Anyone use a .410 for trap?

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Armchair Bronco

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I'm thinking of taking up trap shooting again after taking a break from the sport for a few years. But this time around I'm playing with the idea of going "small bore" and buying a nice .410 with a Monte Carlo stock. I spotted a customized Winchester 42 with aftermarket wood and a Simmons rib.

The .410 has always been my favorite gun, and it might be fun to see if I can master it at the 16-yard line shooting trap. I'm not interested in any kind of competitive shooting, just something to have fun with over the weekends (using either 2-1/2" 1/2oz. shells or 3" 11/16oz. shells).

I figure if I reload my own .410 shells, I can save a ton of money and I won't get the snot kicked out of me, either.

Has anyone used a .410 for trap? Is is possible to shoot a 25 from the 16-yard line? (If it takes me 5-6 years to get that good, that's fine with me!)
 
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Here's the .410 I'd love to buy. But I'll have to yearn for right now:

100167239-1-L.JPG
 
FLCowboy49 said:
Seen it done, but as you said, only for fun....
Click to expand...
You saw someone shoot a 25 with a .410, or you saw someone having fun with a .410 and maybe he was happy to break 10 or 12 targets?

I tried it once with a Winchester 37 with a really short barrel and 2-1/2" shells, and I went 0 for 10 before finally switching back to my Winchester 101 O/U 12ga. :D
 
I've tried shooting .410 at American Trap from the 16 yard line about four times.
I scored between 12 and 15 with a skeet gun, mod. choke, #9 shot. Somewhat disappointing. Just so you can gauge my success or failure, the last time I shot trap with a 12 gauge it was with borrowed guns and I shot a pair of 21's.
I'm sure it would be more fun if I wasn't the only one shooting the little gun.
The Model 42 you've posted pictures of sure is nice. Will you dare to reveal the asking price or location?
I haven't yet tested myself at the 16 yard with my Model 42.

SS
 
Your scores likely won't be up to par, but who cares if you are having fun.

The only problem with your plan that I see is the cost of the .410 ammo.

Good Luck!
 
Buy a real 42

That's a nice looking 42 but if the asking price is over $1000 I would not buy it. Look for a real 42 that has not been "upgraded" with a fake winchester vent rib, beautiful but not original winchester wood, wrong WP proof marks, and the wrong checkering patterns. This gun will only decrease in value over the years. But non-altered 42s just keep going up in value and almost impossible to get a good clean original any more for under $1500. So I understand the problem.

Yes, the 410 can break targets at 16 yard trap. Try a couple of boxes of the Winchester 410 Super Sporting Clays, #8 shot (1350 fps). You'll be surprised how hard they hit the targets.

Tom
 
Trap

I have used my .410 for informal Trap from a foot operated Trius. That was fairly successful
I have tried formal Trap also....with less success.
The problem is not power. Every pellet in the .410 load is going at least as fast as every pellet in your favorite Trap load. The problem is not enough pellets at the distance you are apt to shoot at. The birds start at 16 yards; FC - you have 12 to 16 inches of spread at that point. Even if you are a fast pick up, the bird at 40 mph is going to at least double that by the time you shoot and you are officially in sketchy pattern territory - getting irregular and about 30 inches or so wide. If you wait to 40 yards it's even thinner.....a three inch .410 3/4 oz load has about 260 pellets (7.5s), the 2.5" shell is at 195; a standard 1 1/8 oz Trap load has 50% more pellets in the same size pattern (and, generally, a more uniform pattern).
Sure is fun, though....and satisfying when you do start to string together a few.
Pete
 
Milkmaster said:
Your scores likely won't be up to par, but who cares if you are having fun.

The only problem with your plan that I see is the cost of the .410 ammo.

Good Luck!
Click to expand...
I figure if I buy a used MEC 600 Jr. reloader for .410, I can reload .410 shells for about half the cost of reloading for 12 gauge.

It'd be 1/2oz. (for 2-1/2" shells) or 11/16oz. (for 3" shells) versus 1oz. or 1-1/8oz. of shot for a 12 guage. The reduction in powder would be the same.

For the .410 (and also for 28 gauge guns) reloading is the only option that makes sense. .410 ammo at sporting goods stores is ridiculously expensive (same with online sites like CheaperThanDirt.com). To get good enough with a .410 to shoot in the high teens @ 16 yards, I figure I'll have to burn through twice the ammo compared to a 12 gauge.
 
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FYI, I witnessed Tom Held,who posted above, go 19/25 at trap with a 410 O/U.

Tom can shoot. I believe he's done better since then.
 
single stack said:
The Model 42 you've posted pictures of sure is nice. Will you dare to reveal the asking price or location?

