.303 british to .410 shot

[damoc]

Fireforming British .303 to 410 bore shot gun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B3FUwT1wPU&feature=youtu.be

[Der Gebirgsjager]

A first post! Welcome to the Forum, damoc.

That seems like kind of a complicated system. Wouldn't you get the same results by firing the modified .303 round in a .410 shotgun?

[ascast]

I bought some from MagTech through Graf, about $1 a pop. Welcome to the board. Good to see other approaches to a problem.

[MT Chambers]

I need to wrap my head around the need for brass .303/410 shells when you can get .410 plastic empties from your local skeet range. they crimp very well and accept std. 410 wads.

[damoc]

yes I would but I normally use this 12 gauge for my round the house work so it made sense to fire form to what I use

[damoc]

MT Chambers apart from my tinkering just for the fun of it I shoot mostly blackpowder and then mostly homemade. Plastic shells don't last more than 1 or 2 reloads I buy plenty of 410 plastic but it does seem a little spendy for rodent control. also without the ability to size the range pickup cases they may not work in my inserts I had this trouble with 12 and 20 gauge when i was reloading these. Thank you everyone for the welcome I was sure I signed up here about 10 years ago but lost my login or username.

[brstevns]

I did this some years back. I just loaded a light charge of unique under Grits and firer from them in my 410. I did put one wrap of electrical tape around the base to help keep them centered. After the firer froming they worked great.

[Muskyhunter1]

I have fire form 30-30 in my 38-55 in the same manner.

Every deer season I can always pick up 30-30 brass for free at the local gun range. The end result is a 38-55 casing a little shorter but at least I have some brass for plinking.

[Battis]

Last spring I was at the range and checked the BRASS bucket, where shooters discard brass. Someone had dumped a pile of 444 Marlin cases, which works well in my .410 single shot. Keep throwing away the good stuff...

[brstevns]

I have fire form 30-30 in my 38-55 in the same manner.

Every deer season I can always pick up 30-30 brass for free at the local gun range. The end result is a 38-55 casing a little shorter but at least I have some brass for plinking.

I make up 38/55 the same way for my Winchester.

[Shawlerbrook]

You can size spent 410 plastic shells easily and cheaply by just using some common tools and a resizing ring from MEC.

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

[3leggedturtle]

Nice report. I like seeing "real world" projects like this. I was going to make some out of 9.3x74R brass but they were out of stock or over a buck a round when I did find it. Todd/3leg

[rbuck351]

I find the 303 brass to be a pain to work with. I get about 60% failure of the case mouth splitting when fire forming. Annealing the case first seems to make no difference. And still the rim is too thick and needs to be thinned a bit in both of my single shot 410s.
444 Marlin cases work very well without any mods and last forever and I can get up to 3/4oz shot in one. 410 plastic hulls are not real common around here and I live about 60miles from the nearest trap range.

[damoc]

I find the 303 brass to be a pain to work with. I get about 60% failure of the case mouth splitting when fire forming. Annealing the case first seems to make no difference. And still the rim is too thick and needs to be thinned a bit in both of my single shot 410s.
444 Marlin cases work very well without any mods and last forever and I can get up to 3/4oz shot in one. 410 plastic hulls are not real common around here and I live about 60miles from the nearest trap range.

I have found that annealing the case made all the difference If I ever find any 444 Marlin I will give them a try thanks for the idea.

[besk]

I do thin the rims from the top. I have yet to split a case in my fireforming, however. Both with old military brass and newer commercial brass from various manufacturers.

[cwlongshot]

Agreed. 303 dosent work in all guns as the rim is thick. But 444 seems fine for me. Also 9.3x74R but harder to find and costly. BUT ifin ya need 3" its an option ya cant do with 303 or 444.

Brass is better for loading and unloading. Its more dureable and adds a bit if something extra. Esp in a single shot gun ya can get buy with a small amount of cases as they are so easy to re load.

CW

[lar45]

Hello damoc, and welcome back to the forum.
I found a deal on a 1000 Federal 30-30 once fired brass and used some to make 375 Win cases.
My process is similar, I use a small charge of a fast powder, then a much smaller wad and fill the case with grits. Then pack it in good and tight with another wad on top. I shoot mine in a 375 Win TC Contender.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwV0WYn52Ik

I was gifted a Dan Wesson 375 SuperMag last year and found that Starline 375 Win cases were too thick to seat a long cast bullet, so I just cut down some of my home made cases to use in it.

[rbuck351]

I can get a full 3/4oz of shot in a 444 case. I use a 44 gc cup down as an over powder cup then a thin cereal box wad, 3/4 oz #9 shot topped with another cereal box wad glued in. It isn't 3" but it does have more shot than the 11/16 oz factory loads. I don't use the 410 shot cups because they take up to much room. #/4 oz of #9 shot throws a fairly dense pattern at 30yds and that's all I'm looking for.

[james23]

For many of the Indian converted SMLE to 410 , they were made to use only modified 303 brass and about 2 inch's long, some guys had the chambers cut for regular 410 but most need brass cases.

[trooperdan]

damoc, I assume that is you in the video, what is the adapter that you are using is i a .410 to 12 gage? Are you also making your own black powder?

[jim147]

I'll need to look again tomorrow but I have my great grandmother's shotgun here somewhere. It's a .44/.410 or the other way around. It is a short chamber .410. I have read about using .303 brass to make shells but I'm saving my .303 brass for my grandfather's rifle.