Loading Brass .410 Shotshells

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This video details the steps I take to reload brass .410 Bore CBC shotshells imported by Magtech for use in my shotgun. Your firearm may be unable to fire this load safely as I worked this load up to fire in a 16 gauge shotgun with a .410 adapter. Please work up your own load for your own gun using published load data.
Case Selection
Long term reloading of .410 Bore shotshells means using all-brass hulls. Reloading brass shotshells requires more knowledge and skill, but they will last virtually forever if properly taken care of. Magtech sells new, unloaded 2.5” brass hulls. Vintage hulls may be found and used if they are in good condition.
Priming
When loading brass cases for use in the .410 Bore shotgun, pistol primers should be used. It all has to do with the pressure generated by the loads and the designed impact of the firing pin: pistol primers are designed to ignite with only six to nine pounds of impact, and resist pressures only half that of rifle primers.
Powder Charge, Shot Charge, and Wads
Card wads are needed over the powder and the shot column, and felt wads are needed over the powder wad. These wads can be cut from thick felt or solid cardstock using a homemade punch.
The card wads should be left "dry," but felt cushion wads should be lubricated to reduce leading in the barrel. There are nice commercial products available for this, or you can soak the felt wads in a 50-50 mix of melted beeswax and Vaseline, then let them cool and dry on paper.
Wad pressure is a controversial subject. Of more importance is seating resistance, where the top wad is sealed firmly enough to enhance pressure buildup before releasing. The old way, when all brass cases were the norm, was to put eight to ten drops of waterglass on the top wad. I prefer to use Elmer’s glue.
Obviously, the height of the load within an all brass case depends upon the thickness of the felt wads used, but the actual height does not matter much, really, as long as the top wad is securely sealed. This is a total departure from loading recommendations for plastic shotshell cases, but all brass hulls do not need internal support for stability of the top folding or roll crimp, as there is not one. As long as you weigh (or measure) the powder charge and shot charge, the thickness of the felt wads is not that critical. Of course you can experiment and add or subtract felt wads to reach the top of the case if you want too, just as it is possible to cut plastic strips (similar in thickness to gallon milk jugs or bleach bottles) to surround the shot column inside the case to reduce lead shot scrubbing against the barrel.

[@teratexture6529]

I appreciate you taking the time to answer everyone's questions in the comments. I read them over and took several pictures for note taking!

[@SladeMcCuiston]

You are welcome!

[@mpdjr77]

Nice, easy-to-understand video. Thank you, very much! Blessings, Grace and Peace 😊

[@AugustusLarch]

If you get the Lee dipper complete set, it has a slider chart to tell you which dipper throws what grains of power in many brands. Then you can use that right dipper without a scale.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

Thanks for letting everyone know. I do find, however, in my experience that the slider chart is very conservative. There are times I have to use the next larger scoop to get the appropriate charge weight but it definitely gets one close enough to get started. I lost my slider chart and several of the scoops so I'm back to the scale.

[@timwheeler4690]

I have the brass fourteens.I learned a lot from this.Thanks a lot

[@SladeMcCuiston]

You are so welcome!

[@fudgepie1]

Never knew about the magtech cases. I use fireformed .303 Brit cases which have the same length and load with 270gr No6 and 11gr of S221which is a Somchem powder for magnum revolvers. Gives a good pattern at 20m. A 9mm cartridge case measures out 270gr of shot. NB., this is actually a 3" load but I use over powder wads punched from cereal boxes which keeps the wad column shorter and you only need about 2 - 3mm of spare case mouth to apply your glue to hold the over shot card in place thereby allowing for the extra shot. I use cheap nail varnish instead of glue. its only around the contact area between the edge of the over shot card and the case rim where it needs to be thick.

