Howland937
Member
That's something I've never owned, but always wanted. I've had a couple of LW and LT 20's, countless 12ga 1100's...even a 16 once upon a time. .410 and 28 were high on my wish list years ago.
Why would I want a .410
- Thread starter NorthBorder
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ozarkhillbilly
Member
I never saw a need for a 410 until I ended up with one, now I will always have one. They are great varmint/pest control guns.
FL-NC
Member
I have a 410 wingmaster I used as a kid, I used it again many years ago for squirrel a time or 2. My wife inherited a 410 topper, which sits at the ready in the event of rattlesnakes around the house. Otherwise, I use bigger bore shotguns to actually hunt.
Riomouse911
Member
I could’ve used that Topper out at a motor cycle
race in Lake Havasu this weekend... while chalking out the parking area on Thursday I was walking towards the guy helping me and I came within about four feet of stepping right on this guy, a 3 1/2’ Western.
Luckily it was getting cool in the evening and he wasn’t jumpy enough to get mad. We had three others killed in the parking lot this weekend, one was found coiled up in the dually tires of a motor home!
Maybe an old “ Snakecharmer” .410 would’ve been better.
Stay safe.
Riomouse911
Member
I love the 1100’s
. The only bummer about my 1100 .410 is mine has only been reliable with 3” shells. Other guys have said theirs run on 2 1/2” ones, but I haven’t had that luck. A 16 and 28 would round out my 1100’s... if they were a but more reasonable I’d love to nab them.
Stay safe.
entropy
Member
Tri-Star makes an auto 28. At @$300, I almost bought one for sub-gauge events, and a back-up pheasant gun.
To me, the .410 is a great 'bumping around the fields" gun. I had a Noble 80 semi auto .410, great little squirrel and rabbit gun. I picked up an H&R single-shot in .410 many years ago, there was a time when it was the only gun I owned. My older son now has it as his "bumping around the fields" gun, since he'd been using it for that since he was about 7 or 8.
Now, I'd like a Win. 42 for sub-gauge shoots, though my 16 SxS qualifies for that. I do have a Cobray .45/.410 SxS derringer, but even 2 1/2" shells make it open upon firing. I usually shoot loaded down .45 Colt rounds on the rare occasions I shoot it.
MacAR
Member
I know a lot of guys that use a 410 for squirrel hunting, especially in competition hunts. They swear by them, too. I own exactly one 410, a Winchester M37 single shot; wouldn't even own it if it wasn't part of a set of M37's. It is a very nice gun, and shoots great. But, the 410 cartridge does not impress me. That little shot load just doesn't cut it in tall timber. Yes, I know, it's an "experts" gun; guess I'm just not an expert. But I don't hunt for my health, I hunt for meat. And I've seen the 410, when used by someone with little experience, wound far more critters than it's killed. I've also seen some damn good shots made with 410s. But let me be honest with you: if I'm going to carry a shotgun in the squirrel woods, I'm taking my M12 16 gauge. I just can't seem to miss with it, and that ounce and eighth of sixes just seems to knock things out farther than it should.
Mac
Mac
J-Bar
Member
I fell in love with the .410 as a teenager when I borrowed my grandfather’s Winchester Model 42 pump for a dove hunt. Picking my shots carefully, I got my limit of 15 in one box of shells. When Papa passed the 42 went to his son, my Uncle, who used it regularly. When Browning brought out their version of the Model 42 in the 1990s, I bought one and hunted successfully with it. My Uncle passed in 2017 so now I have both Model 42s. I don’t bird hunt often these days, but they still get exercise at a skeet range a few times a year. I even shot a round of sporting clays with one and broke more birds than I expected to.
I agree with those who say the only reason to have a .410 is because you want one. No further justification is needed. (But if you need more they feel like magic wands in your hands.).
The Winchester 42, from 1938:
Browning 42 from 1991:
I agree with those who say the only reason to have a .410 is because you want one. No further justification is needed. (But if you need more they feel like magic wands in your hands.
).The Winchester 42, from 1938:
Browning 42 from 1991:
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I use 3' magnum in #4 shot or larger to reach the top of the trees. I've had buddies hunting with me that were using #8 shot in a .410 & it wouldn't reach the bush in front of them. LOL
MacAR
Member
Yep, seen that happen. And I've used #4's in a 410 too, but they just don't "suit" me I guess. As another member said:
If it works for some, then more power to 'em; I've never had any luck with them when I go out, but maybe that's because I've never had a "good" one. All of mine have been single shots, and one Mossberg pump that had the lovely habit of shooting a foot low and six inches right. Guess I'll just stick with my bigger guns for now, until M42 Winchesters become affordable anyway.
Mac
JCooperfan1911
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The .410 isn’t just for kids anymore. They make a solid gun even for an adult.
mcb
Member
I have shot the cowboy crap out of mine. Hunted everything from doves to deer with it. The only easy way I could hunt deer with a lever-gun in Ohio back before they allowed straight-wall rifle cases. Brenneke slugs really bring the performance in the slug department. Did alot of rabbit hunting with it too. I shot my only triple crown of squirrel hunting too, taking a Red, two Grey, and three Fox squirrel on in the same day from the same stand of oak. Cycling the lever on the double on the skeet field with it is a lot of fun too after you talked the crotchety old guys down off the high-house thinking you were going to shoot skeet with grandpa's 30-30.
