This page is for shotgun shell reloading equipment, including shotshell presses and the gauge conversion kits that go with them. If you're shopping for rifle or pistol cartridge gear, our full reloading supplies section is the place to start.
What goes into a reloaded shotshell
A shotshell press puts together five components, and each one is sold on its own:
- Hulls. The empty shell itself. Plastic target hulls are the most common, and we also carry brass hulls that hold up to many more reloads. Check every hull for split mouths before it goes back on the press.
- Primers. Plastic shotshell hulls use a 209 primer. Many brass hulls take a large pistol primer instead, so check the hull listing before you buy primers.
- Powder. Shotshells use fast-burning powders from makers like Hodgdon and Alliant, found in our smokeless powder selection.
- Wads. The plastic wad separates the powder from the shot and has to match your hull and load.
- Shot. Lead shot, chosen by size and weight. Wads and shot are both in our shotshell wads and shot collection.
Shotshell data is a recipe, not a range
Metallic cartridge reloaders usually work up from a starting charge, but shotshell data works differently. Each published load is tested with an exact hull, primer, powder charge, wad, and shot weight, and changing any one of them, even the wad brand, can change pressure. Choose a recipe from a current reloading manual or the powder maker's data, then buy components to match it exactly. Powder Valley can't recommend specific loads.
Choosing a shotshell press
A single-stage shotshell press handles every step on one compact frame: deprime, reprime, drop powder and shot, seat the wad, and crimp. It's an affordable way to find out whether shotshell reloading suits you before you invest in a progressive machine. Most shotshell presses are built for one gauge, so buy the one that matches your shells. If you shoot more than one gauge, check whether a conversion kit is available for your press before buying a second machine.
Would you rather shoot than load?
If you'd rather skip the bench time, our shotshell ammunition collection has factory target and hunting loads in the common gauges. Many clay shooters keep a few boxes of factory shells on hand for practice days and save their reloads for league nights.
