I want a single-shot

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45Guy

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I want to buy a single-shot .410 shotgun. Why would anyone want such a useless, none tactical shotgun you say? Because I remember shooting one that was a rusted, old junker that my great-grandma used to shoot muskrats. And I tell you what, I shot that better than my 870 or my grandpa's 1100. The thing just pointed.

So, what are the reccomendations on brands? What is the cheapest .410 ammo you can find in stores?

Thanks guys, your wise advice is always a help
 
H&R's are supposed to be one of the better single shot shotguns...just what I have heard, I don't own one.

If it makes sense to you, by all means buy one, we all have guns that aren't necessarily all that practical.
 
NEF (part of H&R) seems to be the major force in budget singleshots today. Rossi is also pretty common. There are also the Remington Spartan single shots, which are hammerless. You can also get it in a nickel version that costs a fair bit more than an NEF or Rossi.
 
You can find NEF .410 for about $100. The downside is that most of the ammo runs around $9-12 a box around here.

I toyed with the idea of picking one up, but the cost/selection of ammo turned me off of the idea. I haven't ruled out of the idea of getting the 12 gauge version.
 
I like my old Ithaca SuperSingle Model 66 in 20. If you can find one, they are very simple, cheap, and they point well.

That said, you might like a subgauge double, either O/U or SxS.

Stoeger imports some cheap but decent ones from Brazil.
 
I recently bought an NEF 20 Gauge in the youth size(which has a cool straight stock). I love this gun. For me, it's small, light, and a joy to hunt with but the regular size should be fine for most people. They also come in .410 which I considered too. The cool thing is you can buy any gauge you want and then send it in for new barrels in almost any gauge or caliber that they have. It's possible I'll send mine in to get a .410 barrel in the future. Take down is easy and only requires a screwdriver and one screw. And of course you already know about the low price. Jeff
 
Got an NEF in 12ga for $35 at a pawnshop. Had a bunch of mud and dead bugs in the breech, but cleaned up nicely. Wood with schnabel forend is great, bluing solid, etc.

Bought the lightest 12ga loads I could find, took it out plinking.

Ouch.

Now I have a box of 23 rounds and a 12ga single-shot.


I'd say go with the 20, go with the .410, but watch out for the 12ga.

-MV
 
I still have the Stevens .410 single that my father bought for me in 1957. I have shot a lot of small game with that little gun. I learned to pick my shots well. About 9 years from now, I will give it to my grandson so we can build some memories. I still use it now and then for rabbit and squirrel. Even if I don't see anything, it is light and very easy to carry so it doesn't tire out this old man.
 
Only thing I didn't like about the NEF I bought my daughter some time ago in 20 gauge was the stiff as heck trigger. Had to have a smith work it over cause daughter couldn't make it go bang. :rolleyes: 20 gauge in that thing kicked, too, much to my chagrin. As it turned out, daughter preferred shooting my Winchester M1400 auto in 12 gauge, less kick. :rolleyes: But, in 410, that won't be a problem.

I had a CVA import .410 that was kinda cool, folded for transport. It got stolen in a burlary, though, along with that 20 gauge and an old .410 bolt action Stevens that belonged to an aunt. :cuss: All my more expensive guns were hidden away, those were the decoy guns and that's all the guy got, fortunately. I didn't even report that one, no sense in it since the value of the guns didn't make my homeowner's deductable.
 
For $200 or $300 or so you might be able to find a Winchester 37 in .410. Here's one that went for $299.

www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=64768552

Even the really worn ones are fine guns - they were made with good wood and good steel and they hold up to a lot of use.

I got a Model 37 .410 three days ago and everytime I handle one I'm surprised how well made they were, but then they were made in the good old days prior to '63. My parents are moving to a nursing home and my father and I had decided that he should return the .410 to his brother because it had been a gift years ago, but we were outvoted - my uncle wanted me to have it.

