# thinking about starting



## carp_killer (Nov 24, 2006)

is it worth my time to start reloading my own steel shot shells? basically i want to know how hard it is.

also would like to start reloading .223 and .300 win mag just want to get a idea how hard it would be to get into and if its worth the effort


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

If you already have the shotgun reloader, it isn't all that difficult. Some of the powders, particularly alliant steel seem to work better when ran through a rifle powder measure for some, but I have gotten good results with the bushings or a universal charge bar, you just have to make sure to keep the bottle over 1/2 full, a baffle helps, and follow the same procedure for every shell.

Larger steel will have to be hand dipped, if you buy the steel kit for the mecs, or a steelmaster you just need the appropriate charge bar for up to BB steel and then the proper powder bushing, if it will throw accurate. When I hand dip BBB's or larger, i use old primer trays, setting up the number of pellets i need for the load.

I reload mainly for my 3 1/2" basically duplicating the federal red box ultra shocks 1 1/2 oz load for less than half what they sell for in the store. You can pay for a new reloader within 20-25 boxes of shells.

I stick with primarily federal hulls to get better ballistics, W209 primers, Alliant Steel Powder, and SAM I wads with loads out of reloaders specialties yellow steel manual.

I highly recommend the steel reloading books by precision reloading and reloaders specialties. Lots of different combinations to fit every need with the best ballistic data around and good manuals to learn from.

With steel it is imperative not to substitute any components as you can get drastically different results, even with a simple primer change.

I also recommend rifle reloading as well, if you have the time to put into it. You can load much cheaper, but the more you get into it, the more you want premium components which will probably run you as much as factories, but way cheaper than the premium factories. RCBS, LEE, Hornady and others make everything you need. RCBS is probably the most univerally respected with Hornady not far behind. The LEE classic cast iron press is ever bit the equal of the RCBS Rock Chucker or anything else for single stage and has a nice spent primer mechanism with a tube on it.

RCBS and Hornady make good dies and have good customer service, but I have never ran into some of the problem some people have with the lee dies and they have great customer service too.

RCBS and Hornady make good scales, the lee scale is cheap.

You will also need a powder measure, trimmer, caliper, tumbler and numerous other tools. A priming tool is a great time saver.

Hornady one shot is a must for resizing for me.

I load for 222, 22-250, 243, 257 ackley, 270, 270 weatherby, 300 win mag, 303 british, with mostly lee equipment and have no complaints. Buy a couple of rifle reloading manuals as well.


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## StretchNM (Dec 22, 2008)

Trapper, I used to reload 12 gauge years ago. I don;t anymore because I don;t shoot enough to make it worthwhile. Shotshell reloading is not as complicated as rifle reloads. I'm not saying it isn;t complicated, just not as....

If I were you, I would reload shotshells first, then move on to reloading for your rifle. It's a good primer I think.

The way to go is to get Lee's Loadall II. I had one almost 30 years ago... they WILL reload accurate ammo for you. They cost $40 new if you search around on the internet. They will include absolutely everything you need to start except for hulls, primers, powder, wads and shot. For $40, after a year or so you might decide to get a progressive reloader like a nice MEC or something. You'll only be out $40 and you'll still have that little Lee...AND, by then you'll be very smart about reloading and where it is you want to go from there.

Don;t under-estimate that low-priced little Lee press. Plus, if you later upgrade to a progressive loader, you'll already have all your components and, by then, you'll be reloading your rifle ammo too! (Probably on a Lee press  )

I'm getting ready to start reloading rifle ammo....for the first time. But I know I'll soon be getting back into shotshells. Knowing what I know now, I WILL NOT spend hundreds of dollars on a MEC or Hornady, no matter how nice they are. If you're shooting trap or skeet in regular competitions and travelling around the State then yes, _maybe_. I'll be getting the Lee Loadall.


