I recently bought a SMLE 410. This is a SMLE bored out to 410. It is an Ishapore SMLE, so it may have started life as a single shot musket and then been re-chambered as a 410.
I am not an expert in these, but it is my understanding that the original musket was not the same as a 410 chamber. This gun is stamped 410, so i assume it has a conventional 410 chamber in it.
I wanted to make some slug type ammo for it and scrounged around the shop looking for bullets. I could not find my 44cal round balls I use for my cap and ball revolver, but I think they would be too big.
When comparing bullets to the muzzle, the 240 grain lead SWC bullets I use for 44 Spl and 44 mag appeared to be perfect. This is what i am shooting in it now.
I decided to make brass shells using some 303 brass. The first step was to neck size the brass, so it would hold a 308 cast lead bullet (which I happened to have on hand).
Then I anneal the necks. I hold the last inch of the case in a propane torch flame until it gets hot to hold. I dip the case mouth in a cup of water and drop the case in a box. The box of annealed cases are left out side in the sun to air dry.
The cases are then primed with rifle primers and loaded with 9gr of Titegroup and the 168gr lead bullet. I hold the gun vertical and fire. This orients the powder over the primer. It makes a load bang, but I can see the bullet go. It goes up about as far as I could throw the same bullet. No velocity, because the neck blasts open to 44 cal and the 308 bullet rattles down the bore.
This fire forms the case neck (last inch - the part that got annealed) to chamber diameter.
Then the case is neck sized in a 44 mag die, bell mouthed and loaded with 12 gr of unique and the 240 gr bullet.
This gets about 1100 fps, about the same as a mid power 44 mag revolver.
Because it is a smoothbore, I don't expect much in the way of accuracy. I have not yet done any accuracy load development. I will try Unique and 2400.
The first range test (20 yards) was a 3" group. The holes were round. The bullet was not tumbling.
Looks promising.
Here is a picture of the brass as it gets converted.
I am not an expert in these, but it is my understanding that the original musket was not the same as a 410 chamber. This gun is stamped 410, so i assume it has a conventional 410 chamber in it.
I wanted to make some slug type ammo for it and scrounged around the shop looking for bullets. I could not find my 44cal round balls I use for my cap and ball revolver, but I think they would be too big.
When comparing bullets to the muzzle, the 240 grain lead SWC bullets I use for 44 Spl and 44 mag appeared to be perfect. This is what i am shooting in it now.
I decided to make brass shells using some 303 brass. The first step was to neck size the brass, so it would hold a 308 cast lead bullet (which I happened to have on hand).
Then I anneal the necks. I hold the last inch of the case in a propane torch flame until it gets hot to hold. I dip the case mouth in a cup of water and drop the case in a box. The box of annealed cases are left out side in the sun to air dry.
The cases are then primed with rifle primers and loaded with 9gr of Titegroup and the 168gr lead bullet. I hold the gun vertical and fire. This orients the powder over the primer. It makes a load bang, but I can see the bullet go. It goes up about as far as I could throw the same bullet. No velocity, because the neck blasts open to 44 cal and the 308 bullet rattles down the bore.
This fire forms the case neck (last inch - the part that got annealed) to chamber diameter.
Then the case is neck sized in a 44 mag die, bell mouthed and loaded with 12 gr of unique and the 240 gr bullet.
This gets about 1100 fps, about the same as a mid power 44 mag revolver.
Because it is a smoothbore, I don't expect much in the way of accuracy. I have not yet done any accuracy load development. I will try Unique and 2400.
The first range test (20 yards) was a 3" group. The holes were round. The bullet was not tumbling.
Looks promising.
Here is a picture of the brass as it gets converted.
