.410 - What are you using it for...

I've shot a lot of .410 as you have to in skeet competition. But hunting with one sure separates the men from the boys. When you get a limit of doves with a .410, you have really done something.
 
I've shot a lot of .410 as you have to in skeet competition. But hunting with one sure separates the men from the boys. When you get a limit of doves with a .410, you have really done something.
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I couldn't do it.
But I'd like to see it.



I grew up hunting grouse in western PA, and I developed a healthy respect for them. Pretty rare to spot one sitting. When I moved to Idaho, I was surprised to find people hunting them with 22s. One guy clubbed a "fool hen" with his walking stick. They still tasted just as good.
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Yea, they're a bit different out here.
I've taken as many Ruffed and Dusky with a .44 Mag, using custom (1/2 oz) shot shells, as I have with any shotgun or rimfire. (Centerfire hunting rifles account for the majority.)
One of my brothers has about a dozen witnessed stick or rock kills to his name. Both of us have at least one kill with our boots (quick kick to the head, then snatch them up and break the neck for good measure).

Due to the way the grouse act, the lower human population, and the different political climate out here, weapon restrictions are very minimal in this part of the country - at least for forest grouse. I think the only thing prohibited in Idaho is a crossbow. Spears, sticks, rocks, boiling oil, blow guns, fire and brimstone... all legal.

Even the .410 is overkill most of the time, but having one available allows taking cottontails and snowshoe hares, as well. (In Idaho, at least. No centerfires for the bunnies, and I don't like going out with just a rimfire. -- Utah, my other 'primary' hunting state, is a bit different and legal weapons for bunnies can depend upon what other seasons are open in the area, due to the 'temporary game preserve' regulations.)
 
Thanks for the input. I did buy a Mossberg 500 .410 (<$300, can't go wrong) and put it to paper this afternoon. The 3" 11/16 loads of #6 patterned respectably at 30 yards. The 2 1/2" 1/2 loads were a little thin at that range. Pretty well put together little gun.
 
FrankenMauser - keep your wits about you if you try and load shotshells with hand tools.

Years ago I bought a break action Mag Tek single shot 410. My wife uses it on the farm as her critter gitter. She's not a good shot and it will take her 3, 4, 5 shots to kill something. Cost adds up pretty quick so I started reloading them. Even bought a shot dripper to make #6 shot.

Got tooled up with hand tools and started reloading. Had a primer go off as I was seating it with a nut driver that fit the task well. Blew the nut driver out with some authority. It bounced off the ceiling and ended up across the room. Put an end to that adventure.

Looked for a safer way to prime the shells w/o buying a dedicated loader. Turns out a 7mm Rem Mag shell holder holds the 410 shells nicely but the hole in the center is too small for shot shell primers. A 5/16 stone and my Dremel remedied that problem.

I bought a Lee Ram Prime. The interchangeable priming rods for large and small primers are 1/8" diameter. Same diameter as a roofing nail, the head of which fits the 5/16 hole in the modified shell holder.

Now I prime my 410 shot shells on my center-fire reloading press. Much, much, much better than beating on it with a hammer and chasing the tool across the room.

I also have the base of the RCBS Ram Prime and fashioned a ram by rounding the head of a 1/4" hex head bolt and use it with the Lee Ram Prime shell holder that screws into the press and the modified 5/16 shell holder that snaps into the Lee part. Both tool configurations work great.

I made a plunger from a wooden dowel and outfitted it with a ball handle. Works great to seat the over powder card, fiber wads and over shot card.
 
I've shot a lot of .410 as you have to in skeet competition. But hunting with one sure separates the men from the boys. When you get a limit of doves with a .410, you have really done something.
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Something that some of my friends do regularly. There is a small group at my gun club that regularly shoot 5 stand and FITASC targets with their 410s. They shoot everything from Win 42s to Browning, Beretta and Cesar Guerini over-unders.
 
I love my 410's!
I have 2 currently. A bolt action Hawthorne, and a Savage 242 410/410.

The Savage is deadly on rabbits.
The Hawthorne is my go to pheasant and squirel gun.

Mostly shoot Rem 7, 1/2 or 6 shot. 3" rounds for me.

I have taken the Hawthorne turkey hunting.
 
I had a cheap break action when I was a kid in the late 80's early 90's that I bought for $20 at a rummage sale with a box of shells. This gun was used for walked up grouse usually under 10 yards and never flying.

Maybe it's just my part of northern Michigan but I could hear them drumming from morning till evening in September-December. I'd just walk slow in their direction and usually get one if I was patient.

Eventually I got rid of the gun because it wouldn't break easy. A few years ago I picked up a Rossi 22/410 and learned it was light, recoil sucked and the pattern was a real question mark. That on top of the price of ammo will keep a 20 guage filling the spot. And it's even useful for pesky raccoons. Got 4 this year not really trying.
 
FrankenMauser - keep your wits about you if you try and load shotshells with hand tools.
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Thanks for sharing. I missed your post initially.
When I get around to brass-cased .410 reloading, I'll be using reloading tools for priming and depriming.
 
I do like 410. I have match pair Rem 1100 skeet 410 and 28 ga. I use to shoot skeet then got some other barrels and shot few grouse.
 
The landowners of one large property that i have permission to hunt don't like unexpected loud noises. i accommodate them by using a .410 shotgun when hunting quail, rabbits and squirrels on their fine property.
 
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