When you find yourself using a .410-bore shotgun to deal with pests and hunt small game (or for challenging competitive trap or skeet shooting), it stands to reason that you’ll find yourself looking for the best .410 reloading press.
Even if you’re already an experienced reloader of your own ammo, your standard reloading press that you already own just won’t work on a .410 bore. Your standard press is mainly for pistol and rifle rounds.
Top 2 .410 Reloading Press: Comparison Chart
Check out the handy table for a quick look at the key features on our recommended list.
| Image | Name | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
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MEC 600 Jr Mark V 410 Press- 2.5″ Shell |
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Check Price |
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MEC 650N .410 Press |
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Check Price |
Best Picks for .410 Reloading Press
While you may want to consider other brands, we went with the MEC brand. That’s because this is the list of the best reloading presses for the .410, and the MEC brand is regarded as the top name in the shotshell reloading community.
MEC 600 Jr Mark V 410 Press- 2.5″ Shell
This is the more affordable model on this list, though it’s a bit more expensive that the .410 reloading presses made by other brands. But then you’re paying for the MEC quality, which no one doubts in the shotshell reloading community.
This is a single stage press, which makes it extremely easy for newbies to use. Like all the other MEC reloaders, you get a charge bar and 3 powder bushings.
The design is simple but effective, and the setup isn’t any trouble at all. The uncomplicated design also lets newbies get the hang of it quickly.
Position the wad with this is quick and easy.
The spandex crimp starter turns so that it’s properly aligned with the original creases on the shell. The cam-action crimp die makes sure that your shell returns to its original condition.
You can also adjust this so that you can use it to work on 3-inch shells. Just adjust the screw at the base to change the setting.
With practice, you can end up reloading at least 6 boxes worth of shells per hour. That’s great, especially if you’re using the .410 for small game and for rodent control.
Like all the other MEC reloading presses, this is built to last. Its simplicity minimizes the risk that something will go wrong.
- Not too expensive
- Easy setup
- Simple operations
- Adjustable for 3-inch shells
- Durable and reliable
- More expensive than other brands
- Not really for high-volume reloading
MEC 650N .410 Press
Now if you’re a skeet shooter who shoot all the time, doing 6 boxes per hour isn’t going to cut it. You’ll need a progressive press, and the MEC 650N .410 Press in particular.
This has all the features of the 8567N Grabber. That means you get the 6 stations, the fully automatic primer feed, and the 3-stage crimp.
With the 6 stations, you have all the tasks you need to do to finish the entire reloading process.
The resizer is especially great, with consistently accurate sizes for the shells. You won’t even have to interrupt the reloading process.
Using this is simple, since all you really need to do is to put in the wads and the shell casings. You have auto indexing, so the shotshell automatically moves from one station to another.
Then you pull the handle, and each time you do that you get a finished shell. After the final crimping, the machine automatically ejects the shell from the shell carrier, which saves you the trouble of taking it out by hand.
This will really speed up the process, which is why it’s quite expensive. It costs more than 3 times the cost of the MEC 600 Jr Mark V 410 Press- 2.5″ Shell.
- You have 6 stations for your dies and reloading tasks
- The auto-indexing feature moves each shell through the stations at the top of each stroke of the handle
- It ejects the finished shells automatically
- The build quality is terrific
- It’s quite expensive
What is the Best .410 Reloading Press?
You’re the best person to answer this question, as you’re basically trying to find the best press for yourself. What’s best for others may not be the best for you.
It’s the best for you if:
- You can afford it.
- You can easily use it.
- It offers the volume you want.
- It gives you the accuracy and quality you want.
- It lasts a long time.
Why Buy a .410 Reloading Press?
It’s true that with enough expertise and patience, you can use a basic single stage press to reload used shotgun shell cases. But you’d have to modify some parts of the shot shell to work it out, and that’s just too complicated for newbies and too tiresome for even experienced reloaders.
The main reason you’d want to reload your used .410 bore shotgun shells is that buying new .410 shells can be very expensive. It’s common to get a box of 20 rounds for about $15.
Reloading your used .410 shotgun shells can cut down on the costs considerably. You may only spend $4 or so for those 20 reloaded rounds.
Even if you can afford to buy boxes of .410 regularly, you may not be able to easily find the ammo at your local Wal-Mart. You can go online, but then you’d have to wait a while.
Finally, if you stick to the most affordable boxes of .410 shells, the quality isn’t really great. You’ll get better-performing ammo when you reload your own shotgun shells.
Differences between Shotgun Shells and Other Ammo
Shotgun shells have a different design from pistol and rifle ammunition. This is why you can’t use your standard reloading press for the .410 bore shotgun shell.
It’s true that like the pistol and rifle brass, shotgun shells also have a primer, case, bullet, and powder.
But the shotgun shell also has a so-called “wad”, which you find between the shot and the powder. This extra part adds an extra step to the reloading process, which is why you need a special .410 reloading press for your ammo.
There’s also the fact that lots of shotgun shell cases aren’t as durable as their rifle and pistol brass counterparts. Shotgun shell cases tend to have comparatively more parts made from flimsier materials like plastic or even paper.
Because of all these differences, you need a special reloading press that can deal with the special issues.
Things to Consider Before Buying a .410 Reloading Press
When you read a 410 reloading press review or spec sheet, pay more attention to the following details:
Type of .410 Reloading Press
Like standard reloading presses, you can get a .410 reloading press in various types 9such as single stage or progressive).
For newbies, the single stage is easier to use and more affordable as well. Experienced reloaders also like the single stage, because they can focus more on each step and end up with more accurate rounds.
But for high-volume reloading with minimal fuss, you’ll want the progressive reloading press.
Brand of .410 Reloading Press
Sure, the other famous brands in the reloading industry should be considered as well. But no list of shotgun shell reloading presses will ever be complete without the mention of the MEC brand.
Versatility
Obviously, the reloading press should work with your .410 bore shotshells. You may want to get a 410 reloading kit if you’re a newbie, but getting your own accessories is still a viable option.
But you may want a more versatile tool that can work for both 2.5-inch and 3-inch shells. That gives you the freedom to work on other types of shotgun shells, should you ever need to.
Efficiency
You can look for specific features, such as automatic indexing and automatic ejection of finished shells.
But all these features lead to the same question: how easy is it to use?
What you want is something that can let you reload as many shotgun shells as you can with minimal issues. That means an easy setup and simple operations.
Durability
How long will the reloading press last? Check for sturdy materials for the build.
Also, read the reviews and take note of how many complaints you read regarding breakdowns and damage upon arrival.
Who Makes the Best .410 Reloading Press?
You’ll find that we only have a single brand to tout for our 2 recommended options.
That’s MEC, which stands for the Mayville Engineering Company.
It’s widely acknowledged that MEC is the foremost shotgun shell reloader in the whole world. They’ve sold more than 2 million of their reloading machines for shotshells all over the globe.
Final Verdict
Obviously, we recommend the MEC.
All joking aside, which one? Both are excellent options.
If you’re a newbie or you have a limited budget, stick with the MEC 600 Jr Mark V 410 Press- 2.5″ Shell.
It’s super-easy to use and you can use it for 2.5-inch and 3-inch shells. It’s also great for precision rounds.
But if you’re into high-volume reloading and you can afford it, go with the MEC 650N .410 Press. It’s basically the best .410 reloading press you can get.