I think I saw some .410 ammo at Wal-Mart the other day for about $8, but some of it was as much as $11.50. Seemed reasonable to me, but I shoot a 28 ga. so you know I'm not right in the head. ;)

John
 
H&R/NEF/Marlin, I bought a little .410 Topper model and my son and I have had nothing but fun with it. 110 rounds out of it just plinking in the first day. For a fun gun I don't think I've ever owned a better one. $110.00 out the door including tax and background check fees. That's hard to beat.

The .410 is a great incentive to take up reloading, I got everything I'll need for about a hundred bucks in a single stage MEC and the reloading itself adds another level of fun to the hobby. .410 is the only shotgun round I reload for as 12 and 20 seem to be cheap enough not to bother me.
 
i have a NEF pb1 .410 shot gun. one of the first guns i bought. wow its a fun gun to shoot. dosent kick that hard very accurate. you can shoot it all day long
 
next thing i need to get is a mec 600. to start reloading my own .410 shells cause it is a little expensive
 
I bought a NEF Pardner single shot break open in 12 guage for $94 and I'm very happy with it. It's accurate and there is VERY little that can go wrong with it. What's not to like?? I have a 5 round ammo sleeve on the back of the stock for ease of reloading. Great shotgun IMO.
 
The coolest were the old Barretta folders beautiful walnut weighted less than five pounds,I think that Garcia imported them in the 50s and 60s. I have a self modified BSA[Midland Arms]hammerless 12 that I have shot many turkeys with over the years bought it as a closeout for $50 in about 1986; and I got it down to 5 1/4 pounds. They, Midland/BSA, made that one in 410 too, nice all steel guns. I have seen a real nice Russian single shot that has been imported recentlly, but I think that is the one that Remington now sells.
 
I have a $30 NEF Pardner 410. I regularly get low 20's in wobble trap with it, almost cracking 25 once. I never got that close with the 20ga Nova I had or my friend's 12ga Mossberg.

The guys with the $2000 O/U in the squad look at me funny when the set is over.

The thing is a natural pointer and I love the trigger. Nice and clean.
 
Heres my H&R Deluxe Topper.....mine was made in the late 40s. Has a nickle plated receiver.....still in darn good shape.

I paid $45 for it on Gunbroker....the seller was 10 miles away so I didnt have to pay any transfer fees.

Image00017.gif
 
H+R makes a single called a survivor that is 410/45 and it has a rifled barrel,now that would be fun,I have a 12ga ultra slug hunter and that gun is just awesome out to 125+ yds.
 
Get an H&R Pardner with a full choke. When Wal-Mart was selling them, they were $92. They should still be pretty affordable if you don't have a Wal-Mart w/ guns handy.
 
I like my Rossi single shot. Easy to use, shoot, clean, take apart, etc.

They are inexpensive and seems to be a great gun.
 
Single shots definitely have advantages. The terrain around here is very hilly and swampy with very thick underbrush.

Rabbits and grouse are the primary small game, and due to the terrain shots are rarely longer than about 20 yards or so. It is also rare to have the opportunity for a second shot, so the first one has to count.

This is where a 20 gauge or even .410 break-open single shot shines. It's short and light and shoulders very quickly, even in thick cover. At close ranges a 12 gauge is overkill since the game will be filled with so many pellets it will be nearly inedible. The extra length of a pump or autoloader means you're more likely to snag on brush while trying to shoulder for a quick shot.

I've taken hundreds of grouse with my little Stevens .410 break-open. It's actually my favorite gun for the type of hunting I've done most of my life.
 
One nice conversion I've seen was with a H&R 20 gauge. Barrel was left stock to keep the choke, but the wood was replaced with fiddleback Maple. The butt stock had a squarish porthole that skeletonized it and the forearm was flat on the bottom for benchresting. Inletted in both were sling attachment points flush with the wood. Pachmyer pad.

A ML style tang peep sight had been added that was zeroed in at 50 yards with the Federal slug, IIRC. It folded down for shot use. A bead had been mounted on a low base that centered shot patterns at 25 yards.

The trigger had been worked down to about 3 lbs and had a shoe.

The thing was a lunchtime project by a machinist that made parts for satellites. He and his SO liked to backpack and he wanted a light, versatile arm for protection.
 
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