410 reloads

[Richard C]

Greetings, I'd like to load a few 410 rounds for my daughter. I still have a hand full of shells. { haven't reloaded for years}
I read 303 Britt and 444 marlin shells also work.
Do you load your 410? Thanks Richard

 

[OKFC05]

I use a MEC 600Jr old style to load .410, and it works great.

Personally, I would not consider putting metallic rifle shells into my MEC .410 dies; they cost too much to replace.

 

[Richard C]

I was thinking of using a lee loader, you know the small hand loaders. I don't remember my father resizing the 12ga shells at all, maybe he did. If he resized the shells he made his own resizer. He didn't have any real reloading equipment. He punched out his wads with a tool he made with a pipe, I still have the punch.
Do you use the 410 on the property.

 

[enfield]

I have a Mec 600 Jr press that I haven't yet used, due to the scarcity of hulls. I just received an order of new hulls and wads from Ballistic Precision Inc. so I'll be trying it out soon.

 

[socal s&w]

If you are looking for data, yes, I reload 410's.

I use between 12.2 & 12.5 grains of 'Lil Gun in AA/HS hulls with a WW209 primer, ClayBuster 105041A wad. Lists at the normal skeet speed of 1,200 FPS.

You should resize unless you are shooting them through the same gun as many guns have differing bore diameters and sometimes the rounds have expanded too much to allow them to chamber in another firearm.

Hope this helps!

 

[Andy Griffith]

If you are dead set on using metallic brass hulls for the .410, there are a few minor issues...

444 Marlin will work fairly well, but it's a bit undersized, a bit shorter than a 2.5" shells, and the rim may be too small to eject reliably from most guns. .303 British brass must have the rims turned down and the neck blown out- never tried .303 brass myself.

I'd suggest getting the Magtech large pistol primed brass for the .410 if that is what you want (about $25 a box) and order the fiber, card and overshot wads for them. I'd have to look, as I can't remember the correct shellholder for them.

It is a lot less trouble to buy a brand new Mec 600 Jr. (avoid the overpriced used ones from fleabay), use plastic hulls, wads and powder than to fiddle with the brass hulls of any kind unless you just want them or just shoot blackpowder as plastic hulls and blackpowder don't work well for long together.

 

[Richard C]

Took me a while to log on. Yes! that does help. We only have two 410 { daughter and I} With a bit of luck I won't need to resize. If I do I'll look for a Lee Hand Loader I've had good luck with them for 308 and 9mm. Thanks Richard

I'm not set on brass I will look into thoes you mentioned, I've heard of them before. The advantage to them is, I've heard also, they take pistol primers.

 

[2152hq]

303 Brit is undersize for the standard 410 chamber also,,and short too. Makes about a 2"+ shell after it's blown out full length. Some rim-trim is usually necessary as stated above.
It'll work but not the best situation.

I load 410 for the occasional skeet rounds and use a MEC single stage. Works fine and no problem loading the little rounds any different than 12 or 20.

I run Win, Rem and Fed all through with the same load using LilGun. A bit of puffed rice cereal on top of the shot load evens things up betw the different shell types and ensures a good crimp.

The brass is the only part that accually gets sized on the hull and it really does make a difference if you're using a couple of different guns. Surprizingly, I find the Federal hulls hold up longer or as long as the Winchester. The Remingtons fail rather quickly with split crimps.

A LeeLoader may work OK if one gun is involved, but even then I don't recall them crimping plastic shells very well (but that was alot of years ago! maybe they've improved since then..)

Good luck and I hope you and your daughter have fun with the 410

 

[Richard C]

Thanks, I don't plan to crimp,I was planing to put a wad on top.
If it is the brass that has to be sized your right Lee loaders never did full length resize. May sound funny but I still have a few cardboard shells.

 

[2152hq]

Not funny at all,,I still have a few Peters Hi Velocity 2 1/2" 410 paper shells somewhere left over from a full case we shot up as teenagers. Still have the wooden crate too.

If you're going to use an over shot wad,,I've had good luck sealing them in with common white (cheap!) window & door caulk. A small touch up tube goes along way. Use a small dot of it on top of the wad and press and smear it around in a circle to smear the caulk into the edge of the wad & hull wall. Let them cure over nite. The mat'l will disintegrate on firing and not leave anything in the bore but gives a good solid seal.

I've used the stuff in paper, plastic and brass shotshells. Never had much luck with the various glues & mixes generally mentioned for the job.

 

[Jellybean]

The advantage to them is, I've heard also, they take pistol primers.

I don't know how things are in your area right now, but around here you couldn't find a pistol primer if you had too. Well maybe if you get real lucky. Shotgun primers never were a problem.