Rock Island Pump Gun and Load All II

[mikld]

Well, I dun it. I was at the local box store looking for a door bell when, as I usually do, I checked out the sporting goods department. There was a Rock Island Armory shotgun on sale. Matte nickle finish, 20" bbl, 2 3/4"-3" chamber. Synthetic black stock/forearm. Looks cool. Nice lady behind the counter let me fondle it (the shotgun!), so I bough one. Asked for one in the box and she produced a new, unhandled, still n plastic, oily gun. I had read a bit on this model and found good reviews and just one that said there were occasional problems feeding 3" shells, but 100% with 2 3/4" stuff. So, on to a new adventure and since I don't like having to buy factory ammo, I'm gonna research reloading shot shells. Been shooting and reloading pistol, rifles for 35+ years but never tried shotguns....

[orerancher]

Happy New Gun Day!!!

[RBHarter]

Get the Lyman shot shell hand book .
Use Buck shot by charge weight .
Shop Ballistic Products for components and new cases .
They have books for all of the components they carry from mundane 10,000 rounds a yr trap loads to 1500 fps steel 60 yd swan slayers .
The Load All system is a great basic tool with all parts present .
Buy a used MEC and a steel compatible adjustable charge bar and don't use Rem high brass cases or the high brass Cheddite cases even with the Load All .
I prefer the Fiocchi cases high brass low base they're good for about 5 cycles .
There isn't a one size fits all wad solution but I've shot a bunch of Rem RXPs ( 1 1/8 oz of 6s for everything 1-5# , 5&3s for 4-15# and #7 1/2 -9s for trap , skeet , dove etc ) and BPs Cushion Steel Drivers CSD 118 (1 1/8 oz of steel capacity , loaded with 1 1/16 of #1 or B) .

Oh yeah and happy new gun day .

[larryw]

Happy New gun day.

[GasGuzzler]

I have eyeballed the same gun online. I like the look but since I don't hunt, buying yet another shotgun would be more than wasteful...but I am interested in loading shells. I have a RIA 1911 clone and it is very nice for the price.

I had an MEC 600 Jr. with two bars and about two dozen bushings. I even got the bottles and two different sized shot and a bunch of wads...but I merely bought it to flip. I think I made $10 after having it for sale for weeks.

[Ranch Dog]

I've never done that, bought a new gun so that I could buy all the reloading tools!

Hands down, I don't think you can find a better press for the dollar than the Lee Load-All II. I have the MEC Slugger, an excellent press for that purpose, but I cannot see replacing my LAII with a MEC for 12 gauge shotshells. The story might be different if I was a hardcore trap/sheet, but the jump would be to a progressive press for that. Lee offers a template for an LAII base that will allow the press to use their bench plate.

RB offered some great advice, especially the reference to Ballistic Products. If you went with the LAII, their instructions cover using the press and the basics of hull reloading well. The big difference in hull vs. metallic reloading is that you don't wander from the components listed. You probably have pistol powders on hand, and as a start to minimize the cost, I would look at the manufacturer's website to see what hull data they list for those particular powders. What will need to be matched, being you already have the powder, is the hull, wad, and shot weight. There are wad substitution charts that allow a switch that won't upset the component column height. The powder company should have a list, a pdf download usually. That component column height is everything; otherwise, you won't be able to get the adequately folded star to close your hull.

If I give up on manual and manufacture data, looking through BP's Load of the Week Archived Data has yielded results that have helped, and you go directly to the listed components and buy them.

My LAII lineup has 12G 2¾" BB loads (hogs) and continuing work with the STI slugs. I want to look at slug with the star crimp again, my records say that it has done better than the roll crimp and MEC folded crimp, I will sell the MEC Slugger.

[mikld]

So far; I have the Lyman shot shell manual, which is a bit confusing (identifying a specific shell and using only specific wads, etc.), but I'll get there. I bought one box of Federal "Heavy Field Load" w/#6 shot and some Winchester buck shot rounds so I'll have some ammo to burn and check gun function (and I ain't had a shot gun since my Ithaca M 37 I owned in '70 which went away during a messy divorce). I also just happened to be looking at Titan's site and ordered a Load All II. I've got plenty of applicable powder and hoping components are available locally. Outta the way! I'm off and running on a new adventure. Call me "Shotgun Mike"!...

If some of my posts seem too "folksy" it's because, to me, posting here is like sitting around the pot bellied stove in the bait/gun/hardware shop gabbing with the boys...

[larryw]

If some of my posts seem too "folksy" it's because, to me, posting here is like sitting around the pot bellied stove in the bait/gun/hardware shop gabbing with the boys...

Mike, that's the exact same reason I stayed. This place is nice &
relaxed & everyone seems like great old friends & family, & even
the landlord is a super great fella!!

[RBHarter]

Yep that's exactly it .

[Ranch Dog]

Yep, what he said!