I have not used Lil Gun but I have read that it burns up hulls faster than need be. All reports are that H110/W296 is the most hull friendly powder out there. I do use both H110/W296 and MP300 powder in .410 but have not reloaded enough hulls enough times to see a difference between the two as to hull life. My vote would be for H110 or W296 which is the same powder.

 

I watched a guy on u tube. He took 2 AA 2 1/4 hulls marked them with one with 296 other with 410 powder. He shot and loaded shot after shot on the 2 hulls. The one with 296 the hull got where it was letting shot fall out split. The 410 powder hull was still reloadable holding shot.

 

410 in 2-1/2" loads for skeet, will hot spot center pattern unless you are reloading to about 1350 fps. 1200fps marked AA factory ammo is 1300fps, while 1200fps marked STS factory ammo is 1350fps isntead.

296 and H110 are the same powder, just different labels. Hence St marks 296 powder (its burn rate as well). 300mp is also a St markets powder, but has a burn rate of 300 instead.

Lil gun, and even 410 powder will not get you to 1350fps, since they have a burn rate of around 295, and even at 1300fps where you are pushing max pressures with either powder, going to be brutal on hulls. The reason that some will use 410 or Lil gun powders, they are have a larger grain since the St marks spherical powers, and have less powder migration problems in some machines.

So we can play with powder all day long, but the real test is the patterning board to see that the pattern looks like, and in regards to this, 296/H110 is the powder of choice since it will get you to 1350fps, and within working pressures of the round. 300mp will get you there as well, but since it a slightly slower burning powder, really more for the 3" hulls where you have a slightly heaver payloads where it will have a cleaner burn instead.

 

So if I want to load a good load for squirrel hunting. I need to push it fast? Like a 11/16 oz load of nickel platted 6 shot. I think out of a 410. It would make a very good load. On gunbroker I bid on a 25 pd bag magnum shot #6s. I won it for 29.50. But have to pay 15 shipping. Rest of the shot was 45.00 plus shipping. Or 50 pd for 100.00 plus shipping.

 

So if I want to load a good load for squirrel hunting. I need to push it fast? Like a 11/16 oz load of nickel platted 6 shot. I think out of a 410. It would make a very good load. On gunbroker I bid on a 25 pd bag magnum shot #6s. I won it for 29.50. But have to pay 15 shipping. Rest of the shot was 45.00 plus shipping. Or 50 pd for 100.00 plus shipping.

Be prepared to weigh your shot drops and use a funnel to put it into the hull after adding the wad. #6 shot is likely to jam in the shot drop tube.

 

So if I want to load a good load for squirrel hunting. I need to push it fast? Like a 11/16 oz load of nickel platted 6 shot. I think out of a 410. It would make a very good load. On gunbroker I bid on a 25 pd bag magnum shot #6s. I won it for 29.50. But have to pay 15 shipping. Rest of the shot was 45.00 plus shipping. Or 50 pd for 100.00 plus shipping.

Load your looking for will be for 3" hulls, and 300-mp will be the ticket for powder. Hence will not have enough volume to pull off the 11/16oz in the 2-1/2 hulls. And yes on speed, since your dealing with a long narrow shot column, so the fast the FPS, then better it going to pattern/not hot spot center.

If on a Mec reloader, going to have bridging problems with the #6 due to the Mec drop tube design (ID of the final tube), and regarding the 300-mp small grain spherical powder, will need to pick up a PC baffle to resolve the powder migration problems .

Also to note, make sure that you have the Mec set up to reload 3" hulls.

The last one, are you sure you want to use a scatter gun on a tree rat? They don't have a lot of meat to start with, and with the meat riddled with shot, kind of a PITA to clean to get all the pellets out for eating.

Myself, will just work in two man teams if we are walking the tree line, hence let it get to the tree, first guy holds still in place, while the other guy just makes a wide birth around the tree as the squire is watching his movement and keeps moving to the back side of the tree from him, which brings him back around to your side of the tree to take the easy shot with a 22lr instead.

If the area is thick with them, then tree stand works well, as you just hold in place above the ground (so they don't see you too much as threat since your not on the ground, and pick them off one by one.

Simply put, scatter gun is for game that are moving, and will keep moving until they are long out of range, so the shot has to be taken when they are on the run/in flight. Tree rat on the other hand, will just run to the nearest tree to get on it's back side to hide from you when you are on the ground.

 

The last one, are you sure you want to use a scatter gun on a tree rat? They don't have a lot of meat to start with, and with the meat riddled with shot, kind of a PITA to clean to get all the pellets out for eating.

Myself, will just work in two man teams if we are walking the tree line, hence let it get to the tree, first guy holds still in place, while the other guy just makes a wide birth around the tree as the squire is watching his movement and keeps moving to the back side of the tree from him, which brings him back around to your side of the tree to take the easy shot with a 22lr instead.

