Interested in getting into reloading

[Swamp Man]

I'm interested in getting into reloading but don't know where to began I'd be grateful for any and all help. I have Savage 24 P deluxe 22lr/410 and love the gun but the price of 410 shells are killing my wallet. I refuse to give up my Savage due to it being a gift from my Dad who is no longer with us when I was a kid. I'm needing info on what all I would need to get started reloading as far as tools and supplies. Thanks

[joesig]

Never thought about reloading for the 410.

I would check out http://www.ballisticproducts.com for components and http://www.midwayusa.com/product/887011/lyman-shotshell-reloading-handbook-5th-edition-reloading-manual as a manual to get you started.

You may find load data on powder manufacturer's websites as well. I use a MEC loader for 12Ga. I don't know what they have for 410.

[dbosman]

Reloading is fun, but not necessarily a way to save money in the short term. ;-)
#1 - READ There are a lot of shot shell manuals. Inter and intra library loan can get them if your local library doesn't have any.
#2 - Read some more. Manuals are a good investment.
Reloading is something that can be a problem if you can't follow instructions and recipes. My personal example happens to involve a .410 accident that should have never happened. It was my fault. I was bending a rule as an experiment that I thought was reasonable.
I was fortunate that nothing other than a cheap butt stock and my pride were wounded.

Currently, prices on used equipment are ridiculously high, and new is out of stock or back ordered. Generally both.
Many of us started shot shell reloading with a Lee Loader boxed kit. I don't see them listed on the Lee Precision site though and Lee doesn't list a shot shell loader of any kind in .410.
Ask around the local gun shop.
The cheapest way to get reloading is using someone's equipment while they regale you with tales, drinking the adult beverage you provided them. You don't get to do that while reloading.

Here is a sight that might be of use to you.
http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/showthread.php/112231-Reloading-410-shotshells-without-a-press

My last bit of frugal advice is pick one manufacture's hull, the recommended wad for that hull, and primers from one manufacturer.
Learn the gun and the one load before trying others.

[Swamp Man]

Thanks guys. I understand there will be a high up front cost in getting started that's no big deal as long as I can bring down my cost in the long run.

[wv109323]

I would go to MEC website or Ponsness Warren. They are the largest suppliers of shotshell reloading. I am sure they would have some videos.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Swamp man,

Please know that I am simply not bad mouthing your father's shotgun/rifle combination.

Not at all!!

However, while .410 hulls are reloadable, you will find components and tools to be rare when compaired to the availability of 20 and 12 gauge.

Sorry, just a fact of life along with the high cost of buying factory .410 ammo.

My thoughts are to keep and enjoy the combo, but buy yourself a 20ga or 12 gauge for more then occasional shooting.

Those to gauges are the ones for which promo ammo shows up on the shelves, and they are much easier to get components for.

Pick up a Remington 870, and you will be handing it down along with your father's .22/.410.

Crusty Deary ol'Coot

[flounderman]

one of my first guns was a 22-410. Killed a lot of game with it. You can get some brass 410 cases and basicly make your reloading tools. You need a punch to remove the fired primer, a method of seating the new primer. Have someone make you a powder measure or dipper and stick with the one powder, like 2400. You need a dipper or measure for the shot. the size of the shot doesn't matter, just the amount. you can get a bag of 250 one piece wads. once you have the case primed, put your measure of powder in, insert your wad, you can use a dowel to push it down, put your measure of shot in and a card wad over the shot and some elmers glue or water glass to seal it. You can get a punch to cut the card wads. It might be possible to find a rifle or pistol case that would work instead of the brass 410 cases. The brass cases were 2 3/4 length as I remember. You can load the plastic 410 cases the same way, You don't have to crimp the end, just glue a card wad over the shot. You are loading single so feeding isn't a problem. You don't have to buy the wad with the shotcup if you have a punch the right size. Punch some card wads out of a milk carton and stack about 1/4 inch of them over the powder and push them down with a dowel. put the shot in and glue a card wad over it. just don't try to glue a waxed wad over the shot. I think lee makes a loader for 410 but you can improvise one. It doesn't have to be expensive. You can cut the crimp off the plastic shells so they load easier.

