I just ogt a box of magtec .410 brass shells from Cabelas. I reloaded them with a 2.2 cc lee dipper full of AMerican Pioneer powder, a homemade card wad, then some wads cut from weatherstrip felt, then a 2.2 cc dipper full of No. 7 1/2 shot, then another card wad and some watered down white glue. I was using rifle primers, but I will get some pistol primers before I reload any more.
I understand that the .410 was loaded with 1.5 drams of black powder which would work out to about 40 grains. I will make a measure to throw that volume equivalent of American Pioneer powder, then make a measure to throw 1/2 ounce of shot too. This would give me a regular load. My current loads were very light.
I started by using cardboard and homemade felt wads, but I couldn't find a really good source for felt that wouldn't turn into a glob of plastic, so I think I found a good solution. I bought a packet of 12X12 inch 1/4" thick bulletin board cork tiles from the hardware store. As I understand they used to use cork wads in magnum loads and felt wads in regular loads. I had to make a wad punch by boring out a piece of pipe on the lathe so I could cut my own wads. I bought plain cork, with no adhesive backing or anything. I only made two cork reloads.
As an aside, I found out that you can cut down a plastic hull and reload it like a brass hull. I made two plastic hulls each with 2.2cc of American Pioneer and a regular 209 primer. I then put down a card wad, a cork wad, then three 00 buckshot, then another card wad on top and some glue.
For a "press" to ram the wads home I took a 3/8 drillbit and chucked it upside down in my drill press. With the press not running it works great to seat the cushion wads. I use a universal decap die, a Lee ram prime, and a 45-70 shell holder, which is a loose fit, on my brass shells. I use a punch to knock out the primer on the few plastic hulls I have played with, and just pressed a new primer in place on a flat table.
I haven't chrony'd the buckshot or shot loads yet. I will definately try to make some full power brass hull loads. American Pioneer powder produces very little smoke in a long .410 barrel. It makes the tube very dirty after a few shots, but the fouling is soft and comes out with a little water. I figure American Pioneer must be sort of like the old semismokeless bulk powders they made for use in the original brass hulls, the ones that reloaded volume for volume with black powder.
I think that before I reload any more shells I will dip my cork wads in a little melted parrafin. A little lube can't hurt anything.
I would definately recomend these brass hulls for anybody who is fed up with the price of .410 ammo. I can reload a box that is cheap enough that I don't cry when ever I pull the trigger. They don't smoke too much, so I think I could even try a round or two of trap with them. They probably won't hold up in the magazine of a pump action, and they would choke an automatic to death, but in my old single shot they shoot just fine. I might even make a few roundball loads to play with. They are tons of fun!
