.410 reloading

[25 Sharps]

Due to the current (it seems) shortage of .410 cartridges I am delving into the world of cartridge reloading.

I managed to pick up some hand tools from @Zephyrjim so will be roll crimping and some SP3 from @Czhowa to go with the ramshot enforcer from the RFD.

Plan is to use 2.5” in the SxS and 3” subs in the baikal hushy.

Came across this load on Folkestone Engineering, anyone used it? Seems a lot of shot for a 2.5” cartridge!


Both guns are 3” magnum proofed so should cope with pressure and I have an old cooey single barrel that will be my test bed for the first shots of each load. In a rest, on a string!

 

[Heym SR20]

Yes I would say 19grams in a 2 1/2” is on the high side. Eley Fourlongs are 12.5grams. Their new trap load is 14 grams. Gamebore’s are 11 grsms.

19 is a typical 3” load.

Watching with interest. And does any body make a set of 410 dies that can be used in a normal rifle press?

 

[Smellydog]

I've been loading 19gm in 410 for decades. Go for it.
I just use a few thin cards stamped with a leather punch.

 

[25 Sharps]

I've been loading 19gm in 410 for decades. Go for it.
I just use a few thin cards stamped with a leather punch.

In 2.5 or 3”?

What size leather punch?

 

[25 Sharps]

Yes I would say 19grams in a 2 1/2” is on the high side. Eley Fourlongs are 12.5grams. Their new trap load is 14 grams. Gamebore’s are 11 grsms.

19 is a typical 3” load.

Watching with interest. And does any body make a set of 410 dies that can be used in a normal rifle press?

Yes I appreciate factory loads are lower in 2.5” hence the question about the data, 18 gr is a typical 3” factory load.

Have had a search for dies for a standard press but didn’t find any.

 

[enfieldspares]

Yes I appreciate factory loads are lower in 2.5” hence the question about the data, 18 gr is a typical 3” factory load.

Have had a search for dies for a standard press but didn’t find any.

There's no reason you can't make a low velocity (and so low pressure) round. Low velocity shotgun loads are not at all new. Greener writes of them in his book as a means of getting a tighter pattern. After all we British did it with a 200 grain bullet in the old .38 S & W that was designed for a 146 grain bullet to make the .380 Mk I of Enfield revolver fame. But at the price of abysmal velocity in what already was a slowpoke. So my question would be what level of velocity is acceptable to the OP? 900 fps? 800 fps? As I think that is the "price" of 19 grains in a 2 1/2" case.

 

[Liveonce]

There's no reason you can't make a low velocity (and so low pressure) round. Low velocity shotgun loads are not at all new. Greener writes of them in his book as a means of getting a tighter pattern. After all we British did it with a 200 grain bullet in the old .38 S & W that was designed for a 146 grain bullet to make the .380 Mk I of Enfield revolver fame. But at the price of abysmal velocity in what already was a slowpoke. So my question would be what level of velocity is acceptable to the OP? 900 fps? 800 fps? As I think that is the "price" of 19 grains in a 2 1/2" case.

lead shot naturally

 

[Smellydog]

In 2.5 or 3”?

What size leather punch?

Both case lengths.
Think the punch is 11mm. 11x.040= .440".

Most 410 is held low in favour of some old weak actions. The American and some Italian 410 ammo is much hotter.
You really don't need fancy reloading kit for it.
I've turned nuts in a lathe to make a sizer. Just put a case in the nut, put a tube over the lot and give it tap.
A rod to decap. A tube that clears a primer inside the case but beveled slightly so when tapped it seats the primer and encourages the base wad to grip the primer.
Simples.

 

[enfieldspares]

Have a look in Cartridges of the World or in fact use the internet to see dimension for the .410" and dimensions for near similar metallic cartridges. AFAIK all you may then need is a suitable shellholder to hold your .410" so you can re-size and use use that, also, as your "ramming" die by replacing the decapping rod with rod with suitable end for "ramming" the wad. Crimping I'd suggest a RTO tool. Shellholder? You might just squeak it with a .303 British shellholder...I've just tried my Lee #5 shellholder for .303 and the .410" case slides in with ease. I don't know if .45 Colt would also work?