[@pilotdave6057]

well done concise video

[@unclearthur9192]

G'Day, I have a box of these .410 Magtech shells but here in Australia it's almost impossible to find large pistol or rifle primers. It's been that way since COVID and the Ukraine War kicked in. Shotshell primers can be found sometimes. I'd like to load my brass shells with black powder and shoot them in a little Belgian folding .410 that I recently bought. Cheers, Steve

[@mafirearmsafety]

you can use .444 as well with large rifle primers. You dissect a 410 plastic hull and weigh the powder charge.

[@curtisdowling3773]

BPI has small bore shotshell loading data that is good !!

[@Kaelland]

Hodgdon's reloading data for .410 bore shells doesn't show these cases, but it does show what powders they recommend in general, at least. It's pretty much all H110, W296, or Lil'gun (which was designed as a .410 powder, but it's also pretty good in magnum revolvers) with one load showing IMR 4227 as an option, too. If you're still messing with these, you might give those powders a try and see what you think of them.

[@tekkursundolumveatis]

Very Good 👍

[@victorblanco4158]

I customize my Lee scoops. I put wax in them and use a flat tip screw driver to wallow the wax away and check the weight on my scale. The dippers are like a dollar each. Lee does sell them seperately. I called them and order a few , quite a few haha. They are compact for each caliber kit in an emergency they will work when a scale is not around.

[@lukeolson4313]

Victor Blanco 7

[@MrGsteele]

I guess these brass .410 shells are a bit expensive up front, but pay off in the long run on cost. From what I understand, the .444 Marlin shells are - although slightly lower capacity, which shouldn't matter given the amount of free space you have over the overshot wad - about half the cost. Finally, there are videos on KZbin on fireforming .303 British shells, which are the same body diameter as .410 (same forming die), and which stand to cost even less (but you have to be careful, because some are Berdan primed). If using the latter, annealing the cases after fireforming is highly advisable; they should last forever, given that they were designed for rifle pressures of 45,000 CUP.

[@ron4hunting]

i made some 410 shells out of 303 british case's . work great and they will take a standard wad were the brass shells will not . but after fireforming the 303 case's , you will see they look funny . the top 1/2 of the case forms to the chamber . but the bottom 1/2 stays about the same . they work great . the trick to forming them is , put scotch tape around the bottom of the case . from the rim up . and use enough tape to make a snug fit in the chamber . only go the with of the tape up from the rim . if you dont use the tape it could take 2 or 3 formings to get the case right . i haven't tried 444 case's yet as they are high dollar . but i got the mag tech case's on sale . for $20.00 a box of 25 . only got 1 box .

[@GeoffAlbertson]

Balloon head hulls were designed for black powder. 7 gr of smokeless will sit below the primer pocket. Possible they will still flash, but not designed for powder on the wrong side of the primer. Love the balls using such a fast powder in 410. Add vid test firing please.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

In these cases, the powder covers the flash hole. Unfortunately, this powder is discontinued so I've got to work up another load.

[@Ray-sj2iw]

@@SladeMcCuiston Any magnum handgun powder will work fine. I personally like Alliant 410 powder myself. I have also used win 296 or H110, and both worked well. I use wax instead of Elmer's glue or hot glue. We used to hand load cardboard and plastic shells all the time in the '70s and '80s before we bought our first loader. Most we re-crimped, but some we had to trim and use an overshot card, we always used a small amount of hot wax to seal them. I still put a light layer of wax on my crimp if I am going to by in the rain all day. Probably not necessary but we still do it LOL. Before you ask, we have loaded 300 rounds of brass so far. We have had 2 overshot wads come lose in our pockets. But they had arough long days too. I think we still have 75 loaded and ready.

[@robertmclendon-iu9vn]

Very well explained and demonstrated, I am interested in loading these as a bullet cartridge for my Smith and Wesson governor. Can't find any info so far.

[@davidrivero7943]

Good to know, Thank You & a powder dribbler would be handier.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

Yes, it would.

[@fawzi207]

hi there,can you please tell me what are you using to ree size the the brass shells?what is the dies number you are using,thanks.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

Currently I have not needed to resize the full length of the cases. However, i have found that a .45 ACP die will resize the mouth of the case when it begins to expand too much to chamber freely.

