410 reloaders

[DeepSouth]

I have 5 of the Lee round hopper Auto Prime tools. Bought them when they were cheap mostly from ebay. Looking there now 1 worn out 1 will cost as much as all 5 of mine. Got the EZ Auto Prime with square hopper and the new Auto Prime free with other purchases. Don't care for either. Got the Auto Bench Prime that I don't like loading primers in the new triangle safety hopper. But when set up it loads fast.

I had 1 problem while fire forming. I'd fire a round and the gun would breech open. Reading up on as much as I could find the rim of a 303 is thicker than a 410 case/hull. Others have sanded the head stamp to reduce the thickness. Letters can barely be seen on some and none on others. They are using federal large pistol primers mostly/ in those. Some having luck using CCI LP primers.

Primers have different heights, Fed .117, CCI .118, Rem .119, Win .121. Wish I could find the height of other brands.

[DeepSouth]

Got the Forester trimmer cutter yesterday. It's for the classic model. The shaft of the old one measures .489, this one is .551 or 14mm. Looks like I get 2 14mm drill bits from amazon for $17. Hope my drill press centers well. Wish I had a lathe.

 

I've got lots of different colored, different brands of short brass 12 ga hulls if anyone wants some for shipping only.

Edited May 25 by DeepSouth

[DeepSouth]

Changed my mind about drilling, didn't want the holes off center. Stopped by a machine shop with the bearing block and collar. They would need the 14mm drill bit I have ordered for the job. They want $60 for their work. I called Forester, special order over the phone for the bearing and added the collar, along with shipping $35. Got them ordered and canceled the drill bit order.

Got the tire tread gauge yesterday to measure depth of the primer pockets, it's in MM, 2 pocket's centers 4mm, must be the few that the rifle primers were below the head. Guessing with this bedside lamp most are 3.8, must be the ones that the primers were flush with head. About 10 are 3.6, must be the ones I had to reprime with pistol primers. After trimming they will be drilled a bit deeper to 3.8mm.

[Frog4aday]

You like a challenge!

I hope it all works out in the end for you. I think I'd have gathered up some .410 hulls over time from the skeet range, while scouring classifieds for a used MEC .410 loader and then gone with the 209 primers (hoping for a sale to pop up at some point.)

But that's me. I like to "beat the system" as much as the next guy, but time has shown the 'shortcut' usually ends up costing about the same as just following the normal route, in the long run.

But you are a crafty & persistent guy, so I'm not betting against you @DeepSouth!

[DeepSouth]

I checked on bamboo a week or so ago for tomato stakes. I like mine 8 or 9 ft long. Wasn't able to cut when it was cold as in the past. The patch is overgrown with poison ivy so I won't be cutting. My neighbor gave me a few 2X4 studs that I ripped in halves. He's changing his house from a 3 bedroom to a 2 and making the living room larger. Got a little smoke from the table saw motor. Oh no, not another one.

Edited June 1 by DeepSouth

[DeepSouth]

Got a virus warning on my laptop yesterday. Checked with neighbor, her son wasn't busy so I carried it over while I went shopping. Neighbor across the street is moving out so I got a load of metal from their pile. Got notice that the shot was delivered to Sportsman's Warehouse in Southaven. A stop at walmart, couldn't find Cutter's mosquito spray. Got a message, laptop ready. 2 more stops then back home. He added a malware and Lenox. I gave him $20.

[DeepSouth]

Got the trimmer parts and a package of 303 Britt brass. Dang, need a 44spl pilot. One is $17 or a pack of different sizes for $25.

[DeepSouth]

Checking the order from ebay, it hasn't been processed through the warehouse yet. Can't do anything about it until Saturday. Looks like I'm stuck with that vendor.

Got the primer seating tool finished yesterday. It's a 3/8X4" pipe, start primer into pocket with fingers, stand the hull on a flat surface (I'll use oak), place pipe on hull and strike it with a hammer.

[DeepSouth]

No update on the order of pilots so I canceled it. Took the .452 pilot to the drill press and sanded it down to slide into a brass 410 shell. Got 88 of 100 casings trimmed. Some are cracked and will be trimmed shorter. Some heads wouldn't seat in the collet, guess to big. Some necked had to be expanded a bit to fit the pilot.

I used the hand crank instead of the drill. Fingers were tingling when finished. Guess that's from the chemo drug. 3 more days to finish them.

[DeepSouth]

Well dang, last night next thing I knew I had 88 primed casings. I was going to sand the heads down some first. Do it on the next reload.

Edited June 10 by DeepSouth

[DeepSouth]

Got home from Doctor and shopping at 6:40 pm. Went out after dinner, UPS package from WI with no name, just city/state at front door on return. 137 303 casings, 175 410 2 1/2", 124 3" hulls. I don't remember giving out my address to anyone but one person in PA on a shotgun website

[DeepSouth]

Used the bench mount belt sander to thin some heads. It's faster but needs hand sanding to square them.

Hand sanded some casings with live primers. Got the surface down until letters were gone. Primers are still a bit deeper in pockets. I'll sand more after they are fired.

Looked for parts, all used or out of stock.

[DeepSouth]

In between showers I sanded the casings with live primers on the belt sander. Not as deep as those without primers. I could have gone deeper on a few. But cloudy skies and poor light I did pretty good. I sanded a few on the block until 120 grit paper went slick. Got a fresh sheet to start again today.

[RED333]

 

On 6/14/2025 at 9:27 AM, DeepSouth said:

Used the bench mount belt sander to thin some heads. It's faster but needs hand sanding to square them.

