.410 Question

[spooney]

I had a customer ask me for 3.5 inch .410 shells. I told him we didn't have any and made the off hand comment that I had never heard of a .410 in that size, he proceded to tell me that you can find them they are just really rare. Is this true or was the guy wrong?

[kudu]

I don't believe that there has ever been a 3.5" .410 shell made. I know of no guns that were ever chambered for the shell at least. Yes, I believe they are very rare.:rolleyes:

[mnrivrat]

Well since 3 & 1/2 " .410 shells were never made as far as I know, I suppose they would be rather hard to find these days. :D

[Dave McCracken]

The original 410 had a case length of about 2.25", very soon lengthened to 2.5.

The 3" case evolved before 1930, but the first common shotgun for it was the Winchester Model 42, circa 1932.

I've never seen a 3.5" 410. and hopefully that will continue.....

[Okiecruffler]

My pop is abit of a 410 expert. He uses 2.5" shells because he says the 3 inch shells just don't pattern consistantly enough for good hits. If that's true I can only imagine what a 3.5" would do. Besides, it would look downright silly.

[MCgunner]

That must be the new "Ultimag" version for shooting geese at high altitude. :rolleyes: :D

[mp510]

uses 2.5" shells because he says the 3 inch shells just don't pattern consistantly enough for good hits.

I hunt with .410 3" (small game) and it works just fine with a full choke.

The longest .410 shells thet I have ever heard of are 3". Those are also the longest available. The most recent .410 innovation was 3" slugs by Winchester.

[spooney]

I thought the guy was mistaken, and I sure couldn't find any mention of it anywhere. I appreciate the expertise.

[sm]

.

[Tom Held]

I probably have the shortest 410 shells. A number of British companies make a 2" shot cartridge for 410s. Fun to shoot but pretty challenging on skeet. Not too expensive, about $5.00 a box.

[Dave McCracken]

Tom, if anyone had a 2" 410, it'd be you. How do they work through that 42?

As a guess, the 2" 410 was a garden gun type load for pest control.

[Okiecruffler]

Alot of the enfield rifles were rebarreled to a 2 inch 410 shell. I have one here, but I don't have a 410 reloader so I've been unable to shoot it.

[Tom Held]

Dave,

I think I could shuck through almost anything in the 42. I've used them on dove but anything past 20 yards is free bird. I usually shoot them in an old 1894 410 hammer gun. I'll bring a box out to PG sometime. I'm headed to Milwaukee for the NRA convention this morning. Probably back at PG next Tuesday. I'm three weeks behind in the Red Duck League.

Tom

[Dave McCracken]

20 yards,Tom? Pest control for sure. I'd like to see that old hammer gun sometime.

Fridays are when I usually get to the range. Hope to see you sometime.

[shooter429]

Perhaps the customer was getting the .410 and 12 Ga. ads confused. Yikes! Anyway, 3" is as large as I can find in .410

Shooter429

[Gohon]

My pop is abit of a 410 expert. He uses 2.5" shells because he says the 3 inch shells just don't pattern consistantly enough for good hits.

Your pop is correct, especially when using very small shot such as 7.5 & 9. The 3 inch shot column is so small and long that the front shot in the column becomes very deformed and the patter goes to hell and a hand basket at longer distance which affects anyone hunting birds with a 410. Larger shot such as 4,5, & 6 that is used on game such as rabbits and squirrels is not much of a problem.

[sm]

;)

More of that Art and Science Brister shared in regard to payload to bore ratio, shot deformity...

FWIW did you know a 2.5" .410 will throw the same pattern size as a 12 bore using target loads similar as can? Yep, sure will. Get # 9 skeet loads for a .410 and 12 bore and shoot them both at 21 yardsand see for yourself.

For those not familar with skeet: The .410 target load is a 2.5" shell , and 21 yard is the distance from the stations you shoot from to center stake where targets fly over.

Don't spill the beans those that know...

Q. If these two target loads using #9, shot throw the "same" - then why is it harder to shoot a straight using a .410? :)

[ARTiger]

Q. If these two target loads using #9, shot throw the "same" - then why is it harder to shoot a straight using a .410?

A. Pattern density. While the circumference of a 2.5" .410 may be similar to a 2.75" 12 ga., the 12 ga. obviously has many more pellets in that pattern.

If it were otherwise I know some guys that hunt dove in Argentina that'd have invented fully-auto clip fed .410's years ago :)

[brentwal]

Ask him to bring in his 3.5" chambered .410. :evil: