Anyone here hunt with a .410?

[Ridge_Runner]

I have a nice Marlin lever action .410 shotgun that takes 2.5" shells. What do you use your .410 for? Pics? 2.5 or 3 " shells?

[Penny_Plinker]

I have my stepdads Mossburg .410 and i don't use it but he used it for everything. coons, squirrels, killing chickens out of the yard for supper. That's what he had so that's what he used and being an excellent shot didn't need anything bigger.

Pneny

[Frank]

yes, I use a Rossi for hunting grouse;
2.5 inch shells are enough.

[Arkansas_Fat_Man]

8) Yes ! I to have an old mossberg bolt action 410. Great little gun for squirrel hunting. Light & easy to carry. And i'm not as young as i ounce was, so thats a big plus. ;D ;D

[pancho]

I used one for squirrel and quail. I liked the 3" better. Slugs came in only 2 1/2" the last I bought. They had fairly good knock down power for short distance.

[Star1pup]

Like most kids of my generation I learned to hunt with a .410. I started with an Iver Johnson single shot and then Dad traded it in and bought me a Stevens double when I was 13. He also traded his 12 off for a Fulton .410. My son had Dad's gun, but mine are long gone. Sure wish i had them in my gun safe. :)

Right now I have a Stoeger .410 double, but do most of my shotgun hunting with a 28 gauge.

[mj1angier]

First gun was a .410 from Sears. Good gun to learn safety and car with.
Grandmother had a .410 that my uncle got when she past. It was Italian made and would fold in half- fore arm was notched out for the trigger guard. Wold love to get that gun.

[scoutinlife]

Winchester model 9410 packer is what I'll be usi ;)ng for deer season this year only takes 2.5 slugs. Meat hunting for doe only and short ranges 25 yard maxium shot where I will be positioned this year! Also it's my back door gun slug/shot every other one critter control!!!! ;D ;D ;D

[sheen_estevez]

work great for grouse. Good for the young ones when they are just starting out, not too much kick

[Star1pup]

I love the .410, but if were starting a kid today I'd go for a 28 gauge. It has very little recoil and has a better pattern. Just my opinion though.

[gypho]

My kids all started out with .22's and .410's.... works well for small game AND deer, especially for beginners. Worked for me as a youngun, too. ;D Why break a good tradition?

gypho

[hunter63]

My H&R/NEF .410 barrel also shoots .45 cal long colt, as does the double barrel derringer.
I would guess they would shoot in any .410.

[ZOOBEAR]

Winchester model 9410 packer is what I'll be usi ;)ng for deer season this year only takes 2.5 slugs. Meat hunting for doe only and short ranges 25 yard maxium shot where I will be positioned this year! Also it's my back door gun *slug/shot every other one critter control!!!! ;D ;D ;D


Iowa wont let us use anything smaller than 20 guage slugs for deer. What state allows a 4 10 for deer?

[hunter63]

Wisconsin doesn't either, nor would a .410 be my choice for hunting, except small game, and varmints.

Just saying that their are are loads out there.
You know "just in case".

[pancho]

This a homesteading forum. Sometimes you have to make do with what you have. The .410 can be a deer gun. You do have to know a little about the range of your weapon. The real homesteaders will know about making do with what you have. The wannabe will have excuses why that is not allowed or illegal.
To feed your family you may have to do some things that are illegal.

[Star1pup]

You can use a .410 with a single slug for deer in Ohio and I have seen several one shot kills made with a .410 by young people during our youth season.

The only real problem I've had with a .410 is reloading. The small hulls are tough to resize right and the shot tends to hang up in the drop tube. Then it releases and runs all over the floor after you move the hull to the next stage. >:(

[scoutinlife]

Iowa wont let us use anything smaller than 20 guage slugs for deer. What state allows a 4 10 for deer?



Sorry Zoobear just seeing this. Ohio we can use a 410 legally.

[ChoochCharlie]

Had my 410/22 out hunting squirrels this weekend with the nephews. Gotta love how light it is.

Reminds me, it needs cleaning. ;D

[deerhunter1362]

I use mine for rabbit hunting, because it wont scare my beagles as bad as a bigger shotgun

[hillbilly_mom]

I use a .410 with slugs for deer hunting. I am disabled and it is the only gun I am now able to hold up without it wobbling about. ::) I killed one last year with it, but haven't seen any on the power line this year, or it would be mine. ;)

[tonyb]

8) *Yes ! *I to have an old mossberg bolt action 410. Great little gun for squirrel hunting. Light & easy to carry. And i'm not as young as i ounce was, so thats a big plus. ;D ;D
Those Mossbergs are great guns. Does yours have a vari-choke on the end?
I have my Dads old Iver Johnson. A great single shot barn gun.

