.410 anybody?

Born2BWild

Born2BWild

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I've always wanted to get a single shot .410, just because I always thought they were neat little guns. They do nicley on most small game species, and just the overal fun of shooting the smaller shells. I'm just looking for general opinions of those who have had experience with them. So anything you can tell me about them will be appriciated. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

B2BW
 
My cousin has one. I really don't care for them. There's just not enough shot there to reach out to any real range. Of course, I am a rifle guy, so I like being able to reach out. If it were me, I'd skip a .410 and get a 20ga or something. But, if it were me, I'd probably be looking at a new varmint rifle, not a shotgun. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

That's my take. Not enough mass there to be very effective. Of course, you could get a derringer. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
It's much less expensive to shoot a 20 and your into a gauge that can be used for so much more shooting. I started my grand daughter with a Rem 870 youth and she's got a turkey with it this spring. A 410 couldn't do that. The 410 may be neat, but your really limited when it comes to what you can effectively hunt with one.
 
Thats true, I didn't think about ammo costs. My first gun was a 20ga pump. I've gotten ducks and 2 turkeys with it and yea, they are good little guns. About how much does a box of ammo run at?

B2BW
 
average $10/ box for .410

I just bought my 6 year old son a H&R Topper Youth in 20ga. You can then send back just the rear stock/reciever and have it fitted with different ga barrels. I am going to send it in a get a 28 ga barrel for it. Cost for the additional barrel is $42

I know the costs of 28 ga ammo are high, but this barrel will not be used much and is just a transissions until he can shoot a full load 20ga.

The 410 is a handicap shotgun best left to advanved shotgunners and it is a dis-service to give them to a youth.

Now if it was just used for plinking and such...go for it.
 
I have a .410 that has been passed down from my grandfather. Good shooting little gun...killed lots of squirrels, crows, black birds, armidillos, quite a few hogs (most shooting slugs), and other small game. My preference with a small caliber was the Savage O/U - .22 / 20 gauge that I bought when I was 12 or 13. This was a real good gun of all of my hunting. When the Fox or Gray Squirrels are in the top of real tall pine trees, switch to the .22...bang - pop - thud. I started shooting a .22 for almost all of my small game hunting by the time I was 15 or 16 and still do today, some 40 years later.
 
i have an H & R Topper Jr. Model, my brother uses it and it has a permanent full choke. i love it and so does he. we got 5 squirrels with it this weekend
 
i grew up shooting a 410 single and got to be quite a shot on rabbits with it. Just remember, you get one shot and that shell doesnt carry near what a 20 or 12 does. When my step-son started hunting I took him to buy a gun. He picked out a 410 and I tried like hell to talk him out of it. the next year he was too big for it and I had to buy him an 870. Maybe he had it all planned out...lol.
 
I have a single-shot 410 thats been passed down in our family. I use it for grouse and squirrels. Its works good around here, the shots are close. A box of 3" shells goes about $10-$12, and 2 1/2" I found at $6.47. The 2 1/2" shells are 6 shot so there isn't many bb's, I just use them for practice. I would buy a 20 ga. over a 410, just for the added range and power. The 410 is good but I would get a 20 first.
 
I really like a .410 and have had several around all my life. I much prefer the 3" full choke. You have to shoot them like a rifle with a full choke tight pattern. It also helps them reach out a little more. Yes it may not be the best for a kid to learn and ammo does cost more. That makes the 20 look more appealing. I tried the .28 and it just didn't do it for me, The 12 is better and even cheaper. A .410 & 12 guage and I'm happy.
 
Quote:
I really like a .410 and have had several around all my life. I much prefer the 3" full choke. You have to shoot them like a rifle with a full choke tight pattern. It also helps them reach out a little more. Yes it may not be the best for a kid to learn and ammo does cost more. That makes the 20 look more appealing. I tried the .28 and it just didn't do it for me, The 12 is better and even cheaper. A .410 & 12 guage and I'm happy.



I agree with Tripod. I have had a 410 for 50 years and use it for grouse and skunks. When I have a "problem" with some critter around the ranch buildings at night, it's the 410 that goes out the door with me. I just gave a 410 to one of my grandsons and he promptly went out and got his first grouse with it. They have their place.
 
If it is your first shotgun you should get a 20 gauge. Thats the best gauge to start at. But yeah 410s are a great fun little gun. Man its crazy trying to do trap with em though.
 
Thanks for all the info, I'll definatley take into consideration everything everyone has said! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

B2BW
 
My grandpa has one that i use to hunt squirrels and rabbits with. i use 3 inch shells and it works great for squirrels.

20 gauge would be more versatile because you could use it for ducks and geese and even deer with slugs.
 
My first gun was a .410 that was "loaned" to me by my Grandpa. It was all I used for 2 years. I literally wiped out the flock of quail that stayed on our farm, as well as taking too many cottontails & jack rabbits to count. Even managed to take a few pheasants the 2nd winter. My mom got real tired of cooking my wild food, let me tell ya. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Thirty-two years later, there's times I wish I still had that old single-shot. It now resides in my dad's gun cabinet & hasn't been shot in about 5 years. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Except for those couple years I "borrowed" it, my Grandpa always kept it behind his front door {loaded!}, in case of intruders. Never seen him have to use it for that purpose, but I did see him use it quite a lot on small game & skunks/coons that raided his chickens. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Quote:
I've always wanted to get a single shot .410, just because I always thought they were neat little guns. They do nicley on most small game species, and just the overal fun of shooting the smaller shells. I'm just looking for general opinions of those who have had experience with them. So anything you can tell me about them will be appriciated. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

B2BW



When I was a kid my dad started me out on a .410 single shot. Got my first limit of doves with that gun. I have a Western Field pump .410 in the gun case now. Haven't shot it in years. Probably hasn't had 3 oxes of shells through it. I'm going to use it on racoons this year and other smaller game. Yes, expensive, but it brings back memories of my youth.

Tony /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
My dad bought me a .410 when I was 9, and I hated it because I was already shooting a 12ga. at this point. I really felt undergunned. I still have it and shoot snakes with it, thats about all it does anymore. I will admit though I did take quite a few gray squirells and cottontails, and 1 gray fox beleive it or not
 
I started with a J.C. Higgins .22LR/.410 over/under (probably made by Savage?), and wish it was still around. Some thief in WA took it from a locked car.

I've got a single shot contender 21" barrel .410 that I use for grouse. I've used the 410 on rabbit, grouse, chuckar, quail and pheasant. I think alot of us started with the small guage back when its shells were cheap or at least reasonable. But it's really not the greatest shotgun for beginners except for the low recoil. A 20ga. is better. But I still like the .410

I've also got a 10" .410 barrel for my contenders (legal in some states). Shooting grouse on the wing with that gun in the pistol format is quite a challenge.

I think maybe the .410 is like the rimfires, very useful for certain things, but don't push it to far.
 
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