I think a damp rag to at get least 1/4" of the crud off of those hulls would work wonders. Why do you insist on ramming that charge bar so hard? All in all, a VERY poor video.
I can never understand why (maybe just because it is of small stature ) do parents want to give there child a 410 caliber to start to learn to shoot or hunt with. You can down load a 20 or 12 gauge and have all but identical ballistics yet alone a tad bit more shot to get a clean kill. I eel that a 410 is for an experienced shooter. Started my children with down loaded single shot 12 gauge with #6 shot.and a shortened stock.No problem handling the shotgun. Make a million start a loading co. making 410 at a reasonable 7,8,9$ a box. Have fun!
Great video! I'm just getting started reloading .410's so thanks for all the good information. I noticed you used the same wads in the Rem and Super X, some say pressures will be different but does it really matter?
I think it's bizarre that Lee won't consider a Load-All for .410 - they're missing a HUGE segment of the market. This MEC has advantages - e.g. the resizing collar stays with the deprimer and can't get lost - but it seems more "crowded" & less inherently stable & there is still that charge bar business. OTOH it's the only game in town for reloading .410!! We need shotgun die adapters for rifle presses, if only to deprime, resize, reprime & crimp. I'd be happy to scoop and weigh shot and powder.
jsm666 they made them years and years ago. You can find them around on ebay but they are about 70 bucks now Edit: its the lee loader, where you gotta do it all by hand with no press
Thanks for posting a video about specifically 410 reloading. The camera work left a little to be desired but I definiatly appreciate the info/ walk through.
I am totally confused: There are two bolt holes in the red base...lower and upper. There are two holes in the bottom of the tower support, upper and lower.. I only plan to load 2.5” for my Henry lever gun. What combination of upper and lower tower and base holes should I use?? upper tower and lower base holes would seem to bring; the tower down to the minimum height...use that?
I bought a single-shot H & R .410 @ 4 years ago, specifically to develop defensive loads, and to see what can be done with this under-appreciated round. Resize the brass base in a .45acp die. Have become quite fond of .410, and suspect that a defensive load of 4 hard-cast .40 lead balls will serve nicely in a pinch. Unlike 12 & 16 ga. hulls, the .410 does not lend itself to wax bullets: the plastic hulls tend to distort, would have to go to brass hulls. Hefting the .410 shotgun, I immediately thought that trying skeet with a .410 might be fun. 12 ga and even 16 ga not much of a challenge.
no most all shotgun shells now are plastic and have been since the late sixties. you want to use fiber wads in paper because the plastic doesn't seal the powder very well. or at least it hasn't for me. most of the time they will go bang but some times they dont they just go psssssssst and bummer you got wad stuck in your bore.
@flamedrag18 Your method doesn't have consistent wad pressure nor does it re-size the brass. What ever dude. I applaud your inventiveness. However there is a think called penny wise and pound foolish. Hope you the best. Still I prefer to wipe my rear with Charmin corn cobs are cheaper too.
Most often you won't save anything when reloading 12ga and 20ga shot loads. Even if you already got the hulls, good but now you gotta calculate into the whole cost the reloader, wads, primers, powder, lead shot, and a few other misc tools/supplies. I don't bother reloading shot loads since I can easily buy them in bulk saving A LOT of money, however the retailers are FLAT OUT GOUGING the consumers on their slug loads which will easily drain your wallet quite quick and so that's why I load nothing but slug loads. The only way I save A LOT of money was by going to flea markets where I found my Mec 500 Jr 12ga reloader for 65.00 and the 20ga reloader for 80.00. I then bought wheel weights that the local service garages turn in at our local recycling business whereby they literally sold me a half-filled 55gal drum full of lead wheel weights for 22cents per lb. I get the IMR Hi-Score 800x powder in the 8lb jug for approx 85.00 The wads I often get in the 500count bags for under 15.00 and the primers I buy 1,000 at a time from Cabela's because they often have sales on them near Christmas time. Use your propane burner to melt the lead making 1lb castings. Put the lead bars in your Lee 20lb pot. Drop the lead into your 20.00 Lee 12ga Key-Drive slug mold and I found the Lyman's 20ga 355gr sabot slug mold for 35.00 used on Ebay. Well, since I just bought my first 410 shotgun that's the Mossberg 500e pump action, I'm doing my rounds on the 410 reloading videos to see if it's worth reloading in the long run. I know for now that I was just at wally world and their Winchester AA .410 2 1/2" 8shot ammo that comes in a box of 100 was 37.00 before tax but yet I also bought a box of 100 20ga for 22.00 AND SO THAT'S BULLCHIT....Would like for wally world and or the manufacture to explain without lying as to why theyre gouging us on 410 ammo that is quite common/practical but yet at least half the size of 20ga and 12 ga
good eye. It is a 44 caliber lead bullet for my 44 mag. I don't load slugs. I have some slug molds but here in Missouri I can hunt with rifles so I have never messed with slugs. It is certainly doable but I just don't bother. I do have a few slugs laying around and I am always amazed about it because i wonder where they came from I didn't buy them LOL.
