.410 Infatuation at work

[Valmet]

My only .410 is an old H&R Topper. Simple, accurate as it needs to be and an absolute joy to carry in the woods. That said, I'd love to own a Winchester Model 42 someday.

 

[Faulkner]

My .410 side by side is my favorite shooting iron for small game. I've taken a zillion squirrels, cottontails and swampers with mine. Probably half a zillion crows too. Yeah, probably a 12 or 20 is more effective, but I don't care.

 

[oldrookey617]

Another old story, when I was around 10-11 years old, my father give me a bolt action 410, don't even know the brand, do's anyone know who made those ? that was around 55 years ago, maybe it was a Stevens, that thing was a great shooter, was my rabbit gun, was young and stupid, traded it for a side by side 410, and a 25 auto, they both shot like junk, bought 2 more 410's, both did not shoot like that one, If you have a good shooting 410 you better keep it, but I must have not learned much, I had 5 nice guns over the years, that I sold or traded, young & old, and still stupid.. after 66 years, I'm not selling or trading anymore of my good shooting guns..

 

[22lrfan]

I've got a couple of old .410 SxS's, a 1936 Iver Johnson Hercules and a 1949 Stevens 5100. They are fun to shoot but I have trouble hitting anything with them.

 

[erikpolcrack]

Another old story, when I was around 10-11 years old, my father give me a bolt action 410, do's anyone know who made those ? that was around 55 years ago, maybe it was a Stevens, that thing was great, was my rabbit gun, was stupid and traded it for a side by side 410, and a 25 auto, they both shot like junk, but I must have not learned much, I had 5 nice guns over the years, that I sold or traded, young & old, and still stupid.. after 66 years, I'm not selling or trading my good guns..

Most common were Savage/Stevens/Springfield or Mossberg. I think Marlin also made them. There were also several store brands made by one or the other company.

 

[Echo40]

I'd like one of those when mowing around my pond for the occasional water snake. My NAA Mini 22 mag with shot shells is currently pulling snake duty.

They definitely excel as snake guns, between all the pellets and the wide shot pattern you practically cannot miss.

If you're planning to carry it while mowing the lawn, then I would recommend the Public Defender Poly model since it's smaller, lighter, and easier to carry.

 

[oldrookey617]

I was young and just used it, I did not look at the brand, wished I would have, bought 3 more, they did not shoot like that one.. I got Remington & Federal shells with it, I remember the Remington had way more power..

 

[Fishinfool]

Lot of guys around here like the .410 for rabbit hunting with dogs. I have a .410 barrel for my Contender handgun that I use to take a couple Pheasants each year. Works well on flushing birds up to about 20 - 25 yards. At the top of their rise, before they start to fly hard usually does the job.

I wouldn't scoff at the "deadliness" of the .410 for close range SD use. In 1977, when I turned 18, I went to work for a small security & investigation service that was owned by a retired state trooper. His son, also a former trooper, was shot one time in the abdomen by a burglary suspect with a .410 while he was responding to a residential alarm.

The guy was on deaths door for about a year, survived, but never was able to go back to work. Scatter guns are nasty up close.

Larry

 

[smoothshooter]

I have a little .410 over-under. I use it mainly for jack rabbits and shooting pigeons out of the barn. That's about it. Pretty sure I wouldn't want to use it for law enforcement. But, that being said, it sure is a heckuva lot of fun to shoot!

Also...and maybe this is just in my area...but I haven't been able to find .410 ammo anywhere. And, in the off chance that I do, it ain't cheap!

I would think that some of the relatively new buckshot loads that hold 4 or 5 large buckshot would be pretty useful for "social problems ".

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I have my maternal grandfather's old Steven's single barrel .410. I shoot it once in a while just for fun. I had a few boxes of shells already then a buddy bought several boxes in a lot of estate sale junk and gave those to me - 3" Remington and Winchester #4s and 6s.
It's become quite popular to turkey hunt with a .410. With some of the heavi-shot loads guys are claiming effective 35-40 yard patterns. Mossberg is making a petite pump gun in Mossy Oak Bottomland camo that is kinda speaking to me...

