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January 8, 2025
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I’ve been reloading 12 & 20 gauge for about 2 years now. Using MEC 9000 progressives. I just got a used 650 in 410. I’m finding 410 to be more finicky. Think I’ve got the press running pretty well now. Looking for advice on getting prettier crimps. Or any other general shot shell advice.
Thanks,
Adam
September 19, 2014
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Crises, I used to load a lot of .410’s for skeet competition and practice. It is one gauge I would say is best served with a non progressive press, however. Biggest tip for getting good crimps is to align the crimp starter in a handy and repeatable orientation, such as 12 o’clock/6 o’clock to you as operator. Then align the case mouth so it indexes with the crimp starter. In my experience, the .410 case is too small to reliably cause the crimp starter to align with its star crimp. IF you can do that, I think you will have consistently good crimps vs “wad” crimps where it is wadded together. A very close buddy, now gone, used a Ponsness/Warren auto press and it did fairly well, but while slower, my MEC 600 and aligning the crimp and the crimp starter gave good crimps with no shot running around in your boxes or shell pouch. My other gauges were loaded with Pacific (NOW Hornady) 366 Auto presses (12, 20 and 28 ga). Tim
January 8, 2025
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tim tomlinson said
Crises, I used to load a lot of .410’s for skeet competition and practice. It is one gauge I would say is best served with a non progressive press, however. Biggest tip for getting good crimps is to align the crimp starter in a handy and repeatable orientation, such as 12 o’clock/6 o’clock to you as operator. Then align the case mouth so it indexes with the crimp starter. In my experience, the .410 case is too small to reliably cause the crimp starter to align with its star crimp. IF you can do that, I think you will have consistently good crimps vs “wad” crimps where it is wadded together. A very close buddy, now gone, used a Ponsness/Warren auto press and it did fairly well, but while slower, my MEC 600 and aligning the crimp and the crimp starter gave good crimps with no shot running around in your boxes or shell pouch. My other gauges were loaded with Pacific (NOW Hornady) 366 Auto presses (12, 20 and 28 ga). Tim
I’m using brand new chedite hulls. I think that was most of my issue, then also the change from 3 to 2.5. I loaded a few 12 gauge on a 600 jr 20 years ago. 2 years ago when taking over this wonderful gun room my wife’s late grandfather built for me, I got into progressive and I don’t want to look back
April 26, 2019
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September 19, 2014
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Pete! I had forgotten the bridging issues with larger shot! Yes, it does happen. I used to slightly raise the seating tube and then SLOWLY work the charge bar. A few taps with some metal rod or screwdriver would help, but then would still have to use wire and get shot every where. Old stories now, but I used to prefer Remington hulls altho AA hulls lasted longer. Used H110 or 296 and didn’t get the burn at the mouth as bad. 2400 or IMR 4227 were very hard on case life! A pet octopus would help when reloading .410s. I’ve nothing to shoot with them anymore as my skeet days are over and we seem to not have enough doves anymore, either. Tim
January 8, 2025
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Good to hear I’m not alone. I would drop a bb or two on the way up, then I’d have an empty wad in the hull, about the time I was going to investigate, it would all drop. I have a small shopvac in my reloading room that could probably be considered ordinance. I have some smaller shot I’ll try with the next batch. Thanks for the replies. These little shells definitely work differently than the 12 and 20. I started reloading 12 just to reload. I got into 20 and 410 to save money.
April 26, 2019
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Adam, yeah, ya gotta listen for the shot dropping down the tube. If it doesn’t sound right, it’s not. I hate it when that happens. That’s when you get out the coat hanger and the dust pan.
Things will work better for you with small shot. Small shot works best in a MEC .410 and it works best in a .410 shotgun too. Tim called them “bridging issues” and that’s what they are. Can you imagine the bridging issues when a load of large shot tries to fight for the narrowing space in a tight choke? It’s like Archie Bunker and Meathead going through a doorway. I find the .410 is at its best with light loads, small shot, short distance and small game. It has its limits – you just have to live within them.
Tim, do you have grouse near you? They’re a great game bird to hunt and the .410 is the perfect gun. Even if the grouse are scarce, it’s an excuse to get out in the woods. Take a friend and have a cook-out lunch. Get that .410 back out in the woods again.
September 19, 2014
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Pete, I remember Gaston! Didn’t know he was gone. I am so sorry. No grouse here. I hunted them in upstate New York when stationed with 10th MTN Div. Had my first lab then, middle age. Best leave I ever took was end of Sep, use it or lose it leave. Winnie and I spent a glorious day on Tug Hill. Found a few grouse, was shooting a Parker (12 ga), had a lunch and we napped mid day in an old apple orchard. She and I also got a few grouse in Washington state when stationed in 1st Corps at Ft. Lewis. My first lab got way more retrieves than any of my other dogs. I would have felt great hunting with you and Gaston. I knew my dogs and could tell when they were on game, so know of what you speak! By any chance do you attend Cody? Would like to meet up and tell a few stories, maybe a few true ones, too. Model 42’s need near perfect crimps if they are to chamber readily under pressure of a bird escaping! I’ve used mine a little when we still had doves. Cheers! Tim
September 19, 2014
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Pete, My first lab, Winnie (full name Tim’s Winsome Lass) had a bit of hard mouth. I rarely had to finish off a wounded duck, grouse, quail, dove, etc. I know what tooth marks look like as well! Most cripples she would grab over the back, and one good squeek and no longer a struggling pheasant, etc! Tim
April 26, 2019
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Tim, I can see you’re a dog man too. Winnie sounds like another great dog.
