Lee Hand Loader in .410 2 1/2" ?

[Sidewinder]

Did Lee make a hand-loader for 2 1/2" shells? All I've seen have been in 3" so far. If so, anyone got one you'd like to sell?

I've got a Lee "clone", but it's in 3", and I don't think it will crimp the 2 1/2" shells. Does anyone know how to make this work... short of taking it to a machine shop?

Just got my first .410, after all these years, and wanted to do some reloading for fun and to make shooting it affordable. thanks for your help.

chuck (cjwaa1@msn.com)

[leroy]

Sidewinder:_____________

Got a similar project in progress. I intend to use the brass magtech 410 shells and use the old time card and fiber wads, then glue in the overshot card with a good glue (...like elmers ...). We loaded blackpowder loads for an old remington sidehammer double when the son was shooting CAS with good results. You can do the same thing with smokless powder (...i intend to use alliant herco .... check out the alliant site for the load data....). Check out these guys: BALLISTIC PRODUCTS INC - SHOTGUNNER SUPPLIES - 888-273-5623. I would give 'em a call. They may may be able to help. They make some custom shotgun reloading stuff.

Hope this helps.

leroy

Edited May 28, 2011 by leroy
spellin!!!!!

[Sidewinder]

Sidewinder:_____________

Got a similar project in progress. I intend to use the brass magtech 410 shells and use the old time card and fiber wads, then glue in the overshot card with a good glue (...like elmers ...). We loaded blackpowder loads for an old remington sidehammer double when the son was shooting CAS with good results. You can do the same thing with smokless powder (...i intend to use alliant herco .... check out the alliant site for the load data....). Check out these guys: BALLISTIC PRODUCTS INC - SHOTGUNNER SUPPLIES - 888-273-5623. I would give 'em a call. They may may be able to help. They make some custom shotgun reloading stuff.

Hope this helps.

leroy

Thanks Leroy. I've never had any dealings with the all brass shell hulls. I kind of like the regular plastic hulls, and would like to stick with them. A friend sent me a link to a guy that was manufacturing 2 1/2 inch .410 bore hand loaders. If I can't find an old Lee in 2 1/2 inch .410 bore, I might consider one of these. Good luck on your project. Also, thanks for the links... I'll check them out. I bought a pound of Winchester 296 to load the first ones with.

[leroy]

Sidewinder:_______________

....I kind of like the regular plastic hulls, and would like to stick with them. ....

If i couldnt find me a handloader i liked; i would be tempted to get some plastic wads and my 296 powder, load the powder, set the wad with a dowel, add the shot, fold the hull back (...and round it up as you do...), then hotglue the crimp fold. Lots of the CAS guys used plastic shells and reloaded them with plastic cushion wads. The problem with the black powder was that it would turn the wads into a molten plastic mess that sometimes coated the barrels. Smokeless powder wont do that. Some of them also just cut the crimp fold off and glued in an overshot wad with elmers glue or something else.

RE:

A friend sent me a link to a guy that was manufacturing 2 1/2 inch .410 bore hand loaders.

I like these guys; but they are a tad pricey.

Good luck.

leroy

[Sidewinder]

Thanks for the information, Leroy. Yea, I don't like "pricey" either. I don't mind paying $30 - $35 for a genuine Lee hand loader... because it's made out of steel, and can be handed down to your great grand child.

Right now I'm trying to get my new MEC Large Capacity Automatic Primer Feed adjusted and working right on mt MEC 650 12 gauge progressive loader. It's touchy and finicky...but should work like a charm, once I get it adjusted properly. Know anyone that has a MEC Super Sizer for sale, with 12 gauge dies?