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DEFIANCE, Mo.—Shotgun shooters needn’t let the shortage on ammunition shortchange them from getting to do what they love. Ammo can be hard to come by, expensive to purchase, or both. But what if you could make your own? You could enjoy shooting independent of the whims of the ammunition market. Getting started in shotgun ammunition reloading is easier than you might think.
To help shooters gain their ammunition independence, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is holding a Beginning Shotgun Reloading class Tuesday, Feb. 22 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the August A. Busch Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center. It’s a free program open to anyone 16 years and up.
“With the ammunition shortage, more people are getting into reloading their own and this is a good, affordable way to create your own shotshells for trap and skeet shooting and hunting,” said MDC’s Busch Outdoor Education Center Manager, Bryant Hertel. He said this program will show that reloading is not as complex or as expensive as some may think.
The class will show shooters how to get started in economically reloading their own shotgun ammunition. Participants will learn what equipment is needed, along with the required materials and the best techniques for getting the job done. Shooters will discover how to customize the loads to their own firearms. Safety precautions will also be emphasized.
The class will break the process down into simple procedures to get newcomers started. This live and hands on program is designed for the beginner who has never reloaded before. Busch Shooting Range staff will demonstrate the process and then give participants the chance to get some real experience in reloading ammunition themselves during the class. All equipment and materials will be provided.
The Beginning Shotgun Reloading class is free, but advanced online registration is required at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/44E.
The August A. Busch Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center is located at 3550 Route D, approximately five miles west of Highway 94, in Defiance.
MDC asks all visitors observe current local COVID-19 social distancing and masking guidelines. Bringing and wearing face coverings is encouraged when appropriate.
Program registrants should note that families now have the option to link their children’s accounts to their own which will streamline the program registration process. Once a group account is set up, parents will be able to register their children to an event without having to logoff and login for each person. This allows parents to register an entire family or select family members to an event at the same time.
Stay informed of MDC latest programs by going to the MDC St. Louis regional events page at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZP6.
