doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Revisiting 410 Reloads

Eightbore is using legal maximum loads. Skeet rules of the NSSA allow a maximum of 232 grains of shot in the .410. That is a gain of about 6% in the weigh of shot over the 218.8 gr. of a true 1/2 oz. The advantages of using magnum shot in the .410 are better patterns due to a decrease in the number of mutilated shot, and an increase in the number of shot because magnum shot is lighter than chilled shot. When shooting the .410 every shot counts, literally.

Jon, Eightbore knows current NSSA rules (pg 7) stipulate no shell over 232 gr. I don't know what powder he is using, but W296/H110 can safely propel 230 grs, as a glance at 3" 11/16 oz data will attest. Maybe not 1300 fps, though.

When I can get to it, will measure magnum #9 drops through my 5/8 oz bar.

KY, your post brought up great points. The more pressure, the less variation. NSSA max is 229 grains. 1/2 ounce is 218.8 grains. If you drill your shot bar or bushing to throw 230 or so, you have a great load that will fill your green shells and give you every advantage in an NSSA shoot. I recommend that you throw a powder charge of 296 that will give you about 1225 to 1250. Tom and Sam also brought up good points.

Eightbore I am sorry if you or others think I was worried about if your loads were (legal), too heavy. As long as they are not under-inflated I do not care. But your loads should be more consistent than lighter loads and the name of the game when it comes to shooting the .410 is to be as consistent as possible.

I used AA for practice and Remington for registered targets many years ago. While I was not loading an extra eight pellets I was loading an extra 1.5 grains of powder. Smoking hot loads and I am certain they were above the 1200 fps norm. But the factory Remington were as well. They ran almost 75 fps higher than the AA on my chrono and as the say speed kills, more birds. I wish we had 300-MP powder back then. 1300 fps at 6800 psi. What could we have done with that powder? But in the end the same shooters will shoot well with any loads. Talent tops equipment in the end.