[R.W.Dale]

Is it possible through the use of specialized equipment to load .410 shotshells one at a time on a single stage press?

[TN Shooter]

I am unaware of any special .410 dies that fit in standard metallic cartridge reloading presses.

However, there are at least 3 alternatives to buying a dedicated .410 reloader like a MEC:

1. Find an old Lee loader that uses a hammer to decap, reprime, etc. (I have not used one for .410, but I have used one in 20 gauge and found the "crimping" tool awkward & inadequate)
2. Use new primed .410 hulls and use your powder measure to charge them, manually insert the wads, fill with shot using the Lee dippers, use an overshot card, and then use a roll crimp tool in a power drill or drill press to roll crimp them (I have done that and it works great but it's tedious).
3. Use .444 Marlin brass and fireform it using Cream of Wheat, deprime, reprime, charge with powder, insert wad and shot, use an overshot wad or gas check, and then crimp in place with a .45 LC die. (I have done that, too, and it's tedious also).

When all's said and done, I wish I had just gone ahead and bought a MEC 600 Jr. reloader to begin with :o But hey- at least all that messing around kept me out of trouble ;)

HTH,

TN Shooter

[NCsmitty]

I would say that anything is possible if you throw enough money at it. On the other hand, if you can find a 410 lee hand loader(getting harder to do) that will work too. I think that you know the best option is a Mec 600 JR that you can get new for around $130. I use one and they are great for the money.

NCsmitty

[45crittergitter]

RCBS once made shotshell dies that fit the bushing threads in metallic reloaders. I don't know if they included .410. AFAIK they have been discontinued except for a set of 12 ga. cowboy dies.

[AgentAdam]

There are a few rare lee load all .410 presses from back when they had the aluminum base instead of plastic.

[R.W.Dale]

What the heck BUMP!!


its been a few years and I'm still interested in this topic. But now only for low volume slugs

supposedly dies are avalible from buffalo arms but details are sketchy

[rcmodel]

CH4D makes the dies for Buffalo Arms.

But they are for reloading brass .410 shells, and it is doubtful they will work for plastic hulls.

MEC is still the only game in town for loading .410 plastic unless you can find one of the old Lee hammer-bammer sets.

rc

[R.W.Dale]

Im not adverse to sticking to brass hulls. Be they 444, fireformed 303 or the magtech brass 410 shells.

[oneounceload]

It would be a LOT cheaper to buy a used MEC Jr. for $75 in 410 and then load away

[kingmt]

Don't over look 44-40 brass.

Why would the die not work in plastic? Is the die not deep enough?

[R.W.Dale]

I think i have most of the stuff to load 444 based 410 on a metallic press. Including brass and a 45 size die

The main stumbling block for me is the components to put into that case.

Just sticking to slugs eliminates much of the funkiness around the crimping sealing of traditional shot loads




posted via that mobile app with the sig lines everyone complaints about

[FROGO207]

You can find wads and nitro cards from Ballistic Products that will fit your converted 444 Marlin cases. I took a 444Marlin die and had some of the inside ground off (too hard to use a tool steel bit on a lathe) and load the Magtech and 444 brass with mine. I load nitro cards, wadding, round balls, and buffer then glue another nitro card over the top but am not ready to crow about results yet.:o

[R.W.Dale]

Thanks for the reply frog.

Do you know of a source for component slugs? Do you have the item #s on the components you're using?

What about a Sabot for a .358" hbwc?




posted via that mobile app with the sig lines everyone complaints about

[rcmodel]

As FROGO207 mentioned, Ballistic Products is the goto source for stuff like that.

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Slugs/departments/198/

rc

[R.W.Dale]

Thanks for the help guys I'm learning much and beginning to formulate a plan. Its looking like a .36 caliber round ball over the correct ballistics products wad would be the cheapest way to be shooting something 410 and fairly sluglike.

So set me straight here please.

Bottom to top
Powder
Felt wad
Plastic buffer/wad
Round ball
?
Slight roll crimp

I assume everything is getting seated in place by hand with a wooden dowel?





posted via that mobile app with the sig lines everyone complaints about

[FROGO207]

Bottom to top

Magtech brass with LPP
propellant amount suited for weight of balls/buffer/wad
nitro card 1/8".430 dia.
felt filler wad cut to 1/8" or so .430 dia---or a few more nitro cards
small amount of buffer ( I use cream of wheat)
round ball
more buffer
round ball
buffer
round ball
buffer
a nitro card/overshot card .450" that is forced in with a dowel then glued in with Duco cement.

Note: you do not have to fill the casing to the top with product when gluing. Just push it down and glue where it ends up and let set for 12 hrs or till dry. Crimping is only necessary if working up a wad column to fit the casing completely to be able to crimp firmly and build good pressure. As long as there is something to hold the column until the propellant burns and creates peak pressure you are GTG.

I do not crimp the casings as they will last longer. I size again about every 6 reloads. This is for several single-shots and a double 410. Make sure your round ball will fit (drop) through your choke if you have any before reloading with them.

I tried using stump wads with the brass shells and they did not work well for me but do work OK in the STS hulls.

I am going to try a 38 cal HBWC put in hollow base down soon to see if that will work for a slug.:D

When using 444 Marlin brass make sure the rim is large enough for your shotgun to eject it some do not catch the smaller diameter rim.