[@chuckswanson487]

what size nitro cards and fiber wads are you using with those magtech 410's

[@SladeMcCuiston]

+chuck swanson I am running the .125 thick Maxi Nitro Over-Powder Card (.430 gauge), .430 Fiber Cushion Wad, and .450 Overshot Card.

[@Subgunman]

I have used Magtech brass in 12 gauge and there are several issues that Magtech addresses. First they are for black powder only. Second DO NOT TRY AND REAM THEM OUT TO ACCEPT REGULAR SHOTGUN PRIMERS! These are made from a softer brass than regular pistol cartridges and are stamped from soft brass stock. You could err towards the safer recommendations. Now if you must insist on using smokeless powder check out the cartridges for .410 from Rocky Mountain Cartridge Works. They are turned from solid hard brass rod stock, they are drilled to accept standard 209 shotgun primers, you can have custom lengths made to order. They are not cheap but will last you a lifetime of shooting. You can even get them marked with a custom head stamp for an additional fee. I have seen .410 ammo in Europe that comes in a solid brass case but I don't have a source for them.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

Please show me where Magtech states they are for black powder only. I have been told that before and I contacted Magtech. They advised me that they were originally designed for black powder but that it is safe to load and shoot with smokeless powder.

[@Subgunman]

I based my comments on what Magtech told me about 12 years ago. It's never been an issue for me since I enjoy black powder shooting. They never told me about the .410 brass since I never owned a .410 shotgun. This was strictly for 12 gauge. BP is fun but needs a bit more attention to cleaning up the shotgun. As for the RMCW brass been using occasionally for the Lyman wasp waist slugs and reloading to the Lyman suggested powder loads. Been using Circle fly wads for the 12 gauge RMCW brass, a bit easier than grinding a punch for the wads. I do have a question that has popped up, have you tried using Trail Boss powder in any of the loads? Might not work for the small brass but I figure I can eliminate one of my over powder wads that I add for filler. Thanks for the updated info, happy shooting!

[@woodturningjohn]

I know you have already worked out your own load, but I saw a video earlier and the guy was also reloading the 410 brass shells. It seems it is hard to find data in newer reloading books and he found data in a older book, it was a second edition. Maybe that info can help someone. good video, I have just started looking into reloading and learning as much as I can from all kinds of sources.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

+woodturningjohn Thanks for the heads up!

[@Triumph-iv8hi]

woodturningjohn Was

[@horn410]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIGxZY2NjZd9rpo Так снаряжают патроны 410 калибра в России)))

[@michealfigueroa6325]

Interesting but looking for info on 410 brass using 41cal. pistol slugs

[@johnblood3731]

41 cal are to big . I use 126 gr 9 mm round nose bullets.

[@ergot57]

I know this was posted some time ago, but which company makes the best reloading kit for starters of the hobby? Press, scales, measures, or whatever comes in them you understand?

[@SladeMcCuiston]

As for starter kits, the best kits for the money are the Lee kits. Hornady, RCBS, and the rest all have starter kits but they are expensive. I use Lee dies, many lee accessories, and several Lee presses. I just don't think you can go wrong with them. Then, if you want to upgrade to a better press down the road... go ahead. :)

[@ergot57]

Thank you

[@thomasmanson1119]

Good video. If you wanted to reduce your case length, what tool would you use to do that? I would be tempted to use a fine hack saw like a jeweler’s saw but I’ll bet there is a more appropriate case trimmer that could be used if the right size.Thanks for sharing.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

For big adjustments, you're right. For small adjustments, a file.

