28 gauge shotshell loading questions.

[USA Varminter]

I have a new shotgun coming, my first personal 28 gauge side by side. But if I plan to shoot it much I am going to need to reload it (no 5$ boxes of Estate around).

I have two Pacific DL-155 presses. But no tooling for 28 gauge, despite having two complete sets of dies in 12, 16, and 20, and one set of .410.

Now for the questions, die sets for these old presses are hard to come by in 28 gauge (if you have one hit me up). Because of this I think I am going to need to do some adaptations, I can easily deprime by removing the aluminum body from the depriming pin on a 20gauge or just using the .410 priming equipment. No problems there, but in that case I will not be resizing the hull.  Is there a good stand alone option for resizing my 28 gauge hulls? Being a side by side I do not anticipate many issues with cycling like in a pump or autoloader.

I can easily get bushings (hornady or others) for shot and powder loads, and should be able to get a drop tube for 28 gauge for my press, or just run the 410 drop tube. So I should have no issues with priming, powder, wad, and shot.

I can get a crimp starter, which is similar to the one for a 366 hornady, but the shell holders and final crimper is not available, so...
Roll crimp?  I can get the roll crimper for <30 bucks, I have a drill press etc.  Is this a viable option?  I think I like the look of old hulls that way anyhow, and it seems like it would save me buying a new press just to get the crimp station.

Any faulty issues in this logic?

Thanks.

[Graybeard]

MEC makes a stand alone sizer but it's about half the price of a MEC 600 JR which is a complete loader for them. I'd just buy a MEC 600 JR or find a used Sizemaster 77 if you can. Both would run you about the same price. Of course if you were to run across a used 600 JR you'd save even more.

[USA Varminter]

That is certainly another option, as far as I can see the 600 JR wouldn't add any extra sizing capability and would be another press on my bench (3) and all single stage...

I haven't ruled out in the future purchasing a new press, but I was thinking of getting a progressive to run my 20's, low volume 12 and 28 production on the single stages, so the idea of the supersizer with some of the bushings offered over at ballistic products so I could resize other shells is more of a multitasker than a new press that uses a different style bushing than any of the stuff I have. Unless of course I manage to find a progressive press w/ 20 and 28 gauge head on it.

Who knows maybe after a few months with my new 28 I won't be shooting so much 20's and might decide to purchase a 28 gauge progressive instead.

[woods]

I have one of the old mec jr. that was 410 and I bought the 28 ga. dies to convert, the last adition was a universal charge bar. It's not fast but good enough for my volumn of reloading, about 100 rds a month.

woods

[wmurrell]

Depending on the chamber dimensions (generous/tight) you may not need to size. I have a Ruger red label 28 and have not had to size a shell yet. I load them on a 600jr. Only 3 presses?    I have a PW800c with dies for12,20 28 and 2 1/2" 410, a 600 jr in each of 28, 3" 410 and 3" 12ga and going to get one for 3 1/2 12 ga.
FWIW the PW tears up too many 28s, Thats why I went back to a JR. Loads 12s faster than I can feed it.
And those go with 2 rockchuckers, a lyman turret, and so on............

[oneounceload]

I reload 28 on a MEC Jr. that started life as a 12 gauge reloader.  I found an old Mec conversion kit in a hardware store and have using it ever since to reload for my Remington 1100 in 28 gauge.  In over 5,000 rounds, I have one or two that didn't work right because I screwed the crimp up, otherwise the Jr. will do the job.  I added the primer feed and use a Universal charge bar.  Without major rushing, I can still get 5-6 boxes and hour.

[Star1pup]

I'm probably too late on this pne, but I use a Sizemaster for my 28 gauge.  I bought primed Cheddite hulls and load 3/4 oz shot over 20 gr. Blue dot.  It works reat at about 1270 fps.