to load a box of shotgun shell for about 3.00 a box is alfull hard to do if to go to a sporting goods store and buy you supplies. lead 45.00 for 25lbs,wads 11.00 for 500,primers 35.00 a thousand and powder at 24.00 a lbs. and here theres 6 percent tax too, and that comes out to over .25 cents per shell. now if you go in with friends and buy a truck load of supplies you can cut the cost quite a bit. i just bought rem gun club 1-1/8-#7.5 shot 12ga shells at bass pro for 53.00 a flat including tax and that comes out to .22 cents a shell, and its hard to load a comparable load for that price. i am not busting any one,s balls,but for alot of people reloading may not be the money savings thing to do,as not every one has a mec 9000g or ever a mec 650. try running 500 shells with your mec 600 or god forbid a lee load all in less than 2-3 hours. eastbank.
410 usefulness
- Thread starter Gdawgs
- Start date
My dad has a ton (well maybe not literally) of shot laying around at his place. He used to reload 20 some years ago, but I think his reloading days are over. So I think I can sweet talk him out of that. I already have a few different powders on hand that will work for 410 (Lil gun, 4227, 296 and 2400), so I just need some wads and a reloader. I don't reload just for the cost savings, I like doing it.
Are the MECs the reloaders of choice these days? I can't remember what my dad has, but it's not a MEC. Works really well though, but that's a 12 ga.
Are the MECs the reloaders of choice these days? I can't remember what my dad has, but it's not a MEC. Works really well though, but that's a 12 ga.
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oneounceload
Moderator
I buy reclaimed shot at $1/pound; wads are $8/bag, powder in 8# jugs is $14/pound and primers by the 5000 are $18/1000. My prices are OTD through my local club
I can easily run 6 boxes on my MEC Jr. - not 500 to be sure - but more than enough for a trip to the range
For light loading duties, the MEC 600 will do the job - to add a little speed, get the auto prime feed
oneounceloads, you have said the majic words,thru my gun club. at thoses prices it,s 3.60 a box,but not every one can get those prices in most areas. and i too like to reload shotgun and pistol plus rifle and don,t count my time. i have been shooting trap twice a week and shoot four round,plus a pratice round at each range,so thats 250 rounds,plus i shot five stand twice a month, two rounds and that a exra 100 rounds and sporting clays also twice a month for another 100 rounds. thats at least 450 rounds a month. i would love to buy at the prices you do,but alas i must hunt long and hard at gun shows,flea markets and yard sales to try to keep costs down.i did get a good buy off a man who quit shooting,claybusters,7.00 a bag and fresh shot at 25.00,but didn,t get near enough. i would be hard put to get rid of my 9000g and my 650. good shooting eastbank.
bamaranger
New member
.410
Sure, I started with a .410 and my Dad hunted with one also on bunnies ahead of beagles. A few squirrels, (Dad didn't hunt squirrels) ....I even killed a pheasant with it and grouse that flushed into the open. But none of it was demanding wing shooting. Most of it a good shot could have done with a .22. But as a kid...I was not a good shot, I was tyro. The .410 and a load of 7-1/2 shot let me take small game that was stopped or relativley slow moving, consistently to 20-25 yds. A big mistake is to use to large of shot. The 3" shell is the game load, and 6 shot or smaller is the rule (Dad and I killed a LOT of rabbits with 7-1/2).
I jumped to a 16 ga pretty quick, and then to a 12 ( no 20 in the house).
Limited to such use, a .410 can suffice as a starter, but as noted, its a handicap on doves, passing pheasants, true wing shooting and most clay birds as well.
A .410 sets at the back door these days as a pest gun, .....and I remember.
Sure, I started with a .410 and my Dad hunted with one also on bunnies ahead of beagles. A few squirrels, (Dad didn't hunt squirrels) ....I even killed a pheasant with it and grouse that flushed into the open. But none of it was demanding wing shooting. Most of it a good shot could have done with a .22. But as a kid...I was not a good shot, I was tyro. The .410 and a load of 7-1/2 shot let me take small game that was stopped or relativley slow moving, consistently to 20-25 yds. A big mistake is to use to large of shot. The 3" shell is the game load, and 6 shot or smaller is the rule (Dad and I killed a LOT of rabbits with 7-1/2).
