Anyone re load shotgun shells I'm trying to find a good Manuel that's has info on cheddite hull with a recipe for 2 3/4 lead bb and also 2 3/4 #1 buckshot both 12 ga. Haven't reloaded before and I know a Manuel is the first place to start before buying the components. I'm choosing the cheddite hulls because it's what's available. If anyone can suggest a Manuel that would have that info I would appreciate it. I don't want to buy six manuels I don't need just to find the one I do.

Did you buy your hulls from Ballistic Products? They sent me info on 2 1/2" twelve gauge loads.

Buy a good reloader. I had problems getting a good crimp.

I was waiting to find a recipe before I ordered I didn't want to buy the wrong components. I will call them Monday I didn't realize they sent the info. I do have info for a #1 buck load I found online from them.

I was looking at the load all to start since it's mostly buckshot and the lead bb and I'm working on a budget. Plan to upgrade when I can

Those guys are very helpful. Explain what you're looking to do and they'll guide you through it while you're on the phone. They did for me.

Good to hear . It's a little overwhelming when starting out but it's hard to find those lead bb loads and it seems like a good hobby

X2 on Ballistic Products. Great guys

Thumbs down on the lee loadall.
In all fairness, it could have been me.

I use an antique roll crimper. Works great, even on plastic hulls.

That is awesome.
I figured it's not great. Mostly will be using for de prime size prime and crimp. Shot and powder will be measured by hand

X 3 on BPI. Good folks.
I would recommend that you shop for primers first.........if you can find any that will have some bearing on what hulls and load & components you will be able to use.

You might be able to buy Cheddite primers and if so you can go from there. I haven't been able to buy primers since 2019-20.

I would also check out Shotgun World...the reloading forum...... You might also check the classifieds on there and see if some one is selling an older MEC progressive or even a MEC 600 Jr....if you won't be loading a lot of volume initially

The Mec is what I was looking to upgrade to eventually but I'll check there volume isn't a concern for now mostly just want to make a few specific loads. I believe the cheddite primers and primed hulls were available when I checked last

You should be good then !!

BPI has a manual for cheddite hulls specifically.
Also, you can purchase primed hulls from them directly (or other suppliers) and have them shipped without a hazmat fee. This helps when you can't find primers.

That's the Manuel I was wanting to buy. I had found the buckshot recipe from them online I just wasn't sure if it would have the lead bb in it. I know it's mostly just coyote guys that use those rounds now a days and I saw bpi has a coyote Manuel as well

Check out the Alliant and Hogden online reloading sites. They have lots of load data including Chedite hull load data. Stay as far away from the Lee Loadall as you can. Think about finding yourself a used Pacific DL-155 or MEC Sizemaster to get started. Also some once fired AA hulls. They load the easiest.

What loads are you looking for and for what?

Easy and simple to load something like a 9 pellet buckshot load using easy to find components.......launched at "normal" speeds of 1200 to 1300 fps.

More trouble to try to duplicate some of the heavy, high velocity buckshot rounds.

As for the press, be thinking and looking for a Mec 600 jr. either way.

If you want to learn to load shotgun, learn the process from Lyman 5th. BPI sells several special purpose manuals and components to match, like buckshot and slugs......and they will be "heavy" loads. Which circles back to what you are looking for. Heavy may or may not be it.

I’m looking for an accurate #1 load what I use now is 1150 FPS I believe and the lead bb is what I’m really after can’t seem to find it in 2 3/4 inch. The loads will be used for hogs. And before anyone says lead bb isn’t big enough for hogs it is the law on our wma that you can’t use buckshot out of deer season. The rest of the time lead bb or steel t is the biggest you can use. I have dropped hogs with lead bb it is only used at close range in thickets. We have been using the Winchester varmit x coyote loads

That ought to be easy enough. BPI would be your source of BB's shot and wads. An M42 wad ought to hold at lest 1 1/4 oz BB shot, fit into a Cheddite, Fiocchi or even Federal Top Gun hull, and placed over some Longshot or HS-6, rev up to about 1200 to 1,300 fps. BB's are also small enough to fit into the shot cup in a random stack pattern.

Once you get up to buckshot, when placed inside modern wads, the traditional sizes start misbehaving. Traditional #00 buckshot has a diameter of .330, weights 1/8 oz pellet, and was stacked in 3's, but not placed in plastic wads, rather was placed over a gas seal then felt or fiber wads. The shot ran nekked down the barrel. But traditional #00 buckshot will only stack in 2's inside shot cup of a plastic wad. The thickness of the plastic shot cup takes up too much room. There are a few wads still available that will hold 8 pellets of #00 buck stacked in 2's........as in 2 x 4 = 8.......but not many and none for straight walled euro hulls.

So option B is to drop down a notch or two in buckshot size. BPI offers a couple versions of #0 buckshot that has diameter of .315" that will stack in 3's inside a shot cup. 3 layers of 3 of those weigh about 1 oz, will fit into nearly all plastic wads intended for 1 1/8 oz target loads, and can be loaded for velocities from 1,100 to 1,400 fps.

#1 buckshot would do the same but would be small in size, waste space, be lite in weight and probably need overshot cards and such to get stack height right to get a good crimp.

A Mec Jr. and components from BPI would be easy enough to crank out 3 ot 4 boxes an hour.