410 - why?

I use it primarily for vaminting, but it's a really specific use case.

My gopher guns are all scoped, which is a pain when the little boogers pop up right beside you (under 10 yards). I keep a short .410 handy in the quad for popping the bold close ones. Works great.

Mind, I also reload for it, so it only costs about 12 cents a shell or so. If I was using commercial ammo at $0.75-$1.00 a shot, it would get a bit expensive for gophers.
 
An over under 22LR/410 would be a super handy trapping gun. ...I scare up so many damn grouse when checking traps. Right now I just carry a little badger in 22, but I kinda wish it was more versatile.
 
I like using the 410 for rabbit hunting, I find it causes less meat damage. I really enjoy eating rabbit, I have also taken pheasant, grouse and ducks with the 410 when the opportunity arises. I find the 410 to be quite usable on small game out to 30 yrds but past that patterns get to thin. Used within its limits it's a pretty deadly round.
 
RMStyler said:
An over under 22LR/410 would be a super handy trapping gun. ...I scare up so many damn grouse when checking traps. Right now I just carry a little badger in 22, but I kinda wish it was more versatile.
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Got one in 22 hornet/410. No problems in the boreal forest and bunnies when the distance never really surpasses 12-15 yards and that two I took with it were bang/flops with the full choke and Challenger #7.5 in 2.5 inch shells. This is on familiar terrain only.
Recently up here at the Cold Lake CT, one can buy in two and one half inch and three inch shells, of 000 buckshot for close in coyotes and such. (4 and 5 pellets)
When I venture over hill/dale, much like Super Cub, a double barrel 20 gauge is my very first choice for upland game. A light weight 12 is often number two.


A 410 is just fine for close up on small critters.
 
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I've got a savage 24 and a single shot. One of the two is always in the truck. I've found that hopping bunnies out to 25 yards are fine but running rabbits are darn near impossible( probably just my lack of skill though) flying grouse out to 35 is yards are still quite doable. That strung out pattern is nice when shooting through undergrowth at bunnies. There were half a dozen or so days where I had my limit with my 410 before my buddies combined had a 2nd limit with their .22s.
I for one love the round as long as I accept it's limitations.
 
It's gonna teach my little girl to break clays.....and it teaches me to damn well be on target and shoot fast when I use it.

Ammo is 2.5x the cost of 12g, but its so fun it's worth it!!!!
 
I use my .410 to control the chipmunks, as I find it difficult to shot them with a 22 (something about a rifle sighted for 50 yards being difficult to use at 10 yards).
 
When I was heavy into shooting skeet I shot 12 ga. and .410. I had a pair of Win 101's. Any hit with a 410 is a good hit but some were better than others. I enjoyed shooting the 410 and did very well shooting skeet with it as that particular 101 fit me very well. It was also deadly on stray cats around the bird feeder and wood shed.
In NW Ontario a .410 is a chicken gun (partridge/ grouse) for driving the bush roads and shooting chickens. A .410 has a very limited range compared to the larger gauges due to the density of the pattern. Like mentioned it is not for beginners but experts, or shall we say those folks with a lot of experience.
Personally for chickens I use a 20 ga. because I have one and several hundred rounds left over from my pheasant hunting years. If I was just starting out and new what I know now I would get a 28 ga.
 
I'm not a .410 fan, recoil is an issue for some folks, so the .410 makes perfect sense in those cases. The .410 has it's place, no doubt about it...just not in my safe.
 
I have blown too many rabbits and birds to pieces because they were shot at too close a range with a 12 guage. I don't experience this problem when I shoot with the .410 at close ranges (<10 yards)
 
fishslinger said:
I like using the 410 for rabbit hunting, I find it causes less meat damage. I really enjoy eating rabbit, I have also taken pheasant, grouse and ducks with the 410 when the opportunity arises. I find the 410 to be quite usable on small game out to 30 yrds but past that patterns get to thin. Used within its limits it's a pretty deadly round.
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Check out the badger big brother, the double badger. Caveat emptor.
 
thepolinator said:
I use my .410 to control the chipmunks, as I find it difficult to shot them with a 22 (something about a rifle sighted for 50 yards being difficult to use at 10 yards).
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Might be something about the remaining KM or so of the .22's trajectory should you miss as well too..... if you're only taking shots at critters on the ground, then I'll shut up.....
 
Jager said:
When the .410 fans say it's a great grouse/rabbit gun are the critters sitting still or moving?
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Sitting still, moving-- either. If you can't hit a flying grouse under 20 yards in the bush with a .410 or a running rabbit at 20 yards or under I wouldn't be blaming the gun, lol. Other factors come into play and chances are you would have missed anyhow with whatever gun. And I say around 20 yards because I assume we are talking practical ranges for the .410.
 
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