Anyone tried one of these .410 loaders?

[David LaPell]

Looking for a small loader for .410 shells and I don't want a full size press, original Lee Loaders seem to be pretty expensive. Has anyone tried one of these types of loaders?

https://www.thexringusa.com/product-page/survival-loader-for-410-ga

[Three44s]

I own a MEC Sizemaster in 410 and I am no fan of the bore. My issue is the fussiness to get a decent fold crimp.

I have not tried it yet but am accumulating 303 British etc that can be easily converted to straight bodied metallic 410 shotshell cases.

The other technique that would interest me would be roll crimping but all my 410 hulls are plastic so the linked loader would not cover that.

If I could wave a wand over the situation I would transform the whole kit and caboodle into 28 ga.

In the mean time I run my 20 ga. stuff and smile more.

Best regards

Three44s

[rbuck351]

I have a Lee whack a mole loader in 410 but find it easier to use 444 marlin cases. Get a 444 shell holder to deprime and prime on your press or a thin punch (nail with end filed to size) and a nut to set the case on and a bolt to reprime with. Cut some cereal box wads for over powder (3 or 4) and 1 for over shot glued in. I use a 44cal gas check inverted over powder then a couple of cereal box wads.
If you need to size (first time only) a 45acp sizer works.
Trying to get a decent crimp on a 410 is worse than the whole loading process using brass cases. 303 Brit cases are a pita to form and then thin the base so they will chamber. 444 cases are ready to load.

[mdi]

To answer your question and not tell you what I use; the loader in the pic looks to be well designed and well made. I would have to have one in my hand to give more of an opinion, but if I was in need of a portable shotshell reloading set up, I might purchase one. Same principle as a Lee Loader and I'm sure it will become fairly popular once it gets more "air time" (from all the questions I've read seeking a Lee Loader for shotshells). Looked at the video instructions, and wouldn't be afraid to try one.

I have 7 Lee Loaders (along with 7.37 metric tons of "normal" reloading tools) and if needed, I could very easily load some ammo out in the wilderness. A flat rock, a big stick and my components might just be a fun time out camping...

[psweigle]

I have been looking at that very same loader. I would be interested in hearing about them as well.

[rancher1913]

might check out the loaders made by a guy named paco.

[detret]

I don't have a 410. But I have the 12ga Survival Loader made by this company. I love it.

Found them on Ebay and after reading the feedback comments, bought one.
They had a 100 percent customer satisfaction.

For a portable hand-style loader it actually does a nice job.
I also have an older bench mounted Pacific press for making larger quantities.

[Shawlerbrook]

You can try this.


https://fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/homemade-410-reloading-kit/60500

[mdi]

Hmmm. One answer out of 6 replies. Thread drift can ruin the whole aspect of a thread. OP asked about a particular tool and he got answers about MEC reloaders, using cartridge brass to home made kits. There's a lot of readers/members that would probably be interested in a definitive answer to a simple question, but too often thread drift makes the thread worthless.

[rancher1913]

seems the pot is calling the kettle black. the op was wanting a hand loader for 410, there is a guy with the last name of paco that builds them, sorry I did not have time to do all the leg work for the op, maybe you could do that.

[dbosman]

No one asked, but my recommendation is buy a cheap MEC 12ga for about $25. and use the conversion kit to make it in to a .410. Then sell the 12ga parts to someone who can use them.
I loaded a case or two using a Lee loader (because I shot trap with it cause it was the only "my" gun I had) Other than survival or just in case, I very much prefer the MEC.

Paco Tools is here http://pacotools.com/tool_discriptions

Lanes site is here. https://lane371.dotster.com/

[Duckdog]

I don't use one of those, but it is super easy to make one. A nail makes a simple de-primer. Order a MEC sizing ring. Last but not least, get a precision reloading 410 roll crimper. You can keep trimming hulls down, and still reload them and it makes outstanding roll crimps. Get some Lee dippers, a scale and components, and your cooking with gas!

