Steel or Non-Toxic shot for .410 or 28ga

BigJimP · January 4, 2009, 02:31 PM

Anybody know if you can buy a commercial shotshell that is non-Toxic for either the .410 or the 28ga ? I've checked Remington and I can't find anything.

Its not for me - I would reload them if I wanted them - but I have a buddy in Georgia that needs some so visiting kids can shoot Clays over a marsh environment. They can't use reloads - because these kids are there at a camp or something - and their club policy requires they use "factory ammo" when instructing new shooters. My only suggestion was for him to get some 20ga semi-autos and try and go with those guns as an alternative for the younger kids. Any idea if there is a commercial load out there they could buy for the .410 and the 28ga ? Thanks.

RevNate · January 4, 2009, 03:49 PM

You can get a Bismuth load for both .410 and 28 ga. Not sure what else may be available, but the short answer to your question is "Yes." Midway list both and believe it or not they even have some in stock. The stuff is not cheap, though.

BTW- went duck hunting recently with a group which included a 6-year-old boy hunting with a .410 single shot and Bismuth loads. Bad slow day. 8 men and a boy killed 6 ducks, but the boy was one of the successful ones. And it wasn't one of those situations where everyone stops and waits for the kid to shoot. Later I found out that last year at age five, he killed 2 greenheads in one shot with the .410. Must be good stuff.

mwar410 · January 5, 2009, 11:30 AM

I was in the boat, alot of research and midway seemed to be the only one to carry it, There was no steel though. I even looked for steel conversions for my reloaders, no avail. Ended up buying the boy a 20ga.

BigJimP · January 5, 2009, 12:33 PM

I checked Midway like you suggested - ( $18 - $25 a box for 10 shells is expensive ) but at least that is a source where they can get a couple of cases to have on hand. Thanks

mwar410 - I'm not sure what you were looking for in terms of converting your loader to steel - but if its a MEC loader / you can buy Steel charge bars for their single stage or progressive loaders for under $25 each.

USA123456789 · January 5, 2009, 04:50 PM

Most likely bismuth carries them. If i were you bigjim i would google midway shooting supplies. And they should have the loads that you are looking for I would think. Or maybe if you have a Dick's sporting goods aroung your area check there I had the store order them for myself and a couple of friends a while ago. And from there on they have carried the .410 and 28 gauge shotshell in steel.

BigJimP · January 5, 2009, 05:47 PM

I appreciate the input / but like I said in original note, this isn't for me anyway ( if I wanted them, I'd reload them for my own use ) / although I don't have much experience with Steel shot.

I think his solution is to have the kids shoot a 20ga semi-auto and just deal with it the best they can / if they aren't big enough, strong enough to handle that gun - then they'll just have to sit it out. A 20ga commercial load is really the only reasonable way for him to go - which is what I thought originally - unless one of you guys had a secret source out there that I didn't know about.

I do think the day is coming - on a lot of ranges - skeet, sporting clays, etc where we are going to all have to shoot Non-Toxic loads ( in all 4 gagues ). I've heard its an issue at a number of clubs around the country / and some of the ballistics experts have written about effective reloads for steel, etc in the shotgun magazines in the last 6 months.

mwar410 · January 5, 2009, 08:24 PM

bigjim, Ithought there was more involved in converting the mecs to steel than just the charge bar, and only saw 12 & 10 ga.conversions.
and I coached a high school skeet team for a couple of years, we got the last 20ga 11oo's. great youth guns. with the youth stock, the smallest kid didn't have much problem handling them. and the weight helped with the recoil. much better than the 391's.

bernie · January 5, 2009, 10:48 PM

Earlier in the season Mack's Prarie Wings in Stuttgart, AR had cases of .410 Winchester steel shot. It was a special run made just for them. You might see if they have any left.

BigJimP · January 6, 2009, 11:53 AM

Thanks, I had not thought about Mac's - great place...

Death from Afar · January 6, 2009, 03:12 PM

Jim- well done using the .410 as a kids training gun. I recently taught a mates girlfriend to shoot- and the silly idiot had made the first shot she ever fired a 12 gauge filed load. She had developed a flich, hated firing guns, and was not keen on firing a shot gun ever again. We started her on .22LR, then .17HMR, then .410 - which she absolutly loved, and by the end of the day was letting fly with an AR15 and a benelli M2. So, although not an ideal hunting gun for a newbie, great training round!

BigJimP · January 6, 2009, 06:42 PM

Thanks - but personally, I think the 28ga is really the perfect compromise for a young shooter training weapon / good pellet count, low recoil - good pattern density. The smaller pattern gets into my head a little even as an experienced shooter / but I can pretend the 28ga is a 12ga and make my pea brain believe it most of the time ...

