I reload paper 12 ga, and enjoy the old time process, but they are quite finicky to work with. I load .410 too, but not paper. Paper .410 shells would be much more difficult to load properly. Any slight flaw in the crimp is a bigger challenge the smaller the shell is. A worthy goal, and good luck to you, but i wouldn't find it fun.
Do most of the 16ga take the small primer which are impossible to find
Cheers
I have an old (empty) pack of CIL No. 4BP primers, which date back to the paper hull era. On the back of the pack it says, "FOR ALL BRANDS AND GAUGES OF CIL SMOKELESS POWDER SHOTSHELLS." I don't have any of the actual primers, but if memory serves, they were different than modern 209 primers. For one thing, the flange on the battery cup was much thinner.
You just run straight wall hull wads or fiber wads when you roll paper hulls? Do you just load modern paper hulls or older ones?
I've mostly loaded the modern 12 ga Federal paper gold medal hulls, with card&fiber wads. There is no reason not to use plastic wads made for straight wall hulls in paper hulls, I just choose not to. Roll crimps are something I've done with plastic hulls ,but my paper have been star crimped. A tip, If you're crimping once (or more) fired paper hulls, use a smooth crimp starter, not a "star" crimp starter. It works better for reasons I don't understand. My Pacific press has both and reccomdns smooth starter for reloading paper shells with crimps, 6 point starter for new smooth paper hulls.
I have some 1970's Gevelot paper 16 ga. hulls that I'm saving for an advanced session of "reloaders tinkering on a rainy day". Will report back on here when that day comes.