[@marioreiscarlos2349]

ROSSi 410 como é a forma de eu comprar essa carabina essa espingarda de cartucho 410 cor documento que precisa pela Rossi

[@scottdoran3112]

...how small can we make these? Excellent video btw, thanks for sharing,(just got the Kel-Tec ksg410)

[@watchdoggibson]

Slade McCuiston , could you please tell me where you had bought those brass cartridges at ? I'm looking for some 3"" brass 410

[@SladeMcCuiston]

Yes sir, I can. I purchased the empty brass hulls from Ballistic Products, Inc., but they can also be purchased from Midway USA, Sportsman's Guide, Cabelas, and other distributors. Please note that these are empty hulls only. Also, importantly for your question, Magtech doesn't make 3" brass shotshells as far as I know. These are for 2 1/2 inch chambers, and actually measure at 2.36 inches. BUT, I have found that there are more room in these hulls than standard plastic hulls allowing me to get more payload in each hull than a standard plastic hull. Thank you for your question!

[@johnblood3731]

9.3 x74r are good for three inch 410. Just have to fire form them. Take care

[@SuperCinemaCraft]

Would these work well in a regular 45-70 rifle? Would be awesome to keep a few on me while hunting

[@SladeMcCuiston]

I don't know. If they did it would be nice.

[@floridagunrat1625]

You would probably split the case as the chamber diameter is considerably larger. More than likely you would have to make your own wads, buy otherwise use the same technique to load 45-70 cases and that should work fine. Next problem is the rifling induced spin will cause the shot patterns to open rapidly so they would probably work well on snakes and vermin out to about ten feet. Passed that they would likely be pretty worthless.

[@maryjackson9205]

Is there enough room on the base to drill out the primer pocket to fit a 209 primer?

[@SladeMcCuiston]

Probably. I wouldn't, though. Why weaken the case head more when the pistol primers work satisfactorily?

[@tazman8271]

I must be seating my primers too deep. It dimples the primer, but won't ignite it

[@FM-iq4mx]

@@tazman8271 I know this is an old thread but in case someone else reads it, rifle primers are a little bit taller then pistol primers maybe that would make a difference, or it might be worse rifle primers might be harder

[@emerson5225]

CBC shels???i have some of these but in brazil(where i live)we call them cal.36(or 36 gauge)

[@kirkboswell2575]

Emerson henrique - Yes, you are quite correct. "410 guage" is actually a caliber designation, even though many people refer to it as a "guage". That's simply a result of common terms of usage referring to a shotgun as having a "guage". 36 guage is the designation given to it by Dynamit Nobel somewhere/somewhen before WW2. This is a good starting stimulus for strenuous discussions about the various sizes of shotguns because actual mathematic calculations indicate that the 410 is really a "67 guage". Personally, I think the people using the formula are forgetting that the actual bore of the 410 is larger. Case in point, the Taurus Judge which also accepts the 45 long Colt. With that in mind, the formula gets much closer to 36 guage, so I think Dynamit Nobel had it right. Especially when you remember that "guage" is, and always has been, an approximation of bore sizes.

[@thomasmanson1119]

Where’d you get that cute little scale!? It looks perfect for tiny batches.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

I can't remember, either MidwayUSA or Amazon.

[@johnblood3731]

why did you use a 12 gague powder? 2400, imr4227,296 are better choices.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

Certainly, there are better powders. This was in the middle of a powder crunch and that's what I had on hand.

[@billyboy8919]

Is the fiber cushion wad solid, or is it a cup?

[@SladeMcCuiston]

It is a solid wad. These loads do not use a shot cup of any kind.

[@billyboy8919]

Slade McCuiston Thanks!

[@michaelpriest6242]

Is it OK to compress U Clays powder?

[@SladeMcCuiston]

I did. I can't say whether it is safe or not.

[@BAMBI243]

what made yo pick a load of 7/10 ths oz

[@SladeMcCuiston]

Thanks for the comment. Worked up to 7/10ths oz. of shot mainly because I had enough room to do so. I hunt squirrel and rabbit and wanted the most shot I could pack in the shell safely to increase my odds of a hit. Originally, I used 3/4 oz. of shot but I noticed I had a lot more room in the shell. As always, this load works perfectly in my firearm. I can't guarantee it is a safe load in yours.

[@lincolnstovall9471]

Powder in , card then soft wad, the shot.

