Need Advice on .410 Reloading

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

JNewell

Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2003
Messages
2,714
Location
Land of the Bean & the Cod
Hello all...I'm an experienced metallic reloader (35+ years) but have never reloaded a shotshell in my life. I recently bought a NIB Winchester 9410 and it's clear I need to reload if I'm going to shoot this much. So...the question is, what do I need to get set up for reloading .410 shells?

Do I need just the press? If yes, is MEC the leading tool? What's the difference between the 600 Jr. and the Super Sizer? I see that neither will do auto primer feed on a .410.

Many thanks for your advice and guidance.
 
and if you can still find one. One of those .410 lee loaders is great. I have 2 of them. The deluxe version and the regular. Only drawbacks about loading the .410. TWO OF THEM. Shells, Shot. the shells are hard to find in once fired so keep your own. Keep buying ammo. I remember 20 years ago when they were 3.00 a box. now they are way up there. Then shot. Shot is getting rather expensive now. Shells and shot. As for the wads. If you go on shotgunworld those guys can help you out to findin a bunch of different brand wads. i could not tell you where to buy them as i havent looked in a while myself as i am probably sitting on several thousand of them.
 
http://www.mecreloaders.com/ProductLine/SuperSizer.asp The Super Sizer is to only size the fired shell back to factory specifacations. (Just guessing here, don't own one) It does Not load ammo. The 600jr on the first station has a unit that sizes the metal part of the case and knocks out the primer along with trueing up the case. The 600jr comes with a charge bar for shot and it also has 3 powder bushings that will work with Winchester powder 296. I like w296 because it gives enough room for the componeants, some powders take up more space and its hard to get the proper amount of shot into the case and still get a good crimp. You will have to pick a load from data for what length of shell you will load, 2 1/2" or 3". A scale is good for checking powder bushings. Make sure you check the weight of powder after going thru the same loading cycle each time. Dont expect the bushing to throw the exact amout of powder shown in the chart, it varies with the type of press used. Stay to the lighter side of the powder charge. When droping the shot, move the charge bar slow so the shot don't bridge in the drop tube. The first loading on once fired cases will stick at the priming station, this is normal. Since you will be loading for the winchester (thats a lever action?) if i remember correctly, you will want to make sure you set your crimp die to have a taper like a factory new shell to help feeding in the lever action. You would do well to find someone that has reloaded shells for the Winchester and see how that went for them. One last thing, there is a brass washer that goes between the powder part of the charge bar and the powder bottle, make sure thats installed so the powder doesn't dribble as much when loading. I like to use all winchester components, primer, wad ,and case. Your choice of shot size, magnum shot gives getter/tighter paterns in a shotgun, dont know about you rifle. Loading slugs? I never loaded slugs.
 
I don't have a lot to add except...I would drop the 296, that stuff is like water and runs everywhere. I use 2400 and it works great, I haven't loaded 410 in little over a year ao I'm unsure of the load. Been using it for years.
 
...I would drop the 296, that stuff is like water and runs everywhere. I use 2400 and it works great,
Click to expand...
The 2400 takes up a lot of room in the old Win AA case, dont know about the New Win AA HS case. New reloaders should note different reloading data and wad between the old and new "HD" Win. case. The New Alliant powder "410" looks good as it uses Mec bushing #10 as does w296. If you shoot skeet and want to get the full 1/2 oz of magnum shot into a 2 1/2 shell, you need to use a powder that takes up as little room in the case as possible. You will find most all charge bars do Not throw the full 1/2 oz of magnum shot. If you modify the bar to drop the full 1/2oz you will need the room in the old win case. The leakage of powder from the charge bar is sometimes a problem with Mec loaders. Make sure you have a Brass washer part #304W installed. A few loaders may need adjustment. This happens when you get a chage bar part #302, that is on the small side and a Powder measure assembly part #304 that is on the large side by as little as .005". Mec will exchange the Powder assembly at no charge to you. If you have an oversize Powder measure assembly another condition may happen. The Brass washer#304w can become flattened and start to move with the charge bar. This condition can block the flow of powder flow causing low powder charges or no powder at all. This condition is rare, not happening very often, but something to be aware of if the charge bar starts working hard and takes a lot of effert to slide back and forth. One last thing on the 410. When droping the shot into the case, to keep the shot from bridging in the drop tube, move the ram/drop tube up to the mouth of the case so the shot drops in to the case.
 
Brass 444

I would like to knoww more about loading the 444 brass for the 410?
 