[swamp]

Swamp Man,
You might want to give your general location. There is a good chance that there is someone nearby that will help and get you some hands on practice.

swamp

[USMC87]

Yeah someone close would be good for you to visit their shop. I thought reloading was cheaper but boy all these little toys that come out sure are expensive.

[429421Cowboy]

Reloading shotshells rarely pays off in the bigger guages, but .410 is a place where a guy can actually save some money, due to the small amounts of powder and shot they use, especially if you shoot alot.
In my area at least, shotgun reloading supplies are still quite easy to find (except powder, due to pistol reloaders using many of the same powders generally) even primers. Shot will be expensive, but as i said, you don't use as much in the sub-bores.
Right now it is equipment that will be the killer, I honestly have no idea why people are driving up the prices on seemingly everything shooting related, but shotshell presses are no exception.
As flounder said, some brass shells could be the way to go, and look classy in the process.
Somebody else will have to help on the primers needed for all brass hulls though, I believe they could be large pistol primers instead?
Good luck, it can be addictive!

[gmsharps]

Swampman, I reload 12,20 and the 410. I have picked up used Mec 600 loaders over the years and they fulfill my requirements. The 410's are a bit of a pain due to the shot hanging in the shot tube but paying attention to what you are doing and taping the shot tube when it hamgs up takes care of the issue. I only load 2.5 in shells with 1/2 oz of shot and that gets me about 700 or so of loads from a 25 lb bag of shot. It beats the heck out of the high price of factory shells. I use Win AA cases and they can be had from a skeet or trap range for usually reasonable prices. Make sure you get a shotshell manual like the Lyman and there is another one that I can't recall that is also produced and stick to what it says and do not substitute components. The crimp after a few shots will not look the best but they will still work. Watch the powders as they will tend to be a bit to hot and tend to melt the crimp of the cases but there are a couple of powders like WW296 and 410 that work pretty well. Out of all the shotshell loading the 410 is the money saver. Just to be fair to say it is a pain to load for the 410 and I load all of my cases at once and hopefully do not have to load them again for quite some time.
Just my 2 cents worth.

gmsharps

[Swamp Man]

Thanks guys lots of great info here. I live in Archer,Fl Archer is in the Gainesville area. I really don't use a ton of 410 shells now due to the cost but would like to be able to shoot it a bit more without going broke. If anyone knows of a shop around here that carries the supplies and could lead me in the right direction or hands on training that would be great. My thoughts are that beings I've never done any reloading I have nothing to compare the 410 reloading to so I won't know they are more of a pain then any other shells. I checked into the Brass hulls in 2 1/2 and they do take large pistol primers anyone know if I can get 3 inch brass hulls as well?

[Swamp Man]

Swamp man,

Please know that I am simply not bad mouthing your father's shotgun/rifle combination.

Not at all!!

However, while .410 hulls are reloadable, you will find components and tools to be rare when compaired to the availability of 20 and 12 gauge.

Sorry, just a fact of life along with the high cost of buying factory .410 ammo.

My thoughts are to keep and enjoy the combo, but buy yourself a 20ga or 12 gauge for more then occasional shooting.

Those to gauges are the ones for which promo ammo shows up on the shelves, and they are much easier to get components for.

Pick up a Remington 870, and you will be handing it down along with your father's .22/.410.

Crusty Deary ol'Coot

I understand what your saying. I don't use this 410 all the time it's just the one that cost the most so in the long run I think reloading is the answer to lowering the cost. The cost of #4 shot is bad enough but when you pull the trigger on it with a 00,000 or slug it burns up 1.00 - 1.50 a pop.

