410 and 2.5in shot shells your experience please

well said...410s especially the short ones are of VERY limited value in my opinion....very close range grouse getter...and when they are that close use a 22....
 
blasted_saber said:
What are your experiences using 2.5" 410 shells on game?

Aside from squirrel protection I'm struggling to see the point of them
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I use them for grouse all the time. But where we hunt, they aren't scared of people and almost never take off. They just walk in the woods close by (15-20ft away, if that). With my Rossi youth .410 full choke, you aim about 1-2" above the head and it's a sure thing without any damage to the breasts.

This situation is perfect for my 12 year old son. Low kick on those shells is perfect.

David
 
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I've shot grouse with them in an 1100 Skeet model I had years ago....between the 1/2 oz load and the skeet choke it gave an effective range of about 45 feet max. :runaway:
Breaking clay targets out to 21 yards or so on the skeet field with them is completely different than trying to kill a living bird or animal with them. Clay targets don't get away wounded.....
 
I picked up a henry lever 410 last year and it won’t take 3” shells so that means I’m using 2.5. It’s been effective and fun swatting grouse in the woods or pigeons at the farm. Where I grouse hunt, most birds flush so carrying that little lever and shooting them on the wing is very satisfying. I’d love to use it dove hunting but couldn't find any steel loads last year.
 
I use 2 1/2" cartridges about 90% of the time. Kills ruffed grouse just fine in my hunting situations. (wilderness grouse not wild) I also have used 3" cartridges but found that the patterns are terrible compared to the 2 1/2" with the same shot size. In reality the .410 is a 25 to stretching 30 yard gun. Both work.

Darryl
 
The 2 1/2" shells pattern better than 3" with less shot stringing. Upland can't tell the difference to warrant 3 " shells. I handload all mine with BPI "stretch" wads making it a 30 yard gun. PS Federal hulls are junk .
 
mbogo3 said:
The 2 1/2" shells pattern better than 3" with less shot stringing. Upland can't tell the difference to warrant 3 " shells. I handload all mine with BPI "stretch" wads making it a 30 yard gun. PS Federal hulls are junk .
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THIS is spot on . Spend some time on a pattern board and see for yourself . Tight choke small shot.
 
I grew up hunting with a Cooey 410 , used the 2 1/2 on Grouse ,
I even had 2 1/4 shells which worked well. Only shooting on the wing
ground was for the .22 .

When my Dad & I went for ducks I used the 3'' mags. till
I was 15 when I bought my first Double Barrel 12 gauge .
 
Lots to think about in here. I'll have to really pattern my 410 and compare.

I've got a bunch of 2.5in stuff sitting around that I've never really used on birds. I've reserved it for pest control to this point
 
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