longshot, here's the long and short of shot shell reloading.
I've been reloading since 1980. Started when I joined a trap club. Reclaimed shot was cheap, so were the once fired hulls I started with. Everything since then has gotten out of control as far as costs go. Unless you shoot with a club or you compete it is almost impossible today to break even on reloading over purchase of standard shot shells. Now I'm not talking the exotic metals in some waterfowl loads or some of the turkey loads, those can get downright pricey, but for dove, squirrel, rabbit or most hunting season needs its hard to break even on expenses if that is why you are going to start doing it.
IF you are entering into this so as to not be dependent on others, meaning the industry or stores should hard times come, than have at it. One less dependent citizen is welcomed.
Here are some thoughts I will pass on to you: I currently have four MEC 600 and a Ponsness Warren 375 and a Pacific DL-155
Get the newest Lyman shotshell reloading manual, read it, all of it, even the boring sections.
Start your hull collection by purchasing new Federal shot shell in the game load loading, of what ever gauge you are using.
Purchase you wads in the field load weight, ie if 12 gauge use one wad size for all your hunting, that would be the 1-1/4 oz wad. That will save having a bunch of wads you may only use now and then, and you will have more of them.
Purchase you shot where ever you can find a deal, BUT I would only purchase Magnum shot. It is harder and your patterns and performance will be better with less deformed shot that you will get with just chilled shot.
Buy you primers in bulk, usually by the case, 5000 at a time. I would purchase my initial shotshell by the case at first also.
Be sure to save as many hulls that you fire as you can, autoloaders are the big offenders on losing hulls.
Never reload shells for someone else......can you say lawsuit!!!!
Never loan out your equipment to other to use either......this way friends are not lost.

Here's a few images of my shot shell days.





















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