Chokes for a .410

[foesgth]

Have any of you folks sent a barrel out to have chokes installed? I picked up a Mossberg 500 .410 a year ago. I really enjoy shooting it but the full choke is just too tight.
I would like to get a skeet choke and I think I might like to play with some slugs so a cylinder would be nice. I checked Briley and they will thread the barrel for $350 which is more than the gun cost.
This year has not been kind to my finances so I would like to find a less expensive solution. Do the shotgun genius types here have any ideas or a winning lottery ticket to send me?

[Texas by God]

Remove and reinstall the bead about 3" back and cut 2-1/2" of the barrel off- instant cylinder choke. I have 3 .410s - one cylinder choke,one modified, and one full. The cylinder choke one gets used more often with not much difference noted in performance.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[Geezer in NH]

[Milky Duck]

DONT DO IT.....I have used and loved the wee .410 for the last 43 years....you need choke to keep that tiny amount of shot on target..... rabbits at 25 yards or ducks or geese are all fine with a tight choke...open that choke up and it will wound more than cleanly kill. you can fire buckshot through a full choke and it will work fine...BECAUSE buckshot is like little fluffy ducklings all in a row....they are inline and stay that way....slugs are made so they will fit out of a full choke barrel...but seriously buckshot is a much better option,you get a bigger payload,my experience with the few Ive fired is they pattern well...I would go so far to say better than a .12ga

[Rich/WIS]

Would be a fixed choke but it may be possible to find a gunsmith service that can hone the choke larger, maybe modified or improved cylinder.

[Milky Duck]

opening out a choke is very easy to do at home with the tools in the average garage...but tightening it back up again isnt so simple....
the wee .410 is very sensitive to changes in load itself...to get a more open pattern is very easy to do by simply changing load...be aware there are 2 1/2" loads made by rio...that hold LESS than half an oz of shot..right up to loads that hold 3/4oz now one of my .410s would put a better killing pattern at 25 yards with half oz of #4s than with 3/4oz of #6s which seems all **** about face...but it is what it is..none of them have liked #7 lead..but were fine with #6 or #8 you just have to pattern them...and do so at 25 yards.

[trapper9260]

opening out a choke is very easy to do at home with the tools in the average garage...but tightening it back up again isnt so simple....
the wee .410 is very sensitive to changes in load itself...to get a more open pattern is very easy to do by simply changing load...be aware there are 2 1/2" loads made by rio...that hold LESS than half an oz of shot..right up to loads that hold 3/4oz now one of my .410s would put a better killing pattern at 25 yards with half oz of #4s than with 3/4oz of #6s which seems all **** about face...but it is what it is..none of them have liked #7 lead..but were fine with #6 or #8 you just have to pattern them...and do so at 25 yards.

This is right one , I have played with powder and shot and I had increase the 2 1/2 of shot from 1/2 oz to 3/4 oz and 3 from 3/4 oz to 1oz , all shoot well at 20 yards for pattern. That is with 7 1/2 shot if I remember right . I also played with buck shot and it done the same that is full choke .

[Outpost75]

Measure the muzzle diameter with a ball mike or plug gages, then also measure bore diameter behind the choke cone before the taper starts. Usually the choke cone is a gradual taper starting about 2 inches behind the muzzle. A typical full choke in a .410 is .390" whereas a skeet choke will be only about 0.010" constriction from bore diameter. Bore diameter behind the choke varies greatly depending upon the country of origin and vintage of the gun and could be anywhere from .430 to .410".

I recommend trimming the muzzle back in 1/2" increments, checking inside diameter with plug gages and firing test patterns at 25 yards with skeet loads after deburring and chamfering each cut. You don't want to remove the entire choke, but only some of the choke taper at the muzzle until you get the results you want. My Beretta SB1 has a chromed bore which can't be reamed, but trimming an inch off the muzzle enlarged the choke diameter from .395 to .405" which gives 0.015" constriction from its .420" bore diameter and Improved Cylinder performance..

[Milky Duck]

outpost....... the bakails made in Russia are a classic example,they are tighter in the bore than most other brands,mate decided he wanted the old mans SxS opened out to 1/4 choke in both barrels,the back yard gunsmith started chopping off 1/4" at a time and checking using choke guage....then got to a point that said 1/4 choke...except he didnt realise he now actually had ZERO choking as entire bore was at that size...I played with single barrel bakail and deliberately took off all the choke,then put back in a old school jug choke using primative methods...lpg burner and ball pien hammer NOT RECOMMENDED... but it worked and still works well...having very heavy barrel sidewalls helped my primative methods of heat and beat...

[Tripplebeards]

I was just at Dunham's sports a few weeks back in Door County. They had a escort camouflaged pump 410 for $279 with screw in chokes. It’s drilled and tapped for a red dot or optics. Almost bought it but there is ZERO 410 ammo to be found. When I have seen it the ammo costs about 4 times more than 12 gauge. Not like when I was a kid. I remember 410 ammo was 1/2 the price of 12 and 20 gauge…or at least a couple bucks less. I bought a 100 trap loads of 12 gauge for $19/$22 a pack last fall from Walmart. A box of 25 410 file l loads is the same price…no thanks. If it were me and I wanted a 410 with a choke I’d buy a complete brand new gun that accepts chokes for less than any custom work would cost. You at least have another gun for the money spent vs custom work that won’t bring up the value of the firearm. I use to be the guy who always sent in my guns to have tons of custom work. I’d rather buy a gun that doesn’t need to be sent out now…if I can’t do it myself. They also have semi auto Hatfield 410s for $324

https://www.dunhamssports.com/escort...tml?cgid=00155

[GBertolet]

I suggest using Mike Orlen. He is very reasonable, and turnaround time is usually less than a week. I have had two guns done by him, and one of them was a .410. https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads.../#post-4693354 If you belong to shotgunworld forum, you can get an additional discount.

