.410 Shotgun

[bd1]

What's the purpose of the .410?

I know....to each his own and all that, but I'm just wondering what purpose the .410 serves in this day and time.

Has anyone ever done any research on the .410? Why was it developed? What niche did it/does it fill then and even today?

I read that they are hard to shoot unless you are an accomplished shooter. I guess they are talking about skeet or trap. They're not really good guns for kids as you might expect....the pattern is so close they're hard to hit with.

Along with the old revolver I purchased a Stevens SxS .410 double barrel- just because the price was right and side-by-side shotguns are getting hard to find.

I read that grouse hunters admire the .410. But what are it's other purposes?

What's up with the .410?

bd

[SLCDave]

I don't know, but they can be a lot of fun. We shot clay pigeons with an old single shot one in years past. I don't know that it was that hard, per se.

[einheit 13]

Originally Posted by bd1

What's the purpose of the .410?

I know....to each his own and all that, but I'm just wondering what purpose the .410 serves in this day and time.

Has anyone ever done any research on the .410? Why was it developed? What niche did it/does it fill then and even today?

I read that they are hard to shoot unless you are an accomplished shooter. I guess they are talking about skeet or trap. They're not really good guns for kids as you might expect....the pattern is so close they're hard to hit with.

Along with the old revolver I purchased a Stevens SxS .410 double barrel- just because the price was right and side-by-side shotguns are getting hard to find.

I read that grouse hunters admire the .410. But what are it's other purposes?

What's up with the .410?

bd

to shoot slugs and 45LCs........gentile, good for small game. Thats all I hunt rabbits with, when I can't take the AK with me........o yea...my 410 is an AK

[mcb]

I love the 410. Specificly the Winchester 9410, a Winchester 94 chamber for the 2.5 inch 410 shell. I have written quite a bit on the 9410 and 410 slugs on my web page.

http://my.stratos.net/~thedump/

Another real good resource for all things 410:

http://www.4-10.co.uk/

A good summary of the 410 here:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/410bore.htm
(I don't agree with all of Chuck's opinions but good info none-the-less.)

Personally I think the 410 is a great gun to start kids on to learn to shot the shotgun. No you do not want to let a new shooter hunt or shoot trap or skeet competitively with a 410. But it is a good gun to introduce a new shooter to shotguns with.

Go out in a big open field with a hand trap or your portable trap thrower turn way down so the birds move real slow. It is then the perfect gun to teach shooting at a moving target. If the clays are moving slow the shooter has plenty of time to shoot while they are still within the effective range of the 410. The recoil is nearly nonexistent and if your still worried about recoil for the very young you can use 2.5 inch shell rather than 3 inch shells. It won't scare or hurt the kid and they can learn the basics of swing, target picture and trigger control in a controlled environment at simple targets.

Once they are use to it you can move them up to a 28 gauge or 20 gauge depending on their recoil tolerance and turn up the speed and distance on the clay birds. It’s like teaching kids the fundamental of sight alignment and trigger squeeze in your basement with a Red Rider BB gun before moving on to the 22lr and bigger.

Beyond that 410 are just fun. I hunted every thing but turkey with my Win 9410 for the last three years or so. I have hunted Squirrel, Rabbit, Grouse, and even Whitetail Deer. Nothing is nicer than dumping a whole box of shell in you hunting coat and not even noticing they are there. Try this with a box of 12 gauge. With the 410 and it limited performance you must stretch your other skills to compensate. You have to be closer, shoot finer and have better woods skills to hunt successfully with the 410. This is not for every hunter. You also need good disapline not to over stretch the 410 and result in wounded game. This is not easy for many hunters and there for the 410 should not be used by all hunters. That said if it fits your goals and you can hunt within it limitation then hunting with the 410 can be very satisfying.

I have shot quite a bit of skeet in my time not enough to be super completive but I am decent at the game. I have one perfect round of skeet with my 12 gauge Browning Citori, my average is usually 21-23. But the satisfaction of the perfect round pales in comparison to the satisfaction of shooting a 23 with my Win 9410. That includes the doubles while cycling that lever action. Dang that was a good day at the range.

Another time one of the guys I was shooting with was bragging up his Browning Citori 410 and at the same time talking down about how stupid those "new Winchester 9410' were. At hearing that I put my own Citori back in its case and got the Win 9410 out for the next round and put him to task. That time I only shot a 21 but he shot a 16 with a gun that cost four times what my 9410 cost. He was noticeably annoyed I had out shot him with the 9410, another amusing and good day at the range.

The 410 seems to have a reputation like Glocks, most people either love it or hate it. There are few people in the middle ground. I am squarely in the ‘love it’ camp and part of this is simple it is what it is and that is why I like it.

Ramblin’
mcb

[Old School]

I thought there was a law against Dungeon Masters owning firearms?

[mcb]

Originally Posted by Old School

I thought there was a law against Dungeon Masters owning firearms?

That would depend on the game. We usually play D&D, but we have for a short time switched to Battletech, Heavy Gear, Shadowrun, and a few other games that involve modern weapons. :P

Thanks for lookin'
mcb

[GAshooter]

Well me personally i love the .410 and i own a Baikal that only cost me $89.00 BRANDNEW. Well people usually hunt small game , mostly rabbits with the .410. Its a great beginner gun and it was the first firearm i was ever to shoot! Overall its a cheap, fun gun that doesn't cost a mint to shoot! And not to mention just about always loved by all bird and small game huuters.


Blake.

[bd1]

Thanks for all the insights and information on this unique ammo. I plan to try to get well acquainted with this gun as soon as possible. I have an idea it will become a handy tool around the house for dispatching unwelcome critters which invade occasionally.

I'm going to try to get my wife comfortable with this shotgun for a self-defense piece. She is not particularly fond of firearms so I have to be careful about how I approach her with something new.

She's now fairly proficient with a 20ga. single shot shotgun but I'm planning on keeping this .410 close at hand, so I'm going to see if I can get her to "warm up" to it a little. Maybe I can convince her it's "cuter".

Again, thanks for filling me in on the .410.

bd