[@tymz-r-achangin]

Can only laugh at people who fuss over .2 gn .2 gn is not going to change anything We have found that even .5 gn didnt hurt ANYTHING when it came to our high powered rifle loads and our shotshell loads Still well within the safety pressures and still just as accurate of a round

[@buckeye8069]

Why not drill the primer pocket out so you can use 209 primers ?There cheaper .

[@loquat44-40]

Large pistol primers work well enough in this application. If it ain't broken why fix it. I suspect if more flash was needed large rifle primers would also work.

[@moradsifo]

Would anyone tell me the weigh of gunpowder and lead by grams ??

[@mzmadmike]

It's volume for powder, and mass for lead. 7 grains of powder is about .5CC. Lead will be about 14 grams.

[@thermobollocks]

What do you use to resize them?

[@SladeMcCuiston]

Some stout loads caused the hull to be hard to chamber, so I ran the very end of the hull into a .45 ACP sizing die and they chamber like butter again. I haven't found the need to full-length resize these brass hulls.

[@FM-iq4mx]

Maybe you could use the longer 460 Magnum resizing die? For a longer full length resizing

[@philshaw2257]

your video is good. but you state to use the #5 shell holder with the magtech brass cbs .410 ... it dont work the holder is to big

[@SladeMcCuiston]

It worked in my case. I'm using Lee shell holders.

[@philshaw2257]

@@SladeMcCuiston i ordered the rcbs #5 it is big... will order the lee #5.. thank you for getting back to me

[@eduffy4937]

Seems like a guy could run these to make some pretty kick ass tss loads for a hinge gun. Just need to figure out a wad system thatll keep my barrel from getting scored up

[@nic-hol-assgrain6574]

They look like 45-70s

[@DirtripperYoutsey]

45 70 has a larger diameter

[@markharding6582]

I have watched a few of these videos on loading 410 brass but none of them use a plastic wad. I am wondering why? Is there a reason NOT to do that?

[@DoughboyJonesmk2]

The inside diameter of Magtech brass shells is just big enough for plastic components to not fit properly and get a good seal.

[@paulbillings1791]

You can do plastic cups if you use trimmed .444 Marlin brass.There is KZbin on that. Older fellow and unfortunately dragged out over 2 or 3 videos.

[@kirkboswell2575]

Mark Harding - the reason nobody uses plastic wads is because they don't fit. Plastic cases have thicker walls, and the wads are sized to fit them. These brass cases have much thinner walls (brass is stronger), and therefore more room inside. A plastic wad would allow the powder charge to slide forward into the shot. If you want to experiment, you could try a plastic wad, IF you used a nitro card FIRST and set the plastic wad on top of it. As an interesting tidbit, these 2.5 in brass cases have as much room inside as the 3 in plastic cases.

[@user-hq4jz6lc9d]

Great video! Cool dude. Q: would you or anyone know if one could use .45 Long Colt or maybe even .454 Casull brass for .410 shells? I mean, .410 shells can be fired in a few .45 LC guns, such as my Rossi Brawler single-shot pistol, and perhaps my .410 coach gun. I'm disappointed that my Winchester WAA410 shot cup wads are too small for even a .44 Magnum brass case, so a guy would still have to resort to using fiber wads. I've heard of using .444 Marlin brass for .410 loads. I wanted to use a crimp die to hold in the top, cardboard wad, but like Slade said it would shorten the life of the brass. Lol, if all else fails, I will stick to my AA hulls. There's just kindof a cool factor in using brass shells. Thanks!

[@SladeMcCuiston]

It depends on the firearm. The rim is often too thick to properly chamber. If it fits, it should work. Fireforming .444 Marlin brass gives a nice .410 shell, but again you may have to file the head down some.

[@user-hq4jz6lc9d]

@@SladeMcCuiston Thanks, Slade. I may pick up a few .460 S&W cases as a lark. At 1.80" long, they're quite a bit longer than even a .454 Casull case, yet the same diameter. I found an online article too where the guy just used .45 Colt brass, with copper gas checks for over-powder and over-shot wads.

