The little 410 surprised me

[RU shooter]

Weather was hot and humid by Pa standards yesterday but we got invited over to our friends place to shoot some clay birds. I'm not a sport shooter and all I had was my hunting guns a Marlin 55 bolt action 12 and my most favorite walking around gun a 20 ga Winchester model 12 , about 4 couples there for a nice afternoon of shooting . One guy had a mossberg 410 pump for his wife to shoot , I've never owned a 410 or even seen one shot against clay birds but I have to say I was impressed ! She was breaking them as well and as far out as the 20 and 12 ga Guns did maybe the full choke helped in that regard . I even commented to my wife of the ride home how nice a nice light double in 410 would be for Christmas ! Lol I might even take up dove hunting again
I know clay birds are easier to kill than real game but is the little 410 actually that effective enough In the field for say running rabbit and flushing grouse ?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

That basically depends on how good a shot you are. I'd definitely recommend the 3 inch shell for those purposes. The range of a .410 vs. a 12 or 20 gauge isn't that different, but how much shot arrives on target is. I've also seen very good trap shooters using .410s, but they are excellent shooters, and others have not done so well. One thing is for sure, it adds "sport" to hunting. As a kid I had no trouble downing California Banded Tail Pigeons with the .410 out of our wild cherry trees and on the wing going to and from. Killed lots of small game. Mostly used 7 1/2 shot 3" Remington shells, so I know they work. The gun was a Win. Mod. 37 full choke.

[bedbugbilly]

When I was a kid, my Dad bought a nice used Winchester pump .410. I used it some but my brother used it more as I preferred to use a muzzleloading shotgun. That little 410 pump took squirrels, rabbits, pheasants and quail - and did a good job on clay pigeons as well that we threw with a hand thrower. I bought a single barrel Topper in 410 probably 20 years ago and it worked well on the farm for raccoons, woodchucks and other varmints around the barns - eventually sold it - kind of wish I still had it now. After my folks died, my brother ended up with the pump gun and as far as I know, his kids put it to good use and he still is using it.

Not as much shot but still capable of doing the job on clays as well as game. I agree with you OP . . . a nice lighter double would be a good one to have. I still have a quantity of 410 shells stored away - just hung on to them thinking that I might get another one sometime. I can't remember the model number but I think was a Savage? that used to make a combination shotgun / rifle - shotgun barrel on the bottom and a 22 barrel on the top? I always thought that one of those would be a good general gun to have for small game and varmints with a 22 LR on the top and a 410 on the bottom.

Keep talking about how you'd like a nice 410 double . . . if "Santa" hears about it enough, maybe she'll surprise you on Christmas morning!

[Froogal]

The .410 does not get near the credit it deserves. It is the perfect "critter control" gun and will also take pheasants. I will refrain from describing what a .410 will do to a possum at close range.

[gwpercle]

After keeping a short 12 ga. pump around for house protection for years ...I've been rethinking that maybe a .410 would be a better choice for inside the house ... an awful lot of .410 "Protection" loads have hit the market . Us older folks have lost enough hearing ... a 12 ga. inside a room is hard on the ears and the recoil is stout .
The .410 does get short changed ... I did take a lot of small game and birds with one when I was a boy ...
Maybe it's time to go back full circle .. a Mossberge 590 .410 Shockwave sure looks like it would be a lot of fun...I've always had a soft spot for the "Sawed-Off Shotgun" ...and if this isn't one then the Pope isn't Catholic !
Gary

[cwlongshot]

This was thirty plus years ago... IM STILL kicking myself. For the bone head decision...

I bought this pump High Standard 410... Nice light pointed great! On the back year trap I could do 25 in a row without breaking a sweat.

Took it "Deer hunting" anticipating filling tag early and needing something for upland birds. Well thats exactly what happened first or third day I tagged out. I had seen a number of Grouse flush on one hill side. And on the flat about timber doodles must have had a flight cause they was all over!!

I have so much fun shooting wood cock I was like a lil kid going back every bay that week!! That lil 410 was PERFECT!!

Later that year. I was hunting back home during a very good grouse year. Well out of probably twenty flushes I connected on ZERO! But I had feathers a couple times!!! Seems that they where flushing just a lil too far for the pattern of that lil 410. It frustrated me so much I traded it for a "better" gun Buying a Browning Upland special BPS 20ga.

That gun today commands a hefty price!! Mine was the deluxe version too nice walnut "wavy" rim two beads and gold inlay in the engraving.

Today Ill never be with out at least one good 410

CW

[quilbilly]

My T/C Contenders in 410 I lovingly call my "meat guns". They put a lot of rabbit and grouse on the table every year. If the ammunition manufacturers started loading them in #4 steel shot, I would use them for teal duck over decoys. The real surprise for me has been how well my T/C carbine 410 and my neighbor's new Savage 42 O/U 22 mag over 410 shoot buckshot loads at 20 yards. Both put 3 of 5 000 buckshot pills in an 8" dinner at 20 yards. I have had 12's that wouldn't do that.

[skeettx]

Yes, 410s are just great for doves,
Opening day and it was HOT!!

