SHTF Reloading Options

[DukeConnor]

Please do not try to invent your own shotgun loads.
Shotgun loads are very specific down to wad and shell type.


There is no wiggle room.

[God's Country]

Please do not try to invent your own shotgun loads.
Shotgun loads are very specific down to wad and shell type.


There is no wiggle room.

Agreed in everyday life. In a SHTF world there is always wiggle room.

[bogey1]

Cant go wrong with a blunderbuss.

[West Chester]

In my experience that isn't true at all.

[West Chester]

Please do not try to invent your own shotgun loads.
Shotgun loads are very specific down to wad and shell type.


There is no wiggle room.

In my experience that isn't true at all

[DucatiRon]

Have to disagree there with ya. Smoke poles are very forgiving.

Edit:

I will agree that the loads are very specific but the application can very alot. It is alot simpler than handgun or rifle once you've loaded a couple 10 thousand or so.

Edit #2.

For sake of argument any 12ga hull with just about any 1 and 1/8 oz wad, and 16 grain of just about any non magnum shotgun powder will go bang and be mostly safe in any modern shotgun.

[heatheroo]

A black powder substitute can be made from sugar, salt peter, and rust.

Black powder
Ratio Ingredient Source Available at
75% Salt Peter (potassium Nitrate ) Spectra Stump Remover Lowes
15% Carbon Cowboy Charcoal Lowes
10% Sulfur Lilly Miller Garden Sulfur Dust Lowes

Rocket Fuel
65% Salt Peter (potassium Nitrate ) Spectra Stump Remover Lowes
35% Sucrose (sugar)

[wanneroo]

I think it good to talk about these ideas, you never know, but if you got caught out this time, buy cheap, stack deep next time. At some point in 2025 or something the panic will be over and prices and supplies will normalize. Primers only seem to crap out once they get to about 70-90 years old, powder will last about 70-80 years, bullets dont go bad. Learn to reload, be ahead of the curve several years out with supplies. Never again expect oh I need XYZ, go down to the store and buy it now. When I shot a match back in the fall the numbers were way down because of the ammo and reloading stuff shortage. I heard a lot of guys complaining this was the last ammo they had or they were down to their last primers.

[DukeConnor]

Have to disagree there with ya. Smoke poles are very forgiving.

Edit:

I will agree that the loads are very specific but the application can very alot. It is alot simpler than handgun or rifle once you've loaded a couple 10 thousand or so.

Edit #2.

For sake of argument any 12ga hull with just about any 1 and 1/8 oz wad, and 16 grain of just about any non magnum shotgun powder will go bang and be mostly safe in any modern shotgun.

I had 10k shotgun shells under my belt before I was 10 years old.
Experience is everything when it comes to developing your own load data.
My concern is new loaders, and there is a lot of them now, will kill themselves or me by trying to brew up their own loads. I know this is SHTF stuff but some people experiencing their first component shortage may be tempted to go off book.

[DucatiRon]

I had 10k shotgun shells under my belt before I was 10 years old.
Experience is everything when it comes to developing your own load data.
My concern is new loaders, and there is a lot of them now, will kill themselves or me by trying to brew up their own loads. I know this is SHTF stuff but some people experiencing their first component shortage may be tempted to go off book.

I can definitely agree with you there. You wouldn't believe some of the emails I have had lately. Some of the worst or lack of reloading skills ever.