1/8th oz of shot )rather then buying them i have been able to buy 5 flat packs for about 270 per 1250 rounds considering the time it takes to relaod is it woth it from a cost point of view? and also what is and how fast are the latest multi stage re loaders any insight would be helpfull. i did some limited shotshell loading for a while a long time ago and have not been involved for over 15 trs.
thanks

[knight0334]

Lead prices are still expensive for shot.

A 11lb bag of #7-1/2 is about $48. With a typical 1oz load per shell you'd get about 176 shells loaded out of that bag of lead. Which would equate to about $7.00+ per box of 25 shells in lead alone. ....not counting hulls, primers, cups, wads, and powder.


I think you can still get boxes of 25 shells of game/target loads for $5 +/_ at Walmart, Gander, and other places.

[knight0334]

Correction(bad math and found better price). The $48 price i gave was for nickel plated shot.

You can get 25lb bags of 7-1/2 for $43 elsewhere.

175000gr/437.5=400 shells

400 shells/25= 16 boxes

$43/16 = $2.69 a box in lead.

=====

Nickel plated shot price

77000gr/437.5=176 shells

176 shells/25 = 7 boxes

$48/7 = $6.86 a box in lead

[93-2.3]

not to jack someones thread but i have thought of buying a 12 and 20 gauge loader how much is initial cost for a setup about and also is it legal to load flechettes into shot gun rounds just curious i have thought about it but dont need to get myself fined or jailed ya know

[WVBob]

93-2.3 - Where can you get flechettes that will fit in a 12ga?

If you need a very light load that works, Alliant Winchester list a light target load; 7/8 shot, Red Dot powder, 1200 fps at 6900 PSI. A 1 1/8 load using Red Dot at 1200fps is 10,500 PSI. You will not get the long targets and they don't cycle most auto's, but you can shoot all day. I went looking for a light load before I had shoulder surgery and found the loads on the Alliant web page.

http://www.alliantpowder.com/

[Kaos]

Originally Posted by WVBob

93-2.3 - Where can you get flechettes that will fit in a 12ga?

If you need a very light load that works, Alliant Winchester list a light target load; 7/8 shot, Red Dot powder, 1200 fps at 6900 PSI. A 1 1/8 load using Red Dot at 1200fps is 10,500 PSI. You will not get the long targets and they don't cycle most auto's, but you can shoot all day. I went looking for a light load before I had shoulder surgery and found the loads on the Alliant web page.

http://www.alliantpowder.com/

flechettes are available many places online...legality...unknown. Load at your own risk!

[ThunderingWind]

Originally Posted by ruggerio

I have been able to buy 5 flat packs for about $270 per 1250 rounds

Please tell us where you get the ammo for .21 a round. I would like to know and buy some at this price. I am paying .23 per round.
Can you get a similar good deal on slugs?

[Hawk]

This topic has been beaten to death on this forum.

As of today, it won't be any cheaper reloading. Reload because you want a hobby or want special loads. When I was shooting trap, my typical load was 1 1/8 of #7.5, Gun club hulls, 16 gns of reddot, fig8 wads, and 209 primers = 1040fps. The guys used to joke about how soft my shots were. I never had any issues breaking the birds with this load.

[ruggerio]

Originally Posted by ThunderingWind

Please tell us where you get the ammo for .21 a round. I would like to know and buy some at this price. I am paying .23 per round.
Can you get a similar good deal on slugs?

this was the offer at m&m hunting preserve/clays for fiocchi # 8s 1-1/8 oz shot. it was 54 per flat of 5x 25 rnds . 5 flat min purchase so 5 x 54 = 270

[ruggerio]

Originally Posted by Hawk

This topic has been beaten to death on this forum.

As of today, it won't be any cheaper reloading. Reload because you want a hobby or want special loads. When I was shooting trap, my typical load was 1 1/8 of #7.5, Gun club hulls, 16 gns of reddot, fig8 wads, and 209 primers = 1040fps. The guys used to joke about how soft my shots were. I never had any issues breaking the birds with this load.

well after the initial invesment is gotten back it actually would be cheaper. although i have enjoyed reloading shotshells in the past i would be more interested in the value aspect then the hobby end of it.
i think with a multi stage press and the hydrolic attachments two of us could do several thousand in a mornings worth of work.
anyway thanks for the input everyone.