[RangerRick]

Growing up in SE Texas a .410 was seen as a "right of passage" usually served up at or about 9 years. Logic being that it's range was more forgiving than a .22 for a child learning about fire arms and give some experience before that next step. It will take any game in the Texas forest which allowed for a wide variety of hunting experiences and most importantly allowed for big game deer which is a passion in Texas. If you load a slug you can take a deer at 40-50 yards with no trouble.

Ranger Rick

[ChoochCharlie]

I've been carrying my .410 with slugs here in South East PA this season.
Lighter than my 12gauge and I have been liking its grouping at 50 yards better than the 12.

[ChoochCharlie]

I just picked up an old Sears scope for $3 at a local flea market. The guy said it "has problems" but it was just dirty.
As luck would have it, the rings fit my .410
Now I feel spoiled.

[scoutinlife]

I just picked up an old Sears scope for $3 at a local flea market. *The guy said it "has problems" but it was just dirty.
As luck would have it, the rings fit my .410
Now I feel spoiled.

Let us know how shoots once you get your scope mounted and sighted in! ;)

[ChoochCharlie]

3" group @ 50 yards.
Funny, I thought I was all over the paper until I realized the wad was punching a second hole. ;D
Wad hole was IDENTICAL to the slug hole.

[scoutinlife]

3" group @ 50 yards. *
Funny, I thought I was all over the paper until I realized the wad was punching a second hole. ;D
Wad hole was IDENTICAL to the slug hole.


Sweet glad to here the great deal on the scope turned out to be a winner!!!! ;D ;D

[Penny_Plinker]

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-7/1047863/TwoSquirrels.jpg



Here is a couple of squirrels i got yesterday with my Stepdad's old mossburg 410 singleshot. The biggest one dressed out 1 1/2 lbs and measured 29 inches from nose to tailtip. The gray one was way high in a tree and climbing higher but that little .410 dropped it.

Penny

[unclesam]

Dont have any experience w/the .410 Always did all my rabbit and squirrel hunting with a 20 gauge .I long ago switched to 22lr though, cheaper and makes cleaner kills. But it definitely looks like the .410 gets the job done, nice squirrels.

[Penny_Plinker]

U.S., I almost always use a .22, also, like you do. I just got one this morning with a scoped .22 Marlin with a light trigger. You make a very "centsible" point about the .22 ammo being cheaper. 410 ammo is uncommon enough to make it expensive. I dug this out of the closet though, may as well use it and it's a nice change. Thinking about using the .410 for next turkey season, though, i like it.

Penny

[ChoochCharlie]

My .410 is an over-n-under with .22 on top. *Great combo with hard sites and No. 6 shot for squirrels. *.22 when sitting still, .410 when he's moving.
But now that I scoped it, I notice that the .410 with slugs hits a little low and left of the .22 .
I plan to have to sight in with the change of seasons. *Maybe even take off the scope for small game. *Use the scope just for deer.

Options are cool.

[remington]

I use by great-grandpas Eastern Arms 1929 single-shot. Great little gun and has a lot of history.

[clawhammerdan]

Never had a .410 but wished I did. Would be great for grouse in thick cover where you're shooting in tight confines.

[Star1pup]

There was an article on the .410 in Shotgun Sports Magazine a couple of months ago. It basically told of a .410 book being sold by a guy in England, but it did have some interesting ballistics on .410 slugs. I think they were going out at about 1,850 fps if I remember right. They have a website so you might want to google for the info.

I still have a .410, but I've found the 28 gauge better and also easier to load.

[Catalpa]

I have my brother's .410, since he's left it at my house for a few years now, I figure it's mine to use!

Never tried it for hunting, I'm comfortable with my 12, and the smaller .410 ammo is actually much more expensive.

But it's a great little gun, and I keep it handy for the coons. Darn critters used to live in my house, and every year a few of them try to get back in. They tear off downspouts and even climb on the front porch, hissing and growling when I go out for firewood.

'Nuff of that. The .22 didn't kill 'em fast enough, unless I got one right through the eye. So now I use the .410 and just one shot, bye bye coon!

Maybe this year I'll use it for hunting if I can find some ammo on sale.