MEC 410 shotshell reloader

[ddstuder]

Glad to help!

I guess you gave up on the Low-Budget approach!

[ddstuder]

Very cool!

[Don2]

Sitting here in Lincoln, Nebraska at a sporting clays place - all the shells have fired just fine :)

Well Andy, you inspired me to pull my 410 loader out and make more shells.
Mine is pretty old, it's an older "steel dies" 600jr that I converted from 12 guage to 410...
Man.....That was a job I only want to do twice.
I tried it before with 20 gauge.
I find 12 gauge 600's at garage sales a lot for $20 and bought the die sets I wanted.A little cheaper than new, but a little work to get right.
But all is good on all of them.

I'm glad yours worked out well.
Wait one minute...You said NEBRASKA??????
Thats a long way to go to shoot clay birds..!!!!

Don2

[Don2]

Yeah, it's an annual shoot called Flatwater that I've been trying to get to for years - I made a thread about it with more pics here

I'm impressed with the MEC - it makes some nice ammo, but I'd like a little more control over the crimp.

The place looks nice.

What type extra control would you like?
One thing I would like is a taper die, it puts a slight taper on the shell and allows it to chamber easier in pumps and auto's. I haven't seen one though, I have them for 12 and 20 gauge and they work great. My MEC 9000 20 gauge has it from the factory maybe the Grabber too.

Is that 410 a single shot? Couldn't really see it?

I love 410's, I have 5 of them, an Italian single shot, 2 H&R single shots, an old Stevens bolt action ( Currently not working) and a Remington 870 pump.
I like them all, but shoot one of the H&R's the most because it a beater...It gets knocked around and bumped all the time but holds up and shoots great.

Don2

[Don2]

It's a Yildiz SxS - that little $480 gun outshot a lot of guns in 10, 12, 16, 20 and 28-ga

More control in that I'd like the crimp shallower - i have the cam on the lowest setting but it still crimps too deep. I'd also like to see some support at the top of the shell to minimize the swelling at the top that results from crimping.

Thats a nice 410...!!!

The swelling at the top of the shell is what I'm talking about. You may never get it from the crimp die.
Thats where the taper die comes into play.
It will taper out that bulge AND close any hole in the middle of the crimp you may have.
It's pretty much needed for pumps and auto's shot guns, and make it tough for single shots too.
Problem is, if someone makes one, there is no place to mount one on a 600.
I plan on taking a junk or extra 600 and mount the finishing/taper crimp die on it only. It's an extra step but what can be done?

I'll look for a taper die for 410 bore online, the ones I have are RCBS brand for 20 and 12 gauge.
They just happen to be on sale once at Midway and I bought both for about $10 each a few years ago.

Don2

[Don2]

Andy, go to this page and look at #48D.
They have them for the progressive Mec's but no the single stage ones.

http://www.mecshootingsports.com/p-675- ... parts.aspx

Just need to be able to mount it some way. OR...Maybe in a drill press, not necessarily running but just for the downward pressure. Maybe with it turned on a slow speed, it may work like a a roll crimper die but just to taper it. But the Mec die is that plastic material not steel like the RCBS ones, but I'm not sure if they make a 410 bore die.
Just thinking.....I could use one too.

Now I'm wondering if a 410 bore roll crimper would round/taper the end of the shell like we want???

I have a 410 roll crimper somewhere around here but just don't know where. I havn't roll crimped any 410's in a long time....
Maybe you can do a little research on that idea, I'll try to find some info too.

Don

[Don2]

Andy, look at the last few paragraphs at the end of this page, heck just read it all, it's not long.
It was the first page I searched for...

http://www.shotgunsportsmagazine.com/ar ... y0314.html

Talks about using a roll crimp die as the last stage to remove bulge and tighten up any hole in shell.

Dang I'm smart

Don2

[Don2]

Yes, you are, my friend - much obliged

Ya I'm as smart as Google search...!!!

You got me inspired to load some 410's, the 410 is hard to get good crimps on sometimes and can be a bugger to reload.
I'm looking for my 410 roll crimper now to try the trick on, it's soo small it hides well.
Hope it works because I have a couple of boxes to rework if it does.

I'm still loading some 20 gauge now that a friend and I made some shot with an old 3 hole(dripper) he has. It makes great #7-#8 shot but is kind of slow with just 3 drippers, plus it's an ugly green color..!!
BUT, it has been making our shot for a couple of years without problems as long as we feed it clean lead......

Don2