Lever Action .410

[thekidd76]

So does anyone have one? I've seen a Marlin 1895 at Cabela's in .410, and I know Rossi makes one. Does anyone have any experience with one? I'm intrigued and looking for someone who has handled one and can give me their feedback. I guess the next logical question would be too if I'm going to get one should I bother going for something like the Circuit Judge just to increase my options for ammunition? Even if the plan would be to use it mainly for .410.

Thanks.

[MT Gianni]

A friend bought one for grouse, a Win 94 IIRC. He no longer owns it.

[thekidd76]

No longer owns it because it wasn't worth owning, or he no longer hunts grouse?

[starmac]

If I thought I wanted one I would go the winchester route over the rossi, but to me they are not a shotgun for serious use.

[pmeisel]

I've always wanted one for small game hunting (rabbit and squirrel), but whenever I saw one I didn't have the money. I don't think I'd use one for birds.

[OverMax]

Had a Winchester model 94 in 410 in my hands once at a Gander Mtn Store. Thought at the time they were kind of heavy. So I decided to keep my little single shot Iver Johnson instead. Shortly there after Winchester went belly up and all those Winchesters including that 410 in stock were bought up almost over night in that store. They were indeed limited in having to shoot 2-1/2 inch shells only. Even as old as my turn of the 20th century Iver Johnson is. It still is capable of shooting 3 inch. I know of no one who owns the Winchester model 94-410 and I'm happy I don't own one either.

O/M

[thekidd76]

Thanks for the feedback.

[jh45gun]

Don't see why they would not be good for grouse at close range 30 yards and under. I use my Encore pistol in 45 Colt/410 for grouse under 25 yards and I have not lost a grouse yet. I do not kill that many every year I cannot beat the brush liked I used to be able to. If they are with in that 25 yard limit I have had great success.

[thekidd76]

I was really asking more from the perspective of the gun itself. Are they good shooters, feed ok, etc. I wouldn't use it as my goto bird gun, but it seems like it would be fun to shoot, and more of a realistic shotgun my 10 year old could handle. I made a good deal that included a MEC 600 in .410, and figured i might as well have more than my old single shot H&R to load for.

[rockrat]

I have one of the Marlins. I have shot skeet with it. No problems. IIRC, I shot 17 with it. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot quail with it, if the opportunately arose.

Fun little gun to shoot

[starmac]

A 10 year old would probably love it and have a blast with one. Check the weight as some 10 year olds may tire of carrying one.

I have always sort of considered them a novelty, but one would be a fun little gun.

[The Kid]

We have a rare Winchester on consignment in the shop I work at. It is the WinTuff version with laminate stocks and electro less nickel finish. Marlin has been making one version or another off and on since the 20's and all I have seen seem to feed and function well. My main issue is that they all tend to point and handle like a rifle and therefore are made for aiming as opposed to pointing like a shotgun. They would be fine for sitting grouse or bunnies but in those situations I would rather use a 22 for a clean headshot.

[300winmag]

We shoot clay birds and dove hunt with 410's, I grew up hunting with a 410.

[thekidd76]

What's the pricetag on the one in your shop Kid?

[rexherring]

If I still lived on the farm I'd have one just for bunnies and blackbirds.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I am into .410's totally,,, and shoot skeet with my new Browning Citori Sporting Clays with 32" bbls. It handles like a dream, and I will shoot doves and quail this year if I can get an invite to a local shoot. Since I am actively shooting Skeet with this gun, said birds will have no chance whatsoever of survival.

It is a real shotgun, and shotguns are mainly for shooting birds in the air. Rifles are for shooting things on the ground and whereas a lever action .410 would work,,, it just isn't the right tool for the job IMHO. Some thngs should just not be.

I guess if you were shooting hundreds of rabbits a day like they did in AUS once upon a time it would have a real purpose.

I have a Springfield Armory M6 Scout .22/.410 Survival gun I would choose over a levergun.

For the money you could get both you and the kid a decent Remington 1100 autoloader or 870 Pump in.410 and have a gun that would not only do what you want but be able to shoot Skeet and Sporting Clays with it as well. By getting the kid into these sports he would become a better shooter, and when it came time to shoot some birds, none of them would have a chance, as opposed to wasting boxes of $12 ammo and not hitting anything, and then abandoning the sport due to lack of success.

Since you already have the MEC, you should be able to see the logic in my post here. Reloading and Skeet or Sporting Clays shooting kind of go hand in hand, since it means you can shoot more. More you shoot the better you get. If you get the kid started now doing this stuff right, he will become a life long shooter which helps the sport as well. Also hanging around with grown ups and guns would teach him respect which is a commodity in short supply these days. You live in VA and there is much in the way of shooting sports available to the youth there. Proper equipment will make the introduction to the sport much easier and deliver success much quicker.

I would refer you to www.trapshooters.com where you can probably find a decent .410 to go shooting. That's where I got mine, and it only took 3 minutes to find it and $2K to buy it. However,,, There was a Remington 1100 in .410 on there a week or so ago for $600 and it was essentially new in the box. They come up frequently because it is a shotgun oriented site. Also the people there are just like they are here, so most will get along just fine. IN fact many people here (myself included) frequent both sites.

If you haven't figured it out by now I'm not a big fan of mutant guns. They are usually a solution looking for a problem to solve.

Here's pics of my gun and my .410 loader.

The right equipment makes everything more enjoyable because you can concentrate on what you are doing instead of fighting your equipment.

Makes sense huh?

Randy

[thekidd76]

Thanks for the info Randy. I've read through all the Ruger Gunsight Scout threads on this site and have seen your posts before. Great info there too. Thanks again.

Ron

[fecmech]

I love lever guns and I love shotguns but a 94 in .410 does not interest me in the least. As others have stated it doesn't point well for moving targets, the sights will turn you into an "aimer" which is how NOT to shoot a shotgun and the last few years of Winchesters production was really poor. If you want a repeater get a little .410 pump. They are less expensive, lighter and more practical for a young shooter to learn on IMO.

[thekidd76]

Now that all the feedback is pointing me in the same general direction, if anyone knows or hears of a .410 in O/U, pump or semi, please let me know.

Thanks!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Kidd: do check out www.trapshooters.com.

That is where you're going to find what you are looking for quickest.

Keep in mind this is a national site and anything good doesn't last for long.

MY gun had been on the site for a total of 13 minutes when I got it. There was an identical 28 ga from the same guy that lasted only 10 minutes. Last weekend a guy posted looking for a .410 skeet gun. One hour later someone answered his post with a Berretta .410. someone else bought it 1 minute after it was posted! The OP was left hanging.

Point being you jsut ahve to go there and look down the page until you find what you are looking for.

Randy.

[thekidd76]

I've already went and joined up after your first post. I'm over there now with the same name. Thanks.

[W.R.Buchanan]

An 870 in .410 just sold there today for $350.

I'm tellin' ya that's the place to be for shotguns.

Randy