[MT Chambers]

Hopefully you have been saving your hulls for the .410, if not, you better start, or try your local skeet club as the .410 is used in skeet. then get your self a Mec 600 jr. in .410, for other components check out Ballistic Products or Precision reloading(i think)

[Swamp Man]

I haven't been saving them but I'm going to start. I'll have to check to see if we have any skeet clubs around here and see if I can get some that way. If not I seen some new w/primers by the 100 count bags or I'll go with new brass.

[warf73]

Get the mec jr. that will get you started, buy one off of ebay normaly 1/4 of the price of new if not 1/2 of new. This group of guys will steer you in the right direction http://28gasociety.46.forumer.com/index.php they do have 410 only section.
I started loading for 28ga this fall, It's already paid for itself in the first 250 reloads easly.

Fallow what Mt Chambers said those are both great sites for shotguning suplies.

Good luck on your venture.

Warf

[quail1]

Swampman, I reload 12,20 and the 410. I have picked up used Mec 600 loaders over the years and they fulfill my requirements. The 410's are a bit of a pain due to the shot hanging in the shot tube but paying attention to what you are doing and taping the shot tube when it hamgs up takes care of the issue. I only load 2.5 in shells with 1/2 oz of shot and that gets me about 700 or so of loads from a 25 lb bag of shot. It beats the heck out of the high price of factory shells. I use Win AA cases and they can be had from a skeet or trap range for usually reasonable prices. Make sure you get a shotshell manual like the Lyman and there is another one that I can't recall that is also produced and stick to what it says and do not substitute components. The crimp after a few shots will not look the best but they will still work. Watch the powders as they will tend to be a bit to hot and tend to melt the crimp of the cases but there are a couple of powders like WW296 and 410 that work pretty well. Out of all the shotshell loading the 410 is the money saver. Just to be fair to say it is a pain to load for the 410 and I load all of my cases at once and hopefully do not have to load them again for quite some time.
Just my 2 cents worth.

gmsharps
This is good advice.
I would add that larger shot like #4+ tend to hang up in the drop tube particulaly w .410

[Huntducks]

Your going to pay a premium price for a used mec 600-410 about $120 shot will run about $40-$45 per 25lbs wads $10-500 powder either WW296 or 410 $22 lb primers $30-$35-1000 then hulls either free to .12ea.you run the numbers and i'll bet your only a few bucks short of a retail price.

[Reg]

Have been loading 410 shells for years using 444 Marlin cases as brass cases. Go back to what flounderman said for procedure, he is right on.
Actually, if you work it right , you can load the 410 shells even cheaper than the 20's or 12's. Less shot and powder and just use large pistol or large rifle primers in the 444 casings.
I kept a eye on fleabay and picked up a large case of wads for less than half price a few years back, gave a bunch away and still have all I need. Any wad will work. In a straight wall case that you are holding everything in with a cardboard wad ( get or make a wad punch=even cheaper !! ) and glue, wad height means nothing. Years ago while teaching number one son about reloading, we even used a torn sheet of newspaper tightly packed into the shell for wadding. I am sure it was by no means as effective as a proper wad but the local rabbits he decimated with it didn't seem to know.
These may not be the kind of perfect shells you would want to show around some snooty highfalutin member only trap club but they work and work very well. Have taken about every kind of critter around here with them and they work just as well as the factory shells and cost a whole bunch less. And this puts fun into reloading !!

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Sounds like a lot of good info here from people that have been there and done that.

I believe I must stand corrected! :roll:

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Swamp Man]

Hey guys am I doing my math wrong? I came up with 583 charges at 12 grain each from a pound of powder,is that right or am I missing something here? I checked the 410 powder and it says 12 grain charge in a 2 1/2 inch 410 shotshell. I was wondering how much supplies I'd need to start reloading and was thinking about starting with 8# but if my math is right I won't need 8# to start off.

