Need Help Buying a Reloader

[Bob_K]

First thing you need to do is get the Lyman Shotshell Reloading Book... and read it.  Not much radical has changed in shotshell reloading except most loads now use the one piece plastic wads and the hulls are plastic as well.  .410 hulls are a bit harder to find as they are not shot as much as 12 ga.  Check with a skeet club.  You are correct that your cost will be less than 12 ga, but your savings will be almost exclusively in powder and shot.  The primer costs the same, and the wad will be the same (or a bit more since they are not sold in the same volumes as 12's).  The guys I know reloading the .410 all use MEC machines, either the single stage or the Grabber.

[George Foster]

Ken,

If you want to load for the 410 I would suggest that you buy yourself a Mec 600JR.  To use someone elses press would mean you would have to buy another set of dies for that press.  It is a royal pain trying to change gauges as you always end up ruining some shells going both ways.  As to other equipment to buy, as another suggested buy a good reloading manual for shotshells and the one piece of equipment that I wouldn't be without for loading shotshells ia a good powder scale.  Just because a certain powder bushing says it throws a certain amount of a certain powder doesn't mean that it does.  You always want to go through the cycles of loading on the press to check your powder charges.  I hope this information will help you some.

[dakotashooter2]

I am in a similar situation. I also have a 45/410 and the thought of buying shells at $7-$10 a box does not appeal to me. Fortunately I was able to borrow a loader and have about 600 rnds loaded. You could watch one of the auctions for a used loader but most for the 410 are selling for very near new cost. Dont' even think about finding a lee loader in 410. When you find one they are high priced (eBay has one currently at $87). I figure my loads cost about $3.50 per box. I figure if you buy a new mec you will break even ta about 30 boxes. The price of hulls on eBay has also gotten insane. The first batch I bought about 9 months ago cost me 7 cents each after shipping. Now you will be lucky if you can get them for 14 cents each. You can get new, primed, cheddite hulls for less. Check your local skeet or trap range and I'm sure you will find them cheaper If you want to test your skills try shooting clay pigeons with your gun. It's a blast. Unfortunately my 15 yr old son put his dad to shame the first time he tried it.