.410 crimp types and buckshot

[fatelk]

I thought about asking this on the current 410 round ball thread, but didn't want to hijack. I've been tinkering with a .410 load for a while. I have .375" cast round balls for my .36 Navy revolver, a can of Lil'Gun, a bag of WAA41 wads, and a grocery bag full of worn out Winchester .410 hulls that were given to me.

The hulls are worn out in that they have cracks in the crimps. My thought was that I could just cut the crimps off, find a good load using three round balls, and roll crimp them or something. I have an old Iver Johnson single shot, and a friend with a Judge revolver wanted to try some. My thought was to not hot-rod them at all, but keep them on the safe side for the old gun. These aren't for hunting or any other practical use, just plinking at the range.

My biggest problem at this point is to try and figure out a simple yet effective crimp. Any advice?

[Shawlerbrook]

I would go with an overshot card and one of the roll crimpers that are used in a drill press.

[bikerbeans]

A roll crimper in a drill press works for me. With 0.375" and larger roundballs i don't use an OSC. I weigh the balls and then use a powder charge for an equivalent weight of shot.

Please post your results, i am still searching for the holy grail 410 buckshot load.

BB

[fatelk]

Thanks guys. I think I'll go ahead and order a roll crimper, see how it works!

[jdfoxinc]

I load 3" .410 with a AA wad for 2 1/2" hulls 4 00 in the wad and 1 000 on top. Roll crimp to the ball no card. 15.4 gr 2400. The max my bailey boat roter will drop. One of our members sent me 2 .jpg files of an old article in one of the NRA mags. About this load.

[W.R.Buchanan]

BPI Sells a .410 roll Crimping tool that goes in a Drill press or can be used in a common drill motor. I have one but have never used it as all my .410 loading so far has been done on a Pacific DL266 that fold crimps perfectly.

The 12 ga one I got from them works perfectly as long as you don't try to spin it too fast. It also tapers the nose of the hull slightly to enhance feeding. I assume the .410 one will work just as well. BPI makes good stuff.

Randy

[hatcreek]

I found this very informative. https://smallboreshotgun.com/2009/11/28/41-caliber-pumpkin-ball-round/

[Jedman]

I have loaded mostly older AA 2 1/2" compression formed hulls with a folded star crimp 3 balls either .395 or .400 dia on top a 410 plastic shotcup wad with he pedals cut off only using the gas seal with about 1/8" of the pedal left. I have tried some with cream of wheat at the bottom and a pinch between each ball and a load of 14 grs. of WW 296 or H 110 . Shot out of a les than full choke 410 they patterned about 3 1/2 to 4" at 30 yards and proved deadly on game as large as a 200 + pound hog.
I think they are near perfect for varmints around my property as long as you consider how far they may travel if they bounce off the frozen ground or trees ect.

Jedman

[fatelk]

One question I have, regarding ball size: I planned on using .380" balls, because that's what I have for my .36 Navy revolver, and that's the maximum size that fits through the choke on my old Iver Johnson shotgun. Is it a problem to shoot .40" round balls through that tight of a choke? It seemed to me that it would be a bad idea, but I don't have enough experience on the subject to know.

[bikerbeans]

One question I have, regarding ball size: I planned on using .380" balls, because that's what I have for my .36 Navy revolver, and that's the maximum size that fits through the choke on my old Iver Johnson shotgun. Is it a problem to shoot .40" round balls through that tight of a choke? It seemed to me that it would be a bad idea, but I don't have enough experience on the subject to know.

I have shot 4-ball 0.410" roundball loads through my 500e 410 with fixed full choke without a problem. It did NOT open up the choke. The roundballs i shot were cast from hardball alloy and water quenched, so harder than commercial swaged roundballs.
Swaging the roundballs in the choke may affect accuracy but i am not sure about that.

BB