Nutty 410 ammo costs here to stay?

.22LRGUY

.22LRGUY

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Hey guys-only got back into 410 last year and managed to pop a spruce grouse from some distance with it. Didn't trust 410 as being capable enough, nor do I tend to pull-off wing shots when I used to try with my old Cooey.

I've been wanting to explore what's possible with my newer pump as it fits me better and is nice and light. If ammo is pushing $40/25 after tax, I doubt I'll be able to practice enough trap to really know. I also know it's a "pay-to-play" sport, the cost of everything has gone up, not as much 410 is made compared to 12/20. etc., etc. We've also seen a growing number of 410 guns coming to market which is ramping-up demand...but that's not just a 2023/2024 thing, it pre-dates that.

So, leaves me to believe that more is being made/costs should start to become reasonable-ish...no doubt manufacturers are seeing an increase in demand.

Why still $33/25 or more? Inflationary gouge-a-thon? I trust most dealers are putting normal margins on, and that it's a manufacturer/distributor increase they're holding onto to milk it as long as possible? I get it...but it would be nice to see some relief. lol
 
.410 is super easy and cheap to reload without much investment on tooling, just need hulls and if hulls are difficult to find you can always use brass cases either fireformed from .303 British or 9.3x57 R OR you can buy a single box of mag tech .410 brass cases, a bit pricey but can reload for ever. I don’t know how brass cartridges feed through repeaters (pumps, levers, autos and such though). Once you have the hulls/cases can reload for around $5 box/25.
 
How many rounds do you intend to shoot per year? If only a box or two, just accept the cost, and keep shooting. If you are going to shoot clays with 410, as some of us do for skeet, reloading makes it very affordable. I shoot about 3000 rounds per year at skeet, and until I had to purchase ne components last fall, it cost me less than $6/box. With the huge increases in the price of powder ,primers, and shot, that has increased to about $9/box. I have a progressive press, because of the volume that I shoot, but even that was paid off the first year, and I now save around $1500 per year loading 410, and another $1500 loading 28 gauge. If you intend to shoot even 500 rounds per year, a single stage press will be paid off in a year, compared to paying $30-40 per box.
 
I shoot only 6-8 rounds of 410 during rabbit season a couple boxes will last me several years. If I knew this would have stocked up on 410 ammo 20 years ago - life
 
I just started reloading the 410. Getting decent hulls is the issue with loading 410 at the moment
not sure how you guys are loading for 5 bucks, or 9 bucks a box?
there is a shotshell reloading cost calculator online and the cheapest i can do a box is close to 11 bucks and that's if I have the hulls
If I have to buy the hulls it goes up to 13 or 14 bucks a box.
Mind you that is still loads cheaper then buying the ammo if you can even find it for sale
Presses are not cheap anymore either, a 600jr is close to 500 bucks and I just ordered a Grabber which is 1100
12 guage you really do not save anything by reloading but you can make shells that are hard to get like 7/8 or 3/4 oz target loads
If you load buckshot or heavy magnum field loads you can save a bit there
 
Do Magtech brass cases need a press to reload?
I wonder if maybe investing in 150 of them and reloading before a skeet shoot or hunt might be the way forward. I let go of a sweet citori because I liked shooting it too much and couldn't get my mec to work properly. In a fit I just sold the whole works and regretted it every day since
 
Deathrawt said:
I just started reloading the 410. Getting decent hulls is the issue with loading 410 at the moment
not sure how you guys are loading for 5 bucks, or 9 bucks a box?
there is a shotshell reloading cost calculator online and the cheapest i can do a box is close to 11 bucks and that's if I have the hulls
If I have to buy the hulls it goes up to 13 or 14 bucks a box.
Mind you that is still loads cheaper then buying the ammo if you can even find it for sale
Presses are not cheap anymore either, a 600jr is close to 500 bucks and I just ordered a Grabber which is 1100
12 guage you really do not save anything by reloading but you can make shells that are hard to get like 7/8 or 3/4 oz target loads
If you load buckshot or heavy magnum field loads you can save a bit there
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I paid $78 per 25lbs of shot, $54 per pound of powder, $200 per 5000 wads, and $100 per $1000 primers just recently, so around $9/ box. A year ago, I was using shot that I bought for $60, powder at $45, $165 for wads, and $70 for primers. I didn't count the cost of hulls, as I am using hulls purchased 5 years ago. I paid around $12/box for my AA ammunition, to get the hulls. I am at 5-6 loading with the AAHS hulls, and I have had to cull a few, another loading or two, and I will have to find a lot of replacements.
 
