Someone mentioned the .410 verses a deer. Well, in the summer of 1988 I had to help dress a deer that was dropped at fifty feet with a .410. My half blind next door neighbor thought he'd "pepper" a doe that was getting into his garden routinely. He was aiming for her hind quarters to sting her a bit and hopefully she wouldn't return. Well she dropped dead about twenty feet from where he shot her. I don't know what load was used but it was shot of some kind. I have never underestimated a .410 since. If I owned one It would be my home defense gun.
.410...what's it good for?
- Thread starter Grunt
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Publius1688
Member
It really surprises me that so many folks say the .410 has no 'purpose'. As far as purely utilitarian usage of a firearm is concerned, that is to say, using a firearm purely as a tool----not shooting for 'fun'; I've used a .410 more than any other caliber. They are invaluable for farm living. There are just lots of things out in the country that need shooting.
Guns and more
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.410?
Possibly the best choice for home defense. Especially if a woman is going to use it.
Mild recoil, deadly power, minimal over penetration.
Mossberg makes a .410 Pump called their "Home Defense" shotgun.
Possibly the best choice for home defense. Especially if a woman is going to use it.
Mild recoil, deadly power, minimal over penetration.
Mossberg makes a .410 Pump called their "Home Defense" shotgun.
Gordon
Member
I use Rio #12 shot for rats and close in ground squirrels. #9 for the odd handicap at skeet,#71/2 for quail in brush,#6 for bunnies and skunks. I keep 3 Brenneke slugs and 2 5 pellet 000 buck in my .22 hornet m-6s .
I shoot 20 gauge at most upland game other than turkies. I use 12 ga for HD and deer hunting in states that require a SG and normal skeet and trap.
I shoot 20 gauge at most upland game other than turkies. I use 12 ga for HD and deer hunting in states that require a SG and normal skeet and trap.
Great, now just provide any reasonable evidence, and we're set!
And, look, we even get sexism for free!Incidentally, I know someone who was shot at close range in the abdomen with one while screwing around as a teen. He walked out...
HardShell
Member
And I know a local octagenarian who shot a young serial B&E/thief/rapist here just a couple of years ago as he was trying to come in her window -- one .410 round and DRT. (Made the Armed Citizen page in all the NRA magazines after I submitted the local story.)
In either case, n=1 isn't exactly definitive.
(And, FTR, it would be way down the list of my personal choices for SD/HD as well...)
HardShell
Member
The Sagia looks weird. AK-style guns need the magazien slanting forward, not backward
I'd rather it feed well than look good.
.410 useless?
Not in my opinion. I have been using .410s since I was old enough to start hunting. I use 3" shells loaded with either #6 or #7 1/2 shot on rabbit, squirrel, quail, and dove and don't have a problem getting my limit (except dove at times). I also use mine for informal clay shooting. I have out shot people using 12s and 20s while hunting all the time. I have to laugh when I hear people tell me that I won't hit anything with my .410. I like them so much that I own 4 of them. I have a single shot, over/under, bolt action, and a pump.
Not in my opinion. I have been using .410s since I was old enough to start hunting. I use 3" shells loaded with either #6 or #7 1/2 shot on rabbit, squirrel, quail, and dove and don't have a problem getting my limit (except dove at times). I also use mine for informal clay shooting. I have out shot people using 12s and 20s while hunting all the time. I have to laugh when I hear people tell me that I won't hit anything with my .410. I like them so much that I own 4 of them. I have a single shot, over/under, bolt action, and a pump.
HoosierQ
Member
Well...one darn good thing that a .410 is good for is teaching a kid how to be responsible with his/her own gun. At some point, you gotta turn the kid loose to be on his own around the farm or wood.
Obviously the .22lr is the traditional choice for this role. A pro is that rounds are cheap and learning to shoot a rifle promotes marksmanship.
A pro on the .410 side is teaching a kid to be responsible with a firearm that a) does not carry so far (with bird shot) b) and does not penetrate much (with bird shot), and c) which is pretty capable of taking the small game that a boy or girl would be likely to hunt on their own.
