Rio shotshell reloading

**gobbler** · September 14, 2009, 15:56

Anyone know if & how Rio shotgun ammo is to reload? 16 guage in particular...

chromestarhustler · September 14, 2009, 20:56

almost without exception you can not reload shotgun shells cheaper than new especially for skeet and trap.

**gobbler** · September 14, 2009, 21:03

A friend has a 16 and is having hard time finding 16 ga shells & is wanting to get set up to be self sufficient on the ammo. I have found him a couple cases of Rio, someone told him they weren't reloadable & I wasn't sure. I told him for $10 a box, he could not do much better reguardless.

gkw · September 16, 2009, 10:15

I can't fathom why they would not be reloadable.
You will probably have to work up your own loads as those shells may not be in the reloading manuals. But shotguns are not high pressure rounds, so that should be easy and safe.
I haven't reloaded shells since the price of ammo and components went crazy, but I have to believe you can do it for significantly less than $10/box.
Now reloading 12 and 20 for less than you can buy the cheap game/target shells is another story.

onebigelf · September 16, 2009, 14:57

birdshot is cheaper to buy than reload. Slugs, buckshot, and specialty ammo are the only things worth reloading.

John

legion489 · September 17, 2009, 11:30

Since my Lyman Shotshell Reloading manual lists Rio shotshell data, my guess would be they are reloadable. Not having any to try, I can only rely on Lyman knowing what they are talking about.

shootist87122 · September 18, 2009, 22:15

Rio and most other "Euro trash" hulls are OK to reload, but unless you have a bunch it may not be worth the effort. Use the data for Cheddite hulls. You will need a European primer (Fiocchi or Rio) as the primer pocket is a tad too large for a good fit with US primers.

A very good range pickup hulls is the Remington Sport or Rem Gun Club. I even reload the Federal/Estate (paper basewad) hulls, but only once.

Edit - Above comments are general - my experience with Euro Trash hulls is 12ga only. 16ga gets a little dicey due to the limited availability of wads. There is a 16 gauge society on the web with lots of experienced 16 ga reloaders. Google 'em up.

FWIW, my cost to reload 1 Oz 12ga is about $4.25/box, but I buy ieverything n bulk. 16ga should be similar or at least under $5.00/box. No one scrounges hulls like a high volume 16ga shooter (except us guys that also load 28ga).

doubletap · September 18, 2009, 22:31

I've been buying Winchester 16 bore loads, at K-mart for $8.99. They have both 8's and 6's for shot size. They are 2 1/2 dram 1 oz. loads but pattern fine out of my three 16's and work well on dove and sharptails. I've seen similar Estate stuff for $7.99 a box. For the full 1 1/8 oz stuff I usually end up paying about $11.00, which you MAY be able to reload for cheaper, but for the half dozen boxes I burn a year after pheasant and sharptails and doves, it hardly pays to reload. Now my buck loads, that's another story.

September 14, 2009, 15:56	#1
gobbler Curio & Relic Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 44154 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 2,754	Rio shotshell reloading Anyone know if & how Rio shotgun ammo is to reload? 16 guage in particular...

September 14, 2009, 20:56	#2
chromestarhustler Registered FALaholic #: 19815 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: kansas Posts: 3,427	almost without exception you can not reload shotgun shells cheaper than new especially for skeet and trap. __________________ My God in heaven, watch over me and please let me be victorous over mine ememies, but if i must fall in battle let me be brave i am a member of the ammo hoarders of america, ask me about selling your ammo for my fun and your profit

September 16, 2009, 10:15	#4
gkw Registered FALaholic #: 3456 Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Lawrenceville (Atlanta) Posts: 95	I can't fathom why they would not be reloadable. You will probably have to work up your own loads as those shells may not be in the reloading manuals. But shotguns are not high pressure rounds, so that should be easy and safe. I haven't reloaded shells since the price of ammo and components went crazy, but I have to believe you can do it for significantly less than $10/box. Now reloading 12 and 20 for less than you can buy the cheap game/target shells is another story. __________________ GKW

September 16, 2009, 14:57	#5
onebigelf Registered FALaholic #: 32682 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Central Florida Posts: 697	birdshot is cheaper to buy than reload. Slugs, buckshot, and specialty ammo are the only things worth reloading. John __________________ Get OFF the sidelines! If you are a veteran, the oath still holds. Defend the constitution, or be forsworn!

September 18, 2009, 22:15	#7
shootist87122 Registered FALaholic #: 7202 Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: NM Posts: 5,126	Rio and most other "Euro trash" hulls are OK to reload, but unless you have a bunch it may not be worth the effort. Use the data for Cheddite hulls. You will need a European primer (Fiocchi or Rio) as the primer pocket is a tad too large for a good fit with US primers. A very good range pickup hulls is the Remington Sport or Rem Gun Club. I even reload the Federal/Estate (paper basewad) hulls, but only once. Edit - Above comments are general - my experience with Euro Trash hulls is 12ga only. 16ga gets a little dicey due to the limited availability of wads. There is a 16 gauge society on the web with lots of experienced 16 ga reloaders. Google 'em up. FWIW, my cost to reload 1 Oz 12ga is about $4.25/box, but I buy ieverything n bulk. 16ga should be similar or at least under $5.00/box. No one scrounges hulls like a high volume 16ga shooter (except us guys that also load 28ga). __________________ "So in the Libyan Fable it is told, That once an eagle, stricken with a dart, said, when he saw the fashion of the shaft, it is by our own feathers, not others hands, are we now smitten." -Aeschylus Last edited by shootist87122; September 18, 2009 at 22:54.

September 14, 2009, 21:03	#3
gobbler Curio & Relic Silver Contributor FALaholic #: 44154 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 2,754	A friend has a 16 and is having hard time finding 16 ga shells & is wanting to get set up to be self sufficient on the ammo. I have found him a couple cases of Rio, someone told him they weren't reloadable & I wasn't sure. I told him for $10 a box, he could not do much better reguardless.

September 17, 2009, 11:30	#6
legion489 Registered FALaholic #: 6297 Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Iowa City, Iowa Posts: 533	Since my Lyman Shotshell Reloading manual lists Rio shotshell data, my guess would be they are reloadable. Not having any to try, I can only rely on Lyman knowing what they are talking about.

September 18, 2009, 22:31	#8
doubletap Registered FALaholic #: 1426 Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Northern Taiga-land Posts: 829	I've been buying Winchester 16 bore loads, at K-mart for $8.99. They have both 8's and 6's for shot size. They are 2 1/2 dram 1 oz. loads but pattern fine out of my three 16's and work well on dove and sharptails. I've seen similar Estate stuff for $7.99 a box. For the full 1 1/8 oz stuff I usually end up paying about $11.00, which you MAY be able to reload for cheaper, but for the half dozen boxes I burn a year after pheasant and sharptails and doves, it hardly pays to reload. Now my buck loads, that's another story.

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