Left Tristar Brittany 410 SXS, Middle Fausti Silver 410 O/U, Right Crescent Arms 410 SXS

[Texas by God]

I agree. I took a .410 pump dove hunting once in Knox City and have made sure there's at least one on hand since. My current favorite is a Yildiz single folder.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[gwpercle]

Yes, 410s are just great for doves,
Opening day and it was HOT!!

Left Tristar Brittany 410 SXS, Middle Fausti Silver 410 O/U, Right Crescent Arms 410 SXS

AWESOME !!!
I have a big old soft spot for .410 S X S shotguns ...my Uncle let me hunt with his many times and I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread .
Gary

[DDriller]

.410 is hard to beat if you are doing a lot of walking. 2 boxes of .410 shells is a lot lighter than 2 boxes of the larger bores. Use mine for dove, quail, and pheasant. My main hunter for the last 40 years is a Zabala SxS.

[sparky45]

My favorite .410 is the Winchester model 41. I used it on Quail with 2 3/4" shells and it worked fantastic. Wish I had that gun today.

[William Yanda]

If I was hunting with Dick Cheney, I would definitely want him to be carrying a .410

[Rich/WIS]

As a kid had aSavage 22/410 that accounted for a lot of game but went when I downsized on joining the Army. About 1987 found myself in KS without a shotgun and dove season was ready to start. Buddy had inherited a Rem 11-48 in 410 choked IC and lent it to me. Only shells I could find were 2 1/2 " #9 skeet loads. Found it shot as well as bigger gauges if I kept the shots to 25 yards or so. Offered to buy it but it was a family heirloom. A year or so later, back in Germany, walked into a R&G that had a sale going on SKB O/U shotguns and one was a 410 choked IC and Mod. Price was $475 but there was a small scratch on the metal so they knocked off $100. Has accounted for numerous rabbits and grouse as well as clay birds. One real positive is it cheap to load for even with the high cost of shot these days and this is good news as 410 factory loads are a LOT costlier than 12 or 20 factory loads.

[rking22]

Another lover of the 410 here as well. People are prone to dismiss the 410 (and 22LR for that matter) as low powered “toys”, fit only for a farm boy. Well, lots of us farm boys who grew up with them still find them useful and fun. Comparing a quality 410 full against a 12 or 20 skeet choke is close, still probably goes to the bigger bore, but a good shot that’s confident can flip that comparison. I have a friend with a prewar SxS 410 that his Grandad gave him. He is deadly with that gun, like 70% on doves at 35+ yards! That thing is tight, and he has been killing doves with it for 50 years!
In general, if I can keep my shots inside 25 yards, there is little difference between my M42 and M12 20ga, that the game or clay can tell. A 20 or 12 choked the same as a 410 will kill at longer distances due to better pattern density, but the pellets are all carrying the same individual energy. 410s are demanding to wing shoot with, but a load of fun. Point it well and birds fall. Being light, they carry easy but that trait makes them harder shoot well.
CW, I also have a Flightking 410, dust the field gun choked full. Wonderful little gun, probably not quite the equal to a M42 but, a WHOLE lot less money! 42s are bringing close to 2000$ if they are even close to original and go bang! I gave 150$ for the Flightking about 10 years ago. 410 doubles are getting pricy, I think people are begging to respect them a bit. Yildiz makes a quality gun, their little SxS has great wood and the fit and finish is way above the competition. I have the 410 folder and love it! It has accounted for quite a few doves and a couple woodcock along with rabbits and starlings. It’s great on skeet singles, I can’t load fast enough for doubles, extractor gun only.

[toallmy]

The Mossberg 500 in 410 will do a good job around the house .

[Mk42gunner]

I grew up shooting an H&R Model 58 in .410. Mine seemed kind of odd since it had a 28" barrel, full choked of course. It did well on all the common small game around here-- dove, quail, rabbits and squirrel, as long as the squirrels weren't way up in a hickory tree.

I always used 3" shells, 7½ shot for the birds, 5 or 6 shot for the rest. The one time I tried #6 shot on a goose it did not work.

Robert

[Wolfer]

As a kid I grew up with 2 different 410s. A model 24 Savage 22 over 410 and a bolt action that I believe was a JC Higgins. I brought home lots of squirrels and quail with those guns. Killed an occasional groundhog if it was close enough. The timber was big where I hunted and squirrels could get beyond range of the mod 24 using the 410 but not the 22. When packing the JC Higgins no tree was tall enough to be safe.
When I was 14 I got a Rem 550-1 for Christmas which ended my 410 adventures for a long time. I now have an H&R setting beside the front door for garden pests or any other kind for that matter. The kids shoot it mostly and my 8 yr old hunting buddy killed a very nice gobbler with it a couple years ago.

[RU shooter]

Yes, 410s are just great for doves,
Opening day and it was HOT!!

Left Tristar Brittany 410 SXS, Middle Fausti Silver 410 O/U, Right Crescent Arms 410 SXS

Now that looks like a fun afternoon and a wonderful dinner

[cwlongshot]

I never think of my Savage 22/410 as a 410 even tho I dearly love and appreciate it. It was one of my first "GRAIL GUNS". (Wanted a real nice one)

Its the best I can use here in New England For Bunnies and Squirrels.

CW