Dan, great video!!!! I'm thinking about buying the mec 600 jr mark V just because of this video and that i love to shoot .410. Just wondering tho how easy is it to adjust for 2.5" and 3" shells or vice versa? Just change the charge bar and bushings? does the height need to be adjusted? (is that even an option or possible?) .
I noticed that I probably did not answer your question. The bushing you choose depends on the powder and charge. There is a chart (Powder Bushing Chart) that will tell you what bushing to use with what powder and weight of charge you are wanting to drop. (Still with an accurate scale weigh the charge even if the chart says that the bushing will drop x amount of grains of powder verify that)
no the crimp will not matter. My preference would be for a fold crimp as it would not matter if you decided to load that hull with #9 shot next time. And forget about that being a pain stuff. helping folks along with the hobby is why I made the video.
I have not loaded any buck shot in a .410 but I can safely tell you that you will indeed have to load the shot one pellet at a time it will not drop through the tube. You would find this true in a 12ga. As far as need for buffering material it is debatable as to its need. some say yes others say no. make sure that you account for its weight before you use it.
it could be that its a completely different animal than most rifles, My Wife had that problem when I first got my BAR for some reason, said it wasn't comfortable to shoot, so I took i to a Smith and he put a pistol grip stock on the BAR and now its one of her favorite guns to shoot, so perhaps a new pistol grip would help? (And my BAR is 30-06.)
lol yes my wife is a shooter too. but hey she helps clean so its not that big a deal. Dont know why she shoots all my rifles but will not shoot a 12ga.
check hodgdons web site for exact amounts for the powder you want to use. The 12 bar is a half ounce bar that would be used for the 2 1/2 shells if you want to load 3" you will need a 58 or 1116 bar so depending on the load you are trying to load will depend on powder amount and type.
@delmont223 those are some really good ideas. The biggest problem with .410s and 10 ga is there is only one wad available for them so you have to mess around with under shot over shot to get good shells. Seems no matter whose wad you buy its the same and only takes up so much space in the hull so your still messing around to get a good crimp. I have been using shoe box for over shot cards too using an automotive gasket punch to make the cards.
@crosman177 thanks there are two options to go from 2 1/2 to 3 you can set up for 3 and leave your loader there and get the short kit which is what I believe I would do. Or you can lower the coulomb and take the spacer out of the re-prime punch and shorten up the ram rod and the re-size barrel. LOL I know it sounds more complicated than it is. I have another video setting up the old style its pretty much the same.
No problem. Check your yellow pages for sporting goods stores that cater to shooters and reloaders. Most trap and skeet ranges will also sell components. If you don't have any locally you can order powder and primers from Powder valley in KS Roto metals sells shot but I think they are kind of high. then ther is Graf & Sons who mail order too.
@cdcropper yeah, but my method doesn't cost hundreds of dollars to start and is relatively quick once you get used to it. you can even make your own press with dowels, a 2x4 and screws for joints.
The used presses go for around $50 and the .410 setup is another $50. If you're going to make more that go bang instead of just poof, you gotta crimp them good. I also got a roll crimper that mounts in a drill press and that holds those little shells from opening back up in the boxes. Now a single shot with black powder can be different. All you need are hand tools and they shoot great.
.410 for the wife? Lol dont know what Wife you have But I Usually get stuck with the .410 and wind up having to clean the guns later if i complain. Gun Toting wives FTW!
I have two questions #1 Have you tried loading .410 #4 buck with this re-loader ? and #2 Will the #4 buck need to be loaded by hand due to the need for buffering material ?
yeah, I can do just as well with a pair of dowels, a powder scale, a shot dipper, a nail and a drilled out piece of 2x4. no need for a big machine like this for a .410.
