410/20gauge

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Yes if you look at it literally.

In reality, most .410 guns are break-over barrels which direct the recoil directly into the shoulder. 20 guage is much easier to find in a semi-auto which will absorb much of the felt recoil. In the end there isn't a dramatic difference between a break-over 410 and a SA 20 in my opinion.

410 ammo is significantly more expensive, too.
 
IMO, yes, there is a huge difference.

It might not be bad for some.. but the phyisics and Newtons law show there is a big difference.


And yes, a semi auto 20ga would help reduce the difference.
 
Yes there is a big difference in recoil between .410 and 20 Ga there is also a big difference in the cost of ammo between the two.
I shoot a lot of .410 in the field it is my preferred shotgun for most small game and birds. Do not under estimate the .410 although the payload is slightly smaler the velocity is still up there without the recoil of a 20 Ga.
The big drawback is the cost of shells which is why it is the only shotgun I still reload for.
T
 
A typical 410 load is 1/2oz from a 2.5" cartridge, while the typical 20 gauge load is 7/8. If both are shot from guns of equal weight and the same velocity, the recoil will still be significantly higher for the 20.
However, as mentioned, many 410's tend to be 1-2 pounds lighter than the 20. Calculating the recoil is a simple math equation but the differences can be extreme.

Finding friends or a gun club where they have guns to try would give you the answer you seek before buying anything
 
My 77 yr. old mother handles a 20 ga. just fine, and it's just a better gun for most applications, IMO.
 
Split the difference and get a 28ga. They pattern beautifully, and recoil less than than a 20. There are several autos available, as well as pumps and doubles.
 
What is she using it for? Also you'll want to see how well a given gun fits her, as a poor-fitting gun will hurt more in general. The 20 is more versatile, the .410 can still do a lot, the 28 is great for birds, clay games, etc. Are you thinking single shot, double barrel, pump action..? I love my .410s, but if she wants to go deer hunting I'd go for the 20. If she isn't really into guns and you're picking it out for her you'll still want to bring her shopping with you, preferably to a range where she can try a few guns and you can find out her preferences.
 
I like the 3" .410 000 buck loads for home defense. If you find a .410 she likes that is the load I would use. I definitely recommend letting her shoot a couple different types of guns to determine her preference, whether it's a pump, autoloader, single shot, etc. She'll practice with a gun if she likes it, if she doesn't it will gather dust in the safe and if she needs it she may not operate it very well. The kick from a 5lb .410 single shot may bother her more than from a 6.5lb 20ga pump, let her try a couple variations if possible and give her the final say on the matter.
 
...obviously, she should be knowledgeable about operating any gun for home defense, however, how many times are you planning to use/shoot a home self defense gun? ...hopefully a few trips to the range for getting used to the gun will probably be it.

Recoil would not be a big consideration in my choice. At home, the gun would likley be fired from the hip and NOT the shoulder.... so her felt recoil is not going to be a big deal; right?
 
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