Looking for advice/input.....
I may have a source to access very cheap .25" steel ball bearings, and am considering using them to make buckshot loads. It corresponds to #3 buck, but obviously is lighter than lead. If anyone has opinions about this I'd really appreciate any & all feedback. I have done ZERO reloading before, but have a new (15 yrs old, but new!) MEC kit sitting in the closet that's never been used.
One caveat, these balls may vary in size by a few thousandths, if that matters. Not due to poor quality control, but by design actually. I don't have exact quality/roundness specs yet (G25, etc), but think I can get that if helpful. I already have about 18lbs of them, anybody with a reloader want to experiment with me? Could make some great home defense rounds I think!

Reloading shotgun loads, depends upon the wt. of the load you are using.
You could use these steel balls for a load, just need Steel components(wad, etc.)
Weigh your load and use the appreciate recipe.

cootduster

Some chokes, etc. cant be used with steel shot, so be mindful of that. Beyond that, I don’t know much about it though.

You will need a wad with thicker walls and closed petals to ensure you don't get abrasion between your ball bearings and the inner barrel surface.

As mentioned, the degree/ type of choke might complicate matters further.

Why not look into a loading manual for steel shot and employ those same concepts?

IIRC The loader needs some things changed out to load steel also

I think the load bar is the main thing

Thanks guys. I realize I have a lot of research to do, and will be delving into that.
I was hoping maybe someone had already crossed this specific bridge and could share some firsthand experience / knowledge. Considering the availability and cost of lead these days, I think it's worth looking into. And I've been looking for a good excuse to finally get the loader set up. We'll see what happens.

If you already load shotshell its easy. Just use steel shot wads. Fill a shot cup and weigh that payload, use corresponding load recipes.

I put all kinds of shit in shotgun shells. Hardened ball bearings in buck sizes are both legal and awesome on high geese.

Great info, thanks!
Good to know it's useful on geese, that means I might have 2 applications for the rounds, LOL.