If the area is thick with them, then tree stand works well, as you just hold in place above the ground (so they don't see you too much as threat since your not on the ground, and pick them off one by one.

Simply put, scatter gun is for game that are moving, and will keep moving until they are long out of range, so the shot has to be taken when they are on the run/in flight. Tree rat on the other hand, will just run to the nearest tree to get on it's back side to hide from you when you are on the ground.

This works.

The most squirrels I've seen was when I hunted deer from a tree stand. If you don't want to climb a tree, the two-man method works as well or better. Plus, with a .22, you are guaranteed to find no lead inside.

 

.22 is my choice. I'm old so scope sight is a must. Sit still long enough and the tree rats will get bored and move

 

I hunt ozarks national forest. If I am hunting at the bottom of a ridge and have to shoot up the hill. I dont know if someone mite walk in. I like using a 410 squirrel hunting. The 410 I like too carry it. Squirrels I seen here lately . It would be hard hitting squirrel in tree top with a 22. Because all the leaves still on here. I just dont like shooting a 22 on public land . I order some #5 shot . Would 5s work better in the reloader? If I was going to carry a 22 it would be my 22 mag. Some parts of the area's is overrun with pigs.

 

5's are bigger than 6's, IF 6's give bridging troubles in the press, 5's will be worse.

 

5's are bigger than 6's, IF 6's give bridging troubles in the press, 5's will be worse.

This is where a dipper and a funnel are useful. It's a PITA compared to using a press for everything but it works.

 

5's are bigger than 6's, IF 6's give bridging troubles in the press, 5's will be worse.

This is where a dipper and a funnel are useful. It's a PITA compared to using a press for everything but it works.

And the funnel snout for a 410 hull will have to be so small the shot might bridge in that. {hs#

Steve

 

5's are bigger than 6's, IF 6's give bridging troubles in the press, 5's will be worse.

This is where a dipper and a funnel are useful. It's a PITA compared to using a press for everything but it works.

And the funnel snout for a 410 hull will have to be so small the shot might bridge in that. {hs#

Steve

Use one of the metallic cartridge funnels, which go OVER the case instead of inside it.

They are "reverse-tapered" on the "nozzle" so that the metal case seats inside the funnel (funnel sits atop the case without falling off) and everything poured in the funnel cannot leak out either.

The cheap Lee, then "drill out" the hole some (since the hole is made for .22 cal), the funnel snout will go over .45-caliber brass cases.
https://leeprecision.com/powder-funnel.html

 

PW resolved the 410 shot drop bridging problem a long time ago.

Hence on a PW progressive machines, since the shot drop tube only drops shot into the hull at that station alone, its tool does not need to be smaller than the OD of the hull instead.

So the shot drop tube is wider ID on the upper part, and lower spring loaded sleeve fits on the outside of the hull on the 410 tooling set.

So in stock form, can drop #6 shot without problems, and with a bit of reaming and polishing of the upper tube's ID, can drop #4 shot (and larger) cleanly without bridging as well.

 

Do they make anything like that to use with a 600 jr? I tried to load a few #5 wouldn't work good. I did get my hands on Winchester 296.

 

Do they make anything like that to use with a 600 jr? I tried to load a few #5 wouldn't work good. I did get my hands on Winchester 296.

Hodgdon has online data for your components.

 

PW resolved the 410 shot drop bridging problem a long time ago.

Hence on a PW progressive machines, since the shot drop tube only drops shot into the hull at that station alone, its tool does not need to be smaller than the OD of the hull instead.

So the shot drop tube is wider ID on the upper part, and lower spring loaded sleeve fits on the outside of the hull on the 410 tooling set.

So in stock form, can drop #6 shot without problems, and with a bit of reaming and polishing of the upper tube's ID, can drop #4 shot (and larger) cleanly without bridging as well.

Do they make anything for a 600 jr?

 

Ponsness-Warren doesn't make any parts for MEC presses.

 

So if I want to load a good load for squirrel hunting. I need to push it fast? Like a 11/16 oz load of nickel platted 6 shot. I think out of a 410. It would make a very good load. On gunbroker I bid on a 25 pd bag magnum shot #6s. I won it for 29.50. But have to pay 15 shipping. Rest of the shot was 45.00 plus shipping. Or 50 pd for 100.00 plus shipping.

Load your looking for will be for 3" hulls, and 300-mp will be the ticket for powder. Hence will not have enough volume to pull off the 11/16oz in the 2-1/2 hulls. And yes on speed, since your dealing with a long narrow shot column, so the fast the FPS, then better it going to pattern/not hot spot center.

It seems like a "hot spot center" would be good for tree rats. A dense center core would extend range just like tightening choke constriction.

 

I waiting on powder baffle to load with 300. I did get a bottle of Winchester 296 powder.