I enjoy loading and use recipes that are not easily available factory loaded. 1 1/8 oz 2 7/8 inch 10 G . 7/8 & 1 oz 12, 3/4 2 1/2 inch 16. 3/4 20 G. All close as possible to 1180 FPS. If I see a flat that suits me buy, however they are not often on big box store shelves.

Thing I don’t understand is how often reloading shotgun shells is challenged on a reloading forum.

Bass

I agree with loading a 3/4 oz for practice, but I disagree with burning up expensive 28 ga hulls on practice. I use 12 ga mostly, and occasionally use 20 ga with 3/4 oz shot.

By using 12 ga, I have a lot more Choke choices available. I think you should practice with tight chokes.

As for the return on reloading equipment....if you shot minimums (1000 targets) for 28 ga, and shot reloads,.....

I load for $3.39 a box, based on Lost Target Reloading Calculator.

Factory Cost about $9.00

So a savings of $5.61 per box. Multiply that times the 40 boxes to get 1000 shots, and you are at a savings of:

$5.61 x 40 = $224.40, and that's just one gauge.

So that easily pays for a single stage press, and in 2 years, easily pays for a used MEC 9000.

I don’t shoot skeet but do practice on the Skeet field with guys that do. Not top shooters but regular competitors. I will shoot a hundred with my 7/8 oz 12 G reloads, while they beat themselves up with 1 1/8 oz factory promo loads from Walmart. They might come near my loading cost with cheap Winchester’s, I don’t get beat up with high recoil shells. Most shooters will see higher scores with low recoil shells that give adequate pellet density on targets. Buy if you can load if you can’t.

Bass

Too many skeet shooters get pushed too quickly and get in over their head, in this case reloading for four guns. Then they the leave the sport.

That’s true too many things hinder results, again it’s not my sport but seems to me way to learn to shoot skeet well is one gun one gauge and hundreds of practice shots a week. Not around the course keeping score either. One mid course station until you can’t miss then move on to the next one, break the job into pieces. Master the crossers only way to go 25 or 100 straight.

I would get a 12 G Progressive and crank out couple flats a week.

Bass