Tales of Reloading

 Mid last year I purchased a MEC 9000 in 12 gauge from a gentleman at lodge who had no further use for it. I had quit reloading 12 gauge a decade of better ago as there wasn't much to be saved in that gauge or the 20 gauge due to lead and component costs rising. I had sold my MEC Jr in 12 and 20 back then. I had told my friend that I wasn't really interested. He said there were thousand hulls and wads to go with it and named a price that could not be refused.

A couple of the guys at work could not find much in shells coming up on dove season. So the reloading started. We could find more once fired hulls, wads, shot, and occasionally some primers. We had enough powder of various types to keep us going. I reloaded  over a thousand hulls for the guys at work. I received some shot and powder in exchange. It was a good barter. More was loaded for them for this year's season. I put some up for myself. The long term plan is to sell the press and about a 1000 hulls/wads later this year. I really don't use 12 gauge for much. When I chase pheasants with the boys and dogs, I use my side by side 16 gauge. I use the 410 or the 20 gauge for dove season.

Some #4 and #5 shot loads are being loaded for the 16 gauge in preparation for pheasant hunting this fall/winter. I don't need a lot of these so 5 boxes of each will last for a few years.

You cannot find the Remington wads anymore that I like since they broke up the company. The SP20 and the SP16 wads are extinct. This means that there are few good 1 oz loads for the 20 gauge out there. Winchester used to have an equivalent but that has been discontinued. I did find one 20 gauge load in 1 oz using a BP Wad and W572 but the pressures are kind of high for what I like to load.

I put up 3 cases of 20 gauge 7/8 oz loads. Looks like I will switch to Cheddite hulls after the Rem STS and WinAA are worn out as there are components available with that hull for 7/8 and 1 oz loads with reasonable pressures.

Now to the 410 shells. I had always saved my WinAA hulls and had bought some once fired. I figured since I was on a roll, it was time to load 410. I had all the components for some time but did not realize that I had saved 1600 hulls. I loaded them all! Watch out doves - here I come!