I had a problem with shot coming out as well. I solved the problem by slightly squeezing the case where the base of the wad sits. This keeps it from sliding up and pushing the shot out. I also stop half way up on my upstroke and push down a little. This presses the shot firmly down and in conjunction with holding the case insures a properly loaded shell.
I appologize I just saw this question. There are powder bushing charts from all the major powder manufacturers check their chart for the amount of powder you are wanting to throw and check to see what number bushing you need to do that also make sure to check the charge with a scale to be safe.
I have a mec 600 set up for 12 and a loadall for 16....i was wondering if i can order a resize,deprime,reprime for 410 on the 600....i will be roll crimping. just dont like the price on whole gauge conversion kit
Thanks Dan. You answered many of my questions. Best explanation I have found on RU-vid. I'm gonna buy the reloader for sure. Where do you buy your shot, powder etc?
Thank you very much for this video! I purchased Lil' Gun powder as it was all I could find and it has been working great for grouse and dove. I bought a used MEC that had a 3/4 bar and if you think you dropped a lot of shot my station is a mess. Waiting for my 11/16 oz bar and I should be pleased based on the results you are showing with old and corroding hulls let alone once or twice shot hulls. Thanks again.
Thanks for the demonstration! I've been wanting a .410 for pest birds and shooting stuff but the shells are more expensive than 2 3/4 inch 12 ga! Also, reloading looks like something I would be good at.
I use 7.5 shot in mine 600jr and don't have problems with bridging using 1/2 oz loads. If using 11/16 it's just a matter of tapping the drop tube as you're bringing it up to ensure all shot falls into the case. It really isn't more complicated than that.
have a question why do u slam the charge bar so hard . I like 2 baby mine so I don't have issues w/ wear & tear after 1000's shells . its ur press bud I just wondering if it jams going slow or what . I have same press in 12ga i do my 2.75-3'' never had 2 beat it 2 work the bar mine is smooth either way & i use #5 shot w/ Herco or Alliant steel or blue dot all drops easy w/ out force . thanks 4 the video im going 2 get the 410 upgrade kit for my mec found this video see what i was going 2 be facing since I don't no one reloader does 410 just needed some basic if it was worth my time doing friends shells .
I slap it pretty hard because sometimes you have to cut a pellet of shot to make the bar move. I don't see anything wrong with being gentile or rough as long as your consistent.
cdcropper ok I just wondering I only used 5# lead shot so far never had issues yet . 90% my 3'' Deer reloads main use of my press so I just use bar 4 powder bushing 2 drop charge load my cast shot by hand . IM just asking since im new 2 shot shell loading only 2 yrs and still got lots 2 learn . not as simple as pistol or rifle loads lot more published load data available for them . thanks 4 replay just want 2 learn all there is 2 know . thanks 4 the video
@@cdcropper Yep, even the newer bars with the rubber insert you must slap to throw a charge. Consistancy is the key. And no, you're not damage it or wear it out prematurley by slapping the bar. I've loaded many thousands of shells on my 600Jr and it's still going strong!
Thanks for the video! Couple questions. I have a standard re-loader and have done a fair bit of it for my pistols and rifles. The Shotshell loading is a bit foreign to me. I'm planning on buying the lyman shotshell book, but in the meantime I was wondering if I could ask you a couple of Q's? I'm going to be loading for a Taurus Judge, So far my shot of preference is going to be size 4, 00 and 000. I'm thinking of loading for both the 2.5 and 3 inch cases. I noticed that some of my 2.5" cases that were prev. loaded with 000 buck have higher brass than some of the 3" shells I have that are loaded with #4. Why? and will that change how much powder I can use? Also, I will need different wads for both the 2.5 and 3 inch cases if I understand correct? Will I need different wads for different sizes of shot as well? I inherited a MEC 600jr that's setup for 12 ga. I'm planning on converting it with a .410 die set. Will I need a different shot/powder bar as well? Thanks.
DieselFume1 what was loaded in the empty hulls makes no difference to how you reload them shot size does not matter shot weight does only load to published recipes
The bar you buy would depend on shot weight. Powder would determine the size of bushing you use. The wad and powder would be what is called out in a recipe from one of the published manuals
