.410 and reloading

K

kal52

New member
Hey all

I have been kicking the idea around of getting a .410 bore over under. For night hunting coons up here we can only use these and a .22 lr, which is one of the reasons im considering one, I guess as a good squirrel/rabbit and one heck of a fun dove gun /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Another reason Im thinking about it is they are just way too much fun to shoot all day, but with the cost of shells lately I cant shoot them all day without reloading them. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angry-smiley-055.gif

So far im looking at the traditions o/u (fausti*) and the front runner so far is the new mossberg reserve. I think the O/u would be fun to have one slug and the other shot if I felt like going that route.

Im toying with the idea of loading up some heavy shot to help give the little fella a bit more snort. I know you can buy them now but not sure if its cheaper, I dont reload atm but am hoping to get the press for christmas.

Any Ideas, suggestions, or grand tales of the mighty .410 in use would be great.

thanks again.

Dave
 
Not to pee on the parade, but I purchased a cute little
H&R single shot 410 ga, as a "subdivision" garden muncher
solution. I had a cottontail at 30 yards, with #6 shot,
and the pattern in the snow showed I was on the bunny...The
bunny ran away. I have a 28 ga. O/U that isn't much louder
than the little 410 was, and it does kill bunnies dead, at
30 yards, so the cute little 410 was traded in for something
else. I was ready to start re-loading, due to ammo cost,
but after this experience, I saved myself the cost of
getting into loading for that gauge. Bottom line is, my
experience with the 410 is it a pretty ineffective shotgun,
after 30 yards, on most game critters. My perfect
dove/grouse/rabbit scattergun is the 28 ga. That doesn't
help your situation, but as a dove gun(410), you will want a
tight choke, and plenty of practice on small fast targets.

Squeeze
 
I load a lot of .410. (I shoot skeet) You can forget the Heavi Shot idea. Not a wad made that will work. If you want to impress your friends with a .410 use nickle plated lead shot. Works wonders in a shell with a rediciously lond wad column. Stay with hi velocity loads. Use BPI cushion wads for 1/2oz nickle loads in a 3"hull. You will impress yourself too! Do not use shot larger than #6
 
As far as the peeing on the parade, no worries, I brought an umbrella for this one, figured there would be some not so stellar reviews /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

The guns I am looking at i believe are both full choke, and would not get anything that wasnt due to the small amount of shot. But the .410 bores I have had were all full and I seemed to have pretty good luck with them at fairly close range.

I had an old h&r too at one point, pretty short barrel on it and it worked, just not as well as the others that ive used, like my Fathers stoeger SXS, pretty nice gun. Sadly I havent had a chance to get a coon or skunk sized animal with one yet, so that is one concern.

So cat slayer, Is the 6 shot going to be enough for coons out to say 25yds or so? I was origionally thinking 4's may be okay at the short ranges I will be using it at, if they dont come in I do have the .22 pistol/rifle.

also dumb question, what wads does hevi shot need to work in a .410, Im not a reloader yet but will be. Please explain.

Thanks for the imput guys.

Dave
 
I shot so many doves in Az that I got away from the 12ga and went to the 410 Mosburg pump...great little tool for sure. I was amazed at how far I could kill a dove with the 410, but it did have the full choke.

I bought a Mec loader, and the 3" shells were crushed on crimping the shell...I have been loading shot shells since 1968 and could not figure out how to get the crimp right. I had 5000 Remington 3" hulls also, I wondered if my crimping issue was an issue of the brand of hull that I was using?

With all the BS involved with a 410, I would seriously consider the continued use of the 22, or entertain the idea of a 20 ga.

Last time I checked the price of HEavy Shot, it was $129 for 5 lbs.

That 22 is looking better and better!

Good luck!
 
Dave, Nickle shot is much harder than even copper plated lead. It will pattern much better and penetrate better. Think of this like hunting deer with a .22-250. Everything will work out fine with carefully selected components. With such a small payload you have to make every pellet count! If I remember correctly you can get nickle 5-1/2's. Still I would stand by on the 6's though. Pattern with #6 will look like #4 buck in a 12ga. not very many pellets. For rabbits 7-1/2 are best. Doves 9's. All nickle plated. Shotguns depend on multiple pellet hits to kill cleanly.

As for the Hevi-Shot. This stuff is harder than the steel in your barrel. It requires very special wads that are very thick to protect the barrel. Not enough room for the wad and shot too in 28ga and .410. This is why they don't make them.
 
I actually just checked out the hevi shot web page and they are making some called classic doubles, and they do have the .410 bore for it. I dont know the price but I may just check it out for the fun of it. The one plus about fixed chokes is when patterning time comes about Ill at least get to save a few bucks on all the chokes Id end up getting and not using. and waste it on other things I dont need.

I also did some checking on the components you have listed and really doesnt sound that bad to reload them. I can get a mec Jr fairly cheap and then a conversion kit for my 20g, overall I think itll be a win, until the wife finds it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

For rabbits in the guns I have used I tend to go with 6 shot, sometimes 8 just because its out of a handgun and I shoot really close anyway.

Thanks again

Dave
 
You can get 00 buckshot for the 410. I think it has 5 buckshot in it. I have no idea how they shoot but might be better on coon size game.
 
I have a mossberg reserve in 410 and love it. Almost as much as my wife who bought it for me!! I seldom get a chance to shoot it!! Any way I use it for hunting woodcock on the farm and it does great. I reload for it as buying the shells is way to expensive. 9-10 dollars per box! Reloading cost like 3 dollars per box last I did the work up on it. I reload with a mec 650 press. It is a full progressive press. One completed shell per stroke. Setting it up is a great learning experience. Take your time at each station and adjust till it is right. Crimpimg is critical and you have to make sure it is right.... almost does not cut it as the shell when stored will open up a bit spilling shot. Winchester hulls are the best for a factory looking shell when done. I have some fiocchi hulls that do well but I had to work on the crimp abit.
As far as knock down power, you have the same speed and energy as a 12ga but not nearly the shot string! You are shooting 1/2oz of shot with a 2 1/2" shell compared to 1 1/4oz of shot in a 12 guage. 3" 410 shells have 11/16 oz of shot. I reload as a hobby and really enjoy it. I reload for the 410,28, 20, 12, guage in shotgun. 222,223,204.243.30-06,22-250 in rifle and 38,9mm,45acp and 40 caliber in handgun.
410 and 28 guage area reloading must. Store prices for these are outrageous. 22lr would be fine for bunnies. I have gone to 17 mach 2 and 17 hmr rimfire calibers for squirrels, cats and crows ( no rabbits here) and they are a real snipers dream for accuracy. Good luck with whatever you decide. It is all good.!
 
I have two 410 shotguns I reload for, a Traditions side by side and an NEF single shot. I use a MEC single stage loader with 7 1/2 shot, the largest I use. It works!! I use 3" cases too, so I get a heavier shot load than with 2 1/2" shells.
The only difference between the 410 and larger gages is the shot size. The velocities are the same with all gages provided you load them right. So, when shooting, you need to be right on the target. But, the killing power is the same as with larger gages.

Martyn
 
I pretty much made up my mind on reloading, I went and priced a few out today and werent that bad really around a 100 bucks for a press.

just have to decide on the gun, then I can have lots of fun experimenting with differnt loads. I can afford to be a bit creative now that im savin all that cash on shells. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks guys

Dave
 


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