410 - why?

Why not? Are you saying I don't need it and shouldn't have it (holds on tight to his tin foil hat)?

Just kidding ;)

My Yildiz .410 is nice and lightweight. Shotgun shells are relatively expensive sure ($18 for 25 shells) but they are small enough to shove a handful in my pocket keeping things light. It's the perfect little grouse/hare gun when I go out for a walk in the woods.
 
^^I agree. Why not? I occasionally use a .410 at sporting clays. I certainly don't hit the same number as with the 12 ga., but it's a heck of a lot of fun. I reload for about $6/box.
 
Gunneegoogoo said:
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.....
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Where do you think the tens of thousands of .22 toting squirrel hunters are shooting their squirrels?
 
hoytcanon said:
Where do you think the tens of thousands of .22 toting squirrel hunters are shooting their squirrels?
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Oh good!!! So there'S tens of thousands of you sky-shootin' MFers out there that didn't listen in hunter safety school???

Perfect.

I've never been more glad that I don't live in Ancaster.

GGG
 
I have owned several O/U and SXS and pump and semi .410's... I really like them, but I keep selling them, because when I am heading out for serious wingshooting trips, I always grab my 20's...
 
I met a fellow from,"the Rock" who swore that them.410 with a slug was a great moose gun. I ain't suggesting to do it, I'm only repeating what I was told.
 
Its the perfect gun for trail chickens. Its not a deer gun or a firearm that I would want for dangerous animals or skeet shooting, but if you want to shoot trail chickens its the perfect gun.
 
Claybuster said:
It's not called the "cripple stick" for no good reason.
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And this is usually the result of young or very inexperienced shooters being started out with a 410. The 410 is not very forgiving, and it really exposes shooter error. That is exactly why I shoot skeet with the 410 now and then.
 
I've never been a huge fan of the .410 and had no desire to own one until my daughter saw an Optima single shot. She liked the light weight, "engraved" receiver, and cheap price. She saved up her own money and bought one. While it's a cheap gun, it's been super effective and she's deadly on rabbits and grouse with it at surprising ranges. It works for her.
 
stubblejumper said:
And this is usually the result of young or very inexperienced shooters being started out with a 410. The 410 is not very forgiving, and it really exposes shooter error. That is exactly why I shoot skeet with the 410 now and then.
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It is indeed an Expert's gun for wing shooting or for clays. However people like to buy a short or collapsible version of the .410 to stuff into a quad or their truck. A short buttstock will have you shooting high every time, and further to this, a full choke is not the best choke for snapping on clays.


I roll my own .410 shells and have for over thirty years. I can shoot clays if I add a pad/extension to the stock but its otherwise a chicken gun that I keep in my truck. I have no other shotguns that have put more birds on the table. That said, if I want a session of clay pigeons I use my Beretta O/U .
 
stubblejumper said:
And this is usually the result of young or very inexperienced shooters being started out with a 410. The 410 is not very forgiving, and it really exposes shooter error. That is exactly why I shoot skeet with the 410 now and then.
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Shooter error is one thing on the clay grounds but quite another at live game. I've owned one and found my skeet scores inconsistent. One round I might shoot it well but then not so great on the next round. What finally convinced me on the .410 was watching a friend of mine who is a competent game shot try one out on a preserve pheasant hunt. I backed him up with my 12 gauge and got a lot of shooting in. He never shot the .410 again to the best of my knowledge.
 
I know you hear stories all the time that it's a poor choice for a youth to learn on and it's an experts gun etc. etc. No one told my dad that waaay back when I was 12 years old. My first shotgun was a .410 pump which I still have. I learned to shoot with it and I shot very well and I'm talking flying objects. Maybe it can actually make someone a better shooter as you actually have to learn how to shoot.
 
I used a 410 for grouse and rabbit. It's a perfect bore for that in my opinion. If you mess up the shot your not going to blast it apart:) But for a great rifle the combined over under 410 / 22 caliber is a great choice.
 
Claybuster said:
Shooter error is one thing on the clay grounds but quite another at live game. I've owned one and found my skeet scores inconsistent. One round I might shoot it well but then not so great on the next round. What finally convinced me on the .410 was watching a friend of mine who is a competent game shot try one out on a preserve pheasant hunt. I backed him up with my 12 gauge and got a lot of shooting in. He never shot the .410 again to the best of my knowledge.
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My own skeet scores drop when I shoot the 410 instead of my usual 28 gauge, which is why I don't hunt with the 410. That being said, one of my hunting partners does quite well on released pheasants with his 410. He does better than many hunters with their 12 gauges, but then again, many of those shooters only shoot a shotgun when hunting, and their shooting skills are much weaker as a result.
 
I was given an old Cooey and have used it on grouse and hares. I've really lost interest in shooting grouse. I feel sorry for the poor stupid birds and can't do it any more unless it's a big blue grouse. Just not worth the effort as far as I'm concerned.

I have missed a lot of easy close-up shots with the 410 and have had better success at 20 yards-plus. Small shot string I guess. I have an Ithaca 20 gauge pump now. Much nicer gun. The fore-end kept falling off the Cooey.
 
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