I jumped to a 16 ga pretty quick, and then to a 12 ( no 20 in the house).
Limited to such use, a .410 can suffice as a starter, but as noted, its a handicap on doves, passing pheasants, true wing shooting and most clay birds as well.
A .410 sets at the back door these days as a pest gun, .....and I remember.
oneounceload
Moderator
The 28 doesn't handicap any more than a 20 - ammo and guns can be found at walmart, let alone any gun shop - and it is a MUCH better choice than a 410 for the same tasks
Eastbank - have you tried buying through the places where you are shooting? Even if the club doesn't do it (which is self-defeating, IMO), there will then usually be a group doing a bulk order group buy - ask at the club, put up a note on the bulletin board expressing your desire to go in on one, etc. Otherwise, except for shot, buy in bulk - get two 8# jugs and 5000 or more primers at one time and the hazmat fees become miniscule as they get spread over the cost per shell.
In fact, my club just sold some reclaimed to a club in PA. There are plenty of clubs in PA and they get their fields mined all the time
Eastbank - have you tried buying through the places where you are shooting? Even if the club doesn't do it (which is self-defeating, IMO), there will then usually be a group doing a bulk order group buy - ask at the club, put up a note on the bulletin board expressing your desire to go in on one, etc. Otherwise, except for shot, buy in bulk - get two 8# jugs and 5000 or more primers at one time and the hazmat fees become miniscule as they get spread over the cost per shell.
In fact, my club just sold some reclaimed to a club in PA. There are plenty of clubs in PA and they get their fields mined all the time
Gunplummer
New member
I have used .410's for years. I think the only shotgun I own with out a scope on it is a .410, and I recently sold one with a scope at an auction. Good enough for deer around here. 16 and 28 gauge common? Where in the world are you at? The man is talking about hunting, not standing around at the skeet range. If the kid can't handle a 20 gauge, he sure isn't going to want to shoot for a couple hours at a range. The only drawback I ever saw was the price of shells because I never bothered to reload for shotguns.
Teh Walmartz sell whatever sells in their area*..... I can't say that I've ever seen 28 guage shells, let alone 28 guage guns, at any of the ones around here...... the one in Bellvue stopped selling guns .... still have ammo. Probably has something to do with the fact that they are within 5 minutes of a Cabela's in one direction, a Bass Pro in the other, and Scheel's is on the other side of town.......
*The Walmart in McCook, NE had reloading stuff in it last time I was there. The one in Littleton, CO near my brother's house sells AR's. They'd sell their mothers' underwear if they could figure out a way to do it at a profit, and in volume. Not that this is a bad thing..... that's why all businesses are in business: to make money.
oneounceload
Moderator
I was just in wally world an hour ago - 5 different ARs in the racks, two types of 28 ammo on the shelf
And a 28 gauge 1100 is even more forgiving
Exactly - no one mentioned skeet - try expanding your horizons - the 16 and 28 are as popular as ever, bird hunters are realizing how great those two bore sizes are, ammo is readily available both locally and on line, folks appreciate the better quality guns built on true-sized frames, and on and on
Maybe you should check out both the 16 gauge society and the 28 gauge society for more enlightenment..............
And a 28 gauge 1100 is even more forgiving
Exactly - no one mentioned skeet - try expanding your horizons - the 16 and 28 are as popular as ever, bird hunters are realizing how great those two bore sizes are, ammo is readily available both locally and on line, folks appreciate the better quality guns built on true-sized frames, and on and on
Maybe you should check out both the 16 gauge society and the 28 gauge society for more enlightenment..............
Wow, I didn't mean to start a fight with this thread. Our local Wal Mart does not carry guns. They do have 28 ga shells though. Our LGS does not have any 28 ga guns either(and they have a pretty large selection of guns), but they do carry the ammo as well. Apparently 28 ga doesn't sell much around here.
