410 bore

[santa]

I know its a long shot but does anyone on this site shoot 410 bore shotguns?  OR reload for them?

[gunr]

Just bought a Stoeger .410 Coach gun (side by side) Because if the very high cost of ammo, I plan on reloading. I have heard that .444 Marlin brass can be used? and that you can make your own wads from cork and paper???

   Whats your input?

[santa]

Hey Gunr,  We had BIG windstorm today (50 MPH plus) and a power outage. Ill get back to you tomorrow if the power will stay on long enough.

[theysayimnotme]

I gave up reloading them when I couldn't get paper shells anymore. Literally wore out the ones I had left & had to stop when the primer pockets were too loose. The paper ends would fray but I could put a bit of paper over the end of the shell & the crimp would hold.

   It may be hard for younger people to imagine but .410s used to be far cheaper than larger shells. It used to cost me 75 cents to reload a box & I found a source of new shells for $1.25/box & quit reloading for quite a while. I built up a supply of more than a shopping bag full of 2 1/2" empties & that lasted me several years before I wore them all out.

   I HATE the plastic shells. They shoot too tight a pattern & I could never get the crimps to hold.

   

   I do still sometimes reload 45/70 shotshells. I use the standard 2 1/2" load & use toilet paper as an over power wad. I then use a .45 cal gas check crimped over the shot.

   

   They claimed the price had to go up because of the lower demand. As the price went up the demand fell more & it became a vicious circle.

[gunr]

Great story, thanks,

   So can you elaborate and mention why you didn't go to the brass shells? Apparently there are several different cartridge cases that can be used, including the 9.3x74R which will give you a 3" case.

[santa]

Gunr,  Im sorry but due to a windstorm my computer internet (and electricity)was down.  But as to your question.  I have read about what you are refering to but Ive never done it. It can be done with the right tools. However the wads are cheap so making your own probably is a waste of time.  What I do is this:  First I have a MEC 600 Junior reloader which works great. Second thing is in the reloader box they have a book with charts which is mostly 12 gauge but there is at the end a section on 410. Third I use Winchester HS hulls as they can be reloaded 8-10 times, read the box. Fourth for simplicity I use ALL Winchester components, 296 powder,WAA410HS wads, Winchester 209 primers.  The wads are good for either 2 1/2 inch or 3 inch hulls. These components are easy to aquire. Cabellas has it all. The shot I use is # 4.  Also on the Hodgdon Powdwer web site there are multiple tables for differents brands of powdwer and loads for 410.  There is several booklets in the box with the reloader, everything you need to know. The reloader cost $165 and well worth it. The cost to reload 2 1/2 inchers is about 12 cents each.  The reloader can easily be reset for 3 inch hulls. Im still trying to figure out my own recipe for 00 or 000 buckshot though and if you have any suggestions please let me know.  Winchester does have(check their website) factory 000 buckshot and slugs but Id like to load my own. Mrs SANTA bought me a Mossberg model 500 pump action in 410 last year and I love it.  Dont let anybody ever tell you that a 410 isnt good for self defence as a 3 inch 000 buckshot round developes 1000 pounds of muzzle energy and slugs have 800 pounds of muzzle energy, more than a 357 magnum. If that doesnt do the job what will?  I went to the Stoeger web site to see what your new toy looks like, very very good looking gun. Can you fire BOTH barrels at once?  Anyway Ive ranted on long enough. Where do you live ? Im here in Eastern Washington State.  Seriously we ought to start a web site specializing in 410 bore. I bet it would fly. Send me a PM if you wish, like to hear from you.

[theysayimnotme]

12 cents a shell? Good lord. It's a good thing I still have old powder, shot & a few primers left.

   I dread having to buy primers or powder if it is that bad now.

   How can they possibly sell 12 guage shells for what they do if it costs that much to reload a .410? I had the cost figured out at 3 cents for a 2 1/2" .410 & just a bit more for 28s. I used 2400 for .410s, .44 Mag & 45/70s.

   I gave up shooting competition Skeet a long time ago so it makes no sense for me to reload shotgun shells anymore. The cost of .410s & 28s plus the poorer performance of the plastic shells (Tighter patterns) means that when I do shoot I usually use my 12 or 20.

   I've never had any use for 3" .410s. They don't produce a denser pattern, just a longer shot string. Better to go with a 28.