Hand sanded some casings with live primers. Got the surface down until letters were gone. Primers are still a bit deeper in pockets. I'll sand more after they are fired.

Looked for parts, all used or out of stock.

 

5 hours ago, DeepSouth said:

In between showers I sanded the casings with live primers on the belt sander. Not as deep as those without primers. I could have gone deeper on a few. But cloudy skies and poor light I did pretty good. I sanded a few on the block until 120 grit paper went slick. Got a fresh sheet to start again today.

Sanding primed cases, you're a braver man than I am.

[DeepSouth]

I can sand, remove all the letters on PPU cases and the primer is still deep in the pocket. I'm leaving a hint of letters on C*B and S&B cases and touching the primer. Not sanding a lot on them, just a touch or 2.

Problem with the firing pin on the 410. It will strike the primer and some won't fire. I removed the pin and spring. Stuck a Qtip in the hole and soaked it with WD-40 for an hour. Use both ends of 8 Qtips cleaning the crud and strain out. Stuck another Qtip in and soaked with Rem oil for 10 minutes. Removed very little stain with 1 Qtip. I looked for a small super flexible brass bore brush. Guess no one carries them local. Can't tell what you're getting online. May try a nylon straw cleaning brush.

[DeepSouth]

Searched online for brass/stainless steel bore brushes. Found small ones on ebay, 10 for $17.

Searched online for nylon bore brushes. Found a set of 10 for $4, got a set of both black and white for $8. Wait for delivery.

Son is busy with storm damage so trips there are out for now.

Received 55 303 brass casings for $15 plus $8 shipping.

 

[DeepSouth]

Got 165 303 brass loaded with grits ready for resizing to 410.

Got 120 resized brass primed ready for shot loads.

[DeepSouth]

Got powder loaded into 88 cases last night, Bullseye using the Lee 039 dipper, added a 1/2" disc 1/4" thick. See which dipper will give me 7/16 to 1/2 oz shot. See if more wad is needed before setting over card with glue.

Need to make a 3/8 and 7/16" push rod, 5/16" is to small for the wads.

Edited June 29 by DeepSouth

[RED333]

1 hour ago, DeepSouth said:

Need to make a 3/8 and 7/16" push rod, 5/16" is to small for the wads.

Do you have any old 3/8 extension? Might do what you need 

[DeepSouth]

At Buck's I got a 48"X 3/8" dowel for $1.29, a 48"X 7/16" dowel for $1.79, minus 70% off.

I have lots of 3" X 3/8" extensions a few longer too. I had 6- 8 and 10" extensions linked together to reach a bolt on the wife car 2 weeks ago. Don't want to damage them.

Checked Lee dippers for a 7/16 and 1/2 oz shot load. No combinations will work. Guess I'll make a dipper from a spent casing, solder copper tubing to it for a handle. I've got 12 303/410 casings that would need trimmed short. Might have more after the next fire forming. 1/2 oz equals 218.75 grain. Limited to 110 grain on the Lee scale. 1/5th of 1/2 oz is 43.25 grain, 1/4th is 54.6875, 1/3rd is 72.9167. Hate to be measuring it out like that.

Need to be searching for my electric scale, if wife would leave me alone long enough.

[DeepSouth]

Haven't located my digital scale yet. Went searching for a new one most have a reading of 00.0 pounds. walmart has them for $13 to $47. Sportsman's Warehouse has Hornaday with 00.00 lbs for $200. I need one lower, like 00.00000 or better.

3/8= 0.0234375, 7/16 oz= 0.02734375, 1/2 oz= 0.03125

[DeepSouth]

Digital scales going super low are costly. I used the Lee scale measuring 72.91 grain 3 times, close enough. Poured them in an empty 410 shell, seated a 7/16" rod and marked it. poured shot into an empty drug bottle so storage. Wrapped tape on shell and marked it. Cut the shell on my new mini chop saw. Poured shot back into shell, level fill. I'm ready to start loading. 

But it needs a handle. Thinking of ways to make one.

[RED333]

 

If you look closely, you'll see a shell. With a piece of copper wire wrapped around it and soldered to the shell that is my powder measure for 25acp.

If you're using a brass case as a measure, just solder the wire to the case, if it is a 410 fiber shell or plastic shell, just twist the wire around it. But don't crush it. 

Necessity is the mother of invention.

[DeepSouth]

I got a piece of 6 gauge wire. Plan to flatten 2" of the center, wrap the flat around a case and solder. 4 inches on each end will go into a wood broom handle.

At Home Depot yesterday I almost bought these. May return today after chemo for them.

Everbilt 1/2 in. Copper Tube Strap (5-Pack) C624HD12 - The Home Depot

Edited July 8 by DeepSouth

[DeepSouth]

I checked, the copper straps at Lowe's are copper clad for a few pennies less than copper at Home Depot. In the past I've done good soldering with an iron but not a torch with copper clad. I used the copper ones from Home Depot. Used a 1/2" wood dowel to spare the strap, then a 7/16" dowel for a tighter fit. Bent the 2 mounting tabs together. The oxygen regulator on my tanks is leaking, couldn't find my propane torch. Use a butane jet lighter instead. It's lower heat but did a pretty good job of soldering copper to brass. I stuck the 6 gauge wire through the mounting holes, folded and pressed them together. Soldered it to the strap so it doesn't swing.

I've got to go to SuperLo today, stop at Harbor Freight for a can of rubber dip for handles. Got a few tools that need new dipped handles.

Photos?? Send me you cell phone number and I'll send them to you. You can post if you like. I'm to old to learn how to post photos.

Edited July 10 by DeepSouth