Bull Nutria
Member
I purchased a Yildiz SXS 410 from Academy Sports. It is a very handy and light gun to carry. I used it on squirrels but i found I was limited on range. However I took it rabbit hunting with some #3in #6 reloads and it performed perfectly. It is a 30 yd gun max especially on fast moving targets. It is truly an experts gun. the shot load is very small.
Bull
Bull
Does anyone else like seeing the words, ".410, 870, dove, quail, limited out" all in one sentence? That made my night.
A .410 side-by-side is the BMW R65 of shotguns. Short frame, handy, maneuverable, reliable, fun. (Never should've sold that motorcycle!)
Barbaroja
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First I will say that wanting it is reason enough in my book if it floats your boat then get after it.
Personally, I’ve never had a good experience hunting with one despite really hoping it would work for me. I had a cheap single shot that had an improved cylinder barrel. Now I’m fully willing to accept that perhaps I just haven’t tried a quality gun but even so, It just wouldn’t work for hunting squirrels( majority of my small game hunting) where I live.
I’m in western Washington where most of the trees are massive Douglas firs and my average shot is 40+ yards and to reliably get a squirrel drt at those distances I use a 12ga 1 1/4 oz of #4 through a full choke and still tend to only get a few hits on the squirrels. I need my squirrels drt because of how thick the undergrowth can be in these rainforests it can be very hard to find a squirrel if it hits the ground with any life left in it.
“Tall timber” means different things depending on where your at.
Long story short 410s are cool get one and shoot stuff that’s near you.
Personally, I’ve never had a good experience hunting with one despite really hoping it would work for me. I had a cheap single shot that had an improved cylinder barrel. Now I’m fully willing to accept that perhaps I just haven’t tried a quality gun but even so, It just wouldn’t work for hunting squirrels( majority of my small game hunting) where I live.
I’m in western Washington where most of the trees are massive Douglas firs and my average shot is 40+ yards and to reliably get a squirrel drt at those distances I use a 12ga 1 1/4 oz of #4 through a full choke and still tend to only get a few hits on the squirrels. I need my squirrels drt because of how thick the undergrowth can be in these rainforests it can be very hard to find a squirrel if it hits the ground with any life left in it.
“Tall timber” means different things depending on where your at.
Long story short 410s are cool get one and shoot stuff that’s near you.
I've killed many squirrels and rabbits with 410 when I was a kid/teenager. Hitting running rabbits is not that difficult. Killed lots of quail too. I was a pretty good shot in those days and hungry so I made them count. Single shot also makes you work to be sure before you pull the trigger. Shot mostly singlwe shot until I graduated to a Stevens SxS. I've been looking for a pump or O/U, but unwilling to pay the high asking price. The Rem 870s and the Browning BPS sell quickly.
To our OP......buy both 410 and 12ga, the 410 for nostalgia/fun and the 12 for practicality/fun. Then start the hunt for ammo. Better yet, start ammo search immediately.
To our OP......buy both 410 and 12ga, the 410 for nostalgia/fun and the 12 for practicality/fun. Then start the hunt for ammo. Better yet, start ammo search immediately.
When I was competing in skeet, I'd practice periodically with .410. It would be an attitude adjustment and it would show up bad habits I may have developed with the larger gauges.
The .410-2-1/2" 1/2 ounce skeet loads suck for hunting but it is good practice on the clay fields for hunting with 3" .410 ammunition.
Besides my tubed skeet gun, I have a couple O/U guns in .410 including a Browning Cynergy and a 725 Citori.
The .410-2-1/2" 1/2 ounce skeet loads suck for hunting but it is good practice on the clay fields for hunting with 3" .410 ammunition.
Besides my tubed skeet gun, I have a couple O/U guns in .410 including a Browning Cynergy and a 725 Citori.
I actually got banned from using the old Montgomery Wards Western Field single shot 410 at turkey shoots. It has a super tight pattern to it and here I was just a teenager with my old single shot beating adults with their fancy expensive 12 gauges. I have always used 3" shells loaded with #6 shot for hunting.
TheDr
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- Oct 19, 2018
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A .410 is a fine all around shot gun.
I wouldn't hesistate to use it on turkey,with the right load.
I'm originally from a muzzleloader and shotgun only state,for deer,and a .410 sighted in with a slug is pure whitetail magic.
I've hunted over 40 years,and find myself shooting the smaller bores more and more...and still filling tags
I wouldn't hesistate to use it on turkey,with the right load.
I'm originally from a muzzleloader and shotgun only state,for deer,and a .410 sighted in with a slug is pure whitetail magic.
I've hunted over 40 years,and find myself shooting the smaller bores more and more...and still filling tags
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