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cath8r said:
Do Magtech brass cases need a press to reload?
I wonder if maybe investing in 150 of them and reloading before a skeet shoot or hunt might be the way forward. I let go of a sweet citori because I liked shooting it too much and couldn't get my mec to work properly. In a fit I just sold the whole works and regretted it every day since
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No, they don't need a press. Only hand tools, and they use large pistol primers. Very little data online, trial & error experimenting on load development, I've been using Magtech brass cases for about a year, and they cycle in my Mossberg pump. The cases are scarce, I've been looking for more without any luck.
 
stubblejumper said:
I paid $78 per 25lbs of shot, $54 per pound of powder, $200 per 5000 wads, and $100 per $1000 primers just recently, so around $9/ box. A year ago, I was using shot that I bought for $60, powder at $45, $165 for wads, and $70 for primers. I didn't count the cost of hulls, as I am using hulls purchased 5 years ago. I paid around $12/box for my AA ammunition, to get the hulls. I am at 5-6 loading with the AAHS hulls, and I have had to cull a few, another loading or two, and I will have to find a lot of replacements.
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The shot prices around here is 90-95 bucks a bag
Wads about 28 a bag of 500, powder was the same and primers were 15 for one pack
It all adds up I guess. The price of the shot is what kills it especially if your reloading 12 guage
 
Deathrawt said:
The shot prices around here is 90-95 bucks a bag
Wads about 28 a bag of 500, powder was the same and primers were 15 for one pack
It all adds up I guess. The price of the shot is what kills it especially if your reloading 12 guage
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Prophet River had Cheddite primers for $100/1000, we buy shot from Claybird shooting supplies at Carstairs, as well as our Claybuster wads. The 410 saves a lot on shot, with my 1/2 ounce skeet loads.
 
stubblejumper said:
How many rounds do you intend to shoot per year? If only a box or two, just accept the cost, and keep shooting. If you are going to shoot clays with 410, as some of us do for skeet, reloading makes it very affordable. I shoot about 3000 rounds per year at skeet, and until I had to purchase ne components last fall, it cost me less than $6/box. With the huge increases in the price of powder ,primers, and shot, that has increased to about $9/box. I have a progressive press, because of the volume that I shoot, but even that was paid off the first year, and I now save around $1500 per year loading 410, and another $1500 loading 28 gauge. If you intend to shoot even 500 rounds per year, a single stage press will be paid off in a year, compared to paying $30-40 per box.
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Well that's the question of course-not allot, but want to shoot more. Just surprised to even have a 410 I can shoot fairly well, so as long as I've been at shotgunning...this is new territory. lol Likely going to be a buy/shoot thing vs. reloading, but we'll see what ammo costs look like in the next year or so. PIcked-up (And overpaid) for about a half-dozen boxes last fall, don't think I shot a box of 25. Also didn't take it trap shooting, but I'm flirting with the idea. Paid almost $40 a box after tax, we'll see if I want to keep going after the first 1/2 dozen misses. lol
 
.22LRGUY said:
Well that's the question of course-not allot, but want to shoot more. Just surprised to even have a 410 I can shoot fairly well, so as long as I've been at shotgunning...this is new territory. lol Likely going to be a buy/shoot thing vs. reloading, but we'll see what ammo costs look like in the next year or so. PIcked-up (And overpaid) for about a half-dozen boxes last fall, don't think I shot a box of 25. Also didn't take it trap shooting, but I'm flirting with the idea. Paid almost $40 a box after tax, we'll see if I want to keep going after the first 1/2 dozen misses. lol
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Forget trap, but the 410 works well for skeet
 
I suspect 410 prices will come down a bit from where they are now, at some point, but I don't expect it any time soon. Not with things like the war in Ukraine still going on and a US election where the Democrat candidate is doing very well in the polls. I suspect stateside panic buying to start any time now, and likely continue through to at least sometime next year.
 
mbogo3 said:
Plus a MEC 600 press $500.........cheap I think not
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I paid $750 for a MEC 9000 in 410, and $750 for a MEC 9000 in 28 gauge. I saved enough shooting skeet to pay for both and still save money the first year. Now I save about $3000 per year with those two loaders. It's all to do with volume.
 
Last stuff I bought for loading 410 cost $37.50/25lb of shot, primers $25.50/1000;$9 for wads and hulls were free. I’m still loading for cheap. About 600 primers left so am probably going to cry when I need more. I believe I have 9 bags of shot left so good for awhile and a few hundred wads. My Mec I bought used for $75.
 
Snider shooter said:
Last stuff I bought for loading 410 cost $37.50/25lb of shot, primers $25.50/1000;$9 for wads and hulls were free. I’m still loading for cheap. About 600 primers left so am probably going to cry when I need more. I believe I have 9 bags of shot left so good for awhile and a few hundred wads. My Mec I bought used for $75.
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I paid a fair amount more for all of my components having just got started reloading 410 a month or so ago, but I'm still saving a lot over buying factory ammo. Off the top of my head, I think I have been paying close to $95 for 25lbs of lead shot, around $100/1000 primers, $20 for wads, and $40/100 new, primed hulls. Sure wish I had bought a pile of components at the prices you listed!
 
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