[@importedemperor4397]

No crip?

[@SladeMcCuiston]

The glue is used to hold the overshot card instead of a crimp, so no crimp was needed. Being this is for a single-shot break-action shotgun, no crimp was used. Crimping will weaken the brass at the mouth in short order. If you don't crimp, cases will last nearly forever. If, however, you are using a tube or magazine fed shotgun, you will need to crimp the cases.

[@fjhutch143]

I bought a punch to make the over powder card and the over shot card out of milk containers, but where do you find the thick one that you put in over the powder card?

[@SladeMcCuiston]

I purchased the thick "Maxi Nitro Card" from Ballistic Products, Inc. A quick Google search should get you to their website. Thanks for the question!

[@fjhutch143]

Thanks, I ordered some this morning.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

Not a problem! Glad I could be of some assistance to you.

[@markharding6582]

What size punch and where did you get it from. Thanks

[@fjhutch143]

Hi Mark, The punch I bought is a CRAFTOOL #15 - 7/16" I think I found it in a Leather Shop.

[@gustavodemira7416]

Have you heard of homemade jacketed soft cores? You get a 10.5mm diameter copper tubing, cut in slug lenght pieces, pour molten lead inside and let it sit, after that you round off the tip and drill a 1.5mm deep cavity on the tip with a .0135" (#80) drillbit and you have a very effective hard hitting round for 100-150m shooting, capable of easily penetrating 2 inches of plywood.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

I have not heard of this. Might have to try that sometime! Thanks.

[@gustavodemira7416]

Just don't forget to round off the tip not to damage the bore and load it on a plastic shell, not a brass one. Cheers!

[@MrGsteele]

You can buy bullets for .41 Magnum from 170 to 265 grain that would likely be more accurate compared to home made bullets with a hand-drilled hollow point. Diameter .41 inches. .40 cal bullets might work in a MG410 plastic wad, as well.

[@RacerJim0]

Wish the Elmer's glue trick worked on my loads, they all fell apart by the 4th shot in the "governor". Might try hot glue gun next time. Shot fine till they fell apart though... haha

[@SladeMcCuiston]

Yeah, that method works well enough to hold them together in a pocket or something, but I'm running them in a single shot. If you're using a weapon like the Governor, I recommend using Duco Cement. I've switched to it almost entirely. Much better product for this application.

[@oliverbright1624]

try wax melted

[@jondegroot1]

universal clays is a very fast powder for a .410 .7 oz is a very heavy shot charge for a .410 I would not be surprised if these are way over pressure. Have you had them tested?

[@SladeMcCuiston]

I am aware of both accounts. There is a specific reason I said not to use my load data as it may not be safe in all firearms. As I mentioned, these are fired in a single-shot 16 gauge with a .410 adapter. The chamber walls are essentially an inch thick. The gun's been eating a steady diet of these and is fine.

[@garyzimmerman8679]

Or fill the top with melted real beeswax

[@timhallas4275]

I have a single shot, $99 .410 shotgun. I have loaded steel shells with 15 grains of powder, and handmade 380 grain slugs. It'll leave a dent in your shoulder, make a noise that puts some 12 gauge rounds to shame, and blow through a concrete block wall. I think it's funny how people laugh when you tell them your favorite gun is a .410. Funnier yet when they shoot it. My primary rounds are .410 buckshot, .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, and .444 Marlin. Don't ever laugh at a .410.

[@benediktmatthiasgorich3559]

I have Powder from the second WW and i would Like to load 410 with it so you have a tip how much i should use 😬 i mean It is obvius smokeless Powder but i Just found loading Data for black Powder. Thanks

[@timhallas4275]

@@benediktmatthiasgorich3559 I wouldn't waste my time using powder that old. It would be at best, unpredictable.

