.410 Skeet

tiffy

tiffy

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Any handy hints for skeet shooting with the 410?, Have decided to switch to a 410 for something different, tried with a AYA side by side last week, that was a bit too light up front and didn't work too well for me, next will be a Miroku O/U and an 1100, and will see what happens.

Is there any advantage in using a very hard shot to avoid shot distortion with the long column, and I/C the choke to use, or go more open?
Thanks
 
Developing some masochistic tendancies are you? LOL

It's an unforgiving little bugger than can bring with it a degree of frustration. No wonder it's called the "idiot stick" by so many of us. Don't think about it being 410 when you're shooting. At least try not to. There's often a tendancy to think too much and try to be more precise. Just try to shoot it like any other gun. At least that's what I'm told. :) Good luck and don't give up on it too soon.
 
Hints? Yes, serious mental help.:D

If after that you still decide to do it;

Use the most open choke you can get. Your longest shot shouldn't be any longer than 24 yards (or so). You don't need any choke at those distances (IMHO).

Some people swear by hard shot. Personally, I'm indifferent to it. I would go with the pellet count and use #9s (some people like #8.5).

If possible, find a gun weighted the same as your other target gun(s). A lightweight gun can make for an inconsistant swing across the field.

The hardest thing for me to do was to shoot the .410 the EXACT same way you'd shoot any other gauge (Took me 5 or so years to believe it). If you try and baby it to make up for the light payload, you'll miss.

You have to make sure you don't get frustrated. You ARE going to miss, and you have to deal with that. If you get frustrated, or if you start to get careful, or if you start to measure your leads, then you are going to miss even more.

Unfortunately there is no magic trick to shooting the .410. My personal secret is to shoot as little .410 as possible.

Good luck.

Brad.
 
If you don't already have one...buy a good .410 reloader....factory ammo is expensive....and this is one gauge where reloading can save you money...you will need lots of ammo for practise if you want to master the .410.
 
Try to shoot the .410 like it's a 12 gauge - don't go trying harder because it's small.

Shoot as open a choke as you can get, and I too would recommend use of #9 shot, because you need all the pellets you can get up there.

Oh, and try to get used to not shooting many 25's!
 
All good advice. Thank you gentlemen.

I can see that its going to be more of a 'head' game than an equipment game, and that sound like fun in itself!

Heres a pic of the 410 AYA beside my B425, they are just too cute not to shoot.

Also a link to a UK 410 website which is quite interesting
http://www.4-10.freeuk.com/index.html




30567515_full.jpg
 
Some of us swear by it....... some of us swear at it..
My personal favorite for fun skeet.
Bring your sense of humor as well as your desire to work HARD for a good score.
Damn... what a great cartridge.
thegunnut
 
Gun fit & balance is everything ... and the little gun will tell you in a hurry when you're just a little off your game or you aren't dead-smooth. I've had little problen running 25's and 50's ... but those 100's are still elusive (congratulations again Brad ! ) I do find 9's are just fine for skeet - and just keep reminding yourself .... " I could run-'em with my 12 gauge using an ounce and a quarter of 6's, so what's the problem, there's more 9's in a half-ounce .410 load ! " Yeah, O. K. - now go try it !!!

One big bonus though ... that 11 kg. bag of shot seems to go a long-way when reloading !
 
Update on the 410 skeet experiance:

Ended up buying a Miroku O/U with skeet boring, took it out to the local range (and applying the shoot it as an ordinary gun advice) managed a 21, was very pleased with that, as it was the first time I had even fired that gun, decided that with a bit more "precision" I would do even better on the 2nd round, wrong, didn't even break 20 that time.

I'm definately hooked on this 410 game, no more elephant guns for me, the #9s broke target well, and the miroku has enough weight to be useable.

Ammo is a shocker on price, 3" #9 are $NZ13 a box wholesale, looking for a conversion for the Mec 600 JR which will be something to start with anyway.

What I have learned so far is that you can't be lazy on the set-up for the shot, I'm a gun down shooter and the sort of carelessness you can get away with, with stance and gun mounting with a 12g doesn't apply with the 410, you have to get your prelim right or you miss, but thats good as it gets you back to basics.
Cheers
 
"looking for a conversion for the Mec 600 JR which will be something to start with anyway."

I'm not a Mec owner but from all reports I've seen and heard you may want to consider simply buying another 600 JR rather than trying to convert. My understanding is it's a PITA to convert...and the cost of a new loader wouldn't be that much more $$$....it any at all.

Just a thought. Perhaps a Mec owner/loader will jump in here to confirm or dispell my understanding of Mec conversions.
 
Another vote for getting a dedicated .410 loader. For what they cost (I see them used for $50-$75), you will make your money back in time/labour/aggravation very quickly. It's not only changing dies, it is getting everything adjusted just right.

Alternatively, there is reasonably priced .410 ammo to be had. I use Challenger ammo which I get for about $125/case. Even so, you should be able to reload for half of that price.

Brad.
 
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