410

Please don't take offence...but my opinion is that there isn't any! The .410 is more of an experts gun than one for young hunters...or even most hunters for that matter. I firmly believe that a 20 gauge is the best choice for young shooters and beginners alike. Ammunition is cheaper, there are way more options for both guns and ammo, and the better pattern density at longer ranges will ensure cleaner kills. I have seen more newbies get discouraged and quit because of "missed" (centered in the pattern but simply not enough pattern density to kill or break) game and targets with a .410 than with all other gauges combined.

What kind of budget do you have for a gun? And what kind of action do you want (break open single barrel, O/U, SxS, Pump, Semi-auto.)???
 
Agree I have one its just kinda useless however I like that the shells are small it's a neato survival round. Ps it's a iga over under cheep but it looks nice and I like it, under 500 new I think don't quote me in that. You can only get brass load at the store anyways... It's not cheep compaired to lead target loads
 
I grew up shooting grouse with a .22 and a 410. I think these two guns made me a much better hunter. You have to work harder to get close and the lessons learned in that were invaluable.
 
I have and love a cheap Rossi single shot .410 with a 3" chamber and a MOD choke. It is a super light weight gun, durable and easy to use and it breaks down into 3 parts easily for storage and carrying while in a pack and ammo is also very compact. Ammo is a bit more $$$ then the bigger, more common gauges but its not a gun that I go use in the pits with a flat of shells for an afternoon either. $50 worth of ammo from Wal-Mart should last you a few hunting seasons.

PATTERN THE GUN...and try out a few different brands to see what works and know the max range. For me the el-cheapo Winchester #6 2 1/2" shells (about $14ish with tax for 25 rounds) work great for a MAX distance of 25-30 yards but I try to keep it closer to 20 if I can.

Just for fun I also shoot the little .410 2 1/2" slugs that are 1/5oz and they shoot pretty well out to 30 yards as well...have not tried them any further. These are about $1/shot. NOT that these are for bear defense (LOL!) but its nice to have a few solid projectiles just in case.
 
If you reload shotgun get him a 28ga if not a 20ga as the boys say

Can you guys still find ammo for the 28 gauge out east? I've only found it out west here at the Cabela's in Edmonton and it was made by Challenger. Other than that it is indeed a reloader's proposition. I had a sweet little Franchi 48 AL that I stupidly sold not long after moving out here!
 
Can you guys still find ammo for the 28 gauge out east? I've only found it out west here at the Cabela's in Edmonton and it was made by Challenger. Other than that it is indeed a reloader's proposition. I had a sweet little Franchi 48 AL that I stupidly sold not long after moving out here!

Honestly have not looked to hard since I reload probally 5000 plus rounds a year when I am shooting. Know it is on the shelves in NB when I head up there to visit and stock up on stuff. All makes but that store is like the eastern Epps for size and inventory. I got a new Al48 for xmas. :)
 
Ok thx i guess il look into 20 gauge as well ...have 4 kids so the cheaper the better haha any good inexpensive ideas would be great
 
Ok thx i guess il look into 20 gauge as well ...have 4 kids so the cheaper the better haha any good inexpensive ideas would be great

Unless you reload 410 is very expensive as far as shells go vs the 2o ga. I have started many young guns with a 20 semi and just one shell in the gun for the reduced recoil and until they get comfortable. Some 20ga still have a fair recoil which I try to avoid with young shooters.
 
Can you guys still find ammo for the 28 gauge out east? I've only found it out west here at the Cabela's in Edmonton and it was made by Challenger. Other than that it is indeed a reloader's proposition. I had a sweet little Franchi 48 AL that I stupidly sold not long after moving out here!

I have found several sources of 28gauge factory loads, including Wholesale Sports, Bashaw Sports, and Prophet River. Prophet River sells the excellent Fiocchi Golden Pheasant loads(nickel plated shot) which run around $15 per box. I use the Fiocchi loads for all of my upland bird hunting.
 
OR

Get a single shot 12g...VERY common and cheap, as in sub $200 and every gun store along with the EE has many to chose from. Then grab yourself a 20g sub insert if the recoil is too much with a 12g shell as well as installing a better recoil pad. Single shots as easy to use/maintain/clean/take down and are pretty much fool proof. This way they can later grow into the bigger shells without you having to buy a new gun. The definite benefit with 12g and 20g is cheaper and more common ammo which turns into more shooting practice/fun and less damaging on the wallet.

Sadly...for you!...they are all gonna want their "own" gun sooner or later haha
 
Honestly have not looked to hard since I reload probally 5000 plus rounds a year when I am shooting. Know it is on the shelves in NB when I head up there to visit and stock up on stuff. All makes but that store is like the eastern Epps for size and inventory. I got a new Al48 for xmas. :)

I'm still undecided if I should get another or just go with the 870...either gun is awesome in my books but those Franchis are just so damned light and the new ones with the high grade walnut are hard to turn away from!


