What would I need to get set up reloading shotgun ammunition?

[HuntinDawg89]

My situation is that I'm dying to get my 10 year old daughter started shooing a shotgun. She is tiny for her age but I was able to work out a solution for deer hunting but have not come up with a solution for wingshooting. I really want her to kill some birds over our dog (now 9) before he is no longer able to hunt. He is slowing down. She adores him and I know it would be an awesome memory for her if she could shoot some doves or ducks for him to retrieve.

She isn't strong enough to support the forend of an autoloader so it is going to have to be a single shot just to minimize the weight out front. I've gone round and round in circles thinking .410 (yes, I know), 28 gauge, 20 gauge. She has never fired a shotgun. In .410 you can get factory loads down around 1/2 ounce. Obviously I wouldn't use that to shoot ducks (it is lead anyway) but to get her used to the gun and shoot some clay pigeons it would be good. 28 gauge I can only find down to 3/4 ounce in lead (5/8 in steel or lead slug) and 20 gauge only down to 3/4 oz in lead.

I'm thinking if I could reload her some 28 gauge or 20 gauge loads in 1/2 oz to 5/8 ounce to practice with that would be great.

Now that you know what I'm thinking, you know this will not need to be a high volume reloading operation. What do I HAVE to have and how cheap can I get into this?

Thanks!

 

[king killer delete]

Mec 600 series reloader. Once fired 410 hulls. That will cost you a pretty penny. Reloading book with tables. Lead, primers ,powder, wads. Start punchin and loading. It aint hard.

 

[GunnSmokeer]

money

what will you need?

Money.
Lots of money.
And a willingness to part with it frequently when your supplies run low!

 

[The Longhunter]

There are plenty of 12 ga. loads (reloads) in 3/4 oz.

I commend you for reckoning the problem with fit. I certainly wouldn't handicap her with a .410.

Go with 12 ga. or 20 ga. the components are much more available.

 

[BriarPatch99]

Winchester did make a shell called Win-Lite 20 ga ... they used 7/8 oz shot at 980 fps... if you could find some of those ... it would be a nice start ... Hodgdon list loads that are 3/4 oz @1150 fps and 7/8 oz @ 1100 fps .... I look for more loads later ....

As far as equipment ... a used MEC 600 Jr. in 20 ga ...the right bushing, a bag of the right wads, a can of the right powder, some 209 size primers (whatever is called for in recipe) and a bag of shot would get you reloading ... going to need a scale to check what weight the bushing is throwing....

Notice I added the word right to almost everything ... pretty much got to follow Grandmaws recipe or the biscuits may explode!

 

[Elkbane]

The issue on guns for smaller shooters is more about weight distribution than actual weight. If I were you, I'd focus on what type of firearm and reloading gear you'll need 2 years from now (or even a year - they grow fast!)when your daughter gets bigger than what she can handle right now - otherwise, you'll be purchasing things that have an extremely limited resale potential.

I faced this a fe years ago and bought a Browning Silver Mocro 20 ga. for my daughter. Weight distribution allows her to handle it and it has almost no recoil. It's the best shooting lightweight shotgun I could find.

You can customize a low-recoil load for her with a MEC 600 20 ga. loader pretty easily - I would focus on the loads published by Hodgdon designed for older double guns which have low pressures. They are easy to concoct and work great. If you really want to shoot ducks - research NICE non-toxic shot - I loaded some 1 1/8 oz 12 ga loads with it and it absulutely pounded mallards in Arkansas a few years ago out of a 1940's era Fox Sterlingworth. You just have to hunt down the components to match the published recipe.

Elkbane

 

[BriarPatch99]

Here is a list of light loads ... both rifle and shotguns....

http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Youth Loads.pdf

 

[JeffinPTC]

Weatherby shotguns

I just happened to be reading the Wish book over the weekend looking at rifles and noticed the Weatherby shotguns designed for women. I know you said an auto is too heavy for now, but like others said, it won't be long. I had 2 boys go thru the 4H shooting sports shotgun program, and it doesn't take long. ( as an aside, check if your county has a 4H program. Mine started at 11)
anyway, here's what Weatherby offers in 20 ga youth autos:

http://www.weatherby.com/product/shotguns/sa_08/sa08_sytheticyouth

http://www.weatherby.com/product/shotguns/sa_08/sa08_gh2

And I've got a MEC sizemaster that I'm happy with. Don't think you are gonna save money by reloading though. You just shoot more. figure I save about $2 a box for my investment.