hulls

[rem700-3]

I reloaded shotshells up till about 20 years ago when I didnt have time to fool with it much I gave all my shotshell stuff to my uncle (and just loaded rifle and pistol)and if I did shoot a shotgun much just got a few shells from him.  Now I seem to find myself getting ready to start back up again as my sons are getting into skeet shooting.  I will be loading 12,20,28 and I am noticing all the loads that list hull brands, I know hulls are different as far as how they will crimp (some better than others) but I am wandering does it really make a difference as to the type powder and wad you put in them?  I see thousands of different combinations. I plan to use unique powder for the 12 and 28 # 6, 7.5,9 shot for example and we have lots of different brand hulls that they have collected from dove shoots and stuff, I am just loading for kids shooting for fun, will the different brand hulls and wads be a saftey issue a performance issue or no issue at all?  I know from loading rifle and pistol rounds all these years things have changed alot but how different can a 2 3/4 12 ga. hull be from one to the next.

[Graybeard]

You really need to find the right combo for your components. Most all hulls will load nice loads once you do that and yes minor differences can make a big difference in how well your hulls crimp.

Personally I stick mostly with Winchester AA HS and Remington Premier hulls these days and really those two brands target hulls are what I've loaded most over the last 40 some odd years.

[bobg]

  Can the same components be used in the HS hulls that are used in the old AA hulls?

[Graybeard]

I do tho in the AA HS .410 hulls Winchester did come out with a supposedly new wad for it. I honestly can't see any difference between the HS and older wads and I've used them interchangeably as a result. I see no difference in performance.

[bobg]

 Thanks Bill. I have enough of the old wads to last the rest of my life. Looks like i will just use them in the HS hulls.

[Mule]

I have found the WW HS and Rem Premier and Gun Club hulls to be pretty much interchangable for Target loads.   I have no experience with 28 ga and cannot comment on that.  Unique will be best in the 20 ga.  For 12 ga you will find Red Dot, Promo, Clays, Clay Dot, 700X, REX-1 or one of the other target powders more appropriate.

 I have developed a fondness for Down Range wads. 

If your children are young and recoil sensitive, try downloading the 12ga to 7/8 oz or even 3/4.  3/4 oz is essentially a 28 ga load in a 12 ga gun.  Very little recoil and plenty of shot to break skeet targets. 

[rem700-3]

Got it all set up Saturday for the 28 and 12.  I t was just like falling off a bike, after the first 2 or 3 it all came back to me. Had to make 1 trip to get a longer wad for the 12 and loaded a few hundred for the 12 and  350 for the 28.  I bought a mec for the 28 it was my first time using a mec press, it was ok but I didnt really see enough differance in it to justify the cost of the press versus the Lee LOADALL II that I bought for the 12.  I had a bunch of Estate brand hulls for the 28 and the were flawless when finished.