.410 and grouse

[KodiakII]

Lots of deer been killed with .410 slugs.

Yeah so what...I know two guys that were growing up in the north country when times were hard. The two of them probably killed more deer with a .22 lr Iver Johnson than most people on this bbs have even seen. Do I condone using a .22 on deer- certainly not!
Most .410 slugs are only 87 to 114 grains and offer dismal downrange performance and unacceptable accuracy (average 6moa at 50 yards). Sure a .410 slug will kill a deer when conditions are ideal. Would I use one? Absolutely not!

 

[X-man]

The .410 is fine for teaching a child the intricacies of the shotgun using stationary targets. However, it truly is an "experts" gun.

I switched to a Fox SXS .410 for all my bunny & grouse hunting needs a few years back. I wanted the extra challenge and am forced to be far more selective in my shots.

While I too was started with a single shot .410 my kids and nephews are all going to be started on a semi-auto 20 ga. The action and little extra heft tames most of the recoil and careful selection of shotshells can also play a big role in reducing the remaining felt recoil for kids.

Yet, your child will be able to put out a much larger pellet charge that will be far more forgiving than the few pellets put out by the .410. Field success should be much higher as a consequence. Success=Increased enjoyment=Lifelong Hunter & Shooter!

 

[northwoodslivin]

Have you ever shot one? I dont like em. I use my 12 gauge and make head shots "yes I shoot em on the ground and in the trees if I see em duh" and I never get any pellets in the breast meat.

I like the 12 gauge for grouse hunting, it can go through the thick bush with ease and has much more punch.

I would like to get a 20 gauge semi auto one day though.

We're just talking about shooting GROUSE for crying out loud

It's not about the shooter, it's about what's enough gun for the game.
.410 is HUGE if you're just a little bitty bird! And full choke is perfect for the shot size.

(Although I agree a 20g would be a far more versatile choice, for beyond grouse hunting, and my personal favorite for everything from birds to clays).

 

[arancio]

In the 1950s in the Niagara Falls / Fort Erie area there was a good old boy who hunted pheasants with a .410 and he rarely failed to bring down a bird. He actually did much better than most who used 12s. His gun was an OSH SxS with 30" barrels.

I guess skill plays a larger part than might be evidenced by this thread, eh?

 

[Murf]

I think a 20 ga is a better choice to start a kid with. More success. As for recoil use the lighest loads available or reload.
I started my son with a 20 ga H&R. Small frame, stocked for someone of small stature , open hammer with a transfer block for safety sake.
The one I got even had a 30-30 barrel which was his first deer rifle.

Later I restocked it with a nice piece of walnut designed to make scope use easier. To go back to the shotgun mode only took a few minutes and involved nothing more than removing the butt plate and undoing the through stock bolt.

 

[TPK]

They're not legal to use on deer in Quebec as they are considered to be too weak. I'm not sure about other provinces.

I thought it may be a nice option to have some slugs with me while out Grouse hunting so if I saw Deer, I could take it, but I was promptly informed that it's not legal in B.C. Great gun for Grouse though ...

 

[28 gauge]

I thought it may be a nice option to have some slugs with me while out Grouse hunting so if I saw Deer, I could take it, but I was promptly informed that it's not legal in B.C. Great gun for Grouse though ...

Not legal in Nova Scotia either.Has to be 28 gauge or larger.