Loading blackpowder shotgun shells??

[Steve in Maine]

Hope this is the correct place for this post. I want to load some .410 shotgun shells with blackpowder,(Swiss fff), to shoot in my T/C Encore .410 handgun.(A modern inline)

What would be the best set-up to do this? The discontinued Lee Loader, the MEC 600, or ????? Would appreciate any help or suggestions.

Many thanks,

Steve in Maine

 

[Stumpkiller]

Kind of stretching the envelope for muzzleloaders beyond the bounds with this one.

The Lee Loaders are great if you only need to reload a few at a time. The MEC will set you back much more $ but is faster & easier.

 

[musketman]

Hope this is the correct place for this post. I want to load some .410 shotgun shells with blackpowder,(Swiss fff), to shoot in my T/C Encore .410 handgun.(A modern inline)

What would be the best set-up to do this? The discontinued Lee Loader, the MEC 600, or ????? Would appreciate any help or suggestions.

Many thanks,

Steve in Maine

Remember that the powder bushings in the MEC are designed to throw a smokeless charge, black powder is measured in volume...

Whatever charge you decide on it would be best :imo: to hand measure the charge, not bulk charging from the MEC powder set-up...

 

[Steve in Maine]

Many thanks, guys. Didn't mean to 'stretch the envelope', but really have taken a liking to shooting blackpowder, so thought I would try it in a centerfire. The Encore pistol, with the .410/.45 Colt barrel seememd like a perfect choice.

Steve in Maine

 

[Birddog6]

If you use a Mec Jr. first you need to find the charge you want to use in the shell, then you find a bushing that will accept that VOLUME, not go by the Mec powder chart. The Mec powder chart is in Grains of smokless & nowhere near close to what you need.
If it is an Old Mec Jr. it will not have bushings, you change the entire bar as they were drilled bars. Best thing there is buy a new charge bar for it with the proper bushings to do the shot load you want & again the Volume of powder you want, not the grains of powder on the Mec chart.

The only way I know to find that volume is to try loads you want by hand measuring them with a BP powder measurer. Once you find the charge you want, take several bushings & lay the flat on a table & fill them each with the measured charge, the one that holds it flush to the top is the one you will need.

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