Thread: Reload 12Ga

Hi I been thinking of reloading 12g shells this year. Can anyone tell me if it saves money or not?
If yes where is the best place to buy supplies?

theres not much in it between loading and buying budget ammo. i looked into it a few years back and decided not to.

I'll second what gonetropo said,
it doesn't really work out worth it after all the effort, atleast compared to centerfire reloading

primers themselves make up 20c each although they were all out of stock so probably more now
smokeless powder varies but just roughly say 25gr per shell so 280 per lb of powder which is about $60 if you can find it, which is 21c per shell
1oz wads are 45 per 500 so 9c each
#4 lead shot with gunworks 5kg bottles $85 per 5kg (176 oz) is 48c per 1oz load
the last bag of eagle shot I brought was $100 for 11kg (388oz) which is 25c per 1oz load

Hulls can be had for free or very cheap so I'm not going to count them here but if you had to buy them thats extra cost again,
Either way that is 75 cents per 1oz load optimistically, or 98c going off the current lead shot prices, not including any shipping prices which will definitely add up

the savings start looking better when using a lead shot dripper depending on where you find your lead its anywhere from 1/2 the cost to free shot, but a lot more labour,

looking around online most of the lead hunting loads are $30 per 25 and trap loads are $20 per 25, so $1.20 and $0.80 respectively, so maybe 20c savings on hunting loads, guess it depends on how much you value your time,

Personally I don't and I'm reloading black powder so I do it anyway, but as a value proposition it'll take quite a few hulls to make it worth it, napkin maths says that you'll save $100 for every 500 shells shot.
feel free to call me out on any bad maths, was all done pretty hastily.

Maybe viable with the sub calibres.
I sold my 12g press years ago.
Also see Mec presses selling on places like TradeMe and not attracting bidders.
Long time since the gun club guys reloaded.

Unless the OP wants to do it for enjoyment. (I hate reloading now, but it's a necessary evil towards the enjoyable outcome of firing them.)
With CF rifle there's a degree of thrill shooting a deer with a "roll your own" cartridge. I never got that with my reloaded shotgun ammo.

Save money no, trademe has range of components from shot,wads to Presses.

Trap loads at my local club around $15/25
You couldn't buy new components and load them for that, hunting loads may be different

Yeah i relaod my owm for pigeon shooting. But only buy components when they come.around cheap. I wouldn't buy them at full price it's just not worth it

as above, not worth it. Cost to reload as below.

So, although it's not really worth it, I do reload myself just for the fun of it. I bought a box of 2000 12ga hulls, a big box of wads. I have a few presses. I load for 12ga and 16ga.

Thanks for the replies. I thought that would be the case. Not saving any thing

Yes it is only worth it if you're loading something special like BP, super lights or subs and maybe slugs or buck (if you have the molds), the cost of wads, powder and primers for light 7/8 loads without shot is the same as the 26 gram cowboy loads.
Once I've used all my $60 shotgun primers up I won't be loading anymore

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I only reload for black powder loads.
Can't buy those.

Like said if you can get the components cheap. Then that's the way to go

Yep, I have heaps of the stuff, almost a pain as the components take up a lot of real estate.

Might load up some smokeless loads just to use the powder I have.
Maybe one day when I have time to do so.

Yeah just don't do the shooting nowadays.
Back in thr day when you had the choice between winchester red or Black and maybe some Eley and it was all dear as poison, mid 80s, even trap loads were sort of worth it to some.
Once Falcon popped up and leveled the field somewhat, at least that's my memory of it, it was just easier and pretty much as cheap to buy ready rolled.
I would contemplate slugs but I don't get out let alone shoot enough to warrant it