410 shotguns- who hunts with one, and for what?

[FL-NC]

I'm just curious about this. I have a 410 870 wingmaster I've had since I was 10 (1977). I outgrew it and got "promoted" to hand me down 20's and 12's when I got bigger. I'll never get rid of it and I haven't even fired it in about 20 years. I know its great for squirrels and such, but I've just been using an old steven's yard sale crack-barrel 20 for that. So who still uses a 410?

 

[WestKentucky]

Growing up I used my dad's h&r topper 410 for squirrel and rabbit. I have had several other 410s that were actually mine over the years, but I still find myself in his safe digging that gun out for squirrels. I went on a mission last fall to find a bolt 410, and ended up with a gun on permanent loan to me, my sister owns it, but it is my grandmother's 410. They only get used for squirrel these days, but they sure are fun. I may start trying to dig out another cheap beater from a junk heap somewhere to build into a 9mm or 32 long rifle

 

[OH_Spartan]

I use them for squirrel and pest control. Three, 36-cal round ball make a great chicken saver.

 

[theshephard]

Snakes on a plane??

Remember the .410 snake charmers? I always associated .410 with snake dispatch while walking through a field. Probably a product of advertising when I was a kid. Never owned one, but if I lived where there were snakes, maybe I'd get one for the principle of the matter. "Why do you need that??" "...snakes." Maybe With global warming I should start getting ready.

 

[Patocazador]

In order to use a .410 on birds, you have to be an excellent wingshot. It is a big mistake to start a kid out on a .410 IMO. It uses expensive ammo, is lightweight generally which kicks quite a bit for a kid and sometimes discourages the child because he doesn't bag anything.

I know 2 men who shoot a .410 as their primary shotgun on a dove field and although they don't wind up as 'top gun' much, they are close. If you don't think it's an expert's gun, try it on a dove shoot sometime.

 

[JohnnyFlake]

I don't hunt very much any more, but back in the day, I shot competition, 4 gun skeet, for many, many years, at Chicago's Lincoln Park Skeet & Trap Club. As a result, I loved to hunt Pigeon, Dove, Black Birds, Rabbit and Squires with a .410 Remington 1100. You do not have to be an expert. If your a decent shot, you can successfully hunt birds with a .410

 

[FL-NC]

Pat- that is exactly what I used my 410 for- on doves in Fl. It was a good gun for me because when I was a kid, I was a runt. I did fairly well with it back then, but when I filled out a little after a few years, dad handed me an old 20 gauge pump we had-probably just to save $ on shells!

 

[gspn]

I saw a guy buying .410 slugs at the store once. He said he was deer hunting with them.

 

[JimKirk]

I shot doves with one for many years until I got a twenty GA .... went to a 12 Ga later and now back to 20 GA(for thirty years) .... I need drag out the .410 and give it another go ...

 

[Sav .250]

My old 410 left the building many years ago............. But it still leads a good life in it`s current resting place.........my closet.

 

[Sniper66]

When I was a kid I hunted squirrels, rabbits and quail with a single shot .410. Adult income later made many other options available and I lost my .410 to my brother. A couple of years ago I ran across a Winchester Model 20 .410 single shot and nostalgia led me to buy it. Since then I have hunted squirrels a few times and it has been lots of fun.

 

[Stony]

Gophers....I keep a Winchester 37 hanging over my back door for whenever I see dirt flying out of a gopher hole. It has bagged a bunch of them over the years.

 

[FL-NC]

I'm starting to get inspired to dig out the old wingmaster from mom & dad's attic next time I'm in Fl and taking it home- maybe reconnect with it and shoot some squirrels. After I find some ammo.