SS
Click to expand...
Since I'm a nice guy, I'll give you the full details. The fact is, until I sell some guns to make room in my small gun safe, I'm not going to be owning a Winchester 42 anytime soon.

But if and when I do have the finances AND the room, then I'm definitely going to look for something like this.

http://www.gunsinternational.com/WINCHESTER-42-CUSTOM-410.cfm?gun_id=100187540

I appreciate that custom wood and an aftermarket rib aren't as desirable as factory-correct stuff, but I'd be buying this to get good at 16 yards w/ a .410, not to have a collector's specimen. I NEED a Monte Carlo stock and a high vented rib.

If you decide to get this (the price @ $1,950 seems about $500 too high to me), be sure to shoot at least a box or two at 16 yards and tell me what happens!

100167239-3-L.JPG


100167239-5-L.JPG
 
I have seen this with a shotgun often. However, I was surprised when I saw a guy using a Taurus Judge but it seemed really fun.

-Cheers
 
My friend Chris shoots a round of a 100 every couple of months or so with a .410, usually gets in the mid 90s overall, but he shoots trap, skeet, or sporting clays 6 or 7 days a week. It must be nice to be independently wealthy!
 
I've used a 20ga for trap a few times. I shot just as good with it as my 12ga. I think a 410 gage is WAY too small for shooting trap with though, especially when you're shooting at the 27 yd line. The only time you save money using the smaller shotshells is if you're reloading them. I've noticed very little difference in the cost of 12ga vs 20 vs410. In some cases the smaller ga shells will cost more money (I'm looking right at you 28 and 16ga) than the 12ga shells
 
Armchair Bronco,

I looked at the gunsamerica site this morning. Wow! Prices have gone up a bit since I got mine. If you are interested in a shooter, I wouldn't be awfully concerned about originiality. My Model 42 has an aftermarket skeet stock, that is good for me because I shoot a lot of skeet. After all, I don't expect my skeet gun to appreciate in value, I expect to shoot the heck out of it.

I have reloaded for years and lately only in 28 gauge and .410. It's the only way I can afford to shoot the .410 as often as I do.

Please consider the Browning BPS Hunter .410. It is a more moden design, comes with invector choke tubes and can be had new for $600. I prefer the bottom eject feature as well.

I do intend to try the 42 at trap in the near future.

SS
 
single stack said:
Please consider the Browning BPS Hunter .410. It is a more moden design, comes with invector choke tubes and can be had new for $600. I prefer the bottom eject feature as well.

SS
Click to expand...

I've been researching this gun for a bit, and it looks like a great, modern alternative to an Old School Model 42. I found a once-used BPS Hunter 410 on sale for $500. That's a great value.

Like I said: I'm looking for a shooter, not something to hang over the fireplace that gets dusted every 2-3 months! Sure, a Model 42 would be nice, but it looks like the Browning BPS will get the job done, too.

BPS-Hunter-MID-012211-m.jpg
 
Taurus Judge Trap Shooting

My neighbor didn't believe me about some people using their 'revolver' for trap. Certainly not for serious competition, but just for kicks (life's too short so why not?). Here's a vid showing such (many of you have probably seen them before but bear with me):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjcgShzKclc

-Cheers
 
Armchair Bronco,

Why not shoot trap with the .410 for fun. Definitely a challenge. Since you reload, maybe you can find a good load tailored to trap.

I like to shoot the .410 in skeet. It is good when I feel I need a reality check.
 
cfullgraf said:
Armchair Bronco,

Why not shoot trap with the .410 for fun. Definitely a challenge. Since you reload, maybe you can find a good load tailored to trap.

I like to shoot the .410 in skeet. It is good when I feel I need a reality check.
Click to expand...
Actually, I don't reload...yet.

But if I buy a .410 for trap, I'll be forced to start reloading. I'm already researching the MEC 600 Jr. and thinking about clearing out a small work area in my already-crowded garage.

Christmas is just around the corner. Just need the gun, a reloader, some once-used hulls, and various reloading stuff (shot, powder, wads, & primers) and I can get started!
 
MEC

I'm already researching the MEC 600 Jr. and thinking about clearing out a small work area in my already-crowded garage.
Click to expand...

I have one and it has already paid for itself. Loads nice ammo, nicely crimped. Set it up for three inch shells and spend a few extra dollars for the 2 1/2" adapter so that you can load both lengths with a minimum of fuss.
Pete
 
The customized Model 42 trap gun I linked to has been sold. I'm sure the new owner will have a lot of fun with it.

Alas, I am NOT the new owner. :(
 
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