Reloading 12 Gauge Shotgun Slugs - Lee Load-All II

1) Place the resizing ring on the hull, with the ring on the top.

2) Place the hull in station 1 and lower the handle to resize the hull and remove the old primer. Raise the handle.

3) Place the hull over a new primer to get it started.

4) Place the hull in station 2 and lower the handle to press off the resizing ring and press in the new primer. Raise the handle.

5) Place the hull in station 3, lower the handle to place the powder drop tube into the hull and move the powder charge lever to the right to drop the powder and back to the left to refill the bushing with powder. Raise the handle.

6) Place a slug into a wad and place them into the mouth of the hull. Lower the handle to press the wad and slug into place. Raise the handle.

7) Place the hull in station 4, with an interior crimp fold oriented toward the front. Slowly lower the handle to allow the hull to align properly with the crimp starter. Lower the handle with only a pound of force. Excess force will crush the top of the hull. Hold for two seconds to set the started crimp. Raise the handle.

8) Place the hull in station 5 and lower the handle to complete the crimp. Raise the handle.

The manual reloading process with the Lee Load-All II is very simple and easy. It isn't as fast as a progressive reloader with several processes occurring at the same time, but it avoids the complexity and hassles of progressive reloading. After 20-30 shells, you develop a feel for the simple process and then it's smooth sailing. The process is much faster than the demonstration shown in the video, with pauses between each step and the results presented for inspection. Reloading in a careful and attentive manner results in about 45 seconds per shotgun shell.

The process shown uses cast lead slugs from a Lee slug mold. These are intended to be loaded using standard trap wads. The process may be different if using other types of slugs.

Pullin' The Handle: Mr. Hand

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[memorygap420]

any 00 buck reloading videos? thanks, IM using VihtaVouri powder...

[Liberty4Ever]

@memorygap420 No 00 buckshot videos, but the process is very similar. You'd load bird shot in the shot bin on the reloader and measure it with a shot bushing, but slugs or buck shot are loaded by hand.

With 00, most people put three in the cup, three more offset 60 degrees, and three more offset another 60 degrees. There are other packing arrangements.

Make sure the shot cup will withstand 00, as it'd be harder on the cup than Lee slugs or bird shot.

[fusil56300]

Hi, does the type of used shell matter when loading slugs? I have buckets of birdshot shells waiting to be used. I only want light loads for target shooting. Any advice.

[Liberty4Ever]

@fusil56300 The hulls do matter. The reloading data includes the hull type. Most reloaders prefer to use good hulls from more expensive 12 gauge shells. You probably won't get many loadings from the cheap "low brass" hulls from $23/100 Walmart trap loads. I have some very old Win AA hulls and the plastic isn't very pliable any more, so the crimps don't work as well.

[2ssmoke]

It's not really how much I use I just don't want a dangerous over amount of powder. Thanks. Great video.

[Liberty4Ever]

@2ssmoke The powder manufacturers have online load charts, and there are a LOT of 12 gauge loads readily available. You can generally either print the load data from their site, or download a PDF and print that. Double check those powder weights!

[Nwest82]

@Nwest82 continued... as I'm sure a recipe would have the velocity listed, I can likly get the rough velocity by looking at data with similar grains and load, but with different wads and hulls. oh yeah I used CHEDDITE primers also.

[Nwest82]

I see you do a star crimp with your slug, is there anyway to do a roll crimp" with the lee load all? I just got one today, and loaded 25 1oz shells very quickly and looking very professionally. I used Winchester AA hulls and AA12 wads, 20grains of green dot, and 1oz of #4 lead shot. Avery comfortable round to shoot with medium to low recoil and power seems nice, I just wish I had a crony so I could test the velocity, I can't seem to find a recipe using AA hulls and wads with green dot.

[Liberty4Ever]

@2ssmoke I don't have a Longshot load I could recommend. I didn't do many of them and my notes all indicate that they didn't crimp well with WAA12L wads and a shorter wad is needed. If you're tight up for how much powder you use, consider Titewad. It's made for economical 12 gauge reloading and you'll use less powder for the same performance. I don't have a lot of experience with it to make a solid recommendation, but my loads used less powder and crimped well.

[2ssmoke]

Nice video. Would you happen to remember what bushing you used for the longshot powder? I'm always tight up for how much powder I use. Thanks.