What about my 410? No lead free offerings

[Liveonce]

I think the capacity will be fine for .410 as i currently load a 14g TSS load for ducks/geese which with the extra density it will outshoot a 12 bore lead round for range. With it being so dense I have to put a filler in the plastic TPS wad to take up space so even with a thick wad there should be enough space. I doubt they would me much good for anything else though. Hopefully get some to try soon!

indeed but that is the very big advantage of TSS shot size can be what 2mm and push as hard as what 2 or 1 in lead, so still a decent pattern with TSS. 28gauge for me but with steel shot, cannot afford TSS for Pigeons or clays.

However What’s the current price for TSS and best place to buy it?

 

[Calum84]

indeed but that is the very big advantage of TSS shot size can be what 2mm and push as hard as what 2 or 1 in lead, so still a decent pattern with TSS. 28gauge for me but with steel shot, cannot afford TSS for Pigeons or clays.

However What’s the current price for TSS and best place to buy it?

Totally agree, TSS is amazing stuff and a total game changer (far superior even to lead) but prohibitively expensive for most shooting. They say the rule of thumb is go up 5 shot sizes. I used to use no3 in my 12 bore for geese but now use no9 TSS in the .410. I only use it on the foreshore where 2-3 shots is a good flight! However, I have loaded about 12g of no9 steel and shot skeet with it. I would say that skeet ranges (20 odd metres) are about the limit on clays for that shell as it struggles with the 2nd barrel from the middle peg but i have managed a 24/25 with it-maybe try get 8 shot next time. I personally believe that steel .410 is not suitable for live quarry shooting unless you could keep the ranges below 20m which is not practical. I personally do not like steel at all and think it struggles on anything tougher than a pigeon/partridge. I shot it for a couple shoots on pheasants and did not like it at all-just my opinion though. I got my TSS from clay and game and of a chap on FB. Off the top of my head it was £70 odd quid a KG and think I am loading it for approx £1.50 a shell. I am new to reloading and i only started because it is not possible to buy factory TSS but have now got the bug for it! It is easier than i thought and plenty help/info available online. The “TSS UK” facebook group is excellent. I think reloading might be the future of .410. Hopefully we new replacements in the future as it is pretty bleak at the moment.

 

[enfieldspares]

As a training gun the only thing 410 has over other gauges is it being lightweight. This allows a small youngster to hold it, but the tightness of pattern and difficulty of actually hitting anything moving far outweighs its lightness.

There's always wisdom to be found on SD. Here is today's best lesson. 100%.

 

[enfieldspares]

Would love to know where you think you can buy eley select for £230 a thousand? have you actually purchased any cartridges recently?

Not £230 per 1000 but still cheap. First two on the list. Fiocchi TT1 plastic are £255 per 1000.

Cartridge Price List – Melbourne Gun

www.melbournegun.co.uk

 

[Heym SR20]

Totally agree, TSS is amazing stuff and a total game changer (far superior even to lead) but prohibitively expensive for most shooting. They say the rule of thumb is go up 5 shot sizes. I used to use no3 in my 12 bore for geese but now use no9 TSS in the .410. I only use it on the foreshore where 2-3 shots is a good flight! However, I have loaded about 12g of no9 steel and shot skeet with it. I would say that skeet ranges (20 odd metres) are about the limit on clays for that shell as it struggles with the 2nd barrel from the middle peg but i have managed a 24/25 with it-maybe try get 8 shot next time. I personally believe that steel .410 is not suitable for live quarry shooting unless you could keep the ranges below 20m which is not practical. I personally do not like steel at all and think it struggles on anything tougher than a pigeon/partridge. I shot it for a couple shoots on pheasants and did not like it at all-just my opinion though. I got my TSS from clay and game and of a chap on FB. Off the top of my head it was £70 odd quid a KG and think I am loading it for approx £1.50 a shell. I am new to reloading and i only started because it is not possible to buy factory TSS but have now got the bug for it! It is easier than i thought and plenty help/info available online. The “TSS UK” facebook group is excellent. I think reloading might be the future of .410. Hopefully we new replacements in the future as it is pretty bleak at the moment.

Google TSS in 410 and you will see its becoming the new must have fir Turkey hunters in the US. One article is below.

Re Steel shot, must admit to have minimal issues with the latest generation. Been using standard steel Eley Grand Prix and Lyalvale in 12 and 16 bore 2 1/2” and for me it kills just as well. I think it does shoot a touch higher than lead so it does take a little recalibration of your sight picture.

With the 410, I might just follow you in reloading with TSS. A kg of shot would last a long time.

The Best .410 Turkey Loads of 2026, Tested and Reviewed

We tested the best .410 turkey loads to see which patterned the best out of some of the most popular turkey hunting shotguns.

www.outdoorlife.com

 

[Calum84]

Google TSS in 410 and you will see its becoming the new must have fir Turkey hunters in the US. One article is below.

Re Steel shot, must admit to have minimal issues with the latest generation. Been using standard steel Eley Grand Prix and Lyalvale in 12 and 16 bore 2 1/2” and for me it kills just as well. I think it does shoot a touch higher than lead so it does take a little recalibration of your sight picture.

With the 410, I might just follow you in reloading with TSS. A kg of shot would last a long time.

The Best .410 Turkey Loads of 2026, Tested and Reviewed

We tested the best .410 turkey loads to see which patterned the best out of some of the most popular turkey hunting shotguns.

www.outdoorlife.com

It was videos like this that got me into reloading! I will watch this one later. The .410/TSS combo is now my go to wildfowling gun (30” O/U yilditz) nice and light to carry, good to shoot and very effective if you point it in the right place. I would not go back to my old combo of 12 bore, 3” no 3 even if it became legal again! Steel does work and i love it for skeet (nearly the ssme number of no7 in steel as lead in no9 for same weight). It do feel it has its limitations though. Seen an interesting video a while ago about a new shot called hortonium but not heard anything more. They said in the video it was ballistically very similar to lead, can be shot with standard fibre wads anx would not be that much more expensive. It will take more than a lead ban to stop us!

