Any .410 fans out there?

Question

I'm not a hunter, but I'd like to get a .410 as a plinker/camp gun/closet gun. I know, I know--12 gauges and 20 gauges are more powerful and cheaper to shoot. The negatives of the .410 are well known (limited range, expensive ammo, etc.), but what of the virtues of this much maligned cartridge?

Answer 1

you know, I learned to shotgun with a .410, I trained my wife on one, and each of my kids as well, before they all moved on to larger shotguns. I had an old SxS backpackers model that folded in half and fit inside my pack quite well. I carried a box of shells for it in a side pocket and had 4 shells sewn in loops on my pack strap. I ate awful well on hikes and packing trips thanks to that old .410 and can't count the quail, grouse, sage hens and rabitts it put in the pot.
I still have a couple of the old .410 over .22lr "survival" guns that I bougth years ago and keep in my "grab and go" bag for emergencies.
Yes shells are expensive, but they are still fun and slugs are available for them now a days too.
Heck, I think maybe I'll grab the old .410 out of the back of the safe, dust it off, and go burn a few shells out of it this weekend!!
Thanks for bringing back the memories!
Shoot safe

Answer 2

Years ago when I was starting out shooting my dad bought a Remington 870 Express 410 gauge shotgun (pump action) and it was a nice gun. One problem was that it was fussy with the some ammo that we would put in it. It would jam up easily when you pumped the next round in the chamber.
Rounds for it were also expensive even 16 years ago. I do have a reloader for it but I still dont shoot it very often and when we do its for for young people that arent ready yet for the harder hitting rounds. I do like the fact this gun is a pump and a young person can get a feel for how a pump would work. Then we move em up to the 20 gauge and then to the 12 and whenever they are brave enough there is the 10.
But for you a plinker shotgun a .410 would be fun but I have only been seeing used ones for sale lately, just dont seem like many shooters are even bothering with the .410 anymore.
Anyway I think you might have better luck finding a decent 20 or 12 gauge cheaper than you would a .410. Even this .410 I got was over $400 bucks brand new about 16 years ago and you could buy a new 20 or 12 and save about a $100 or even more (depends on where you shop). Have fun looking and shooting.

Answer 3

I'm a 410 fan for a lot of reasons. Like Randy C said I have tons of great memories of the 410 because it was my first shotgun. I bought a Mossberg Single Shot Bolt Action Shotgun for $60 with money I made cutting grass and doing yard work as a kid. I still have it and although I'm much older and my experiences and tastes have changed somewhat, the 410 is the basis of all those great memories because that's were my interest in firearms and hunting began for me...

The 410 was an incredibly effective shotgun round for Squirrels and Rabbits, as well as a few Ringneck Pheasants.that graced my dinner table many times growing up...It had it's limitations, but I honestly think in the long run, it was an excellent gauge and was easy to use and handle, and the shells back then wern't expensive either. I also have 2 Savage 24C's that are 22/410 Gauge Combination 22 rifle over 410 gauge. They easy came apart and were made for carrying in a backpack or on camping trips.Again, a gun that always without fail put meat on the spit over an open fire on numerous hunting and camping trips in the fall, with my Dad...

Now, You can still buy 410 gauge shells in both 2 1/2 & 3" size and they are still made in all the popular shot sizes for game. You can still even get rifled slugs despite the fact that many states won't let you use 410 for Deer Hunting anymore. You can even buy #00 Buckshot 410 gauge shells that were never available before now. As always its the perfect gauge for a beginner or for a child or and adult for that matter just starting out! I still see 410 shotguns for sale at reasonable prices at local and out of state gun shows all of the time! It's still on the A list and a winner as far as I am concerned....And OMG the great memories.....

Answer 4

Actually, a 410 has better range than the 12 and 20 and other bigger gauges. It pushed a lighter slug out with more FPS, around 2500 if i remember right. I like them, mine is fun to shoot, altrhough very expensive. Ive alsways wondered why they are more expensive than a 12 or 20 gauge shell.

Answer 5

I inherited my dad's Model 42, Skeet Grade--in fact, it's currently my only shotgun. I've owned Remington 870 Wingmaster shotguns in about every conceivable configuration--but that old Model 42 just feels right. I can still pick up their misses when my friends and I go out busting clay birds for fun. It was my dad's only shotgun and he used it for everything--but he was primarily a quail hunter. I can't count the times he went out with a dozen shells and brought back a dozen birds. .410s have a mild kick, and define quick handling. They are expensive to shoot, but pick up a used .410 reloader and produce a couple of boxes of shells every once in a while and you'll have a blast.

Answer 6

My first shotgun was a .410 too. Bought it used for $45 umpteen years ago. It says "K-mart corporation, made in Brazil" on the barrel and although it is a single shot, it has been very dependable through the years, easy to clean, and I have never had any problem with it.
I have other shotguns now, but I've never even thought about trading my .410 in. It is still one of my favorites.

Answer 7

cant beat it, i use it to hunt deer, got 2 last yr
[with slugs] rabbits squirrel, turkey, pheasants, dove, with shot,
an old JC-H single shot, will also shoot
30-30 rounds, 30-06
but i don't do that, lol
have even tryed shooting an arrow with it, [made my own] took the slug out, placed an arrow in did good till it hit a tree, smash city, wouldnt recomend this,
a 410 is the best all around gun a person could have, and was only $100 bucks new

Answer 8

Bit smaller spread some favor from home defence cus your not gona have so much of a spread which means less risk of hurting your family. It's nice for small stuff like rabbits and squirels if you plan to eat them cus you dont mess them up as much. Other than that go with a 20 if you dont like higher gauges. The difference in kick between the 20 and the .410 isnt very noticable.

Answer 9

It was my first shotgun, it was an over & under Savage or Stevens, with 22 long Rifle on the top barrel.* I harvested a lot of Squirrels, Cottontail Rabbits, Pheasant & Grouse with it.* It didn't damage the game so much.*

Answer 10

I like the .410 because it's cheap and fun to shoot. I'm planning to get the Taurus Judge. Its a revolver that will shoot the .410 and .45LC.