learning to reload .410

Toad

Toad

Active member
Recently I got a .410 SxS shotgun and a small reloader as part of the trade for my old fishing boat.

I have never reloaded any ammo before, for rifle, shotgun, or anything... Just wondering what is the best way to learn, or how did you guys learn? I think the reloader is specifically for .410 shells only, according to the seller (who had never used it). He also gave me very specific instructions (that he got from the previous owner), which has me a little gunshy. It sounds like the loads may have been a little "hot". I don't even want to touch the thing until I get a better understanding of what the heck I am doing.:eek:

Is there a good book out there I could get, or should I ask around at the trap park until I can find some kind soul to take me under his wing?

Any advice is appreciated. If it helps I can snap a couple pics of the reloader tomorrow and see if you guys think it is even worth fooling with.
 
it's pretty easy ,you should follow the recipes that you'd find in various manuals.i was looking at a manual i have just now called the status of steel and they had fairly simple explanation which works for lead or steel. there is a free manual that alliant used to give out that covers most lead loads. and a couple of steel.
ballistic products has alot parts for .410 shells.wads and hulls. they've always been real good with tech support as has the people from precision reloading in so . dakota
the man from RSI, not so much, he doesn't suffer fools gladly.which you can understand since he doesnt want any body to get hurt, that would be my idea as well.
there is a book from bp called "advantages" with a couple hundred lods easily
,all guages
you'll see a warning that shows how the selection of the shells primer can double the pressure.
if you ever have cut a shell apart it's easy to see how they go together
theres probaly an old fashione gun shop near every one where some onecan help. this is the advantage of patronizing our small private guns shops ,so we can keep our skill set alive.

get a manual or 2 and read the instructions thoroughly.reloading adds a lot to my hunting as does keeping my own dog,have fun
 
I would also suggest finding someone with experience to show you in person the do's and do not's. There are always some old timers at the local gun range, trap range that love to teach. Their insight is invaluable and will stick with you. You will still need a few books and some reloading manuals. But hands on is a great way to really learn. Hope you find it as addicting as I do!!!!:cheers:
 
Thanks for the advice, guys. The reloader isn't really all that big. I can probably just toss it in the backseat of the truck next time I go to the trap park and see if anybody wants to share some knowledge with me.

Seems like there's always at least a half dozen retired guys just loitering around the park, waiting to pontificate on some issue or another... :laugh: I'm sure they would be glad to give me a "no BS" evaluation of the reloader, and get me pointed in the right direction on what I will still need and where to get it. Like where is the best place to get wads, hulls, primers, and such...

Maybe they'll even have an extra reloading recipe book I could use to get started.

Getting started in reloading might be a lot easier than I thought. :thumbsup:
Thanks again.
 
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alliant powder co list free loads on their website.
if you emailed ballistic products they probaly send back a couple of pages of text to get started,they've done it for me
you oughta have a scale,35 bucks and a dial indicator ,about 30, for measuring
lengths and widths
i was roll crimping .410's but it was'nt getting satisfactory results
everything is minature with the .410 compared to 12 or 20
 
pointshoot, I don't know what roll crimping means, but the seller told me that I needed to roll crimp the shells. But he was just passing along what the previous owner had told him...

Thanks for the equipment advice also. I figured I would need at least a few tools to get started.
 
Toad,

Buy a lee load kit. You have to load one shell at a time but it will teach you the ins and outs of basic shot shell reloading. This is a cheap and easy way to learn.
It is time consuming method but that's how I started at age 12 with reloading 20 gauge shells.

A roll crimper is a method to close the shell after the shot is loaded. Plastic shell need this method because the shell plastic tends to what to open up with out this. I hope that explains it for you. :cheers:

I just reread your op. So you bought a press reloader??? If so Bleu and the others advice is spot on. Get help or read your butt off on the subject until you feel comfortable. Reloading mistakes can and do get Ugly fast.
 
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roll crimping was the old fashioned way of closing the loaded shell .what your probaly used to seeing ,for the last 50 years,are fold crimp shells. i started roll crimping during the last powder drought, about 5 yrs ago, because you could buy new primed hulls without paying a hazmat fee.
with a fold crimp you have about 5/8" of side wall above the load,that materiel is incorporated into the crimp.roll crimping you need less ,about a 1/4"
rolling 12's and 20's worked well, rolling the .410 was problematic because the hull needed to be trimmed so that only a 1/4" was rolled.

the unsatisfactory result was the .410 crimp split when fired. my .410 is a 870 pump,express. splitting hulls, sticking hull ,ruptured primers, to the hand loader, means stop what your doing and reexamine your procedure
its exactly what the name describes,there is a "hem" like a pants cuff thats rolled over and catches the edge of an overshot card, a card bord disc that was .you'll hear some people call it rto crimping, dont know what the acronym means most folks roll crimp nowadays with a hand drill or drill press
 
ballistic products has a roll crimping video demonstration
side note : who the hell is roll crimping 8 gauge shells? i guess there for starting yacht races:confused:
 
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