Minimal equipment requirements for loading 410 carts

[enfield2band]

Thanks for that.

The plan is to use the harder stuff with the shallower cup wads in the 3" where it'll be subject to more roughing up on the cone barrel and choke. Plus for half ounce loads in my wee 2.5" chambered gun.

I measured half an ounce of the 7.5 nickel plated shot (from Clay & Game) and counted it, came to 168 which makes it UK 7 shot. Which is good, but I can see me raiding a few 12g shells for smaller stuff.

In the meantime I'm quite pleased with the 1/2 oz load patterned this afternoon for the 2.5" gun, better more uniformed pattern than 1/2 oz Lyalvale Express I've been using, but then they were good at 25 yards, so the home loads may well extend the effective range out a few yards. Just one variation to try before I load up a few for the field and see how it fairs for real.

I've a wheen of data and components so it'll likely be a while before I settle. Biggest revelation so far has been sussing out the fact that the American data (from Ballistic Products, and there's a mass of it) wads featured are mainly the same as those from clay & game but named differently. The yank data seems to run hotter than the UK stuff I've got a hold of so I'll be proceeding with caution with that.

I'll keep you posted once I settle down.

Next up weebeastie's rocky mountain brass cases

Your load development sounds interesting I look forward to seeing what you settle on.

Brass cases seem to be a grey area. When I was in my teens I saw Eley .410" cartridges made of brass that were crimped.
I get the impression that the ones that are bought to day are intended for blackpowder because they do not have a crimp and are sealed with a top card and waterglass, (Not Isinglass), or any other similar substance to hold the card and shot in place.
Blackpowder being an explosive does not need to be held back momentarily like smokeless powder to achieve an effective burn,so, nitro powders might not perform too well in a plain brass case. A shotgun cartridge with a weak crimp allows the charge to start moving while the outer area only of the nitro powder is burning and it funnels up the barrel and when it exits the muzzles it burns fully. It is known as a "blooper" because of the sound it makes, and the shot just falls to the floor. I suspect the same will happen with the brass cases when using niro powder.
I'm happy to be proved wrong, but it might be an idea to look into it before parting with your money for something that might not work.

Atb.

[GoodWILLHunting]

Your load development sounds interesting I look forward to seeing what you settle on.

Brass cases seem to be a grey area. When I was in my teens I saw Eley .410" cartridges made of brass that were crimped.
I get the impression that the ones that are bought to day are intended for blackpowder because they do not have a crimp and are sealed with a top card and waterglass, (Not Isinglass), or any other similar substance to hold the card and shot in place.
Blackpowder being an explosive does not need to be held back momentarily like smokeless powder to achieve an effective burn,so, nitro powders might not perform too well in a plain brass case. A shotgun cartridge with a weak crimp allows the charge to start moving while the outer area only of the nitro powder is burning and it funnels up the barrel and when it exits the muzzles it burns fully. It is known as a "blooper" because of the sound it makes, and the shot just falls to the floor. I suspect the same will happen with the brass cases when using niro powder.
I'm happy to be proved wrong, but it might be an idea to look into it before parting with your money for something that might not work.

Atb.

It'll be interesting right enough. The rocky mountain brass has a true .410 ID and takes a 209 primer. In theory you could use standard plastic wads etc. but as you point out the charge needs holding back momentarily, so without a crimp that holding back will have to be enabled through the friction of internal components and the shot it's self. Unless of course one employs a crimping die. I've a pal thats offered to make me a die but he reckons a tight wad and hotter primer set over the relatively slow 410 compatible shot shell power will have much the same effect. We'll see.

I don't have any data for brass cases as yet but yeah, I am looking into it.

[webb22]

theres loads of data online for 410 brass case reloading mate. the largest case I've seen is 2 1/2" from magtec. And i picked some up from the trafalgar meet recently. though i'm thinking of fire forming 303 brass to get a 3" case, which again there is a lot of info on-line for...

[acmsarh]

You will be lucky to make 3" cases from 303 brass as it is only 2.2" long.