Loading .410's -- Brass? Slugs?

[jds holler]

<----- I just picked up a little 410 shotgun for this shrimp here.

Kind of wanted to load plinker/practice shells for it to get her started. Has any of ya messed with making shells for these little scatterguns? I've plunked around on you-tube a little, and got some ideas.

Thought it might be fun to get her to start stuffing her own shells also. I'm thinking low-tech, okie cheap-skate technique. jd

 

[Rsadams]

Pick you up a MEC in .410... Super simple and loads great shells... Buying the shells for .410 is expensive and finding any empty hulls at your local range will be hard but .410 is cheap to reload for and worth it... Remember shotguns run WAY less pressure than a pistol or rifle... When reloading shotshells buy a loading manual and stick with what it says.. If it says use this wad with this primer , that's what you use... Other than that it's easy and fast...

12ga stuff is bringing a premium right now and can be hard to find but you can find pleanty of loaders for .410... After you find a load you like buy in bulk the wads, powder and primers... The guys I know are still using Winchester AA hulls for .410... Almost every other gauge the Remington hulls are what people want... I am sure they would be good for .410 also....

Ballistic Products online has good information on it...

 

[std7mag]

You can get on Alliants website & get data.
Also get their free manual.

Biggest thing with shotgun reloading is weight of shot & what wad your using.

The wad companies have some load data also, if i remember correctly.

 

[brokeasajoke]

You can buy all brass shells by mag tech (I believe if you can find them). Seems like people also make them from fireforming 303 british also.

 

[bsekf]

410 is for experts! See if you can find her a 28 ga., most overlooked ga in the world. You can load down to 410 levels, or up to nearly 20 ga levels. Get the MEC loader, I recommend the Sizemaster.

Bill

 

[jds holler]

I've got a Mec 600, but don't want to convert it over for 100+ bucks.

We're looking at probably lower volume, and I was thinking trying brass hulls. jd

 

[rockhound78]

IIRC, you can use 9.3 x 74R brass too

 

[Homerange]

jd, 410's are easy to load but do ensure you get the powder, wad, load combo right so to get a good crimp that holds shot well. Like you I started our wee ones off with a 410 too and unlike bigger shotguns don't be tempted to drop the shot size too small. 410's have limited range so pattern density is not quite the issue that it is in larger gauges and I'd recommend you go no smaller than 6's.
Keep things real simple for flying targets as the littleze don't yet have the gun control or strength to maintain a smooth and steady swing.
Some of the old single barrels have tight chokes that require good holds to hit things which can be counterproductive to growing confidence for kiddies.
Spend some time using the 410 yourself to know it will do what you ask of it before you hand it over to the kiddie.

My first shooting with a double hammer 410 started nearly 50 years back and I shot many ducks and pheasants with it before being able to mange my granddads 12g side by side trap gun.
About the time I was getting our kids started by chance when travelling we walked into another towns sporting shop where they had a SH 410 Mec 600 with a pile of hulls, wads, pound of powder and primers, all for $100 NZ.
Needless to say we grabbed it in an instant to add to the 12g Mec 600 I'd had for years.

 

[Cecil S.]

I love the 410. My Grandfather started me out on one , many rabbits went in the pot back then. Good memories.

 

[JayHHI6818]

Think son was 10 when he said Dad can I shot a shotgun? I’m a Thompson Contender and Encore addict. Bought a 24 in Contender 410 barrel which lead to a 16 inch 410 Contender and a 12 inch 410 Encore barrel. Bought 500 empty hulls and they are on the 4 loading. Bought a Mec 600 JR and Taught the son how to reload the 410’s a few years later. When he was 15 or so he asked it he could try shooting clay pigeons with 12 in pistol. Hit 4 in a row!!!!!

 

[Homerange]

Oh, jds, be sure to check the chamber length as they can vary anywhere from 2 to 3" and if you fire longer hulls in the wrong chamber you can elevate pressures to unsafe levels.
Don't ask me exactly how I know but IIRC 2 3/4" rolled crimp paper hulls into a 2 1/2 chamber blew primers and made the ears ring somewhat !
Much older and wiser now.......

 

[jds holler]

Oh, jds, be sure to check the chamber length as they can vary anywhere from 2 to 3" and if you fire longer hulls in the wrong chamber you can elevate pressures to unsafe levels.
Don't ask me exactly how I know but IIRC 2 3/4" rolled crimp paper hulls into a 2 1/2 chamber blew primers and made the ears ring somewhat !
Much older and wiser now.......

My thinking for now is to get some 444 Marlin brass if I can find some. I just kinda like the idea. The gun is an older Rossi youth mode. Wood and steel. About as simple an reliable as it gets. Can't pick it up for about a week. (background check)

This is gonna be Sam's first rabbit and quail gun until she gets a little more growth. Next one is a 870 20 gauge Youth Model that I already have. It's still too long and heavy for her. jd

 

[Homerange]

Girls and guns get me going......... and more so the cute ones !

Try your local trap shooting clubs for 410 hulls especially if they do 410 comps from time to time.
They're specialist events so not that common but you might get lucky.

 

[ebb]

JDS do a search and there should be a lot of info on using 303 or 444 cases. I looked a bunch of years ago but never followed up on it. That's the only way shooting a .410 made any sense to me.

 

[Richard Coody]

These guys can fill all your needs. If you aren't reloading a lot of 410 for $60 you can get the lee reloader 'll

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/mobile/410-hulls/products/199/

 

[ebb]

There is a thread going on over at cast boolits under the heading shot shells for pistols, about 410 brass loads by frkelly74. Has every thing you are looking for.