Ok thx i guess il look into 20 gauge as well ...have 4 kids so the cheaper the better haha any good inexpensive ideas would be great

In your case it sounds like price will be the biggest factor when it comes time to purchase a gun...so how much do you want to spend at most?

Unless you reload 410 is very expensive as far as shells go vs the 2o ga. I have started many young guns with a 20 semi and just one shell in the gun for the reduced recoil and until they get comfortable. Some 20ga still have a fair recoil which I try to avoid with young shooters.

Much the same here. The two I use most often are a 26" barrelled Remington 1100 with a good pad and a Beretta 302 again with a 26" barrel with a bias towards the Beretta when the kids are smaller.
 
I'm still undecided if I should get another or just go with the 870...either gun is awesome in my books but those Franchis are just so damned light and the new ones with the high grade walnut are hard to turn away from!



Much the same here. The two I use most often are a 26" barrelled Remington 1100 with a good pad and a Beretta 302 again with a 26" barrel with a bias towards the Beretta when the kids are smaller.

HAA or just buy one of each like I did. Love the little wingmaster also she is my skeet and trap gun for probally the last 15 years, mag tube weight and all.
I use a old 1100 20ga also with the young guns.
 
I have found several sources of 28gauge factory loads, including Wholesale Sports, Bashaw Sports, and Prophet River. Prophet River sells the excellent Fiocchi Golden Pheasant loads(nickel plated shot) which run around $15 per box. I use the Fiocchi loads for all of my upland bird hunting.

Hard to beat those Fiocchi but I never see them here in eastern canada. If I head to the brothers state side they love them. That is a good price since they were paying 14 and change
 
The 410 single shot is perfect for small kids. Even a 28 gauge single shot has a sharp kick that is too much for them. That's my experience. Never seen a kid that couldn't handle the kick from a 410. The ones I taught loved shooting it.
The 410 for hitting flying targets, well you better be a great shot. I'm not there yet.
 
If I was buying a 410 for a new hunter, I would look into getting a 410/22lr combo gun, since its perfect for all small game, and is cheap to shoot. Most people enjoy a combo gun when they get older also. I would look for a wooden stock model, thats built good, like a baikal.
 
28 ga with a sharp Kick??? That I have yet to see. In 100,000's of rounds of 28 ga fired and at least 20 different makes of guns shot and currently own 4 makes of the single shots have never witnessed it..My two girls at 12 started with 28ga and 20ga 1100's and not once did I hear them say a word about recoil. I started with a 16 and never noticed Just my experience or someone made up some real hot reloads

Recoil energy 410 7-11 ft. lbs : 28 ga 11- 13 ft.lbs : 16ga 22-24 ft.lbs

All right I will say it. Despite the good intentions of many parents those that shoot them in events know all too well they are an experts gun.
I love the .410 alot and shoot an average of 2000 rounds a year most years but it really is short-changing a beginner.
It doesn't give you anything to get used to for a real shotgun, small tight pattern and can create a lot of frustration.
Youth don't have a very long attention span and they are at a real disadvantage when you start them with one.

Experts seem to agree. From a shotgunning mag when the question was asked

A lot of us here probably started with .410s. The first gun I shot was a single-shot Beretta that my dad had cut down to fit me when I was quite young. I mostly remember shooting stationary paper plates and balloons blowing along the ground with it. For puncturing plates and popping ballons, a .410 is plenty of gun and they have practically no recoil. For anything else, it can be challenging. There’s just not much shot in a .410 cartridge making the pattern core small and the fringes weak. I waited until both my kids were big enough to shoot 20 gauge youth model 1100s (age 11-12) to start them out because I wanted them to think shooting was fun, not frustrating.

.410s are better suited to experts with the skill to shoot the little guns and the maturity to know when not to shoot them.

and chuckie's 2 cents

http://w w w.chuckhawks.com/first_shotguns.htm
 
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If you're popping chickens off the trail or out of a tree like most chicken hunters, you don't need to be an expert to shoot .410 so disregard the expertise comments unless you wing shoot. A.410 is perfect for grouse for any person or any size. A new singleshot break action will cost from one to two hundred bucks. It is cheaper if you reload but you can also get a dozen loads per hull and costs less than 15 cents to reload. I have a New England Firearms single that Ive been using since the eighties. Its indestructible.
 
28 ga with a sharp Kick??? That I have yet to see. In 100,000's of rounds of 28 ga fired and at least 20 different makes of guns shot and currently own 4 makes of the single shots have never witnessed it.

I haven't seen it either.
 
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