.410":

Case type	Rimmed, straight
Bullet diameter	.410 in (10.4 mm)
Neck diameter	.455 in (11.6 mm)
Base diameter	.470 in (11.9 mm)
Rim diameter	.535 in (13.6 mm)
Rim thickness	.060 in (1.5 mm)
Overall length	2 in, 2+1/2 in, 3 in

.444 Marlin:

Bullet diameter	.429 in (10.9 mm)
Neck diameter	.453 in (11.5 mm)
Base diameter	.4706 in (11.95 mm)
Rim diameter	.514 in (13.1 mm)
Rim thickness	.063 in (1.6 mm)
Case length	2.225 in (56.5 mm)
Overall length	2.55 in (65 mm)

 

[Smellydog]

Your over thinking it friend.....

 

[25 Sharps]

I have all the tools from Zephyrjim, so just the data to sort. I think I’ll email Folkestone Engineering and see if the 19 is correct or not.

 

[25 Sharps]

There's no reason you can't make a low velocity (and so low pressure) round. Low velocity shotgun loads are not at all new. Greener writes of them in his book as a means of getting a tighter pattern. After all we British did it with a 200 grain bullet in the old .38 S & W that was designed for a 146 grain bullet to make the .380 Mk I of Enfield revolver fame. But at the price of abysmal velocity in what already was a slowpoke. So my question would be what level of velocity is acceptable to the OP? 900 fps? 800 fps? As I think that is the "price" of 19 grains in a 2 1/2" case.

The load isn’t listed as subsonic, which others are and the powder charge is in line with the other supersonic loads.

19gr in a 2.5” would be useful as i am planning on using those in the SxS and the 3” in hushpower. That said 19 gr loads are not really needed to kill rats at farmyard distances but would make a good rabbit and pigeon load!

 

[Czhowa]

I wouldn't use the wad stated in the recipe if its going through your hushpower, the petals can open up and get stuck.
Either cut the petals off or use one without them, I use GUALANDI H17 MICRO WAD from claygame.
Or go the old fashioned route and use a card and cork. Pressure would be less but you might need to bump the powder to get the velocity back up

 

[25 Sharps]

I wouldn't use the wad stated in the recipe if its going through your hushpower, the petals can open up and get stuck.
Either cut the petals off or use one without them, I use GUALANDI H17 MICRO WAD from claygame.
Or go the old fashioned route and use a card and cork. Pressure would be less but you might need to bump the powder to get the velocity back up

Thanks bud, I think I have some of those wads with the stuff that I bought.

 

[Smellydog]

I assure you, nothing gets stuck!

 

[25 Sharps]

I assure you, nothing gets stuck!

Are you referring to the deep cup type plas wads with 4 petals? As they are not recommended with hushpower guns.

 

[Smellydog]

Are you referring to the deep cup type plas wads with 4 petals? As they are not recommended with hushpower guns.

Bro, bits of plastic gets in the mod. Lead bits also get in the mod, especially with just fibre wads.
It's impossible to prevent but the phrase our friend used such as " stuck" is not true.
Really...don't worry about it go shoot.

 

[25 Sharps]

Bro, bits of plastic gets in the mod. Lead bits also get in the mod, especially with just fibre wads.
It's impossible to prevent but the phrase our friend used such as " stuck" is not true.
Really...don't worry about it go shoot.

Well I had a look earlier and the stuff I had off of Zephyrjim had 200 of the H17 wads and 100 12 mm felt so that’s what I’ll be getting going with. Just need to sort some primers and I’m away!

 

[Smellydog]

Well I had a look earlier and the stuff I had off of Zephyrjim had 200 of the H17 wads and 100 12 mm felt so that’s what I’ll be getting going with. Just need to sort some primers and I’m away!

Iirc you are to far away otherwise you could have some primers.
I don't think I can send them...

 

[25 Sharps]

Iirc you are to far away otherwise you could have some primers.
I don't think I can send them...

Thanks, RFD locally have some so just need to find time to get over there