Variations in .410 Shot Shells

R

robhic

New member
Actually this is more about my Taurus 'The Judge' than anything. I thought I'd try the shotgun forum to see if anyone can help.

As you may know, the Judge can shoot .45 Long Colt and .410 shotshells. My .45 cartridges work fine as do the specialty SD loads like the PDX1, etc. But the .410 is problematic.

Since the specialty cartridges fit you'd expect the .410 shells to fit. Not so. They look alike but the .410 stop with about 1/3 sticking out. These are 2.5" shells (that's what is supposed to work) but they stop at a raised lip (I was told it was to prevent .454 cartridges from being used) at the end of each cylinder hole.

So I can shoot SD shotshell-looking cartridges and .45 Long Colt cartridges fine but regular old shotshell will not go in all the way. I measured some older shells and some newer shells (a suggestion to see if different) but they're the same.

Any ideas about this? In these uncertain times I thought some shotgun loads might be handy to have on hand. But mine don't fit! Thanks for any ideas. I'd like not having to send it back to Taurus....
 
This is interesting. I don't have a Judge, but I do have .45 Colts and .45 a Colt/.410 Contender.

Clearly, if ,410 shotshells don't chamber, you can't use them. I just pulled the .45 Colt cylinder from one of my Rugers, it has the "step" at the front of the chamber, and .410 shells DO stop on it.

You should contact Taurus and see if #1, your exact model gun is suppose to to chamber .410s and what they will do about fixing it, since it doesn't.

#2, contact local gunsmith(s) to see what it would take for them to hone out the cylinder to take .410s, if Taurus doesn't do the right thing, or you don't want to put up with the wait.

(if Taurus will fix it but charge you for the shipping a local smith might be a cheaper and perhaps faster answer)
 
I have to admit this is perplexing. The SD ammo is made like a shotgun shell. Why do they fit but a standard shotshell not go in completely? Taurus said to send it in and they'd look at it.

I gotta give it to them they are good about their warranty. I sent a 5-shot snubnose in because I had taken it apart (a BIG no-no) and lost a couple of parts.

It was definitely my fault but they sent me a return label for $35!!! I sent it in, instead of fixing it they REPLACED IT with a brand new gun. Not a bad deal. I got a brand new snubbie for $35. I'm not sure what they could do here, but I will check with them again. If I could even find a competent gunsmith around here I doubt he would cost less than $35 bucks.

I was just checking to see if anyone had experienced inconsistent shotshell sizing. I'll leave this here for a while and then get back with Taurus if I don't get more info. Hey, maybe they'll send me a new Judge!!! ;)
 
I have never had an issue loading any brand 410 in any judge ive ever shot.
who knows. maybe your cyl ISNT what it claims to be?
I will say this...if you load the 410's a lot....they do stretch. how many reloads (if any) do the 410's have or are they factory new?
 
I will say this...if you load the 410's a lot...they do stretch. how many reloads (if any) do the 410's have or are they factory new?
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I don't reload shot shells and haven't used any, either. The ones I have are Remington and another (like the 'Estate' brand). Interesting about the stretching but these shells are all new. I'm still puzzling over the SD loads (look like shot shells) going right in. 'Regular' .410 2.5" shells stop about 1/2 way in.
 
make sure its the right cal/bore. odd as it may seem, it could be marked wrong.
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As in the shell marked wrong? It fits diameter-wise but length is off. Shell is like other .410's size and length. It just won't fit. The SD ammo (PDX1, etc.) fit and they're in a shotshell-like shell of plastic. They go right in but the .410 seems just too thick by a hair. This is nuts but thanks for your time.
 
Does the chamber need cleaning so the round will chamber??
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No it's clean. I haven't even shot it in a while but that was .45LC only. The range I use discourages shot shell use because it causes (I forget) problems back in the bullet catchers in the back.
 
ive shot the judge for over 5 years and no issues whatsoever.
you got a mystery.
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I need to get back with Taurus and see what they can offer. I hate to send it in but I'm guessing they'll need to take a look at my cylinder. When I get it straightened out I'll report back here.
 
No it's clean. I haven't even shot it in a while but that was .45LC only. The range I use discourages shot shell use because it causes (I forget) problems back in the bullet catchers in the back.
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Since I don’t know you or your level of experience, I will ask if it’s possible that there is a carbon ring from shooting the short her than .410 that didn’t get fully removed while cleaning.

Is that a possibility?
 
Since I don’t know you or your level of experience, I will ask if it’s possible that there is a carbon ring from shooting the short her than .410 that didn’t get fully removed while cleaning.

Is that a possibility?
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No, I get what you're saying. The ridges in the front end of my Judge's charge holes are molded into the metal. I once spent a lifetime scrubbing carbon from a 38/357 revolver that someone (I bought it used) had shot a TON of .38 in and it left one hellacious carbon ring! This isn't the case here and I think I'm gonna let Taurus sort it out.
 
interesting

Yeah, pretty interesting. I wonder if the .410 shotshells that are causing the issue, are out of spec somehow? I'd try some other makes to see if they chamber. If the OP has ONLY tried to chamber Estate and Rem shotshells, perhaps a W-W or a Federal 2.5" WILL chamber.

I'd at least try some before I put the gun in the mail.
 
Yeah, pretty interesting. I wonder if the .410 shotshells that are causing the issue, are out of spec somehow? I'd try some other makes to see if they chamber. If the OP has ONLY tried to chamber Estate and Rem shotshells, perhaps a W-W or a Federal 2.5" WILL chamber.
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I just went through what I have on hand:

PDX1 personal defense loads (like shotshells in plastic hull) fit, no problem.

Hornady Critical Defense 'Triple Defense' (lead balls, BBs and something else) fit but need to be pushed to fit completely. Snug.

Winchester, Estate, Remington and Sellier & Bellot shotshells all will not fit at all past halfway.

That's what's so perplexing. Look and made the same but some do and some don't fit.
 
make sure you send a hull with the suspect cyl so they can see it for themselves.
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I was gonna ask them about that. I doubt they'd allow an un-tampered with live shell. If an empty would work I'll do that. Now I just have to get with Taurus about how to do this.
 
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