410 ammo is just expensive, has been as long as i can remember.

Have you considered taking up loading your own? I shoot 410 a lot. Both bird hunting and skeet. You can save serious money reloading 410. Loading a couple flats of 410 will save enough to pay for a single stage mec.

410 is the most expensive to buy and the cheapest to load.

You will need hulls (new or range pick up)
you can buy new hulls with or without primers already set (in normal times) or you can re-use your previously shot shells (what I do) or you can pick up shells at the range. Not all hulls can be reloaded but most Federal, Win, Rem can. The issue is slight misfit of the primer (a little too loose on some brands of hulls- not really a problem). Shotshell hulls can be reloaded 3-5 times depending on the hull and how hot a load.

You will need 209 shotshell primers. I like Federal

You will need shot, or slugs .... what ever you want. Shot is of course heavy...buy locally

You will probably want shot cups to hold the shot/slug (without shot cups you will need wadding, over powder & over shot cards)...go with shot cups. The shot cup must align with the powder load and shot load to give the correct height for the chosen shell. Tables for reloading on every powder makers web site.

You will need powder (Clays for example) see above

You will probably want a loading press (YouTube is ripe with hand loading shot shells without a press but it is slower and may not yield as consistent a result)
The cheapest press you can buy is Lees Loadall. Components include (1) de primer (2) primer/re-sizer (3) powder dispenser (4) shocup inserter (5) shot dispenser (6) pre-crimping-crimping station. You will need a powder scale to check the powder being dispensed. Both powder and shot are dispensed volumetrically by means of a charge bar with bushings to adjust (roughly) the target volume. [lot of Youtube videos showing the steps in detail]. Check weights with your scale!

I always add an overshot card for small bird shot (7.5-8). I punch the card from old cereal boxes using an appropriate sized paper punch from a hobby/crafts store.

Most refs you find will claim reloading shot shells will not save money. True for 12 or 20 gauge- obviously not true for 410! I load 12 gauge and at best break even (probably not now). But I can load very customized shells that I can't buy at any store.

Hope this helps

410 ammo

In stock and $1/round

In San Antonio April 6-11 at the National Shooting Complex the Southwest Regional Grand Trapshoot is scheduled to be conducted. Vendors normally have booths set up selling reloading supplies. I have been a few times over the years to the event as a spectator primarily to purchase supplies.

Trainer Hale Shooting Supplies from Marion, Texas normally has a booth along vendor row. I have found the prices to be very good. Trainer Hale frequently has a representative from MEC at the booth if you are interested in a MEC shot shell press.

I don't know how available supplies will be this year. I suggest that once the supply chain catches up to the unprecedented demand seen recently that you invest in your future reloading supply needs. Powder, shot, wads, hulls, and primers all have a many year shelf life if stored in a climate controlled area in your home.

Enjoy your reloading experience.

Mike... maybe you can place a backorder for a MEC but expect to pay $350 + shipping. Probably still worth it if you plan to shoot a lot. You. may also want to go to a local trap/clays club and put up a notice that you want to buy a used set up for loading 410 or even rent time on one. A lot of us old guys out there with presses just collecting dust.

In the short term go ahead and do some manual handholds. Of course use eye protection and gloves. Don't hang over your work. Hand loading is what I did at first. Wooden block, nail or punch, fender washer, mallet, socket wrench, powder scale, knife and a wooden dowel make up the tool set. Ton of videos out there. Basically drill out the block with slightly oversized hole to use when you punch out the spent primer with the nail.

start by trimming the crimped portion off a spent shell.

punch out the old primer.

seat a new primer and set the primer/shell on a smooth flat metal surface (flat metal plate or a large fender washer). insert a socket wrench that just fills the shell diameter and such that it does not contact the primer. At this point I gently tap tap tap to seat the primer (wear gloves & eye protection). Some use a c-clamp or vise to slowly press the primer in and seat it. (sissies-lol j/k)

feel the base to make sure the primer is flush to the base of the shell.

weigh out powder and add to shell. (you can probably get lee powder scoops but even so weigh the powder the scoop delivers)

add shot cup; press the cup down with a wooden dowel- remember there is a live primer under that powder!! Safety gear! The powder needs to be compressed but don't go nuts. Watch some videos.

weigh and add shot. the shot should fill the shot cup and set just below the rim of the shell by 1/16-1/8 inch (or about 1.5-2 times thickness of overshot card). You can make or buy the over shot cards.

run a bead of glue and let dry.

I would trim the crimp off 25 shells. Then prime them all. Then add powder & shot cups to them all. At this point they will keep if you want to take a break. I would finish by adding shot and a card to all 25 shells then glue all 25 shells. Like an assembly line. I used a spade bit to drill holes in a board to serve as a holding or loading block.

If you only want A box of shells it is pretty reasonable. But if you go through 3+ boxes at a time you will gladly spend money for a MEC.

It sounds like more work than it is. If you hunt it is an easy way to try custom loads like duplex (2 shot sizes) or brush wads (spreader wads) and so on.

Take a look at the lee classic loader for 45 long colt $38 at midway. You can load pistol rounds for the Judge and use some of the components to prime 410 shells.

Take a look at the lee classic loader for 45 long colt $38 at midway. You can load pistol rounds for the Judge and use some of the components to prime 410 shells.

I'd recommend Mec Jr's for reloading .410, don't use a Lee Load All.

410's are always expensive, and I always reload them. You can reload them fairly cheap in comparison to buying new shells. Hulls generally last 5-10 reloadings before they burn the sides out or they don't crimp well (They won't have a pretty crimp after 5 or so reloads).

But currently, good luck finding 209 primers or H110 Powder (H110 Powder works REALLY WELL) for 410.

I'm not sure if you can find a Mec 600 jr right now either in 410.

Take a look at the lee classic loader for 45 long colt $38 at midway. You can load pistol rounds for the Judge and use some of the components to prime 410 shells.

I'd recommend Mec Jr's for reloading .410, don't use a Lee Load All.

410's are always expensive, and I always reload them. You can reload them fairly cheap in comparison to buying new shells. Hulls generally last 5-10 reloadings before they burn the sides out or they don't crimp well (They won't have a pretty crimp after 5 or so reloads).

But currently, good luck finding 209 primers or H110 Powder (H110 Powder works REALLY WELL) for 410.

I'm not sure if you can find a Mec 600 jr right now either in 410.

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