 

[OH_Spartan]

I bought a Lane handloader (yes, the one you load with a rubber mallet) and picked up some free hulls from the local range; they were throwing them away. Over the course of a couple Saturday afternoons watching football games, I loaded about 10 boxes of shells. I already had 209's for my muzzle loader, and 2400 powder from my 44-mag. I can hand-load for about 90% less than retail. While I wouldn't recommend this approach for shooting 1000's of rounds, it isn't bad for 5-10 boxes a year. It provides a cheap way to teach the kids to shoot moving targets and put #6 shot in the top of a shagbark hickory.

 

[mokin]

I have a Rossi "matched Pair", .22 and .410. My daughter likes the .22 at the range. I like the .410 for rabbits. Usually number four shot.

 

[WestKentucky]

Been there...was 12...done that. Bought 2 boxes of 5, shot a box practicing the week before youth season, then fired 1 she'll on Saturday of youth season. Still have the other 4. Firing from a 10ish ft deerstand at running coyotes, I learned that if you get really lucky you can shoot and hit one high along the spine and the one on the far side a little low on the shoulder.

 

[witchhunter]

I got my H&R 410 when I was a kid. A lee handloader and I was in business. I bought a pump 20 when I got a job. I finally bought an 870 wingmaster in 410when I was in my 20's. I use it for dove and quail. Hardly ever use my 12 870 unless it is pheasant or blue grouse.

 

[Milt1]

I used to have a Savage double barreled .410 and took a number of rabbits and doves with it. Wish I still had it!

 

[blarby]

I just nailed a tasty rabbit with my .410

I use it for quail, too.

If you handload, ITX-13 adds quite a bit of punch to the .410

 

[MCgunner]

My first shotgun was a JC Higgins pump my grandpa got me at age 7. It was a bit big for me, but by the time I got to be 9, I'd grown in to it and started dove hunting with him and my uncle with it. Age 10, I bagged my first dove, 3 that day, actually.

Now days, I use my 10" TC Contender .410/.45 Colt barrel on my walk abouts. I got to messing with it, never thought it that effective. But, it shoots low because it's sighted in for heavy .45 Colt loads. Once I figured THAT out and the sight picture to use for .410, it'll take doves and squirrel to 30 yards. I don't HUNT with it, but it's my constant companion when working out back. Don't need to lean it against something when I need both hands or sling it across my back. It rides in a crossdraw holster nice and handy. The thing patterns amazingly well considering what it is and it's become a very handy companion.

 

[CraigC]

Still use it occasionally on squirrels. Prefer a 28ga Merkel double for everything else.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Still use it occasionally on squirrels. Prefer a 28ga Merkel double for everything else.

I'm a 28 ga man myself. But I cut my teeth on an Overland .410 exposed hammer double.

 

[jim in Anchorage]

Remember the .410 snake charmers? I always associated .410 with snake dispatch while walking through a field. Probably a product of advertising when I was a kid. Never owned one, but if I lived where there were snakes, maybe I'd get one for the principle of the matter. "Why do you need that??" "...snakes." Maybe With global warming I should start getting ready.

Lots of .410 snake charmers in Alaska, on the halibut charter boats. You really don't want to haul a live 150lb halibut on deck.
Buddy of mine had a halibut charter for years out of deep creek. He'd run out till he found a cluster of boats, apparently working a honey hole. He'd anchor 1/4 mile away and start firing his .410 at random. The others would come over, figuring he had a hot spot. Then he'd run over to where they where.
All's fair in love and war.

 

[gunfighter48]

In 1963 my Grandfather gave me a Stevens 410 bolt action shotgun. Held one in the chamber an three in a detachable magazine. It came with two extra mags. Used mostly for squirrels and for grouse. We didn't wing shoot grouse they were for meat on the table so took them on the ground to make sure we recovered them for dinner. A lot of the time I used a bolt action 22 for grouse and squirrels. Cheaper to shoot!!

 

[Pete D.]

.410

I own three .410s....a Mossberg pump, a little SXS Coach gun with 20" barrels, and a new ATI O/U that will go with me into the huckleberries this coming October. It patterns very nicely at 25 yards and weighs less than five pounds.