I have a MEC 600 and have been using it for 12+ years now. I use either Winchester or Remington hulls (both 3" and 2 1/2") and Claybuster wads. I am using Hodgdon H110 powder (#12 bushing for 3" shells and #10 bushing for 2 1/2" shells). My Mossberg 500 and my Turkish O/U likes that combo. Hodgdon Lil Gun is another good choice for 2 1/2" shells.
When dropping the shot into the case, to keep the shot from bridging in the drop tube, move the ram/drop tube up to the mouth of the case so the shot drops in to the case.
Click to expand...
This is good advice, the larger the shot the more problems with bridging. I usually lift the tube to the top of the shell and lightly tap on it when loading anything larger than 7 1/2 shot.
 
Geeze scrat, I'd heard that lee never made a 410 in the load-all. You'd better keep that, It's a collectors item!
Click to expand...

it took about 3 years of constant looking and asking. i posted on several gun boards at least twice a year. in the end within two weeks i bid on and won two auctions on ebay. both i think i paid somewhere around $40.00 each. Well worth it. one is the deluxe model which has the starter crimps. a lot more dippers just way better made. the other is a complete brand new never used .410 lee loader. all shiney chrome. I use the deluxe one. Works very good. its slow but then im ok with it. the new one. stays in the cabinet. all original
 
heck for 12 guage i also use a lee load all junior. a very old press works very very good. i picked it up for less than 20.00. just a little slow. but very good. works faster than a lee loader. a little slower than the lee load alls of today. major difference is you have to pour in the powder and shot. otherwise its the same. i can crank out alot of shells with that thing.
 
I have been reloading 410 for several years now and have learned a few things along the way. I first stated out using H110 (same as w296) and found that was not as consistent as I liked. I use a Stoeger o/u youth model w/22" barrels with the stock adjusted for fit. I also have a Pardner single shot that I cut the choke from and added Remington rifle night sights and synthetic survivor stock for home defense use. I have found that for my purposes, the Alliant 410 powder works extermely well with either claybuster or Remington SP410 wads. It's just a tad faster burning. AAHS Winchester cases seem to be the best and fetch premium prices for once fired. I have used the Fiocchi cases with good results and have modified a charge bar with a drill bit to drop around 227 gr of shot to get that perfect crimp. (218 gr is a half ounce) As stated before, the cost of components keeps rising, especially shot, so using a 410 will still give you a lot bang for the buck. I use a Mec 600 JR mark V.

NCsmitty
 
it took about 3 years of constant looking and asking. i posted on several gun boards at least twice a year. in the end within two weeks i bid on and won two auctions on ebay. both i think i paid somewhere around $40.00 each. Well worth it. one is the deluxe model which has the starter crimps. a lot more dippers just way better made. the other is a complete brand new never used .410 lee loader. all shiney chrome. I use the deluxe one. Works very good. its slow but then im ok with it. the new one. stays in the cabinet. all original
Click to expand...

Scrat, you don't have a load-all, you have a lee loader. The load-all is a press with IIRC 4 stations, a hopper for shot/powder and a charge bar. Lee never made a load-all for .410.
 
Quote:
it took about 3 years of constant looking and asking. i posted on several gun boards at least twice a year. in the end within two weeks i bid on and won two auctions on ebay. both i think i paid somewhere around $40.00 each. Well worth it. one is the deluxe model which has the starter crimps. a lot more dippers just way better made. the other is a complete brand new never used .410 lee loader. all shiney chrome. I use the deluxe one. Works very good. its slow but then im ok with it. the new one. stays in the cabinet. all original

Scrat, you don't have a load-all, you have a lee loader. The load-all is a press with IIRC 4 stations, a hopper for shot/powder and a charge bar. Lee never made a load-all for .410.
Click to expand...

didnt say i have a lee load all. least not for .410 guage. i have a lee load all junior for 12 guage the lee loaders. are the .410. one in the deluxe and one regular
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

C
  • Locked
Cheap 410 reloading
2
Replies
27
Views
12K
Duckdog
D
C
  • Locked
.410 reload help
Replies
7
Views
1K
Jesse Heywood
Jesse Heywood
J
  • Locked
Shotshell Reloading
2
Replies
25
Views
2K
gamestalker
G
Patocazador
  • Locked
Shotshell Reloading???
Replies
22
Views
1K
oneounceload
O
berettaprofessor
Help! 410 reloaders
2
Replies
28
Views
540
berettaprofessor
berettaprofessor
Back
Top