 

[Liveonce]

Not £230 per 1000 but still cheap. First two on the list. Fiocchi TT1 plastic are £255 per 1000.

Cartridge Price List – Melbourne Gun

www.melbournegun.co.uk

All fibre round this way, and not at that price for much longer, Eley, Hull, Express have all put up prices and Fiocchi will do likewise later this month.

 

[Liveonce]

hortonium was expected to be a little cheaper than Bismuth, still a lot more than lead.

But all gone very quite about it.

 

[Liveonce]

Google TSS in 410 and you will see its becoming the new must have fir Turkey hunters in the US. One article is below.

Re Steel shot, must admit to have minimal issues with the latest generation. Been using standard steel Eley Grand Prix and Lyalvale in 12 and 16 bore 2 1/2” and for me it kills just as well. I think it does shoot a touch higher than lead so it does take a little recalibration of your sight picture.

With the 410, I might just follow you in reloading with TSS. A kg of shot would last a long time.

The Best .410 Turkey Loads of 2026, Tested and Reviewed

We tested the best .410 turkey loads to see which patterned the best out of some of the most popular turkey hunting shotguns.

www.outdoorlife.com

needed to sit down when looking at the price of the cartridges in the link $49 for five don’t miss

 

[hammo]

Reply from Gamebore today.
Good Morning,



Thank you for your enquiry.



Unfortunately we have no plans to develop any .410 loads with Steel shot. As steel is lighter than lead, requiring the pellets to be two sizes larger, it is not possible to fit enough pellets inside the tube to make it a viable/effective load.



I’m very sorry to disappoint you with this.



Kind regards,



Lydia Abdelaoui

Gamebore

 

[hammo]

Gamebore are the only producer to reply so far, waiting on Eley and Lyalvale.

 

[enfieldspares]

Reply from Gamebore today.
Good Morning,



Thank you for your enquiry.



Unfortunately we have no plans to develop any .410 loads with Steel shot. As steel is lighter than lead, requiring the pellets to be two sizes larger, it is not possible to fit enough pellets inside the tube to make it a viable/effective load.



I’m very sorry to disappoint you with this.



Kind regards,



Lydia Abdelaoui

Gamebore

SEND IT ON TO BASC WHO FIVE YEARS AGO WOULD HAVE HAD US SET FEBRUARY 2025 AS THE END DATE FOR LEAD!

And, yes, I am shouting! Because clearly there's tin ears at Marford Mill.

 

[hammo]

Post no.3, tagged the BASC chap.

 

[Smellydog]

I've salvaged tungsten matrix from Kent cartridges to use in my 10g muzzleloader and it certainly works on geese to 50yards with authority. #3 size.

 

[25 Sharps]

seen enough killed with Bismuth to rate the stuff ( however there was some out on the market that fractured on impact) I have killed a lot of Geese on the foreshore with steel and rate large steel shot the best of all foxing loads .
I disagree and i have actually used more steel than most and started before game shooters etc had even used it
Steel has one problem and that is it will ricochet and even bounce back at you on hitting trees / rocks I tell you it hurts a lot and both myself and my daughter have had it come back and hit hard ( certainly hard enough to destroy an unprotected eye) . Bismuth is about having the stuff that isn't correctly done if badly made/ formed that can shatter on impact- not good ! But that is mis - manufacture and that can happen to any product .

How black is your dog?

My guess is it’s probably blacker than mine

 

[hammo]

I think I will buy a slab of trusty old lead carts, and hope something becomes available when the ban comes into force.
When is that??

 

[hammo]

Been browsing around at reloading options, sadly the Lee Loadall is not available in 410. As a young teen I had a Lee Loadall in 12g and loaded my own way back then.
Only press I can find is the MEC sizemaster at £488 - might be a bit much for me. Also need special wads.
Unless reloading or spending £1500 / 1000 on bismuth, the future looks grim for legal 410 use.
Will 410's become worthless?
20g steel carts are easy to find, but no smaller gauge stuff. So I guess 28g owners are out of luck too.
@Conor O'Gorman what are your thoughts on this fiasco??

 

[Trickyd66]

Been browsing around at reloading options, sadly the Lee Loadall is not available in 410. As a young teen I had a Lee Loadall in 12g and loaded my own way back then.
Only press I can find is the MEC sizemaster at £488 - might be a bit much for me. Also need special wads.
Unless reloading or spending £1500 / 1000 on bismuth, the future looks grim for legal 410 use.
Will 410's become worthless?
20g steel carts are easy to find, but no smaller gauge stuff. So I guess 28g owners are out of luck too.
@Conor O'Gorman what are your thoughts on this fiasco??

There were 3d printed 410 load all adapter kits on evilbay. Just need a RTO and possibly a resizeer if trying to reload used hulls. (Although I think someone said the plastic expands too much 8n 410 to reuse?

 

[Trickyd66]

There were 3d printed 410 load all adapter kits on evilbay. Just need a RTO and possibly a resizeer if trying to reload used hulls. (Although I think someone said the plastic expands too much 8n 410 to reuse?

Search evil Bay under his username. All listing seems to be USA, but he is uk based. Contact him for uk postage.

 

[Smellydog]

Reloading 410 is easy. I do it with home made tools.
The real problem with 410 is the front half of the plastic swelling after the first couple of shots. It operating pressure is to much for the plastic.