How about a 410 for forest grouse

Looks kinda heavy and clunky for a .410, and your limited to 2 1/2" shells.

I'd prefer a slim side by side or a lightweight pump for quick handling.

.410 is certainly an adequate caliber. I've shot a few with .38 cal shotshells.
I don't really hunt them seriously but carry a .22 Bearcat with me when I'm elk hunting that will put a blue grouse in the pot if they linger any closer than 10-15 yds.
Yes, they are tasty.

My TC Contender in .410 with full choke and 10" barrel sounds like it might be just the thing to carry along on while in the woods. I think I'd take my 20 if i were out there specifically after these animals, not sure. I've killed lotsa game, even teal, with the .410. I had an old JC Higgins pump as a kid. They will do the job.

.410

Well the 2 1/2 410 patterns better than the 3". Plus I think that lever would carry very well and handle quick.

.410, I don`t see why not ! I have killed ducks & geese with one.

My Mossberg 410 'Field' is my main woods walking gun. The guage scaled aluminum reciever is a dream to carry.

Mine patterns pretty good with 3" Remington shells. I think people confuse a long shot string with bad patterns - that isn't necessarily the case.

The little Saiga 410 is a nice piece; well I like it!

Oregon

Can use rim-fire in Oregon, practicing with my 22/45.

If your a good shot...why not. Other wise use something bigger. Try a smaller load in your 20 ga.

I've always used a .22 with longs, makes for good head shots, and not too noisy.

I've shot grouse w/ a 410 loaded w/ 4 or 5 shot (while squirrel hunting), but I've missed more than I hit. Not sure about Idaho, but grouse hunting in the Southeastern Mtns is a speed sport. By the time I realize what just happened, the bird has already traveled 15 yds and in dense laurels and hemlocks, getting a shot is tough.

The 410 is certainly capable, but the Marlin lever might be a bit clunky, as mentioned. IMO, a fast handling 28ga O/U is the ideal weapon for dispatching grouse/partridge.



NCsmitty

I'm considering the .410 as well. Most of the birds I shoot are on the ground or in trees and not very far away.

I've got a friend whose fav take along handgun on Colorado trips (20 years ago) was a new Ruger SSM in .32 H&R mag. He loaded it with .32 long equivalent handloads that were very accurate and would take these grouse for camp meat on occasion when it presented itself. He was up there elk hunting with a .270, but the .32 was his grouse gun. I have no idea if that was legal at the time, though. He hunted up around the Silverton, Colorado area.

if youre willing to buy a new gun for grouse hunting and dont mind paying for the more expensive shells of a 410 then you probably wouldnt mind paying for 28ga shells and i think youd be a lot happier. best grouse gun ive used in the woods of northern michigan is my buddys side x side 28ga stoeger.

410

I also have a pair of the old Savage fourtenner tubes. Fits my 20ga SKB 100 very nice but the recoil will not switch barrels. Just have to hit the selector on the trigger for that, but shoots good.

If it's what ya got by all means take it,,if ya enjoy the hunt then you might look into a light side by side, it will give you the second shot far quicker than the levergun.

The highlight of an Ontario moose hunt turned out to be plinking spruce grouse with my friend/guide's Savage 24 in .22/.410. We took 17 for the cookpot during the week. Some were headshots with the .22, some were on the wing with the .410. I enjoyed the little gun so much that I bought one for myself when I got home. My 9yo son uses it for squirrel too.

In '09 I used my .22rf revolvers to take the grouse I took while looking for elk.
Yes, the grouse were delicious! But not the wild flushing cousins of the S.E. applachian's. The spruce grouse were much easier to approach and would politely light on a nearby tree limb for you to "whack" them. I got two with "rat-shot" loads from my 6" S&W 617.

Instead of the Marlin, I recommend the .410 O/U as sold by Academy Sports.
It's the Yildiz.
I had hunted with a friends Browning Citori O/U for quail and was amazed at how close the .410 was to the 20ga 7/8oz loads I'd always used, but an even lighter easier swinging gun. In two weeks, it's leaving with me for Wyoming for a lengthy stay for elk hunting/grouse hunting/trout fishing trip.

I bought one of the Yildiz because it is a true .410 reciever, is Aluminum with steel inserts. It has a single-selective trigger, 5-choke tubes, and true ejectors. Weighs about 4-3/4lbs. I've equiped mine with sling swivel for extended all day carry.

The thing that really sold me was the lack of "cast-off" on the stock for a right handed shooter. (I shoot long guns left handed). I looked at several in the box and got the one with the best looking wood.

My friend who's Browning I'd used, and who owns 3 including his wife's competiton gun, after handling and shooting the Yildiz, bought one as a "loaner" and truck gun to keep from abusing the Brownings.......He shoots it more than the Brownings, now.

I've really enjoyed mine. I've even used .45lc shot loads in it for shooting pests around the house. They hold 0.4oz of shot, btw. just a little under the 1/2oz of a 2.5" .410. Even taken a number of squirrels around the house with it. (I live out in the "country". Even have my own range behind the house....)

I don't see the Marlin as being "clunky" however. Just "different". But, the Yildiz will handle the 3" shells and the Marlin won't.
In Georgia, the Marlin has to be "plugged" to limit the magazine to two plus the round in the chamber. It is a "shotgun" ya know!