I tried a MEC, and it works good until the hull splits. Roll crimping takes care of that.

Good Luck!

[GhostHawk]

With a little thinking and ingenuity you can make your own tools for reloading .410. I did.

Granted I was reloading brass cases, did not have to worry about crimp.

https://fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/homemade-410-reloading-kit/60500http://

[Duckdog]

I tried brass, but went with roll crimping. That way I did not have to mess with gluing the overshot card in.

Both go bang and drop birds!

[BigBore45]

Dont use lanes. He is a joke. I lost 103 dollars to that guy with zero product in hand and zero emails or phone calls or texts answered.

[15meter]

Looking for a small loader for .410 shells and I don't want a full size press, original Lee Loaders seem to be pretty expensive. Has anyone tried one of these types of loaders?

https://www.thexringusa.com/product-page/survival-loader-for-410-ga

I haven't used this particular brand, I have used the Lee in 12, 20 and 410. Started with them back in the mid-70's They work well with paper hulls. When I started using plastic hulls is when the wheels fell off. I was always having trouble with the crimp. It takes a fair amount of pressure to get a good crimp with plastic hulls. My initial solution was using the Dake arbor press that was bolted to the bench to finish the crimp, overkill, but it indeed gave me a nice crimp. Then I went to the MEC full sized presses and retired the Dake, at least for shotshell reloading.

There are several comments about problems with crimps with the Lee. I suspect you would run into the same problem with any hand held tool. Just not enough force being applied. Of course you could use a big a hammer, big hammers can solve lots of problems[smilie=1:

[rbuck351]

I guess I should have answered " No I haven't tried one of those loaders ".
I don't believe that would have helped much so I offered a suggestion that works very well and is cheap. Didn't mean to offend anyone, just trying to help.
He did say he was looking for a small loader for 410.

[Three44s]

If someone would have spooked me away from the 410 bore before I had made the investment I would have considered it a blessing, that’s why I “drifted” the thread as someone pointed out.

The hand tool the OP is considering may be the best thing since sliced bread (28 ga and larger) but in my experience with my Sizemaster, the 410 ga is better roll crimped or in brass cases because doing fold crimps are very fussy IMO.

Furthermore the tool in question is listed as good for paper hulls for roll crimps, perhaps other folks have enough of those to make it worthwhile but I think I have less than a half dozen individual hulls in paper. That will take me a long ways won’t it?

I have not tried it but the roll crimper clamping base by BPI looks enticing but you buy the one for 410 as a separate unit (does 28 also which I do not have a shotgun in). I cover 10, 12 and 20 ga and that unit from BPI covers all those gauges.

Now the idea of roll crimping plastic hulls in the bushes (without power) is not good either, maybe a solar panel to charge a cordless drill? We are really traveling light now aren’t we?

Brass cases also get you away from fold crimping and another member pointed out the messiness of gluing the top card in. Water glass is another option but in bushes, not so much.

Three44s

[David2011]

The maligned thread drift was both educational and helpful to me. Thanks to all for the info.

[mdi]

seems the pot is calling the kettle black. the op was wanting a hand loader for 410, there is a guy with the last name of paco that builds them, sorry I did not have time to do all the leg work for the op, maybe you could do that.

I replied only after I checked the tool in question. I researched the OP's question and offered my opinion on what he asked about. The others started taking about what they use and only one had anything to say about the what the OP asked. I get a little frustrated when I read an interesting thread start and it quickly zooms away from what the OP asked about, sometimes 180 degrees from the intent of the post and "I use a completely different tool..".

Yep Paco (Paco isn't his last name BTW) makes some specialized tools (I own two) and perhaps his hand loader was an option. The main reason I said anything is because I was interested in the tool and also wanted opinions...