[BLAHUT]

I WOULD LEAVE IT ALONE>> I HAVE A FEW .410s ALL FULL, LOAD SENSITIVE, FIND ONE THE GUNE LIKES AND STAY WITH THAT, HAVE SHOT SLUGS THROUGH WITH NO PROBLEM<< ACCURCY, WELL THATS ANOTHER SUBJECT WITH SLUGS??

[Der Gebirgsjager]

You don't see many treads where all the posts are right, but this is one of them. The choke is determined by the first few inches of barrel back from the muzzle. You can remove the choke and have a cylinder bore, but we're talking about a .410 here and there isn't that much shot coming out so the resultant pattern will be thin. Once you take it off you can't put it back on if you don't like it. At that point the option will present itself that you can have the barrel threaded and use screw-in chokes, but as noted the gunsmithing job will cost more than the gun is worth. So the logical thing to do is to leave the shotgun in its present configuration and buy a 20 Ga. Man! What a wonderful decision to have to make!

DG

[Kylongrifle]

I suggest using Mike Orlen. He is very reasonable, and turnaround time is usually less than a week. I have had two guns done by him, and one of them was a .410. https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads.../#post-4693354 If you belong to shotgunworld forum, you can get an additional discount.

I send this, Orlen does excellent work and is very reasonable

[toallmy]

Even though the 410 will be much harder to find another barrel reasonable priced ,against say the 12 or 20 one of the things I love about the 500 is extra barrels as well as anything else you need to replace .

[foesgth]

Even though the 410 will be much harder to find another barrel reasonable priced ,against say the 12 or 20 one of the things I love about the 500 is extra barrels as well as anything else you need to replace .

I started looking for an extra barrel when I got the gun. Mossberg has been out all that time. The ones on fleabay and gunbroker reflect that shortage. A new barrel from Mossberg retails for $125 on fleabay $300 plus. I guess it is like primers I am not hard up enough to spend the money yet.

I need to find a source of cheap dinner plates. 8" skeet...I could hit those...maybe.

I'm not yet loading 410. When I got the gun I bought a case of Winchester AAs to get started. Just after that a buddy said he had a little 410 ammo and no longer had his gun. When I went by he gave me 3 cases of shells. I have been living the high life shooting store bought ammo!!! I have become frustrated with all the component shortages. It seems every time I see a load I want to try I have the wad but not the powder or the powder but not the wad. I know with 12 and 20 working the patterning board I got load where even I could hit stuff. I guess I need to get off of my ever expanding rear and get it done.

I really appreciate all the great info. I just need to do what Uncle Doug told me a long time ago. Just count the ones that break when they hit the ground and you will get some great scores.

[Deadcenter]

If you can find some reloading equipment for the 410 at a decent price, you will find you can do almost as much with wad changes to control your pattern. BPI has a small gauge loading manual with some great loads for the 410. using some innovative wads.

[Milky Duck]

I started looking for an extra barrel when I got the gun. Mossberg has been out all that time. The ones on fleabay and gunbroker reflect that shortage. A new barrel from Mossberg retails for $125 on fleabay $300 plus. I guess it is like primers I am not hard up enough to spend the money yet.

I need to find a source of cheap dinner plates. 8" skeet...I could hit those...maybe.

I'm not yet loading 410. When I got the gun I bought a case of Winchester AAs to get started. Just after that a buddy said he had a little 410 ammo and no longer had his gun. When I went by he gave me 3 cases of shells. I have been living the high life shooting store bought ammo!!! I have become frustrated with all the component shortages. It seems every time I see a load I want to try I have the wad but not the powder or the powder but not the wad. I know with 12 and 20 working the patterning board I got load where even I could hit stuff. I guess I need to get off of my ever expanding rear and get it done.

I really appreciate all the great info. I just need to do what Uncle Doug told me a long time ago. Just count the ones that break when they hit the ground and you will get some great scores.

I only have an OLD OLD OLD LEE whackamole loader for the 410 and in my limited experience.....its not hard or fussy to load for....I have broken most of the rules without mishap... the same charge of win 748 works for 1/2oz in short case as for the 3/4oz load in long case....or 5 balls of buckshot ..... Ive swapped cases around without issues. being a break open gun I can get away with rough crimps too.... have a look in loading manual..... its as simple or complicated as you want to make it.

[Geezer in NH]

I suggest using Mike Orlen. He is very reasonable, and turnaround time is usually less than a week. I have had two guns done by him, and one of them was a .410. https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads.../#post-4693354 If you belong to shotgunworld forum, you can get an additional discount.

see post #3

[jimb16]

Mike Orlen did a Mossberg .410 for me. I was very pleased with his work. And he can supply you with the tubes that you want too!