I was given a single shot .22lr when I was 13 and hunted on my own from that day forward for rabbits and squirrels.
Obviously the .22lr is the traditional choice for this role. A pro is that rounds are cheap and learning to shoot a rifle promotes marksmanship.
A pro on the .410 side is teaching a kid to be responsible with a firearm that a) does not carry so far (with bird shot) b) and does not penetrate much (with bird shot), and c) which is pretty capable of taking the small game that a boy or girl would be likely to hunt on their own.
I was given a single shot .22lr when I was 13 and hunted on my own from that day forward for rabbits and squirrels.
oneounceload
member
Why would a 410 be any more or less for teaching a kid how to be responsible with a gun. A 12, 16, 20, or 28 will do that as well
A 410 using the same size shot at the same velocity will carry just as far as a 12, 16, 20 or 28. Penetration will be the same; however, capability will be less due to its reduced payload.
410's also cost a LOT more than any basic 12 or 20, can be harder to find in the loading you might want
oneounceload
member
especially at night and if it's ported!........
C-grunt
Member
I spent a couple weeks last summer at my aunt and uncle's ranch in OK. While I was there they had a raccoon that was killing their cats. One night my uncle let the dogs out to pee and they treed the raccoon.
He handed me a side by side .410 and I killed the raccoon very easily. Sure a 12 or 20 gauge would have worked, but the .410 was soft recoiling and not to loud.
Its definitely not as versatile as the 12 or 20 but its not "useless".
He handed me a side by side .410 and I killed the raccoon very easily. Sure a 12 or 20 gauge would have worked, but the .410 was soft recoiling and not to loud.
Its definitely not as versatile as the 12 or 20 but its not "useless".
I know someone (not around here and I won't say where) who shares an old stock pond from back before the property was subdivided, with a couple of neighbors. They keep it stocked with some fish and it's pretty nice little addition to their properties.
They live inside city limits.
Some ducks took up residence and crapped everywhere. They were all cussing at the ducks, until my friend had a few (a lot of) beers, and plugged them all with his .410. They had a neighborhood duck barbecue.
This was illegal six ways from Sunday, but the quiet little .410 didn't attract any attention.
Knowing him, he used special subsonic handloads or something.
So that's what a .410 is good for: hunting inside city limits without getting arrested. Since I don't have a pond, I don't have a .410.
They live inside city limits.
Some ducks took up residence and crapped everywhere. They were all cussing at the ducks, until my friend had a few (a lot of) beers, and plugged them all with his .410. They had a neighborhood duck barbecue.
This was illegal six ways from Sunday, but the quiet little .410 didn't attract any attention.
Knowing him, he used special subsonic handloads or something.
So that's what a .410 is good for: hunting inside city limits without getting arrested. Since I don't have a pond, I don't have a .410.
He didn't want to endanger anyone in town with the .22.
AFAIK he was wingshooting the ducks. It's hard to shoot a non-moving target when you're drunk.
The statute of limitations has run out on the whole event, or I wouldn't mention it...
And no, it was not me.
AFAIK he was wingshooting the ducks. It's hard to shoot a non-moving target when you're drunk.
The statute of limitations has run out on the whole event, or I wouldn't mention it...
And no, it was not me.
RSVP2RIP
Member
It must be impossible to challenge yourself then? I thought that was what the .410 was for, making hunting and target games more of a challenge. If you're running 100 straight consistently, maybe you need to step down in shot volume. My dad thought highly of himself on doves and bought a High Standard Fliteking in .410 with a full choke...how humbling that was for him. His one for 3 shot average became one for a box.
RSVP2RIP
Member
He reconsidered and after a few seasons that he didn't get better, he went back to the 20ga Superposed.
RSVP2RIP
Member
Yeah, sometimes makes me look long and hard at the old man and ask myself, "When the hell are you going to DIE!"
He probably willed it to my sister.
He probably willed it to my sister.
BADUNAME37
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.410's are all good for nothing.
Everyone ship me your .410 and I will take care of them for you, free of charge.
FFL to FFL only.
Everyone ship me your .410 and I will take care of them for you, free of charge.
FFL to FFL only.
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