Reloading for shotguns

[John A.]

Ok, I admit that I've been on a bit of a shotgun kick lately.  I bought a turkish semiauto 12 gauge several years ago that I really honestly like.  But, there have been several things I thought could be better so I've been making many of the parts that I'm putting on it myself.  But, that isn't what this topic is about.

I've used shotguns for the biggest part of my life.  And there are things about shotguns that are very different than any other gun you'll shoot.  I'm concentrating on the patterns.  Seems as if every different load or every different brand or even different shot size shoots differently.  I'm sure that I'm not the only person that's noticed that.

So, I've been concentrating more on handloading them this summer to get more things to shoot the same point of aim regardless of what I'm launching downrange.

What I have been doing is stupid simple and I'm not really sure why the ammo manufacturers aren't doing this themselves.

Using the same powder.  The same hull.  The same wad and components and near as near the same weight as possible when making my shells.

And do you know what?  You probably wouldn't be surprised but that's working. 

I put a circle dot reticle similar to an eotech on that shotgun and at the distances that I would normally use a shotgun at and zeroed it using slugs, then the point of impact with the buckshot is the essentially the same.  Granted and obviously the buckshot is going to spread out more than a slug, but I have them both shooting closely enough that it no longer matters which type of shell is chambered.  They're both going to hit where I'm aiming.

I don't really know what led me to start going down this path, but I'm glad I'm here.  I've been loading some really nice 12 pellet 1 ought and 2 ought combination loads.

Actually, the 1 ought pellets are steel ball bearings that I bought off amazon back during one of the ammo panics.  I think I paid $10 for a 15 pound bag or something like that.  I'm putting the smaller hardened steel ball bearings down in the wad first (to better protect my barrel bore) and then placing the lead double ought on top of those, which does seat slightly above the top of the wad but they won't hurt the barrel or choke as it goes through.  This seemed like a logical way to do that.  The main reason I am using a combination of steel and lead though is the weight and how many pellets that I can pack in each shell. 12 pellets will always been better than 8 or 9 that you would normally get in a factory shell.  But, I'm especially doing it to keep the weight as close as I can to the 1 oz slug I'm casting.

Anyway, I just figured I'd share some of my adventures with y'all if any of you ever wanted to go down that path too.  It's really nice to be able to put a shotgun up in the safe and not have to remember where all the different point of aim holds you're going to have to try for every different shell you're going to need to remember 3 years from now. 

At the end of the day, keep everything as near the same as possible.  The gun doesn't know the difference between 1 ounces of pellets or 1 ounces of slug.  But shotgun loading manuals seem to have 10 different recipes to load the same 1 oz of buckshot or slugs or birdshot.  I've just been getting away from that and have a load that I like that am sticking with for everything in the home defense load department.

Plus, since the load is only around 1230 fps, is enough to cycle the action, and just barely more kick than any other regular low brass target load you'd use which makes it soft shooting, low flash in complete darkness, and low recoil and fast followups.  None of which are a bad attributes if having to use it in a defensive manner. 

[The_Shadow]

I started loading 12 gauge shot shell on the LEE Load All press for my duck hunting needs till they stopped us from using LEAD SHOT!

However, I still load shotshells, Buckshot that I cast (#4 Buck and #00 Buck) and cast Lyman 525 Slugs.

Blue Dot was my preferred powder for these over the years, but I may need to use another powder if I can't get the Blue Dot.

[John A.]

I also use a lee load all press.  Have the inserts for 12, 16 and 20 ga for it.  I've used it a lot over the years.  Though, I generally just measure the powder charges separately each shot and don't generally use their powder bushings.

With that said, I've used clays (which has been ubobtanium for a few years) and I don't have much left.  Especially considering that my powder puff loads in 45 also use clays.

Titegroup is also pretty good for mild low recoil loads and uses a lot less powder than some of the other choices. 

For my hot "hold my beer" loads, I've always used longshot.  Which is what I think some of the commercial manufacturers use too because I like smelling of the hulls after I shoot them and smells the same.

FWIW, the clays, kinda smells more like ammonia-ey cat piss to me.  I just usually pick those hulls up and stuff them in the pouch.

I don't have any state laws about using anything other than lead for the kind of hunting I do (I don't duck hunt). 

But just in case things got really bad, I did buy a lead dripper where I could make my own #6 SHOT if worse came to worse.  I bought a little steel cake or bread pan and have a few burners (LP or electric) to get the lead hot enough to melt.  Pretty interesting concept actually.  I need to get off of my duff and finish that project.  I've had it sitting in a corner for a while now.  I bought a single dripper from ebay for a couple of dollars, and I have a lathe and was planning to just copy the one I bought to get a multiple dripper like in the video below.  I also bought the tap to thread the pot too.  Would seem to be pretty straightforward.  Like most of the guys here, I think most of us want to be as self sufficient prepared and capable to make it passed shortages and panics without too much stress.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64gRuM6jtwg

[The_Shadow]

Longshot is what I used for some 410 shotshells I made for my nephew.  Its good stuff too!

My Blue Dot load for the Lyman Slugs is a healthy dose...Remington Wingmaster with my 20" Slug Barrel

RIO Blue Hull High Brass(6 segment crimp) 2 3/4"
Lyman 525 grain Slug (12 Gauge Hollow Base - Sabot Slug (12ga Sabot) - #SC12)
Modified Red Wad (with two cushions cut out, cut off disk placed in above piston)
Blue Dot 44.6 grains
CCI 209 Velocity was 1450 fps





This is my duplex #4 Buck and #00 Buck

Duplex load 00 Buck and #4Buck
35.0 grains Blue Dot
Velocity was 1100 (crimp not the best)- Good crimp 1250 fps

[John A.]

I appreciate folks that aren't afraid to make their own loads.  Those look really respectable.

I've just been using the lee 1 oz slug mold because it's what I have, despite that everyone has told me the 7/8 is more accurate and stabilizes better.

As for 410, I made my own 410 handloader out of some scrap steel and aluminum that I had laying around in my shop.

It's slow, but reloads just fine.  I need to get some 410 wads and overshot cards.  410 shells these days cost more than 12 gauge, and that's obscene to me.

I taught all of my kids how to hunt and shoot shotguns with a 410.  I cut my teeth on 410 back in the day too.  I still enjoy using them.  The only thing it lacks is a little range and a few pellets.  I have literally laughed out loud at people that have said that 410 is too weak to do anything with other than busting snakes.