January 4, 2009, 02:31 PM	#1
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Steel or Non-Toxic shot for .410 or 28ga Anybody know if you can buy a commercial shotshell that is non-Toxic for either the .410 or the 28ga ? I've checked Remington and I can't find anything. Its not for me - I would reload them if I wanted them - but I have a buddy in Georgia that needs some so visiting kids can shoot Clays over a marsh environment. They can't use reloads - because these kids are there at a camp or something - and their club policy requires they use "factory ammo" when instructing new shooters. My only suggestion was for him to get some 20ga semi-autos and try and go with those guns as an alternative for the younger kids. Any idea if there is a commercial load out there they could buy for the .410 and the 28ga ? Thanks.

January 4, 2009, 03:49 PM	#2
RevNate Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 129	You can get a Bismuth load for both .410 and 28 ga. Not sure what else may be available, but the short answer to your question is "Yes." Midway list both and believe it or not they even have some in stock. The stuff is not cheap, though. BTW- went duck hunting recently with a group which included a 6-year-old boy hunting with a .410 single shot and Bismuth loads. Bad slow day. 8 men and a boy killed 6 ducks, but the boy was one of the successful ones. And it wasn't one of those situations where everyone stops and waits for the kid to shoot. Later I found out that last year at age five, he killed 2 greenheads in one shot with the .410. Must be good stuff. __________________ NRA Life Member Arkansas Concealed Carry Association http://www.arkansascca.org Molon labe Last edited by RevNate; January 4, 2009 at 03:50 PM. Reason: fat fingers = bad spelling

January 5, 2009, 04:50 PM	#5
USA123456789 Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2008 Location: Somewhere Posts: 123	Most likely bismuth carries them. If i were you bigjim i would google midway shooting supplies. And they should have the loads that you are looking for I would think. Or maybe if you have a Dick's sporting goods aroung your area check there I had the store order them for myself and a couple of friends a while ago. And from there on they have carried the .410 and 28 gauge shotshell in steel. __________________ You can never have to many hulls but, the man that dies with the most hulls wins USA USA USA USA

January 6, 2009, 03:12 PM	#10
Death from Afar Senior Member Join Date: November 7, 2004 Location: Living the dream in Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND Posts: 1,635	Jim- well done using the .410 as a kids training gun. I recently taught a mates girlfriend to shoot- and the silly idiot had made the first shot she ever fired a 12 gauge filed load. She had developed a flich, hated firing guns, and was not keen on firing a shot gun ever again. We started her on .22LR, then .17HMR, then .410 - which she absolutly loved, and by the end of the day was letting fly with an AR15 and a benelli M2. So, although not an ideal hunting gun for a newbie, great training round! __________________ "Beware of the Man with one gun...he probably isnt into guns enough to be safe with it".

January 5, 2009, 11:30 AM	#3
mwar410 Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2008 Location: maine Posts: 234	I was in the boat, alot of research and midway seemed to be the only one to carry it, There was no steel though. I even looked for steel conversions for my reloaders, no avail. Ended up buying the boy a 20ga.

January 5, 2009, 12:33 PM	#4
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I checked Midway like you suggested - ( $18 - $25 a box for 10 shells is expensive ) but at least that is a source where they can get a couple of cases to have on hand. Thanks mwar410 - I'm not sure what you were looking for in terms of converting your loader to steel - but if its a MEC loader / you can buy Steel charge bars for their single stage or progressive loaders for under $25 each.

January 5, 2009, 05:47 PM	#6
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I appreciate the input / but like I said in original note, this isn't for me anyway ( if I wanted them, I'd reload them for my own use ) / although I don't have much experience with Steel shot. I think his solution is to have the kids shoot a 20ga semi-auto and just deal with it the best they can / if they aren't big enough, strong enough to handle that gun - then they'll just have to sit it out. A 20ga commercial load is really the only reasonable way for him to go - which is what I thought originally - unless one of you guys had a secret source out there that I didn't know about. I do think the day is coming - on a lot of ranges - skeet, sporting clays, etc where we are going to all have to shoot Non-Toxic loads ( in all 4 gagues ). I've heard its an issue at a number of clubs around the country / and some of the ballistics experts have written about effective reloads for steel, etc in the shotgun magazines in the last 6 months.

January 5, 2009, 08:24 PM	#7
mwar410 Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2008 Location: maine Posts: 234	bigjim, Ithought there was more involved in converting the mecs to steel than just the charge bar, and only saw 12 & 10 ga.conversions. and I coached a high school skeet team for a couple of years, we got the last 20ga 11oo's. great youth guns. with the youth stock, the smallest kid didn't have much problem handling them. and the weight helped with the recoil. much better than the 391's.

January 5, 2009, 10:48 PM	#8
bernie Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2000 Posts: 145	Earlier in the season Mack's Prarie Wings in Stuttgart, AR had cases of .410 Winchester steel shot. It was a special run made just for them. You might see if they have any left.

January 6, 2009, 11:53 AM	#9
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Thanks, I had not thought about Mac's - great place...

January 6, 2009, 06:42 PM	#11
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Thanks - but personally, I think the 28ga is really the perfect compromise for a young shooter training weapon / good pellet count, low recoil - good pattern density. The smaller pattern gets into my head a little even as an experienced shooter / but I can pretend the 28ga is a 12ga and make my pea brain believe it most of the time ...