Recipe of the day.

[glsimon]

Doing first reload. Checked with the local gunshop where I bought the powder for suggestions, opinions, etc., about how (what) to load. The problem is identifying the hull. It is a Remington unibody. I autopsied the hull and found it 1. similar; 2. identical; 3. resembling the hulls pictured in Lyman’s #4, pg 44 et. Seq. either a Target RTL or SP Unibody. The difference being the RTL has a low brass with 8 point crimp and the Unibody having a high brass with 6 point crimp. My hull is a hybrid being a LOW brass with a 6 POINT CRIMP. The recipe that I eventually settled on is 14 grain of Hodgdon International Clays, 7/8 oz, 71/2 lead and either a CCI 209 or Winchester 209 primer. Would appreciate hearing from someone that knows what the hell they are doing while I still have 11 fingers (I can afford to lose one). Am using Lyman’s 4th and Reloading for Shotgunners 5th, and last but not least Seagram's 5th.
GAS

 

[InSoMNiaX23]

I am getting ready to begin reloading for my shotgun in the near future. The way I understand it, as long as you are sticking to a known recipe and not exceeding any maximums, you are in good shape. I am going to be reloading for a 12 gauge, from your picture, that looks like a 20ga., but what press do you have. I am considering the basic one that MEC offers. The 600 Jr.? Good luck.

 

[K80Geoff]

STOP!!!

First, is that a 20 GA shell. Sure looks like a Remington 20.

I have to go check my books, waiting for your reply.

 

[cobra81]

How many of those do you have? If it's not a lot, I'd suggest buying or scrounging a number of Winchester AA hulls. There are certainly other brands of hulls that are very suitable for reloading, but the AA's have the advantage of being so popular that you can find recipes for them in just about every reloading book I've seen. That way you are SURE you are getting the right recipe. Do be aware that there are two types of AA hulls, the older one-piece, and the newer high-strength which is a two-piece. They will differ in the recipes they use, and this obviously is very important.
As far as the hi/lo brass issue, I've only reloaded low brass, as it seems that mostly low brass is used in the target loads I load for clays and trap.
As to the crimp, did you get both the 6 and 8 point crimp-starters with your press? If not, they are inexpensive, and will let you produce good-looking crimps on either shell variant.
BTW, I've found that I get the best and most consistent results from my MEC 9000 by sticking with one brand of hull. And, be sure to get the right wad for the recipe you are using. They are a critical component.
The load that you listed did not include your choice of wad, but it sounds like a good, light recoil load that should work fine and be easy on your shoulder.
I have been using Alliant E3 powder, and really like the fact it doesn't leave much residue in my barrels.
Good luck, and save the Seagram's til after your reloading session

 

[glsimon]

InsoMNiaX23: I hope you don’t mind my calling you by your first name. Yes, I am loading 20 gauge. Also, I am depending on the same rule of thumb that you quote, stick to an established recipe for safety sake and everything should be alright.

I picked up a MEC Jr. 600 on our favorite auction site for 25 bucks. I didn’t expect very much, considering the price, but was pleasantly surprised. I added a universal charge bar (which I am about to toss) and an automatic primer feeder and have a very nice set-up. The problem with the charge bar is that I can’t get two consistent loads, and although the difference is not large, it’s still different. I have ordered a 7/8 charge bar and a couple of bushings, #20 and 21, I chose the loader I chose because I’ve heard bad, bad, bad about used progressive loaders.

K80Geoff: Yes that is a twenty gauge hull, and it is a Remington. I got a couple of thousand from Precision Reloading. I tried going to San Diego Shotgun Sports… wearing a sandwich sign stating “ I will work for hulls” but still couldn’t get enough, so... Of all the hulls I was able to salvage from their trash can, Winchester AA, Remington STS, Estate, Federal, they all looked the same in construction, so I figured the cheap Remington’s wouldn’t be too much different.

Cobra: I agree with you about the AA’s. The problem is obtaining them. If I live past this first set of reloads I will invest in the AA the next time. About the Seagram’s, Your right. I agree with you so much that I will “drink to that”… later
Thanks everyone.
GAS

 

[kudu]

I would stick to Remington target hulls if you can. The old style AA was the hull that everybody else was judged by, but I don't care for the new style AA. It takes specific wads that won't work with other brands of shells. I still have about 2000 AA hulls that I will gradually introduce back into my reloading. In the meantime I have been buying Rem STS target shells so I have decent hulls down the road. Throw out any that are 6 point crimp, they just make a mess when the crimp opens up and spills shot. I am not aware of any decent reloadable hulls in 20ga that use a 6 point crimp.

I interchange my AA's(old style) and Rem STS hulls as well as the cheaper Rem Gun Club hulls. If you keep your loads reasonable there is very little pressure difference. I don't reload Estates, or Federals, unless they are Gold Medal Federal target hulls. Your powder drop consistancy may not be too much of a problem, with metallic shells it would be, but you can vary almost a grain on light loads (half a grain either way) and it won't hurt anything.

I started out with an old Lee Load-All 2 about 25 years ago in 20ga, some of the garbage that I ran through that thing.... I have 4 MEC Grabbers now in all gauges, a couple of them have over 40,000 shells loaded on them, and still going.