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I use the points from my Cabalas credit card. I just got 8 LBs of H110 for loading 410 no shipping or hazmat because I used ship to store when were you on the America I did her last cruise in VAW 123

AT1 USN (Ret.) 1977-1998 VA-176, NATTC Patuxent river, VA 34, VA42 Instructor and VAW123
Jan 90- Dec 92 including Desert Shield\Storm I was the Main Engineering Group Supervisor. All of the other ships I was on had nicknames and usually not flattering with the exception of the America. You just don't mess with the name America. She was the best of them all, to me anyways.

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If you're happy shooting budget ammo and would never consider shooting premium ammo such as AA or STS, then reloading just might not be for you.

However, if you can understand and benefit from the advantage premium ammo gives (it will not help you break more targets, only training can do that), then reloading is recommended as a way to save money. Even with 12 and 20 gauge you can save at least $3/box loading your own premium ammo if you buy components in bulk.

I understand some out there might have other discounts they can apply to store bought premium ammo, but for the average guy, we normally pay $10 or more for AA or STS 12 or 20 gauge ammo.

You can load premium level target ammo with once fired hulls (or twice fired, as ballistics don't start to drop off until the third reload), Heper magnum shot, Claybuster wads, and whatever primer is available to you.

If you're happy shooting budget ammo, such as Gun Club or Top Gun, and you don't see reloading as ever being considered a hobby, and you're just out to save money, then definitely don't consider reloading.

The choice is yours, but most of us on this forum enjoy reloading as a hobby that saves us money and allows us to always shoot the ammo we like to shoot. We don't have to deal with the disappointment of walking into the local gun store and not finding exactly what we want. Good luck with whatever path you follow!
 
Discussion starter · #45 ·
And you can buy 7/8 oz 20 gauge for $87.54/flat at Shydas.
Excuse my ignorance, but how many are in a flat? 300 shells? Their site doesn't say either.
 
And that's exactly my question, if those numbers make sense? I can buy a case of 100 20ga 7/8oz #7.5 or #8 shells at my local Walmart for $37 / case of 100. So that's $111 + tax for 300. Add another $10 for a 25 box and you're still cheaper. Again, if people love the hobby/activity, then no hate at all. Just I don't see the numbers working with current component purchase prices vs bulk ammo purchase.
A case of what? Promo loads?

I can reload to factory AA or STS for $8.15 a box of 25 based on components bought this year.

So that is 20 boxes of shells for $163.00. I apologize for the faulty numbers in my previous post.

Load is as follows:
AA/STS hull
15.5g of Win572
Cheddite Primer
1078-20 wads
7/8oz of Hepper #7.5/#8
 
You can get good shells for $79.99 a flat to your door from Scheels during sales. If you are loading with twice fired hulls or more, CB wads, Cheddite primers and Eagle shot you are loading a promo shell.
I have spent enough time on the patterning board to say I dont find this to be entirely true, but I am curious to know which component turns the shell into a promo load?

CB1078-20 wads v. AA20 wads show less than 1% FPS and PSI deviation when compared to a factory fresh AA and Im using Hepper shot and Cheddite primers with 572 powder.

Im not questioning you, but rather genuinely curious. Im quessing it is the 3+ fired hulls and low antimony shot?
 
Discussion starter · #52 ·
A case of what? Promo loads?

I can reload to factory AA or STS for $8.15 a box of 25 based on components bought this year.

So that is 20 boxes of shells for $163.00. I apologize for the faulty numbers in my previous post.

Load is as follows:
AA/STS hull
15.5g of Win572
Cheddite Primer
1078-20 wads
7/8oz of Hepper #7.5/#8
I don't know what a promo load is. The local Walmart has the Federal "Field & Target" or "Dove & Target" (I don't see any differences except the color of the case) 100 round cases of 7/8oz, 1200 fps, 20ga #7.5 or #8 ammo selling for $37 + tax. They have had these cases there consistently at that price for the last few months anyway. I recently saw some Winchester ammo (same specs) there too for $36, that might be a one-off though. I haven't found anyone selling locally for a lower price. I have found some slightly better prices online, but shipping costs immediately make it a worse deal.

ok, those reloading cost numbers make a lot more sense at $32.60 / 100 round case. Do you include the shipping cost and taxes into your component costs when calculating? I ask because I see that some totally ignore shipping, which can be significant due to weight of items.

I'm not trying to be difficult. I just want to be objectively, mathematically correct when making my total comparison. Thanks for your inputs!
 
