What is the Best .410 Reloading Press? (ANSWERED)

best 410 reloading press

Photo by Tom Fassbender / CC BY

What is the Best .410 Reloading Press and Why You Would Need One

Standard reloading presses work great for rifle and handgun ammunition, but most presses are simply too small to successfully reload shotgun shells. Cartridges for rifles and handguns are basically the same, they just come in different sizes. They all have a primer, a case, a bullet and a propellant powder.

In addition to the primer, case, bullet, and gunpowder, shotgun shells also have shot and a “wad” that goes between the powder and the shot. The additional parts mean that you need additional steps to make good shotgun shells. Also, most shotgun shell cases have paper or plastic components, making them less durable for reloading purposes. While you might be able to reload a brass case a dozen times, you might only get three or four reloads out of a used shotgun shell.

Because shotgun shells are built differently than rifle and handgun ammunition, you will want a specialized press to build them with. It is possible to use a standard single stage reloading press to reload them, but it takes flexibility and some expertise with reloading, as you will have to modify various parts of the shot shell to make it work. There are also ways to reload shotgun shells with various tools that you have lying around at home. However, if you’re a beginner, you’re much better off getting a specialized press than trying to use a single stage press or your household tools to reload your shotgun shells.

Just as there are different kinds of standard presses, there are different kinds of shotgun presses, namely single stage, progressive, and hand reloading presses. Shotgun presses are a lot more limited than standard presses, but they make reloading shotgun shells much easier.

If you are serious about reloading a couple of boxes of .410 shotgun shells in an hour, you should get a single stage shotgun reloading press. To further increase your savings, buy Winchester AA-HS shells. The cases on these shells can be reloaded approximately twice as many times as other shells, and are cheaper than buying just the cases. We recommend the MEC 600 Jr. Mark V shotgun shell reloading press for reloading your shot shells.

Why the MEC 600 Jr. Mark V is the Best .410 Reloading Press

This single stage reloading press is simple to use and easy to learn. Whether you use 2.5-inch shells or 3-inch shells, the press can be adjusted to accommodate either shell size, thereby increasing its versatility. Die sets are available for all the gauges of shotgun shells, including .410 bore.

The unit is generally a little more expensive than standard single stage presses, but is significantly faster than hand loading your shells. Experienced hands can crank out well over 150 shells in an hour. Setup is quick and easy, and the simplicity of the mechanism makes for a low learning curve.

If you’re looking for a reloading press to help you lower the cost of firing .410 shotgun shells, this is the best tool for you. There are other presses out there, but the simplicity and durability of the MEC 600 Jr. make it superior to all others. You can start loading your .410 shells and lowering your ammunition costs today!

So we hope you’ve found what you were looking for regarding the best .410 reloading press. If you have a 12 gauge or 20 gauge shotgun and are looking to reload those loads, please visit our shotshell page to see our recommended presses for those shells. And if you have other non-shotgun firearms, please check out our homepage for information on reloading standard bullets.

Mec 600 Jr 410 Shotgun Loader Setup and Review Part 1

  • Owner of Reloaderaddict.com, Boyd Smith is a major handgun enthusiast, and although he owns Glocks, he prefers the revolving wheel type. His go-to guns are a Smith & Wesson 642 Performance Center for carry and a Ruger GP100 in the nightstand biometric safe (he has kids). He loads both revolvers with old-school 148-grain Federal Gold Medal .38 wadcutters. It’s OK if you think he’s a wimp. Email him.

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4 responses

  1. Well done. I visited one of my two premier “gun” stores in town today and asked a handful of “ignorant/innocent” questions about reloading shells/cartridges in general and .410 shells specifically. The associate was quite friendly but not all that knowledgeable about how to use the one-of-several MEC loaders set up for demonstration. Your video gave me more information in 15-minutes than his “help” did in the time spent with him.

    • LOL. Glad the video (which is actually not mine; I just linked to it) was of help.

  2. Hello,
    I have to agree that the MEC 600 Jr is the best started single stage press on the market for the price and ease of use! Also there are a number videos to help you if you need it. MEC also has a GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE group and are more than helpful all the time.
    I have been using the MEC 600 JR for years in a 12 gauge, then added another one in a 20 gauge for the last 15 years and recently I added a MEC 600 Jr in a 410 Caliber and also a 12 Gauge Jr Slugger. This brought my total of MEC 600 Jr presses to 4 now and I love them all! They are great and easy to use!
    Yes, with practice you can easily get 150 rounds per hour with them if you don’t fool around doing it, I have more than once or twice!!!

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