3f in a 410?

[The Trinity Kid]

Hey Y'all.  Bit of a newbie question here. 

Is 3f safe to use in a 410 shotgun?  If so, how much is a good load to put under a 7/8 ounce load? 

--TK

[hellgate]

3F is fine if your gun is proofed for smokeless which will generate far more pressure than any BP load. The more powder you use the less room for shot. If you use too much powder the wads get blown through the shot at the muzzle and you get a donut pattern so I don't have a real answer for you. For starters, use equal volumes of shot and powder. Then up the powder a little or up the shot a little and PATTERN the gun! You don't need anything fancy for patterning: get a cardboard box, butcher paper, staple gun, majic marker and 10 yards distance and fire away at your mark. A center dense pattern is what you want. Don't worry about whether you are using plastic wads or cards and fillers. I use both by themselves and mixed together. I do recommend some kind of cup shaped over powder wad for the best gas seal but otherwise, any powder, wad, & shot combo that gives a decent crimp and pattern works. Cleanup is the same.

I've used 3F in the 12 guage a lot. No problem.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Here is the GOEX chart. Says yes; 27 gr of FFFg.   

http://www.goexpowder.com/images/LoadCharts/Breechloading-SG-Shells.pdf

[The Trinity Kid]

Hellgate:  I've got a 21st century built H&R single shot.  Shoot's 3" smokeless loads fine.

Sir Charles:  that looks like a load I might try.  Next time I've got some spare change, I'll have to stop by the local gun shop for some shotgun primers.

--TK

[Coffinmaker]

Give some serious thought to all brass 410 shot shells.  Brass is super KOOL!!

Coffinmaker

[Mean Bob Mean]

I have a little Stevens side by side in .410 . . .can't decide whether to sell/trade it or buy some brass cases and use it. 

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Mean Bob;  .444 Marlin work as is.  Or you can fireform .303 Br. or .30-40 Gov't

[Mean Bob Mean]

Mean Bob;  .444 Marlin work as is.  Or you can fireform .303 Br. or .30-40 Gov't

Nice ideas, thanks my friend!

I don't have any of those but I am thinking that .410 brass from Magtech (25.00) would be cheaper to purchase from Ballistic than .444 brass.  That does give me something to cast around for though in the flea markets, Shows and stores . . . I will hold onto it for a while. 

[Lefty Dude]

I reload all brass 410's for my bond Derringer. Lots of cheap fun !

40 caliber RB's fit just fine, and three stacked makes for quite a Self- defense load.

[Stu Kettle]

I tried the fire form trick with some .303 brass & was less than impressed with the results. Would have needed annealed all the way to the rim to end up straight-walled, & the rims were too thick for my .410.  Haven't bought any magtech brass yet, but I'm thinking that's the way to go.

[rickk]

Magtech brass can be hard to find at times.  I remember when I was looking for both .410 and also 12 g, I had to wait until some "showed up".

Right now, as I type this, BPI has .410 brass hulls in stock.

Also, CH4D makes dies that will fit in a regular reloading press that will work with the Magtech hulls. You can deprime, reprime, and even resize if needed (like if you dent a case).

They will work on plastic hulls as well. They wont do a star crimp however. If I am doing plastic hulls (I have a S&W Governor), I roll crimp with a drill press roll crimping tool.  With brass hulls I do the waterglass trick.

[The Trinity Kid]

Okay, 'nother question of the same vein.  Will loading 3 .375 lead balls (Same one's I use in my Navy) in one shell and firing it through the full choke going to hurt the choke?  It is factory full. And second, will the recommended 27gr load of 3f give any good velocity?

--TK

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I know what a plug of snow will do to a 410!! Thankfully, it was after the lad shot his first rabbit. Sadly, it was a borrowed gun (Not mine.)

What are the bore and choke measurements of your 410?

I am only guessing that it won't as long as the balls are small enough to drop through the muzzle.  This sounds very much like the US Army "Guard load" of three ball in a .45-70.  Try working it up from a modest powder load and one ball.

[Blair]

TK,

Have you ever pulled apart a .410 shot gun slug and measured it? Comparing that dia. to the chock in your barrel?
Might be something to think about doing.
My best,
Blair

[hellgate]

If you are using dead soft lead the balls might swell a bit as they accelerate down the barrel and will likely be greater than .375 (especially hthe last one which will get compressed by the upper two). You might want to use a shot cup.