 

[dwh]

I also like the 410 because it's a lot safer
around the farm buildings, I don't have to
worry about ricochets.[/QUOTE]

Safer is relative! I worked on several horse farms in high school and college. One day the bosses 13 year old son decided he's going to take care of some rats and mice in the feed barn. Well don't you know he shoots at something running across the metal barn door with a 410. He did manage to blow a 1in hole thru the middle of the barn door and blow the back widow out of the truck his dad was backing up with a load of feed.
Just because they're small doesn't mean it's not deadly. I never under estimate any cartridge after that day.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I shoot a 410 O/U and a 410 semi-auto......On my skeet field/dove field/squirrels and rabbit....WHEN--- I don't want to shoot the bigger stuff. I reload 410 2 1/2 in & 3 in on Mec loaders. Fun little guns to play with.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I would think that some of the relatively new buckshot loads that hold 4 or 5 large buckshot would be pretty useful for "social problems ".

410 slugs and buckshot are wienie( in velocity/accuracy and payload)compared to the bigger bores. To me these loads are "wannabe" and worthless.

 

[Skeet 028]

Luckily I reload and shoot 410s. Recently in the local auction I put some factory ammo in the auction...4 boxes. 2 were 2 1/2 inch Rem STS target loads the other 2 boxes were Federal 2 1/2 in 7 1/2s... field loads I don't know what they finished at but With 1 1/2 hours left they were at $110.. The auction had 4 or 5 410 shotguns and no 410 ammo...so I put 4 boxes in there...Not reloads...new Ridiculous prices

 

[Rudi]

The 410 has it's place.

 

[Mike0251]

I shoot 4 gauges in skeet. The .410 is a hoot to shoot. High game to date is a 24. I'll get that 25 this year! I also reload for all so ammo is not an issue.

 

[Swiftflyer]

My first firearm was a Stevens 311 double 410 that Dad gave me about 60 years ago. I still have it, still shoot it, and still enjoy it. Little shotgun has downed a good many pheasants, quail, and dove over the years although it is a bit more challenging than a 20 or a 12 gauge.

 

[gdogs]

At present my only 410 is a Winchester 42... that will likely change with the new KSG 410. As to whether or not a 410 is capable of doing what a 20 or 12 will do... of course it won't. There is however no question that a 3" 410 buckshot load will kill an intruder. How much more dead do you need someone breaking into your house? Don't believe me, do you trust Paul Harrell? His meat target tests are quite conclusive... don't get shot in the chest with 410 buckshot.

 

[Hawg Rider]

I can understand the interest in .410s...they are a lot of fun and easy to shoot. And guns like the S&W Governor, Taurus Judge, and Mossberg Shockwave have reinvigorated the .410. I have only purchased two .410s over the years, and both went to my Father-in-Law. He had some property here in Florida and had some issues with armadillos and other small 4-legged intruders. The first .410 I bought for him was a barely used 1960s wood stocked Mossberg 500 pump with C-lect choke for $200. Unfortunately, my FIL couldn't safely master operating the pump action, so he returned it to me (that shotgun went to my youngest son). A few years later I found a brand new wood stocked Stoeger Condor .410 O/U at my local gun store for $300 (Stoeger is owned by Beretta/Benelli and this shotgun was made in Brazil). My FIL really liked the Condor, but it turned out that a Deputy Sheriff moved in to the adjacent property and frowned on discharging firearms in the neighborhood. You guessed it, the Condor came back to me. I still have it and it's a great little shotgun. It's light, fast, and comfortable to shoot...I can see the attraction.

 

[max503]

I grew up with a Savage 410/22. There were times the 410 barrel went off by (my) mistake, when I meant for the 22 barrel to fire.
It is amazing how far a well aimed 410 shot can reach out. The pattern is small but I've had #5 shot loads reach rabbits a long ways off in the snow. Longer than I thought it would reach. I'd love to have a 410 SxS.