Anyway, here's the lowdown on the kids. I took them both(8 yr old son, 11 yr old daughter) back to the gun store today. The 510 Mini actually fits them both pretty nicely (keep in mind, our kids are pretty runty, they are both one of the smallest kids in their classes). My 11 year old would benefit from the stock extension, but could shoot it fine as is.
They also had 505 Youth models there in 410 and 20 ga. These were obviously way too big for both of them. Even my daughter had to extend her forward arm almost completely straight to reach the pump.
So if we decide to buy one (which I believe we are going to do), it will have to be the 510 Mini, since nothing else fits him. It will last him 2-3 years, and at that time we'll either trade it off for something bigger, or by then, his little sister who is now 4 will be able to use it if she gets into shooting.
Thanks again for the advice.
Our local Wal Mart does not carry guns. They do have 28 ga shells though. Our LGS does not have any 28 ga guns either(and they have a pretty large selection of guns), but they do carry the ammo as well. Apparently 28 ga doesn't sell much around here. Anyway, here's the lowdown on the kids. I took them both(8 yr old son, 11 yr old daughter) back to the gun store today. The 510 Mini actually fits them both pretty nicely (keep in mind, our kids are pretty runty, they are both one of the smallest kids in their classes). My 11 year old would benefit from the stock extension, but could shoot it fine as is.
They also had 505 Youth models there in 410 and 20 ga. These were obviously way too big for both of them. Even my daughter had to extend her forward arm almost completely straight to reach the pump.
So if we decide to buy one (which I believe we are going to do), it will have to be the 510 Mini, since nothing else fits him. It will last him 2-3 years, and at that time we'll either trade it off for something bigger, or by then, his little sister who is now 4 will be able to use it if she gets into shooting.
Thanks again for the advice.
Gunplummer
New member
I actually did run into two guys that were part of the 16 gauge society up on a mountain one day. I was coming down and showed them 2 grouse I had. They had 1 grouse and dogs. They seemed a little miffed because I was using the old recurve Bear and shot them off a limb. Little to snooty for me.
Well we bought the 510 Mini yesterday! He was very excited to say the least. We went out to the range today and tried it out. He was a bit hesitant to take the first shot because he was afraid that it was going to kick. But after a little pep talk he pulled the trigger, then got a huge grin on his face "Again, Again!!"
So we started out with three clays just laying on the ground. He pounded those quickly then we moved on to more challenging things. I had a couple of frisbees that we got at parades, so I threw those up in the air and he was able to hit those after a couple of tries. I also had some rabbit clays that I picked up after a sporting clays session, so I just rolled those on the ground while he shot away. I'd say he was able to hit about 50% on those. He even powdered a couple of them. So he felt pretty good. We then tried three or four thrown clays and of course he missed all of those, but that's to be expected.
Overall I'd say it was a very successful trip to the range, and he loves his new gun. He wants to go every weekend now, which is fine with me. But I'm going to have to find a reloader. He shot almost two boxes of shells today, plus the two we shot last week with dad's gun.
Thanks again for all the advice!
So we started out with three clays just laying on the ground. He pounded those quickly then we moved on to more challenging things. I had a couple of frisbees that we got at parades, so I threw those up in the air and he was able to hit those after a couple of tries. I also had some rabbit clays that I picked up after a sporting clays session, so I just rolled those on the ground while he shot away. I'd say he was able to hit about 50% on those. He even powdered a couple of them. So he felt pretty good. We then tried three or four thrown clays and of course he missed all of those, but that's to be expected.
Overall I'd say it was a very successful trip to the range, and he loves his new gun. He wants to go every weekend now, which is fine with me. But I'm going to have to find a reloader. He shot almost two boxes of shells today, plus the two we shot last week with dad's gun.
Thanks again for all the advice!
Picked up the press yesterday. Here it is mounted on my reloading table. Please fogive my messy garage. Now I just need to pick up some shot and wads and I'm ready to go. I did play around with the Winchester 296 powder. Sounds like these fine, slow powders don't feed well in these presses. They make a brass washer that you install up by the powder bushing and that is supposed to help. The press didn't come with that so I have to order one.
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