[lauraslookout]

I have no reloading experience but 12.5 cents for reloading a .410 shell seems mighty reasonable compared to the off the shelf price. With arthritis becoming a very real factor in my shooting I am always looking for something kinder to shoot. LOL, the arthritis would start getting rough AFTER I had amassed plenty of ammo. Jim

[cedarview kid]

I have a .410 barrel for a Rossi shotgun. I also have .22 Magnum and .22LR, but one of the .22 barrels (I forget which one) needs a different forearm, which I don't have.

   

   I also have my Dad's old .410 shotgun, but I've never shot it and it's not in great shape.

   

   Frankly, I think I've shot more .410's out of my Judge than any shotgun I own.

[santa]

The shelf price of 410 bore ammo is high, thats one reason I started this thread.  Even cheap factory loads cost 40 to 50 cents a pop.  The 000 buckshot loads that Winchester sells are about $1.20 or more a pop. These figures show that reloading a 410 for 12 cents or less a pop is a bargain.  Lauraslookout points out the arthritus problem many suffer from which by the way  includes Mrs SANTA. Arthritus effectively eleminates her shooting any 12 gauge.  By the way reloading a 12 gauge costs more than reloading a 410, more powder, more shot.

[theysayimnotme]

The biggest cost difference would be in shot. You don't necessarily need more powder, just a different powder. The primer cost is the same & I might suspect the plastic wads might be similar in cost.  

   It has been a very long time since I have bought those items so I am only speculating.

   I still have some cans of powder that are over fourty years old. One can of ffffg black powder is almost full. It doesn't take much to fill the pan of a flintlock.

[gunr]

There are some good web sites on loading for the .410, and like other informational sources, there's a lot of different opinions.

   On the wads, It has been mentioned on these sites that purchased wads are a little small, if using brass cases. Harbor Freight sells a set of punches, one of which forms perfect size wads for .410 brass cases. H.F. # 02580. Brass seems to be the way to go for break opens and revolvers, last forever. Hodgdon makes a powder specifically for .410 etc., it's called "Little Gun"  

   I probably wont start loading for the .410a until summer, too many other irons in the fire.

[bflying]

Have a youth .410/22 combo for my son, and a Judge 410/45LC revolver.  They are not cheap to shoot.  But have never reloaded shot.  Reloading is the only way you can shoot volumn without breaking the bank. I'll probably be soliciting tips from some of you this summer.

   

   My Dillon is currently set up to pound out 9mm, but have been shooting 40, 45auto, 45LC, and 410  more frequently.  Oh, and a ton of 223/5.56 in the AR.  

   

   Anyone have pictures of their reloading setup? If using brass to reload 410, would you use a shot setup, or basic handgun/rifle setup like the Dillon 550B?

[gunr]

No need for a shot shell set up to load for the .410.

   Make or buy a decapping block and pin, use a ram line priming die, made by Lee, Lyman, RCBS (under $20.00 at Cabela's) Use a drill press with an inverted drill bit for tamping down wads etc. Keep power off and work handle like an arbor press. Seal over shot wads with wax or white glue.  

   From what I've read so far you can do the whole operation without any "reloading" tools at all with the exception of the ram line tool and a shell holder. I bought a lightweight Lee loading press from Lee at Cabela's for under $30.00 Great tool for primer installation. Can of course be used for other things. Have not heard about the need, if any, for partially resizing of brass cases, may depend on the case used.  

   I'm guessing you can crimp the end of a brass case for feeding in an auto loader or pump, but the constant straightening and crimping would mean there would be a lot shorter life to the case.

[pietro]

I've long gravitated to small bore shotguns - even years before I retired.

   

   First, it was a step down to the 16 & 20, but now even my 20 ga's (I have a few) don't get used as much as my 28ga SxS and the three various .410's ( a Remington Auto, a Mass Arms single, & a Savage 22/410).

   I only use a 20ga now for deer hunting w/slugs.

   

   I wish I had the .410 Browning GR1 Model 42 back, I once foolishly swapped off for a Parker 16ga, though.

   (The THINGS, I usta do, to make $$$)

   

   .

[whitehorse]

My Mossberg 410 with an 18 1/2 inch barrel has  front & rear grips and it's mostly used for home protection.  

   

   Had a Savage over under 410/22LR back in the 50s that loved pheasant dinners.