et1
Member
Posts: 120
Location: Ontario Canada
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Post by et1 on Jul 3, 2014 15:39:03 GMT -5
My initial introduction to years of hunting were strictly done with a shotgun and is still often used today as I’m seen as a diversified hunter.
After all what game can’t you hunt at one point in time with a shotgun?
Don’t get me wrong as I also enjoy and prefer rifle shooting for some game and it would be a sad day if rifles were restricted even more. But if it ever came to the point of being limited to 1-firearm the obvious choice would be a shotgun.
Of course there is the selection of different gauges but for me the 12gauge is king.
Before choke tubes you had to decide what fixed choke you wanted. Today there is such a wide variety and level of removable choke tubes including aftermarket tubes. At the beginning it was just lead shot and when laws came out banning lead shot a variety of non toxic appeared to get around the lead ban.
Then of course the length of shells changed especially with the 12gauge that I started at 2-3/4” and now is up to 3-1/2”. What also followed were slugs, rifled choke tubes and rifled barrels. In the right hands I’ve seen some impressive groups past 100yds. Yes shell technology is also changing.
Now many will say there’s nothing you can do with a shotgun to improve it. Well I call BS on that one but I’ll save that for another topic.
Hopefully some good helpful topics will emerge where we can exchange experiences or help someone new to the sport. I will be the first to admit I don’t know it all but have a good background where my shots are very rarely what some call a Hail Mary.
Some topics that may be of interest are;
Stock fit
Patterning shot
High-low allocation for pattern
Stance and follow through
Honing step chamber to bore for less lead shot deformation
Choke Tube Selection
And there are probably other areas that may be of interest to discuss and all someone has to do is start a new thread.
Ed
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Post by merdoc357 on Jun 5, 2017 8:08:13 GMT -5
So what is the best shot shell press out there? open for comments
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SnapShot
Member
Jeep & Mocha "Remembering Patches, always"
Posts: 699 
Location: Finally free from the Republic of Kalifornia!
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Post by SnapShot on Jun 5, 2017 12:00:01 GMT -5
Well . . . it's been years but back in my shotgun days I used a simple MEC 600 Jr. and loaded thousands of rounds in those years. There are plenty of higher volume systems out there but it was VERY COST EFFECTIVE (read cheap) and never missed a lick.
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gws
Member
Posts: 969
Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Jun 5, 2017 18:57:33 GMT -5
My shotshell press is the Walmart progressive. I go to Walmart to buy Federal or Winchester 12 gauge progressively less and less. Not their fault, I just can't seem to give Saturday Morning and Wednesday nite trap shoots as much time as I used to. Hard to beat the price there though.....especially when you count your time. Until I retire, giving shotgun reloading time is too pricey for me.
Metallic reloading is more cost effective for me at least.
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poohzilla
Member
Give me a place to stand and a long-enough lever, and I will invariably break the lever.
Posts: 1,050
Location: New Hamster
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Post by poohzilla on Jun 5, 2017 19:53:38 GMT -5
I'm kinda in the same boat as Greg. I started with a Lee Loader and a rubber mallet and progressed to a Lee Loadall. I've kept the tooling and actually have produced some slug loads in the last few years (after having gotten a mold from Lee). I shoot so little trap or birds it just doesn't seem worth it to tool up further and keep components around to make a couple of boxes a year. The folks at Walmart or my lgs do fine and the crimps come out better ! My more patient friends run with MEC, which seems to be the standard by which others are judged. I'd start there.
PS-so my fan base won't be completely disillusioned, I still save empty hulls. Go figure.
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Post by hacker54 on Jun 5, 2017 21:44:11 GMT -5
As for me I load for my hunting needs. I use the Lee Load-All. I have one in each gauge 20, 16, and the 12ga. With my son-in-law and the grandsons I see loading more shotshell in the future. I don't shoot trap or skeet so I just load enough to handle the hunting.
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bob
Member
I'm too old to be nice but never too old to learn!
Posts: 1,457
Location: Northern California
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Post by bob on Jun 5, 2017 21:55:18 GMT -5
I have to stand with Greg and Pooh, my progressive or single stage is my LGS. I load enough different metallics to keep me busy.
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Post by springfieldxdm on Nov 25, 2017 21:01:31 GMT -5
I've been loading shotguns shells for the last week, we have a major Thanksgiving day shoot. I'm kinda partial to the Mec sizemaster and the Mec grabber. The sizemaster is great for small volume one off loads, while the grabber is better for full production.
I run adjustable charge bars in both for quick change overs.
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My daughter came from Missouri, my son and grand son, my wife and I had a nice dinner of grilled "porter house" pork chops, corn on the cobb, my son, G'son and I share 10/5. G'son is 4 minutes early though @ 10/4.
Pooh I hope you find to right house . 