[fiberoptik]

How about using something like contact cement for your top cardboard wad?? Or hot glue with the little bitty glue guns.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[44magLeo]

I saw that loader and another one from Russia. The Russian one is about half the cost.
I watched them both being used on You Tube. The Russian one seems to be a bit easier to use.
Leo

[W.R.Buchanan]

OK I actually know something about this subject so I'll give you my .02. I had a Paco Kelly .410 tool and it was nicely made however the crimps were disgusting. It did everything else great but you have to finish the shell with a crimp and that tool was lacking. a better way to go would be to trim the fold crimp off eh hull and usea BPI Roll Crimping tool with an over shot card and roll crimp the hull closed. This would produce an excellent result and that BPI tool can be ran with a drill motor or a drill press so it is portable.

The kicker on reconstructing a Fold crimp is that you must have a die that controls the hulls shape perfectly. Also there must be a Precrimp tool (included with the tool in question.) which starts the crimp. in the end the crimp finisher must be pressed down to a certain depth. Using a Drill Press with a quill stop could accomplish this task repeatably,,, which is what you are looking for. It is pointless to get one good crimp out of 5.

All that said when I got a real .410 Shotgun I bought a Pacific DL266 Single Stage Loader off Trapshooters.com. It loads perfect ammo and was well worth the $250 I paid for it used.(It was almost new so I did get a good deal. I also bought 1000 O/F hulls for $150. and they have been reloaded twice now and are good to go for several more reloads.

If all you want to do with your .410 (and I have a Springfield M6 Scout also) is pop off a few rounds every now and again then that tool you mentioned above would probably work well enough for what you want to do. A box of .410 shotshells runs around $12.50 and if you aren't going to fire more than a few of these in a year then just buying them is probably a more economical way to go.

A typical day at a Skeet Range is 4 to 8 boxes and it is easy to see that if you do it once or twice a month you need to reload, so a real loader would be in order.

Here's a pic of a perfect crimp, the machine that made it,, and a Paco Kelly Loader.

Randy

[psweigle]

OK I actually know something about this subject so I'll give you my .02. I had a Paco Kelly .410 tool and it was nicely made however the crimps were disgusting. It did everything else great but you have to finish the shell with a crimp and that tool was lacking. a better way to go would be to trim the fold crimp off eh hull and usea BPI Roll Crimping tool with an over shot card and roll crimp the hull closed. This would produce an excellent result and that BPI tool can be ran with a drill motor or a drill press so it is portable.

The kicker on reconstructing a Fold crimp is that you must have a die that controls the hulls shape perfectly. Also there must be a Precrimp tool (included with the tool in question.) which starts the crimp. in the end the crimp finisher must be pressed down to a certain depth. Using a Drill Press with a quill stop could accomplish this task repeatably,,, which is what you are looking for. It is pointless to get one good crimp out of 5.

All that said when I got a real .410 Shotgun I bought a Pacific DL266 Single Stage Loader off Trapshooters.com. It loads perfect ammo and was well worth the $250 I paid for it used.(It was almost new so I did get a good deal. I also bought 1000 O/F hulls for $150. and they have been reloaded twice now and are good to go for several more reloads.

If all you want to do with your .410 (and I have a Springfield M6 Scout also) is pop off a few rounds every now and again then that tool you mentioned above would probably work well enough for what you want to do. A box of .410 shotshells runs around $12.50 and if you aren't going to fire more than a few of these in a year then just buying them is probably a more economical way to go.

A typical day at a Skeet Range is 4 to 8 boxes and it is easy to see that if you do it once or twice a month you need to reload, so a real loader would be in order.

Here's a pic of a perfect crimp, the machine that made it,, and a Paco Kelly Loader.

Randy Excellent post. Very informative and we'll explained.

[R Freeman]

Looking for a small loader for .410 shells and I don't want a full size press, original Lee Loaders seem to be pretty expensive. Has anyone tried one of these types of loaders?

https://www.thexringusa.com/product-page/survival-loader-for-410-ga
I have one and it works just fine,,,, it's slow and the crimp can be tricky but it works just fine. I hope this answers your question.