[gmsharps]

Mec 600
powder bushings for what charge you want or adjustable shot and powder bar
Lyman shotshell manual
Lyman 505 or RCBS scale ( I would want to verify that the powder bushing threw what it was supposed to do.)
1 25# bag of shot
1 bag of 410 wads
1 box of 1k of 209 shotshell primers (assuming you are going to use win AA cases)
1 lb of powder
Quanity of AA Win cases
I would make a wooden base for the MEC with a small border to catch any spilled shot unless you are more coordinated than I am
Once you find out how much you are going to shoot your 410 modify quanities as necessary. I believe this is most of what you would need.

gmsharps

[warf73]

Mec 600
powder bushings for what charge you want or adjustable shot and powder bar
Lyman shotshell manual
Lyman 505 or RCBS scale ( I would want to verify that the powder bushing threw what it was supposed to do.)
1 25# bag of shot
1 bag of 410 wads
1 box of 1k of 209 shotshell primers (assuming you are going to use win AA cases)
1 lb of powder
Quanity of AA Win cases
I would make a wooden base for the MEC with a small border to catch any spilled shot unless you are more coordinated than I am
Once you find out how much you are going to shoot your 410 modify quanities as necessary. I believe this is most of what you would need.

gmsharps

Spot on post the only thing I would change is the scale, a digital would be good enough and cheaper than the 505 or rcbs scale.

[warf73]

Here is a link for 410 hulls http://www.oncefiredhulls.com/asp-bin/Detail.asp?ID=123

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Yep Swampman, the 583 is the correct number. 7000 divided by 12.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Swamp Man]

Thanks guys. I think I'm on the right track to understanding this reloading thing. Crusty Thanks. I thought I was right but beings I've never reloaded shells to me 583 charges sounded like a lot from 1# pound of powder.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Ya think that is a lot of loads per LB., wait until you load Bullseye at 2.5 - 5gr per load.

CDOC

[hiram1]

READ THE BOOK .read the book .Did i say read the book.it will save you and your gun .stay safe .

[kenyerian]

I load a lot of 410 for small game hunting and have good results with Lil Gun, 11/16 OZ of #5's and Fed. 410SC wad. Federal 209 primer and federal hulls. If you have H110 it works also . Try this link for loading Data. http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp.

[Swamp Man]

READ THE BOOK .read the book .Did i say read the book.it will save you and your gun .stay safe .I'm going to read the book before I start but plan on buying everything needed on the same order. I was just getting as much info on what all was needed before placing the order.

[Clinebo]

Midway has presses in stock.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/403128/mec-600-jr-mark-5-single-stage-shotshell-press-410-bore-3
I half expected them to be out of stock like every thing else is right now.

[r1kk1]

Swamp Man,

There are many shotgun reloading books out there. Don Zutz wrote a very good one. Some books are available in e-book format. Lyman, RCBS, Ballistic Products, and Precision Reloading make recipe books. MEC has the largest assortment of powder bushings available from any company. I use a bushing adapter to utilize MEC bushings in my press. MEC has a very good customer service department.

For brass shotshells, some of the guys here have pointed out ways to be done. CH4D make dies for the reloading press if you want to go that route.

Take care

r1kk1

[DukeInFlorida]

From the perspective of an NRA certified shotshell reloading instructor, I would offer a couple of important facts.
1) shotshell reloading is different than metallic cartridge reloading. You must choose a hull, a wad, a powder, and a shot load, and stick with that. There is no "load development"....
2) the are NRA instructors in your area that teach the Shotshell subject. Check with the NRA site for the list of your local instructors.

[MtGun44]

Here is the cheapest (and slowest) way to get started in reloading.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lee-Loader-410-2-1-2-shotgun-reloader-/130862366072?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e78013d78

If the link doesn't work, it is eBay item #130862366072

These are good tools, just load shells one at a time, us a plastic hammer instead
of a press.

Bill

[Swamp Man]

Mtgun44 I seen that and put it on my watch list already,Thanks. I was hoping to find a one stop/order site to get my supplies from so I don't have to pay for multiple shipping rates but it's not looking good. There is a Gander Mountain about 25 miles from me I'm going to check there and a few other shops in the area before buying anything online. If I have to place multiple orders I may just put this on hold until this ammo/reloading rush is over.