410

[Ryan Brentzel]

I need help!! I'm thinking about buying a 410. I am probably going to get a Remington 1100 Sporting. I will shoot skeet, doves, and if i have the money some waterfowl. Any information would be great. Thank you.

[Michael Weiss]

WOW!! Not saying it can't be...by no means am I saying that, but waterfowl with a 410? I have never even heard of non-toxic shells for a 410. I stand behind you 100%!!! If you do take some ducks with it this year...do not forget pics.

Good luck and I wish nothing but the best!!!

[RedBarren]

Go with a 20g. your asking a little pop gun to do alot an and some of it just can't be done...Skeet 410 shell will cost you twice as much as 20. there is no non tox for 410 unless you reload. if you truely want a little pop gun to do everything, save your self the disappointment and go 20g. will cost the same anyways.... and the shells will be cheaper.

[Wingman]

Bismuth makes a .410 3 inch 9/16 oz 1,175fps factory load in 4,5,6,7 ½. You should get a good pattern (with the right choke) out to 20-25 yards with 9/16 oz of 5's or 6's. If you know your range and pattern I bet good money you get some ducks. Cheers!

[iawaterfowler88]

A .410 can kill ducks as long as you know your range. In fact I know a few guys here in Iowa that the first weekend of rooster hunting they carry .410s when the birds aren't as smart and shots tend to be a lot closer. The MAJOR thing is to check your hunting regulations because here in Iowa you can't use anything less than a 20.

[CurrituckBoy]

410 is a fun gun to shoot.

I have only killed one duck with it at about 10-15 yards.

The only shells I could find where the bismith, which were a little pricy.

Good luck and have fun.

Michael

[Michael Weiss]

Adolphus Busch has a pecan grove in MO were you are only allowed to shoot a 20 ga. or 28 ga. They call it the gentleman's hole. They shoot limits of mallards and woodies out of there all the time. So I guess it is more than possible. I just have never thought about using a small gauge in pursuit of waterfowl. As stated before, good luck!

[Tom Cannon, www.Outdoor-z.com]

I have killed pheasant and ducks with my 410. Granted that was at least twenty years ago and it was with lead shot. I didn't know better and thats all I had.

That said, here is my advice which is worth what you pay for it. I have been fortunate to hunt with a bunch of guys, and speak to some of the greatest shooters and hunters. I don't know much except when to listen.

If you are a young man or woman, listen to the guys on this forum. Get yourself a 20 or even 12 ga shotgun. The cost will usually be less than the same gun in 410. Price of the gun, and cheaper shells will be a major advantage to any hunter. Then add in the fact that quality 410 shells can be hard to find and they don't make the most effective killing pattern thus limiting your range and increasing wounded (fly away) birds.

Yeah, I like the feel of a 410, and have done that. Some super shooters can effectively take game regularly with it, but most guys will steer you to a 12 or 20. You can kill elephants with a .22 but do you really want to try?

Just my 2 cents. Good luck no matter what!

[Rob Jepson]

I am pretty sure Ryan is looking at a .410 as a way of rounding out his arsenal. He is an accomplished shooter (see the attached link:http://forum.averyoutdoors.com/showthread.php?t=17583 ) and I think he is just looking for some intel about the "caliber" and choices of guns out there.

Can't argue with wanting to own a well-rounded gun cabinet. I don't have a .410 yet but I do have a 28 ga. Ruger that is a great gun (a "true" 28 built on a 28 ga. frame as opposed to other mfgrs who put 28ga. bbls on a 20 ga. frame) and in the right hunting situation and with the right load it kills them as dead as any 12 or 20 gauge I have. Additionally it is a joy to carry when walking the fields...and a box of 28's weighs a lot less that a box of 12's too!

I guess my take is: If you like guns why limit yourself to only one or two gauges?

[Brett Beinke]

I had a 28 gauge that unfortunately I had to let go. Similar to Robs, a true 28. It was my favorite for hunting pheasants. The thing about the small bores is that they are a heck of a lot of fun to shoot. My brother takes his 410 out on ducks and smacks them good in the early season. Bismuth is a fine load that brings them down well. If it where me, I would get the 28 as I believe it patterns better then the 410 not in how tight the group is but the shot string is better. If I remember right skeet is what saved the 28's. It would be a great choice for what you want. There really is nothing wrong with the 410 either. Then only thing I would do is look into the fine Over and Unders or Side by Sides that are out there as opposed to the autos. The really is no recoil in those small gauges and the third shot is usually...usually out of effective killing range especially on ducks.

[Ryan Brentzel]

Thanks for all of the quick replies. It is much appreciated. The 410 is a pretty cool weapon. I shot a guys Kreigoff last night and he had Briley chokes to shoot 410 and it was sweet. There is little recoil to it and the shells are light enough I could hold 50 or so and not know it. I also want to increase my shooting success and become a better shot. Thanks again for all the info.

[Barry Schindle]

I had a group of guys a few years back in Texas that shot nothing but 410's for geese.....if my memory serves me right we killed out every day. They where nice enough to borrow us the gun until they came back a couple weeks later and we got to play with it, fun little gun and if they are in tight under 10 yards you should have no problem killing them with Bismuth 4's. They had a mix of guns, but they left us a 1100 I think.

[Allan Stanley]

Just like any other shotgun, a .410 is an effective weapon within it's own particular effective range. My kids started hunting early, and they killed ducks, snow geese and spring gobblers with a cut down H&R single-shot. They shot Bismuth at waterfowl, and it hit really hard. I was surprised.

They never shot it at deer, but MAN, that thing was a smokin' little slug shooter, too.

[Doug Steinke]

Ryan, your only on your summer job for three days and you are already trying to spend your money? I know what you are thinking and been down your road. I was real close to buying a Winchester 94 lever action .410, primarly for ducks. Then I found out they only come chambered in 2 3/4" and Bismuth only comes in 3" in .410. I have a pretty good idea where he'd be shooting that thing and everyone else in that blind either shoots a 20 or 28 ga. at ducks. There aren't many birds killed in that blind beyond 20 yards. A lot of single shots at flocks.

[Luke Graham]

Ryan, I would say to get the .410 in a heartbeat. I might lean towards a 28, but a .410 will flat out kill ducks with bismuth 6's. However, just be sure to pattern your gun and find the best choke/load combination for it. Also, focus on head and neck shots and you will not have any cripple problems. Just remember, a .410 in the right hands is deadlier than any 10 ga. in the hands of someone who does not know how to shoot. Have fun at the range this year and bust some clays.

[Rob Jepson]

...a .410 in the right hands is deadlier than any 10 ga. in the hands of someone who does not know how to shoot.

Good point Luke!

[Eric Bragg]

My brother just turned 7 and he killed his first duck last year with a 410.He also shoots skeet with me and my dad.