Dave in AZ Report post Posted June 29, 2015 Hi, looking for powder/shot/wads to load steel duck loads. Used the search function, only one post from 2013 and it's sold Please PM me if you are in AZ and are looking to sell the above--really looking for local Alliant Steel powder mostly. Thanks, Dave 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted June 29, 2015 I saw some Of the powder you are looking for at Mesa Sportsmans on Friday Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yotebuster Report post Posted June 29, 2015 You've peaked my curiosity now. I usually churn through 7-8 cases of waterfowl loads a year here in ND and have investigated reloading them off and on and have always been turned away by higher prices to load and lower quality then factory loads. I haven't reaearched it lately though. Is there a performance or cost advantage that your getting? Or is it just the satisfaction of loading your own? ( I totally get that as I cut my own meat, load my own rifle ammo and make some of my own tackle, mostly for the joy of it and not to save money). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesPursuit Report post Posted June 29, 2015 Is there a performance or cost advantage that your getting? Or is it just the satisfaction of loading your own? ( I totally get that as I cut my own meat, load my own rifle ammo and make some of my own tackle, mostly for the joy of it and not to save money). Dave posted on another site last year that he was going to get into waterfowling with his boys, essentially from scratch. He never once asked for anyone's spots or any sensitive info, just had an awesome attitude and willingness to learn by himself. When he posted a couple topics recently about reloading, and he has his reasons he will share I'm sure, I figured I'd point him to the incredible knowledge base of CWT. I don't know him personally but he's got a lot of character based on what I see him post on the other site, I'm sure he will be a great addition here. Welcome to the site, Dave. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
10Turkeys Report post Posted June 29, 2015 Check out BPI (Ballistic Products), they sell scatter gun stuff. I havent used steel shot for a long time but when I did I got their steel loading guide called the Status of Steel, picked a load from it and it worked great. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Havasuhunter Report post Posted June 29, 2015 Welcome to the site. I will keep my eyes open. Be interesting to see what results you come up with. You are welcome to any 3" hulls I shoot up this year too. I usually throw them away, but will start saving them if anyone wants them. I load lots of lead in 2 3/4 shells, but never messed with steel. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave in AZ Report post Posted June 29, 2015 Hey thanks much for the kind words CouesPursuit! Yotebuster, I'm trying to find some Alliant Steel powder purely for the "extracurricular boost" of the hunt, not economically smart at all likely. I'm working on making some reloads for duck season, so I can have my sons build them... it will help make their first real season with a gun more meaningful I hope, and will be fun for us. My older son, 12, got his first duck in Jan with me on the special youth season hunt at Cibola--his first ever hunt. Since then I've been loading up 3/4oz light 20ga loads for him to practice skeet with, and they really love seeing those shells pop out of the reloader. Adding the whole steel reloading thing to my season will help keep me going despite not seeing many ducks. And I figure time in the garage with the kids teaching stuff is one of the best ways a man can spend his time. 10turkeys, thanks for the BPI mention-- I do use BPI for various reloading stuff. The real problem is availability of Alliant Steel powder, no one has it except like 1 lb, then you pay twice the price for hazmat and shipping fees... always works best to find powder locally if you're buying in less than 48lbs to distribute the hazmat/shipping costs across a bunch of powder. I figure anyone who has Steel might also have steel shot, since Alliant Steel is pretty much 100% used to load waterfowl steel loads. You said you haven't used steel shot for a long time--makes me wonder if you're doing ITX or HW13 or TSS or bismuth maybe as a non-tox? I'm reading a lot of threads on that, just love studying it, and I can already tell it'll suck me in before too long. However, I don't think my sons nor myself for that matter are really good enough shots yet to go beyond reasonably-ranged steel shooting yet; so we'll give the steel reloading a go. Yotebuster, it turns out that Alliant Steel is so much better for producing high velocity with low pressure than anything else out there, that you really just can't approach commercial loads for speed without using it. And since I want to give my boys another aspect of the hunt to be excited about, but DON'T want to handicap them with inferior loads, I pretty much have to find some Alliant Steel I read around a bit on some of the other sub forums already, and saw several threads of great interest to me, and I'll be posting in there I think-- I handload for 284 Win for my deer hunting, used to do some bench rest shooting with that also. This will also be my older son's first deer season, planned for up in Michigan with 3 generations of family on family farm. I've got some 120gr Nosler BT that I need to work up some good loads for him (I use 140gr usually, trying for low recoil for his first season). I've settled on IMR 4350 mostly for 1/2" groups with 140gr bullets, but have also used Reloader 19, and have acquired Reloader 17 after reading all the great results it's turning in for 1000yd shooting with 284Win in competitions. So I'll need to find a good starting point for 120gr Nosler BT. And once I start working THAT load up, I guess I also bought a bunch of 150gr and 170 gr Nosler Accubond Long Range I have to work up, and I'm pretty sure I bought some Barnes 140ish triple shock.... you get the picture I post on Nosler's forums, and read a couple long range shooting forums, This looks like a good forum with lots to read of interest, probably just the place to be as my kids begin hunting locally too Well, I didn't plan on making my intro on the Classified Ads, but there it is 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave in AZ Report post Posted June 29, 2015 I saw some Of the powder you are looking for at Mesa Sportsmans on Friday Figured you're talking about Sportsman's Warehouse? Must have been something different Alliant, I called them and they said no Steel for years there Guy took phone over and really checked for me too. Not too many waterfowl reloaders in AZ probably so it's difficult to find that Alliant Steel. Guy in Prescott told me he had a 4lb jug on his shelf for 5 years no one bought until the powder shortage, so he didn't reorder any. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted June 29, 2015 Yes Sportsmanship Warehouse. I definitely saw it on the shelf. 4 or 5 one 1 lb jugs. It was on the top shelf above the R15 that I was buying. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted July 3, 2015 It's still on the shelf. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yotebuster Report post Posted July 5, 2015 Welcome to CWT Dave! Thanks for responding, sounds like you've got a good plan. I remember loading shells with my dad when i was 4 or 5. Every one that came out was like magic! I remember just analyzing every last one of them and picturing where I would be come fall when I got to use them. It added so much to the hunt for us. Since we've grown up we have gotten away from is since it's just simpler and cheaper to buy them but I sure did learn a lot and really miss it. Good luck with your kids. Load up your car and bring them to ND some fall and I'll line you guys up on some incredible warerfowling up here! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
