Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Why are 410 shells so expensive?

Had bought a case several years ago, and went to pick up some, thinking I'd take my double along dove hunting. About passed out at the prices. Any one know a source at reasonable price? Hate spending $12 for 2 1/2" 7 1/2's!

Don't know why. Heck, .22 shorts cost as much (or more) than long rifles. Can't see why lower demand raises prices.

Im guessing here but I had always assumed it was due to lower production numbers and just harder to load.

Same with 28Ga. Little harder to make, but they can change the line fairly quickly and start pumping them out. Fact is they sell all they make and figure they can pretty much charge what the market will tolerate. Shot is the big constant cost and there is obviously less of it in the .410.

No reason other than they do. They all do. Price fixing????

I thought machinery change over might be the reason but don't see "harder to make". Less shot certainly wouldn't raise the price either.

When did the 410's become higher priced?
If my memory serves me correctly, they were cheaper than the others say, 50 years ago.

Ta-da!

Supply and demand I would imagine.

Sure. And competition for market share. Since the market for 12s and 20s is huge by comparison that's where you're going to target your discounts.

Seems like 410 shells cost more because fewer men are buying them ...
AND fewer men are buying them because they cost too much

This we know:

1:.410s are not all that popular outside the skeet community.
2:They cost less to make. Therefore price should be less.
3:They don't sell all that well and not much of a market, which could mean price should be high, but since they cost less to make it is hard to justify the price being higher if a manufacturer wants to steal market share from another. Which often is the case with other products that are sold. Seems to be little interest in doing so by the manufacturers.
4:All the manufacturers charge on the high side.
5:The government isn't buying them up in such large quantity that it is causing a spike in the price.
6:The manufactures never run a special run with lower pricing for those that would be thankful and buy a large quantity to satisfy their longterm needs until the next special.
7:The same manufacturers that sell rifle shells i.e. Remington, Winchester, Federal, etc have an economy line that sell for less than their premium line. They also do the same for their 12 Gauge line of shot shells. Yet not for the .410. Obviously it can be done and they still can make a profit.


All of the above leads me to think this is a classic example of price fixing, and in this case it really hurts in that the shooting industry is screwing the shooters. In todays environment when we all need all the help we can get, it is not the best situation for all of us. Perhaps more shooters would consider buying a .410 if shells didn't cost so much. Win-Win for all. The shooter, those who sell shotguns and the shooting community in general.

All of the above applies to the 28 Gauge also.

This we don't know.
1:Would more people actually buy them if the price was less than other shotgun shells? I personally doubt the masses would, but certainly some would.



Addditon: The U.S. manufacturers of shotgun shells are extremely overpriced with regards their product when compared to the foreign suppliers. Sometimes in excess of $25. per flat. Most competitive shooters I see in sporting clays are using shells made in Spain. Example being Rio's which sell for $53. per flat compared to Win-Rem at $75. per flat. I'm not entirely sure of origin of manufacture, but if made outside the States then they can still sell cheeper even including transportation costs over from Spain.

Another market where America can no longer compete?

The answer is easy Mec 600 Jr. Primers, shot ,wads and powder same as other guages with wads maybe a little higher. The quanity of the shot and powder gives you the savings, the primer the same and wads a little more. 410 hulls don't last as long as other guages either. You can load your 20 or 28 to do as poor as the 410 also if you really want to.

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During the recent ATA Grand American trap tournament, I discussed shotshell reloading machines with one of the manufacturers of reloading machines.

They shared that they sell a very large number of 410 shotshell reloading machines in Europe where sole proprietors working from their homes load 410 shells and sell them commercially for their total livelihood.

These individuals can buy the loading components locally and sell the 410 shells for half the retail price of the recognized factory brands and still make a good return on their private investment and their work time.

There apparently is a big market for 410 shells in Europe.

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.410s have been more expensive than comparable quality 12s and 20s since at least the 1990s. The guys that want them, WANT them, and they are willing to pay and the mfrs. know that. Compared to 12s, nobody NEEDS a .410, or if they rely on one for self defense, they only buy one box of shells every decade, if that.

I have but one word for .410 lovers like me:

Reload.

Exactly.. I have a MEC 650 for the .410 and haven't bought a box of 410 shells in decades.. Long time ago I had bought about 2,000 empty 410 hulls from a skeeter in IN... Keep 'em cool and in the dark and they last forever..