Hand loading shotgun shells

Bill DeShivs

New member
Having never reloaded a shotgun shell in my life, I find myself with the need to do so on a limited basis.
I need to produce some lower-velocity buckshot loads for my 20 ga. 10" barreled pistol.

Can I use a Lee Loader to reload plastic shells? I know it's slow, but I only need a few rounds occasionally.

Any help will be appreciated.
 

USSR

New member
Agree with MC, get yourself an inexpensive MEC reloader. If you've never reloaded shotshells, there is little to no deviation from published load data including the hull and wad used. As mentioned, with buckshot loads you will have to load the buckshot manually.

Don
 

Dufus

New member
If you can find a Lee Loader, it will work good for what you want.

I have them in 12 ga, 16 ga, and 20 ga all for the 2 3/4".

I started using them in 1964 because they were $10 for each kit and I couldn' afford anything else at the time. I used my allowance and earned money to buy everything to load them. I was lucky in that a neighbor friend gave me all the empties he had.

I could buy a 25 lb bag of shot for $6.00 back then and powder was a couple of dollars per pound.

The Lee loaders worked until I got my first press made by Pacific.
 

SHR970

New member
There are plenty of load recipes that use standard fold crimp. Edit to add: You want 6 point crimp hulls for B shot loading.

What Buck size(s) are you looking to make? There are recipes for 4B, 3B, 2B, and even 1B in 2 3/4" shells but the 1B loads are full throttle.
 

Marco Califo

New member
Buying loaded rounds will be way cheaper.
You do the crimps on the press. There is one cup for roll and another for star. In 12g I always used 8 point and Win AA hulls. But never for buck shot.
 
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jaguarxk120

New member
Go on ebay and find a MEC 600jr machine, it is light years ahead of the
plastic lee stuff.
Regular shells can be had from Gander Outdoors, but
when you want something special go to the
MEC.
 

Dufus

New member
Bill: the Lee Loaders come with a thick hard plastic crimp starter that you just press with your hand and them finish with the ram. The ram has a large knob on the top and you can press it with your hand or tap gently with a soft hammer. I had a rubber hammer to do that with. I used mostly fiber wads with a plastic over powder cup, then progressed to plastic wads. I used mostly the fiber wads for buckshot back then.
 

mikld

New member
I would suggest getting a Lyman Shot Shell Reloading Handbook. There is a lot of good info and a ton of loads for all shot and slug loads. I've been reloading brass for over 35 years and just started reloading shotshells, different methodology. Shotshell loads are best followed component by component, like a specific shell, a specific powder and charge, a specific wad, a specific amount of shot and a specific crimp type. I have found these need to be kept pretty close (for a new shotshell reloader, exactly) to the book load.

I haven't seen a Lee Loader for shotshells in many years, but perhaps you can find one. Google "reloading shotshells w/o a press" and you'll find some old, "survivalist" and simple methods/videos. https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1...hUKEwicqbWbpIrkAhVFoZ4KHSbqDZoQ4dUDCAo&uact=5

I bought a Lee Load All II for less than $60.00 and I've only reloaded a hundred or so shells, buckshot and slugs, and it is working quite well...
 

FITASC

New member
The Lee Loader, IIRC, is not the same as their shotshell press, the Lee LoadAll II.

I use a MEC and reload 3/4oz loads for both 12 and 20; light recoil, fun for practice or for new shooters; you'll have a lot more variability with the MEC over the Lee
 

mikld

New member
The Lee Loader, IIRC, is not the same as their shotshell press, the Lee LoadAll II.

I use a MEC and reload 3/4oz loads for both 12 and 20; light recoil, fun for practice or for new shooters; you'll have a lot more variability with the MEC over the Lee
At one time Lee made a Lee Loader (aka "Whack-a-mole") kit for shotshells. Discontinued several (many?) years ago. Some will show up on auction sites or ebay occasionally, but often come at a premium price...
 
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FrankenMauser

New member
A Lee Loader will probably work for you, but getting fold crimps to hold can be fiddly with some hulls. (Warming the plastic before crimping helps it 'take a set'.)

A roll crimp with over-shot card is definitely better in the peace of mind department.
That, however, requires an additional tool and more materials.

A better tool would be the Lee Load-All, in my opinion. (Original w/ cast metal base, or Load-All II w/ plastic base -- there isn't much difference between them.)
The Load-All gives more consistent and more reliable crimps, and sizes bases better than the Loader. Primer seating isn't as sketchy as with the Loader, either.


I have all of the above mentioned in this thread.
There's a Lee Loader (12 ga) that I got cheap because it was seized from rust. After some oil soaking and gentle persuasion, I broke it loose, cleaned it up, tested it, and shoved it in a drawer (where it still remains). Works fine. I just don't use it. An couple sockets, dowels, and a hard surface to seat primers on is just as effective (as long as base sizing is not needed) ... and often easier to use. :rolleyes:

There's a Lee Load-All (12 ga + 20 ga conversion). Bought it from the original owner and I've loaded a few hundred oddball loads with it. Easy to set up. Doesn't take much space. Clamp it to a bench or table when needed. Store it out of the way when not in use.

And there's a MEC 625N (12 ga) that I picked up at an auction for pennies on the dollar because it was disgustingly filthy, grimy, sticky, gooey, and covered in powdered cow and horse feces (it was stored in an open barn).
I tested it once after blowing it apart for a deep cleaning (after pressure-washing). It gathers dust now. When I feel like putting something together, I grab the Load-All.

Oh... And I have BPI roll crimp tools for 12 ga and 20 ga (used in a drill press). Combined with a home-made hull trimmer, those roll crimp tools allow me to load pretty much anything.
 

FITASC

New member
And I am the opposite - I started with a LLAII; after a few boxes of hunting loads, it went away for a MEC Jr. Once I started to shoot more targets, a MEC Progressive came home.
One cannot adjust the Lee; it is all done "by feel"; whereas I can adjust both the precrimp and final crimp, adjust for roundness for feeding in a semi, etc.
 

Dufus

New member
Evidently I am the only reloader that wants to answer the question asked in the OP.

I am thinking that no one else has used the lee kit and can offer nothing but suggestions unrelated to the original question.
 

FrankenMauser

New member
Evidently I am the only reloader that wants to answer the question asked in the OP.

I am thinking that no one else has used the lee kit and can offer nothing but suggestions unrelated to the original question.
Read more.
There are plenty of people that have addressed the Lee Loader.
 

DUNITALL

New member
reloading

If you are not going to reload a lot, if you look around you may be able to find a box of new shells for what you want, then you won't have to buy a loader. Go to a gun shop and ask them they may know just what you are looking for in loaded shells.:D
 
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