Anybody ever load 2" 410 shells?

I found an old H&R 410-44cal single shot made betw 1916 and 1920 the other day and by doing some gauging of the chamber, found it to be only 2" long.

This gun was originally designed to fire 44-40 shot cartridges.

I was thinking I would trim down some 45-70 brass and go that route.

Any ideas?

-Spencer

I haven't done a .45-70 2" shotshell, but I do make 1.7" brass shotshells for my .44 mag Rugers.

I make the brass cases from .30-40 Krag or .303 British rifle cases. It takes about 5 minutes to make each case.

I first de-prime the rifle case, then, with pliers, crimp the .30 caliber neck to make a tight fit on a .30 cal Lee depriming rod. The Lee rod is chucked in a 3/8" electric drill and the rifle case in pushed onto the rod. The case is then turned with the drill (poor man's lathe) against a flat mill file to turn the case rim to 0.51" diameter.

I then insert the case upside down into a 7/16" hole drilled into a block of wood that holds the case so I can flat file the thickness of the rim/base of the case to 0.059".

Then I cut the neck off the rifle case with a Dremel tool, and trim the case to 1.7" in my Lyman case trimmer using a .357 pilot. Chamfer the trimmed case mouth, and it's ready to load.

I use Large Pistol primers, 7.5 gr Unique powder, a .410 shotshell wad cut to 1" long, and fill with 1/3 oz of #8 1/2 shot. The shot is held in the case with 0.45" fiber top wad made from a fiber egg carton with a punch made from a cut-off and sharpened .3006 case. Press the top wad into the case mouth and seal with a drop of fingernail polish.

After the initial firing, the case is fireformed to a bottleneck case that matches the pistol cylinder chamber. I was not the first person to do this as I bought a RCBS .44 mag shot size and de-capping die, which resizes the outside of the case.

Shot through my 7 1/2" Ruger Super Blackhawks, I get about a 20" pattern at 10 yds. Works for a grouse in a tree, or a snake at 5'. Also fun to shoot station 8 Skeet targets with it. My best is 5 out of 6 station high 8 targets!

Alot of work, but what's a little time when you're having fun.

I used to load 3" Alcan brass, I have seen a little of that lately but it's more valuable to collectors now. I would go with the 45-70 and cut them just a little short.

The problem I am running into now is that the base may be too big for my chamber.

As stated, the gun in question is designed for 44-40 casings. 45 Colt rim but a slightly smaller base diameter.

I think 45-70 is just too fat.

Any possibility of a longer 45 Colt sized case?

quote:

Originally posted by ShopCartRacing:

Any possibility of a longer 45 Colt sized case?

Yep
Both the 454 case and the 460 S&W case are streched 45 colt based cases
With the 460 case the longest

John

Brass .410 cases are available at several of the mail order houses. They are made by CBC. I had several boxes that I never used but they appeared to be nice quality. They are 2.5" cases but are really a little shorter.

john-
454 Casull and the 460. duh!
I think I need more brain memory.
Thanks.

SR-
Do you still have these cases?
Wanna trade for something?

quote:

Originally posted by ShopCartRacing:
john-
454 Casull and the 460. duh!
I think I need more brain memory.
Thanks.

SR-
Do you still have these cases?
Wanna trade for something?

Sorry
Right now I don't have any odd ball 454 cases

And I don't have a 460

BTW a 454 takes a small rifle primer and the 460 uses a Large rifle primer

I just reamed my few odd ball 454 cases to take LR primers
TO see if I could cure a ignition problem I sometimes get

John