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## carp_killer (Nov 24, 2006)

can i load steel with that lee load all press? thats what i was thinking about buying. if i do get into rifle i think id buy a lee press as well to start with since im not out so much if i dont like it


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

I'm sure you can, but you will probably be hand weighing the shot. I don't know if you can run steel shot through a load all. You may want to look for a used mec.

With rifle reloading equipment, think it over hard because the higher quality you buy the better your experience will be.


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## StretchNM (Dec 22, 2008)

It's been many years since I had my Loadalls, so I'll allow room for error here: I can;t see any limitations to running steel shot in the Loadall. The bushing you choose for the amount of shot might differ from lead shot because of the weight difference, but once you know which bushing will throw which steel shot weight, you'd be right on. Now, you'd have to keep your own chart handy near the press if you loaded several different loads with steel, but that doesn;t seem like a problem to me. (Bushing 9= 1-1/8oz; Bushing 11=1-1/4oz; etc etc).

All bushings come with the Loadall, you'd just have to weigh and substitute to compensate for the steel shot.

I say again: for a beginner, there is no better bargain (for shotshells). It sounds like I'm plugging Lee, but the fact is I'm very impressed with them and their low cost. As I said before, you'll learn all about reloading shotshells and you'll then know IF you need or want to upgrade to a more expensive and faster progressive press.


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## StretchNM (Dec 22, 2008)

There is one more thing: I was reading on another forum a little about steel shot reloading, and the general consensus is that steel shot changes the entire dynamics of the shell. What I mean is, when using steel, the choice of primers and powders, and maybe even wads, becomes more critical.

Now, that doesn;t have any bearing on whether a Loadall will reload steel shotshells, rather you'd just have to consult your reloading manual to see what primers, wads, and powder charge to use with your selected weight of shot. By what I've read, it appears that you couldn;t use the same components when reloading, say, 1-1/8oz of lead shot, and then just change to steel shot. You'd have to re-evaluate all the other components.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

You may find it hard to match factory loads (steel) handloading. I was looking into loading steel for my 20 ga and the loading data available (Precisions steel loading manual) was not recomended for shot larger than #3. The 12 ga data allowed for larger shot but velocities would not come close to some of the premium factory loads. Though, there is a seperate manual with data for high speed loads. I have not seen it so I can't say how they match up with factory loads. I suspect the data for steel loads has been kept on the conservative side for safety (CMA) reasons as the companies providing the data do not have control of how those loads are assembled.


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

The steel shot kit in the mec has basically 3 things that are different from lead reloading. A charge bar accurized for steel with a rubber insert to cushion any shot bridging, which if it wasn't there, would cut into the reloader body or charge bar when it did bridge. A larger shot tube, to alleviate bridging. A larger diameter opening to the shot reservoir.

As far as high performance. Reloader's specialties data has many, many, many loads that far exceed anything available in factories. Over 1800 fps in 3 inch loads 12 ga. Over 1500 in 1 1/2 oz 3 1/2 in loads which in the 3 1/2 at least duplicates the best factories.

One note of caution I have found in patterning, if you drive BB or larger steel faster than 1550, it really starts to knuckleball, leaving holes in the pattern, while super tight areas in other portions of the pattern.


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## mdshuping (Jan 25, 2009)

does anyone have a mec bushing list for 'steel' powder?


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

Alliant does not recommend Steel Powder be run through a bushing due to bulk. It's either a rifle powder measure, or trial and error on the bushings.

My Mec seems to be fairly accurate with Steel going through the bushings. I believe it get 39 grs out of my 41A bushing, or something close to that.


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## Bernie P. (Sep 25, 2008)

I just got into reloading metallic cartridges.I went with the Lee Hand press.Inexpensive and works like a charm.I've had an MEC Sizemaster a long time and while it's a very good unit I don't think you can go wrong with Lee's loader.Bushings and charge bars for my MEC have easily added up to more than the cost of the Lee alone.Just order from a place with a no BS return policy like Cabelas,Midway,etc and if it doesn't work out with steel you can just send it back.


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