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I don't know what a promo load is. The local Walmart has the Federal "Field & Target" or "Dove & Target" (I don't see any differences except the color of the case) 100 round cases of 7/8oz, 1200 fps, 20ga #7.5 or #8 ammo selling for $37 + tax. They have had these cases there consistently at that price for the last few months anyway. I recently saw some Winchester ammo (same specs) there too for $36, that might be a one-off though. I haven't found anyone selling locally for a lower price. I have found some slightly better prices online, but shipping costs immediately make it a worse deal.

ok, those reloading cost numbers make a lot more sense at $32.60 / 100 round case. Do you include the shipping cost and taxes into your component costs when calculating? I ask because I see that some totally ignore shipping, which can be significant due to weight of items.

I'm not trying to be difficult. I just want to be objectively, mathematically correct when making my total comparison. Thanks for your inputs!
Yep, that cost is online and to my door for the components. I modestly hunt for deals online, mostly the free hazmatt/shipping deals and one needs to buy in bulk as well, but my numbers include, tax,shipping and hazmat charges, when they applied

I buy an 8lbs jug of powder...10,000 primers 6 bags of wads at time, and the Hepper shot we(10 shooters)bought 4000lbs at one time, had it delivered to a central location and picked up our portions ourselves...the prices will continue to go up and the cost of getting started is well north of $1000 bases upon the numbers bought above. Aside from the wads and my shooting, this will last me a couple years of shooting. Im simply hedging inflation for a moment in time.

The loads you are buying are typically considered "promotional/promo" loads and for 99% of the people who shoot them, wont know the difference between them and say AA's or STS shells which typically have a better wad and definitely harder shot, which really only matters in breaking clays, but Im sure has some ballistic advantage in busting feathers and fur according to some.

I grew up reloading. Dad had a MECjr set up for 12 and one set up for 28. I was more than willing to deprime and prime every shell he shot at trap as curious 9 year old. I asked for a 20g MEC Jr for Christmas my Junior year of highschool(1993) and my mom was against it, but Dad won the day.

I fed a 870 LW20 1000's of 1oz loads using green dot, w209 WAAF20(?) wads and various shot sizes from 5, to 8 and I still reload all my shells on that MECjr. Slow and steady will always finish the race.

So for me, reloading is part nostalgia(appreciate you dad), being able to shoot when ammo gets tough to find, and of course being to roll your own, how you want to roll them.

I still buy a couple flats every couple of years. Especially when I find a good deal and as the hulls start to show their wear around 6-8 reloads. I toss them in the barrel and break out a factory fresh box.

Hope that helps and I am obviously just one mans opinion. I do agree with others, it is a dieing hobby...for now.
 
So where is “Shydas” located? I’ve never heard of the place. Do they have more that one location?
 
I don't know what a promo load is. The local Walmart has the Federal "Field & Target" or "Dove & Target" (I don't see any differences except the color of the case) 100 round cases of 7/8oz, 1200 fps, 20ga #7.5 or #8 ammo selling for $37 + tax. They have had these cases there consistently at that price for the last few months anyway. I recently saw some Winchester ammo (same specs) there too for $36, that might be a one-off though. I haven't found anyone selling locally for a lower price. I have found some slightly better prices online, but shipping costs immediately make it a worse deal.

ok, those reloading cost numbers make a lot more sense at $32.60 / 100 round case. Do you include the shipping cost and taxes into your component costs when calculating? I ask because I see that some totally ignore shipping, which can be significant due to weight of items.

I'm not trying to be difficult. I just want to be objectively, mathematically correct when making my total comparison. Thanks for your inputs!
My numbers of $5.41 per box included shipping and hazmat on powder and primers. it included shipping on wads. It does not include shipping on lead as I order it when my club orders targets so it is shipped with the targets. Someone asked if I included range membership and the answer is no because I would have the range membership even if I never reloaded
 
Do you find much difference in perfomance between 3/4 v 7/8oz loads? I recently bought a few bags from BPI to roll some 3/4 to shoot at 16yd trap.

Just curious what you are using them for and how you like them?
I am a skeet shooter and the 2 reasons I load 3/4 oz 20s is #1 cost per round and the biggest reason # I dont wear out my expensive 28 ga hulls on practice ammo
 
I am a skeet shooter and the 2 reasons I load 3/4 oz 20s is #1 cost per round and the biggest reason # I dont wear out my expensive 28 ga hulls on practice ammo
Yeah, I know some of the Skeeters like to roll those 3/4's in their 20's and it makes sense to me when one factors in the max range on those shots being under what, 25-26yds?

I was thinking about trying some for 16 yard trap.
 
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