Wonder if they ever have a taste for the "other white meat"?
Mort, many will malign the .410 but I find it useful for more than just cicadas. Aside from squirrels and bunnies, it can be effective on dove and quail as well, but it is NOT a good choice for beginners except perhaps for use on skeet as a training vehicle. Too, I've killed hogs with them, but only because it was in my hands, not because of desire for a challenge. I've noticed that most long time skeet shooters do their best clay busting with the lowly .410, a result of lack of recoil I suppose. It doesn't matter much what you do to moderate a 12 Gauge's punch on the south end, 200-300 rounds in a day gets old.
A common mistake with the .410 is not properly pointing the damn thing in the first place, so your limited supply of shot is poorly directed. Next, I've not seen much point for anything less than a modified choke and prefer a full for all applications. Hunting with shells less than 3" is usually a mistake unless the quarry is cicadas or locust. Shooting clays with anything bigger than 2-1/2" is illegal for competition, and is all that is needed. Anyway, the .410 is a poorly appreciated shell and that's a shame. They are a pain in the ass to reload though, least for anybody over 4'5" tall. BTW, it helps to use heavy enough shot. Inside 20 yards, #6 will do the trick on cats!
I love the 28ga. which I shoot a fair amount. My double patterns very well up to #6 shot. I have not seen many .410 patterns with shot larger than #9 that are well filled out.
Give me a 28ga. for clays or skeet or limited hunting and I am happy. Just don't try to put a .410 in my hands. Of course I won't try to knock the 67ga. out of your hands either.
Mort Canard
Posts: 567 | Location: Kansas | Registered: 02 February 2002
Mort, the 28 is a wonder in a nice SxS for quail and such. Difference between the two is very small. I'm recalling something like 3/4 to 7/8 oz of shot for the 28 and and 1/2 to something close to 3/4 for the .410 depending on the shells. Anyway, one of the things that cripple it a bit is its association with beginners and the attendant cheap guns chambered for the shell. Given a good bore and loads it may spot the standard 20 Ga field load 5 yards but no more. Anyway, I'm not trying to sway as much as inform. I've seen a few fellows busting quail with them that hardly ever miss.
120mm, it's a gauge I heartily recommend for indoor "recreation" when things go bump in the dark. A 3" #6 won't be taking too many prisoners IMO.
Some interesting info: The "ideal" charge for a 28 gauge is usually thought to be about 3/4 ounce, it is believed that length of shot column should be equal to shot column diameter. With a 3/4 ounce load, 3 foot shot pattern lengths are not uncommon, while pattern lengths of over 10 feet are common with the 12 gauge magnum loads. That said, I lust after a 28 gauge over/under but I'm not willing to spend money on it as I have no place to go quail hunting. Oh, and .410 isn't a "67 gauge" it's actually a 36... Personally, I think the best tool for the friggin bugs is a shop vac!
Toolmaker
Posts: 1000 | Location: in the shop as usual | Registered: 03 April 2004
Hello Mort. Very clever of you to introduce the premier small game shotgun gauge with a cicada story. This compels me to advise that the 410 is very good for all game up to large coon size with small shot. Like Dan, I know it will work on large game if the shooter is careful, and often patterns small shot so well you can put a 1/2 pattern on a rabbit's head. Good medicine for rabid pasture pumas too as has been mentioned. Try one out carefully. Mine patterns 2 1/2 #6's better than the 3' magnum 410's. Regards, ned
Posts: 2374 | Location: Eastern North Carolina | Registered: 27 August 2003
I've had Winchester single-shots in .410, 28 and 20 ga. All of them were really nice shooters, but too easily parlayed into cold hard cash, so they are not with me anymore.
Well, the duct-tape customized Topper will have to do the trick for another year....
I love shooting my .410's,,light to carry,,Do the job with out excessive peppering,,just a pleasure to shoot and hunt with,,I picked up a win. mod. 37 youth for my now 7 y/o boy a couple of years ago,,It's patiently waiting in the vault for him,,It's been there a couple of years now as it is.Loading for it is a different story,,I bought a mec 650 from a guy at the trap club for $25,,was scratching my head why did he sell it so cheap? It's in like new condition.Now I know,,You haven't loaded shotshells 'till you tryed your hand at .410's.I understand why they're 2x the money a box at the gun shop now.Clay
Posts: 2119 | Location: woodbine,md,U.S.A | Registered: 14 January 2002
I still have a Winchester 12Ga single shot with full choke and it only cost us 215,000 bucks. Found it in the walls of this house a couple off years after moving in. derf
Posts: 3450 | Location: Aldergrove,BC,Canada | Registered: 22 February 2003
Mort Late season hunting irrigation ditches,skiff of snow on the ground.A big Golden retriever out front being the pheasant vacuum cleaner.A rooster rises,up comes the 1100 .410,point,shot,the rooster folds,then the retrieve.Many a Montana afternoon has been spent with the .410.
I had one of those Montana afternoons with a 20 once when I was a kid, actually it was in Pennsylvania. GENTLEMAN! You have developed a term of the art fully sufficient in meaning and fully as encompassing as POTKB. Well Done.
Posts: 2374 | Location: Eastern North Carolina | Registered: 27 August 2003
I gathered up about 45 for a buddy, who, with the assistance of his teenage daughter, prepared them in an "El Chirpo Taco".
He said:
Quote: Those things are NASTY. They taste a little like asparagus. We ate them, but they're not very good.
You know how they warn you about not letting your dog eat too many of them, because of gas? Well, it's true! Whew. Nobody wants to be around me today. I have gas so bad, I might leave work early, just to get outdoors. Dense and plenty of it.
I offered to gather a few more for him, but he said "No, thanks".
Posts: 588 | Location: Maryland | Registered: 08 April 2003
Mr. Ludd, that very good! Li have one too, rong time back with friend of Gunny. Not use .410, not in Montanta, but same same. We sit on Eagre Nest, watch varrey rong time. Li hum "Reach out, reach out and touch someone!" beau coup rong time before Baby Berr. Maybe Wolfer-san show Li rear dear someday. Hear many fine thing about this prace.
Posts: 374 | Location: Golden Chopstix Restaurant | Registered: 09 July 2003
Hear many fine thing about this prace.
