.410 gauge Shotgun Reloading Tips?

[Wolfdog91]

So never been a shotgun or pistol person but gonna be starting soon for .410 because I wanna try to make some custom loads for small predators and stuff... I just love experimenting and custom loading... it's fun...along with the fact I think casting and coating my own pellets would be cool...
Anyhow been asking around about shot gun reloading and man you talking about a weird duality. I'll get told I need to be sure careful and NEVER story from the book .....then the same person will start talking about how they used to just load anything from rock salt to metal chips in the shell just because they had a old cheap gun and everything was fine
I go online and I see eveyone and the mom just loading random crap into shells and nothing happens and a see all this old stuff about wax and cut shells and loading brass .410 shells like a rifle....ugh wish folks would make up their minds .
At this point think I'll just buy some hulls some wads some powder and just read up on the basics and go from there b

 

[perazziguy]

410's can be tough to load. You'll do good to read on all the basics you can find. Trapshooters.com is also a good source of information. Some Winchester 296/Hodgdon H110 will be a good start. What type of reloader do you have or are going to get?

 

[wasskeet]

MEC 600 jr still loads the best .410's. Yep, sticking to the book provides the best results. Some wads just do not seal off well in some hulls, some primers don't seat well in all empties among other idiosyncrasies in loading shotgun shells. Brands have changed too much since I last loaded many that I cannot offer any specifics now. Used to be Winchester hull, primer and wad was almost fool-proof, but it didn't hold the most shot.
Best wishes for you getting your feet wet!

 

[HTSmith]

Best stick by the books and major company online data. You can be pretty sure the published data is safe, but not so sure it will fit properly in the case to get good crimps. That's where getting some advice on Trapshooter.com would help. Good luck!

 

[ronsatspokane]

Shotgun reloaders (as in people who reload shotgun shells) tend to be anal retentive. Stick to the book most will tell you. I've loaded a variety of shotgun shells over the years and I find that the specific shell, wad, power, charge weight and shot specified formula will create great loads. However, not all the components for that recipe are always available. I've had to substitute primers, powders and charge weights. Usually someone somewhere has tried that combo and it also works. Currently I'm using Unique for 28 gauge because I have 16 lbs of it. I'm also substuting 209 primers for other 209 "compatible". Not a common recipe but it kills the clays.

I think the most important thing to be careful in substitution would be the wad. Wad's are designed to fit particular types of shells be they tapered or straight base. Easy to get over pressure or dump all your pressure out in front of the shot.

 

[jk80]

So never been a shotgun or pistol person but gonna be starting soon for .410 because I wanna try to make some custom loads for small predators and stuff... I just love experimenting and custom loading... it's fun...along with the fact I think casting and coating my own pellets would be cool...
Anyhow been asking around about shot gun reloading and man you talking about a weird duality. I'll get told I need to be sure careful and NEVER story from the book .....then the same person will start talking about how they used to just load anything from rock salt to metal chips in the shell just because they had a old cheap gun and everything was fine
I go online and I see eveyone and the mom just loading random crap into shells and nothing happens and a see all this old stuff about wax and cut shells and loading brass .410 shells like a rifle....ugh wish folks would make up their minds .
At this point think I'll just buy some hulls some wads some powder and just read up on the basics and go from there b

Would you listen to some moron tell you the same crap about loading rifle cartridges? STICK WITH THE BOOK DATA!!! Switching a wad or primer out can dramatically change pressures quickly, especially in the smaller gauges.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Match the wad to the hull type, put in a appropriate weight of payload with recommended powder charge. Done. If you decide to play after that, do it with a modern well built firearm.

 

[Wolfdog91]

Match the wad to the hull type, put in a appropriate weight of payload with recommended powder charge. Done. If you decide to play after that, do it with a modern well built firearm.

Yeeep that's probably what I'm gonna end up doing because honestly alot of what I want to do doesn't seem to be "normal"

 

[Clous]

I’ve been known to mix shot 4, 5 and 6’s. I feel like no harm was done. Just watch your velocities.

 

[HTSmith]

I’ve been known to mix shot 4, 5 and 6’s. I feel like no harm was done. Just watch your velocities.

I don't call that fudging as long as you don't increase the weight of the charge.

 

[Clous]

In my younger days I use to shoot 300-500 rounds a week between hunting and trap. Inevitably I would mix the leftovers. Favorite powder was PB.

 

[Clous]

Now my local small town school has a trap club if you can believe that.

 

[Kalitrazescapee]

I would agree on the wad,careful with subs. Mass is mass for the most part,and I load hevishot duplex..weighed!! Ballistic products has a small gauge book which has a lot of info.
Slit or unslit wads,heavy tps wads,mylar wraps...lilgun powder if you can find it ...brass shells,fffg powder, 10,11,12 shot...tss shot...hbwc pistol bullets, learn the basics before you experiment. Btw black powder only works twice on plastic Hull. Full choke guns require caution w slug experimenting. Read, Research,and don't be stupid.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Book data is generally safe data but there's all kinds of stuff out there that lawyers would never allow in print, too. I don't think that's limited to shotgun reloading though. Ultimately, the one pulling the handle and pouring the powder is who SHOULD be responsible but yes, I feel ya and understand.

 

[Cecil S.]

Following this post. I find very little good information for 3" 12ga buckshot , I stocked up on Longshot powder (Blue Dot is nowhere to be found).

 

[dfrosch]

Weigh what your loader throws, both powder and shot. Most throw light, but check to be sure. You can hone your bushings, but do it in baby steps.

.410 hulls have a short life. If you hear a whistle after shooting one, the plastic has probably separated just in front of the brass.

 

[jk80]

Now my local small town school has a trap club if you can believe that.

I can believe it. I help coach a team with over 70 kids. ITS EXTREMELY REWARDING!!! 4 kids I've helped have gotten full ride scholarships and one won a major event at the grand and has the ring to prove it. Even if the kids don't Excell at the game and maybe have to stop because of college or life getting in the way hopefully you've created a good memory of guns in a future voter!!

 

[Homerange]

Tips learnt from others and the school of hard knocks.

Load plastic hulls only when warm to reduce crimp fold failures.
Ensure crimp starter is free to rotate and align with existing crimp folds.
Use only 1 piece hulls, ie: not ones with separate base wads.
Don't mix hull types/brands.
Focus on component selection including both charge and shot volumes to obtain the perfect crimp, just barely over compressed has been my preference.

Once all these ducks are in a row, loading shotshells is little different to anything else, but as always let loading manuals be your primary guidance for components, charge and payload choices.

 

[Wolfdog91]

So not sure why my post got changed because I wants asking for tips or anything...just trying to have some conversation

 

[Hoser]

I have a Sploar reloader that I use.

Pretty much nothing but AA hulls, H-110 powder and AA wads. I always try to keep my velocities around 1,200 so no matter what I am shooting my lead stays the same. For more power on critters, I change the shot size or payload weight.

The 410 is the most difficult to load. Take your time. The learning curve is steep.