Shot shell re-loading question

[lakeshoremunster]

I am looking for a good re-loading book for making shotshells for my 12ga, My girl friend bought me a shell re-loader for xmas. I went on amazon and found a few but most of them seemed to be for rifle and pistol rounds, I ended up getting the ABC's of reloading thinking that it will have recipies and other needed information in it but it just talks about the history of ammo and the steps to make a round, which is not what I thought I was buying.

Thanks guys and gals.

[Surface Tension]

Lyman Shot Shell Handbook.

Have fun, be safe.

[Brad B]

check the different powder manufactures web sites. they should have different loads listed for their powders. I know for example winchester puts out a brochure that shows formulas for their powders not only for shot shells but for rifle and handgun rounds also. alliant powder company makes a loading manual for their powders also.

[troutned]

I agree with surfacetension. Lyman's books are full of recipes, and one of their great strengths is in the identification of your empties. Don't discount older editions of their books, either. There are a lot of recipes for older components. Good luck and be safe!

[Polarisx54r]

Ballistic products incorporated is a good source. They will give you free data for the various products they sell and if you e-mail them or call, a real person with real shotgun knowledge will steer you in the right direction. In addition to the Lyman shotgun book, alliant and Hodgedon will list their data online. Ball. products also carries many specialty loading manuals e.g. steel shot, hunting loads, target shells etc. They are very detailed, informative and they definately aren't afraid to go to the max! As a new shotshell loader, you would do well to get on their mailing list.

[LightningBG]

I'm kinda in the same boat. Just getting ready to start reloading shot shells. wondering how to figure out what products are good and bad?

Ex: How to know what powder will work best? Or is it just a matter of picking one and getting the formulas for whatever I pick?

[Transporter]

If you are looking for a pheasant load, I've loaded quite a few and for the last eight years I have settled on one from the Hodgdon powder manual. I use Winchester AA hulls and Longshot powder with #5 and #6 copper or nickle plated lead shot. This is a great load, I use it exclusively for pheasants and hunt a lot and primarily in the late season (December and January). I have no need for three inchers or large shot sizes, these pattern well, penetrate and knock them dead, very few cripples to find.

[LightningBG]

Transporter, that sounds very close to what I'm looking for in a load. Right now I shoot Fed Prem, 2.75", 1-1/2oz, #6 copper plated. But they are a tough shell to find and they are very pricey ($31/box). Later in the season I normally switch to a #4 or #5 and up it to a 3". All depends on how the birds are coming up.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[charliepete]

Lyman makes the best shotshell reloading manual out there in my opinion. It's a one stop shop to learn shotshell reloading from the ground up. Ballistic products does have tons of manuals and things for sale, but they then to be priced on the high side when comparing to other local places. I only buy from them when I can't find it somewhere else.

My favorite pheasant load can be found Hodgdons HSOforum. It's a 1 1/4 oz load with a Win AA hull, longshot powder, winchester 209 primer, and Remington SP12 wad. It takes off at 1400 fps (look it up yourself as no one should trust anyone elses load). AA's are not a good wad for real 'Roman Candle' type loads because they are tapered. Hulls are tapered for target shooting so you can get by with using less powder, this doesn't work the best if you are trying to use large amounts of slow burning powder to get real barn burning speeds with heavy payloads. Personally I don't think there isn't a pheasant alive that needs more than 1 1/4 oz of 5's. At 55 yards with a modified choke the round is still more than adequate for pheasants, but most shooters aren't.