Being this is the frist season of making my trap loads. Is it worth the money and effort to try to make my own loads. My press can make three inch shells. (MEC 600 jr Mark V) i will need to get all the other materials. I only shoot about six to eight boxes of duck load a year plus a few goose loads. I just need a direction to head. Thanks for the help. Thanks, Ball00

There are some 'dependings' on you & your shooting habits and if you are talking loading: Steel or Hevi- or Bismuth/Nice Shot, but the (short) answer is 'probably not even close to worth the money and effort for the amount you'll shoot'.

If you don't mind (or even like) shooting steel ... nah, it's CLEARLY not worth it. BlackCloud is $15/bx25 (or less) at Wal-Mart, and if there is a better (commercial) Steel Waterfowl bullet, I've never heard of it.

Other no-tox ... eh ... BPI has a couple of flavours of Remington HD on closeout and also their Kent ITM #1, possibly the best commercial goose load in existence.

If you want to load Hevi- your buy-in price will be a couple of hundred $ because of the specialty wads required, but you'll have a couple-three of years of shot (of one size).

If you want to load Bismuth or ITX, you can use 'normal' wads and your 2¾" hulls, but the shot will cost between $130 & $160, depending on what you want, and that is for ONE size.

The cheapest way to go (and also a DAMN good choice BTW) is to buy Nice Shot for $60/kg (45-60 loads), in #2 & #4 or 5, for $120, and use your 2¾" and common wads.

If you are REALLY going to shoot 100-150 bullets at duck, and don't like steel, then 7# of Bismuth #4 for $160 + 2.2lb of NS #2 for geese is not a bad plan for $220, total (plus some wads and freight, of course)

You'll also need some slower powder than your trap powder. The default is Hodgdon's Longshot, but a few others will work, too.

The threshold for getting into reloading anything is front-loaded, and with waterfowl, it's just steeper.

GS

 

It depends on why you want to reload. If it is strictly economics then you may have a long time before you reach "break even" point.

If you want to reload to improve performance, or load something that isn't commercially available, or you want to use an old gun that isn't "steel" approved...
Then jump in with both feet.

I prefer Nice Shot as it is "easiest" to load. Normal wads, can shoot it out of any gun barrel, patterns similar to lead and kills like lead. But is high dollar stuff. But if only shooting 100 rounds or so a year, It is worth it to me.
Next on my list would be Hevi-shot, but requires special wads (not necessarily a big deal), and can are limited to shooting out of only "steel" approved guns. But it is the deadliest shot on the market, bar none. Expensive also.
I am currently experimenting with ITX from BPI. SO far, I am happy with the patterns,and still messing around trying to get the right load,(just sent off another 10ga load today for testing)
Will have a chance this fall, through teal season and maybe some pigeon shooting to see how it really performs. I thought Envrionmetals Hevi-Steel worked fine (except for the #6's for some reason) and I think ITX's banded shot like black cloud pellets should be be even better.

Hate Bismuth. Won't use it. Will use steel before bismuth.

 

... Hate Bismuth. Won't use it. Will use steel before bismuth.

Curious ... why?

I'm using NS for my #2 & BB because of the quality of (old) BCC shot on hand, but new Bismuth, like MasterTinker's is prime rib in comparison: loads sweet, shoots good, no breakage.

GS

 

A little off topic, but has anyone received their shot from MT, yet?

 

You are right. I have not used the "new" bismuth. But at the cost, will load nice shot instead.

 

You are right. I have not used the "new" bismuth. But at the cost, will load nice shot instead.

I still have (some) good BCC shot, but jeeze, most of it only bore a passing resemblance to barely non-square.

Next year, you need to get in on the bulk-buy from Master Tinker. I think it was $15 this go-round.

Maybe by this time next year, too, Ecotungsten will have their start-up blues circulated out and can pass on some efficiencies to their customers.

How big a size are you shooting in ITX, btw?

GS

 

A little off topic, but has anyone received their shot from MT, yet?

He filled his Canadian orders in early July, but since then, No.

GS

 

A little off topic, but has anyone received their shot from MT, yet?

I got mine last week - 2lbs of 5's and 3lbs of 6's.