.410 and grouse

John Y Cannuck said:
410 = well .410
44 = from .427, to .430
Pretty tight fit.

I'm not saying it wouldn't work, but I am suggesting it could be a tad interesting if it doesn't. :eek:
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This was back in the late 1950s and I may have misremembered. Maybe it was a 44/40 which probably makes more sense. And at that time it would likely be close to a pure lead ball. ;)
 
I think they're a good starter for kids as they don't have as much "bang and wallop" as a 12ga.

Also, I think they're good for shooting road chickens.

For me, it's 12ga or nothing.... I want dinner on my table.
 
44fordy said:
For me, it's 12ga or nothing.... I want dinner on my table.
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Want to have some fun try your bow with a judo point.

I like my chicken fried grouse too but sometimes I will shoot a couple with the 28ga to make sure I have a few to eat. Then switch to the bow.

Great practice for range estimation on the fly also.
 
John Y Cannuck said:
I used 4's for everything except clays with the 410. My reasoning was that the fewer hits would be more effective if they were hard hits.
The added benefit, was that there were fewer pellets in my teeth, as the 4's went right through most of the time.
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I do the opposite. I use #8 shot and it doesn't seem to penetrate past the skin but strangely enough still kills them. Concussion I guess.
 
My boy loves his .410

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arancio said:
Some years ago I had a neighbor who had been given a dbl .410 for his 6th birthday in 1904 near Trout Creek, Ontario. He told us it was the custom of the time to load a .44 pistol round in one barrel in case of deer and shot in the other for partridge. I have hunted with that gun and it was the sweetest little outside hammer, 24” Damascus barreled gun. I never tried .44 in it but it did well for partridge.
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I've got an NEF that shoots .410 & 45 Colt - maybe thats what he used ?
 
I use a .410 frequently on grouse. Works fine out to at least 20 yards.
It really doesn't take much to knock down a grouse - one or two pellets will do it usually. If you're getting them on the ground, you shouldn't have any trouble. Your son will have a hoot on them!
 
I have a .410 for grouse. I got it because it didnt have much of a kick after I have my shoulder and collar bone shattered. It is a great beginner gun. Or in my case a great gun to use injured

PS. Ya I know I shouldnt have been hunting lol
 
Well I guess weight, age, height and over all size need to come into play for this as well.

But for a grouse gun for a little guy starting out, I would either go 20 gauge or 16 gauge if you reload. .

.410 is a little wimpy in my eye's, and as most said, most .410's are full choke, although you can have that fixed by a gun smith, they are still a wimpy gun in my mind. Get the kid a 20 gauge, start him off on a light load, even if it is shooting at 2L pop bottles and get him used to it.

Good luck, wished I had a son to do all that with!
Maybe one day, although maybe one day I will say I regret saying that LOL! :p
 
northwoodslivin said:
But for a grouse gun for a little guy starting out, I would either go 20 gauge or 16 gauge if you reload. .

.410 is a little wimpy in my eye's, and as most said, most .410's are full choke, although you can have that fixed by a gun smith, they are still a wimpy gun in my mind.
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We're just talking about shooting GROUSE for crying out loud :D

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).
 
I've used a 12ga since I was 14(legal age in NB)and found the .410 took some getting used to,having to aim it like a rifle rather than point and shoot.I'm a pretty decent wingshot,having waterfowled and hunted grouse and woodcock over Springers for 25 years,but I can't hit $hit with the .410?Had a lotta rabbits and grouse run/fly away until I started really aiming.Maybe a properly fit .410 would work better for me...I dunno,but I aint got much use for them?The 12 is cheaper to shoot anyhow.
 
When I started hunting I used a .410, it was the traditional partridge gun in the town where my husband is from. Since the majority of the birds get shot on the ground or in the trees, I found a 20 gauge worked better for me. I can shoot them from a bit farther away and it has better penetration in the thicker brush. My husband now prefers my 20 gauge and a number of family members have switched as well.
 
I have 2 favourite guns for grouse, my 20 guage Citori O/U and my single shot Stevens 410.
The 20 Gauge is my wing shooter (would love to get a 28 someday when the money is available) I have found whne they are sitting in the trees or on the ground the 410 does a much better job, in fact I have shot grouse at much longer ranges with my 410 than with my 20.

Why?

Well I think it is because fo the full choke, my 20 is usually choked IC/Mod when hunting grouse and 410s are usually tighter than full choke, I have found with #6 shot I can take a bird at 40-50 yards but my 20 seems limited to 30 on the ground (on the wing it seems better) It might also be pychological, as I know I have a follow up shot with the 20...
 
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