Reloading for Sporting Clays

[W5LF]

I am new to this area of Texas Gun Talk, but used to reload 12ga for sporting clays. I loaded mostly 7.5 shot but some 8.0 and even some 6 or 6.5 shot (stainless, where required). Wonder if anyone has loads they prefer, or even powders and primers. My eyes aren't what they were and I have given this up for the most part, but, I enjoy hearing what others use or do now.

 

[single stack]

Don't overthink it.
SC cartridges are just target loads.
Super fast is hype. Nothing more.
1150-1200 fps is all you need unless you shoot with George Digweed, then magic dust won't help.
7.5's for far and 8's for near.
I shoot 28 and .410 and generally hold my own with the big bores.
11/16 ounce 8's with Green Dot for 28 and 1/2 ounce 8's with 300MP for .410.

 

[W5LF]

My eyes are such a 68 that I had to give it up, even sold my two sporting clays guns (Beretta 692 for 12ga and a nice Caesar Guerini for 20ga). Am down to my old 1100 and a pump 12ga for home. Do you reload your own?

 

[single stack]

I can reload the four skeet gauges.
I take the 12ga. MEC off the shelf once or twice a year to load some 3/4 ounce shells for my sxs.
The 28ga MEC comes down more often but, again only for a couple hundred cartridges. Mostly for subgauge fun shoots.
The .410 MEC is always set up and ready. 150-250 cartridges every week. Usually two sessions.
I still have a Remington 11 LT20 that shoots Walmart Federals just fine.
On another note I never did find your vodka distillery and still miss going to the Salt Lick.

 

[W5LF]

I had more fun trying different primers and powders but it would have been more productive, clay wise, if I had been a better shot. Right now I have a bunch of 12ga reloading stuff, hundreds of hulls, some primed and some not, a box of new different powders, primers, wads, etc that I am going to sell somewhere. I am still interested in those that make their own loads.

 

[TOM-M]

Haven't shot a registered sporting clay target in the last 2 years and pretty much quit reloading about the same time, but here's my loads that were long time standbys:

12 ga
1 oz 7.5
17.1 gr Promo
DR XL-1 wad in Rem hulls, XXL Pink in Win

20 ga
7/8 oz 8
16 gr 20/28
DRV-20 in Rem hulls

28 ga
3/4 oz 8
13.5 gr 20/28
Red Duster, Win hulls

410
1/2 oz 8
13.2 gr Alliant 410
Yellow Duster, Rem hulls
****(No, you probably won't find this load in any guides. Yes, I do understand the risks. Yes, it's hard on hulls. No, I'm not recommending this recipe. Yes, it crushes targets (and dove) as good as a .410 can.)****

Pretty much any primer works in the above, Rem/Win/Fiocchi/Noble Sport. Always like the STS the best, but they (and Win) got expensive around about the time components went in short supply.

 

[Ozzman]

I used to reload for sporting clays in 2012 and 13 after the Sandy Hook incident shot ammo prices through the roof (no pun). The cost of AA shells went up to around $15 a box at that time and it made more sense to reload. Don't want to rain on your parade, but now that the costs are back down you will find the cost per shell (and time) to reload is greater than the cost it would be to go buy it in bulk at a sporting goods store. A box of Federal 1oz, 8 shot (1145 fps) is like $6.50 right now and AA Winchester is $8.

I remember that reloading costs were like $9 per 25 shells of 12 ga and it would take me approximately 30 minutes to make them. $9 should still be fair since powder, primer and hull prices have not fluctuated as much. It saved some money in 2013, but will not today. Save all that powder for the pistol cartridges.

 

[W5LF]

Who ever comes and gets it, gets it free

 

[Charlie]

Sounds like a heck of a deal! Some of you folks in the Austin area ought to take advantage of this!

 

[Big Dipper]

Would that I could.

In NW Wisconsin till October.