Making 410 cases out of 444 or 303

[rmatchell]

I have seen a few threads on here about using 444 brass for 410 shells. There was also some talk about using 303 brass. My question is what are the steps to fire form these cases the right way. I made a post looking to trade for 444 brass as it looks like the least amount of work to get started, but wasn't sure about the 303 brass.

[uscra112]

You can just buy Magtech all-brass .410 cases. I have a couple boxes for making a substitute for the .44 Shot cartridge for a taxidermists gun. Midway and Buffalo Arms list, but out of stock now, expected delivery 4/4/2013. Cabelas shows 'em "low stock" as of a few minutes ago. A buck a case, but it avoids all the work. . . . .

Making those from .444 or .303 you'll wind up 1/4" short, and if I remember right you have to swage or turn the bases down, too.

[Mk42gunner]

I made a few cases from .303 British brass. I never could get them to expand all the way, they still have a wasp waisted appearance.

Then I bought a box (20) of 1x fired .444 at a gunshow. I don't remember exactly what the charge was, but I know I used 2400, and a Remington wad with the overshot card cut from a Dr Pepper box. Patterned okay, but the cases stuck in the chamber of my Grandpa's Iver Johonson Champion.

I decided that for no more than I shoot a .410 I could buy a box of shells every seven or eight years. I have not tried the purpose built brass .410 cases.

Robert

[rbuck351]

I use 444 cases for the 410 without any modification. I resize them once with a 45acp sizer die, the early one that sizes only and does not deprime. I use the Lee universal decapper, then prime. I'm at work so I don't have my powder load at hand but I start with powder, an upside down 44 gas check then a cereal box wad, 3/4 oz #9 shot and another cereal box wad glued in with a little silicone. I am shooting them in either a savage 22/410 or a Savage 220 in 410. They work pretty good on grouse to at least 30yds. I don't know how much farther they are effective as thats about as far as I have used them. No problems with extraction. I have fired some of the 444 cases a few times and it appears they will last forever. I tried the 303 cases but had bad luck. Without a 410 loading press the brass cases are much easier to load than the plastic cases.

[Swamp Man]

You can order RMC brass hulls they are true 410 bore and can be ordered in 2 1/2 - 3" last I checked they even had a box of 2 1/4" hulls. They are a bit high but there thicker then magteck and use 209 primers.

[cbrick]

I'm with Mk42gunner, I bought the MagTech 410 brass a few years back and they worked ok but the hassle just wasn't worth it. I used them for snake control with a Taurus Judge at the range and for the few I used every year it wasn't worth making them, I just bought a box of shells. I bought a few different shot sizes and even Federal's "handgun" 410 which was wimpy useless, it bounced off a snake at about 12 feet.

Rick

[dverna]

I am not trying to be critical but attempting to understand and learn. What are the advantages of using a brass shotshell case?

Thanks,

Don

[rmatchell]

My thoughts on the brass 410 cases are that After I make up the first 25-50 cases then I would never have to buy a box of 410 again. A mec loader is out of the question right now with everything going on with my growing family. So the ability to load on my press is a huge plus. I also want to tinker a lil bit, small projects are a good break to get away from things. In my case the extra time and effort is worth it.

[Reg]

I have had about the same exact experience as rbuck351, all good. Found that the small rim on the 303 British cases would sometimes over ride the extractor on several different shotguns but the 444 worked without a hitch on all tested. Also you have the added hassle of blowing out the 303 cases, the 444, just size in that 45 die and you are ready to load.
Tried the upside down gas check and while it worked I switched to a regular 410 plastic wad and got much more consistent patterns. Large pistol primers work just fine. All the guns I have tried these shells in so far have been single shots and side by sides so have not need a crimp for feeding but if yours is a pump you might have to play with that. Not crimping means those shells should last forever. I did pick up some Mag Tec brass but it is possible to find 444 for much less and with me saving money is the game.
I have lost track of just how many times some of that 444 brass has been loaded but it is a bunch. Have used these handloads on bunnys, and doves with excellent results out to 40 yards. Quite often the family will get together and we usually break out shotguns and shoot clay pigeons out in the driveway, the 410 is the one everyone wants to shoot. One time, after a rather lengthy session and everyone had gone home I noticed a few of those 410 wads laying around. Yes, they were mashed up a bit but I didn't think that bad. Gathered them up, washed them and reloaded them right back into the 444 casings. Worked fine !!!
Loading 410 loads in 444 casings works well and can be as cheap as you want to make it.



I use 444 cases for the 410 without any modification. I resize them once with a 45acp sizer die, the early one that sizes only and does not deprime. I use the Lee universal decapper, then prime. I'm at work so I don't have my powder load at hand but I start with powder, an upside down 44 gas check then a cereal box wad, 3/4 oz #9 shot and another cereal box wad glued in with a little silicone. I am shooting them in either a savage 22/410 or a Savage 220 in 410. They work pretty good on grouse to at least 30yds. I don't know how much farther they are effective as thats about as far as I have used them. No problems with extraction. I have fired some of the 444 cases a few times and it appears they will last forever. I tried the 303 cases but had bad luck. Without a 410 loading press the brass cases are much easier to load than the plastic cases.

[dakotashooter2]

I have not tried it yet but I think one could easily load 410 (plastic) on a standard press. Depriming could be done with a universal decaper (the small pin sometimes only punches out the center of the primer) or hammer and punch. Priming might be a bit tricky but I was thinking you could purchase the spring loaded base for a Mec ($12?) and set the primers in by tapping on a dowel inside the case. I bullet seating stem could replace the depriming pin on the universal deprimer and be used to seat the wad. The easiest crimp would be a roll crimper ($40) mounted on a drill or drill press.

A note on the brass cases. For shotloads for my .41 mag I use a flat ground seating stem to put pressure on the top gas check as it roll crimps over it.