[@benediktmatthiasgorich3559]

@@timhallas4275 there is Just that little Problem that i am German and cant Just buy Powder 😬😅 Do you think in a 12 gauge Shotgun with a Adapter to 410 a 7 grain load culd be a Problem 🤔

[@timhallas4275]

@@benediktmatthiasgorich3559 When using a .410 adapter inside a 12 gauge chamber, there is likely no limit to how much powder you use. That is because the thick wall of the adapter + the 12 gauge chamber is virtually unbreakable. Also a .410 cal slug going down a 12 gauge barrel produces no pressure behind the slug. If that is what you are loading .410 for, then go ahead, put 20 grains of powder in the shell, and make a 400 grain slug.. Just don't ever fire it in a standard .410 shotgun barrel. I went to 15grains of powder, and I believe that was on the edge of disaster. My .410 has a very heavy chamber. Wall thickness is over about .35".

[@benediktmatthiasgorich3559]

@@timhallas4275 thanks thats what i was looking for😝👍

[@zanpekosak2383]

223 likes....

[@RANDALLPINK7]

I don't get it. You splurge for full brass cases, but don't use wads that are 250 for $8??? Mind blown.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

I think you're confused at the point of this adventure. I enjoy loading and shooting these shotshells that are like they were loaded in olden days, with brass cases and fiber wad columns. Has nothing to do with prices of components. Plus, if there's ever a shortage of components (we know that never happens), I can use homemade wads cut from felt or fiber to make the fiber wad column. Normally one can't safely make a direct substitute of a load that uses a plastic wad without changing the powder charge weight, etc.

[@RANDALLPINK7]

I see your point, and I would do the same if supplies ran out. Thanks.

[@johnbailey2034]

Where was the wad ? Guess you don’t care about your barrel .

[@SladeMcCuiston]

First, don't be an ass. Second, I guess you don't know as much as you think you do. Multiple wads were used in each shell, often referred to as a wad column. These were fiber wads instead of the modern plastic wad with an integral shot cup that you are used to. However, they were the style that were designed for use with brass shotgun shells. Lead is much softer than the hardened steel barrel and is not going to damage the barrel. If you are loading steel shot or something like TSS, then you must use a shot cup, but it can slid in right before adding the shot. If you do a little research, you will find that there are some big-name manufacturers which use fiber wad columns without a shot cup in some of their modern loadings. This is especially true with slugs. Fiber wad columns have the added benefit of not leaving plastic wads and shot cups all over my farm. I'm not a fan of littering if I can help it.

[@johnbailey2034]

@@SladeMcCuiston so I guess you don’t think lead will make a barrel dirty ? So guess there is no need to clean a gun ? I will still clean my guns as most know lead will make the barrel dirty

[@bobwolf1811]

Sir, it is a Really Bad Idea to tell budding handloaders that since you couldn't find published load data you just made up your own. I hope you can live with yourself if someone follows your teaching and a terrible accident results. If you are an experienced handloader you should know better. If you are not an experienced handloader you have no business teaching others.

[@SladeMcCuiston]

I said that it was not a published load and to proceed at your own risk. There is no load data for brass hulls. People, like me, are going to load them whether the load they pick is safe or not. Would you prefer I left load data out and people had to start from scratch and picked a load from thin air like I had to do? People are MORE likely to get hurt that way. Knowledge is power. If everyone loaded with nothing but published load data many GREAT loads would never be found. Thank you for your concern. However, I will continue to catalog my experiences so that others may learn from them.

[@Mascotal]

I agree with Slade. Sometimes data is just not available. Like he says, if there is no load data then work your loads up from no worries, to Ohhhh yeah!

[@kirkboswell2575]

Bob Wolf - Sir, EVERY single load that we have nowadays started out with someone "working up" an appropriate load. Responsible reloaders know that ANYTIME they deviate from published data it's their own personal responsibility for the results. Don't know if it's still available, but there used to be a powder wheel available that would line up estimated charges for different powders with different bullets. A reloader could estimate usable ranges for a particular powder, but use was still that person's responsibility, and extra care needed with observing for pressure signs. Yes, it's nice to have that published data, but without the occasional "wildcatters" there wouldn't be any progress.