.410 Shotguns

Many shooters shot squirrels or rabbits with a .410 when they were a kid. Some view the .410 as a gun for kids, an inconsistent crippler, and difficult to use on flying game.

When .410 shotguns are built properly, on a .410 size frame, they are a delight to the eye and to the hand. But, many small gauge guns are adaptations on 20 gauge or even 12 gauge frames. Some shooters don't realize these "clunky guns" are poor examples of .410s.

Hunting for more than fifty years I have owned a fair number of shotguns: two 12s, five 20s, one 28, and eight .410s if memory serves me correctly.
I've used many more shotguns, some extensively. From this list you can probably guess that I like small bores, and I really like .410s

I reloaded a lot of .410 and the 20 gauge shells when I was shooting skeet regularly. I've mostly hunted quail, dove, and a few woodcock. I've only hunted ducks, or geese occasionally. I've used every gauge except the 10 gauge.

For close, short range shotgunning, water-hole incoming doves, quail over dogs, woodcock in thick timber, the .410 is my first choice. For small birds up to at least 20 yards an open choked .410 with #8 or #9 shot is hard to beat.

I'm very comfortable shooting the little gun. I don't try long shots, or to stretch the range like I sometimes do with a 20 gauge. My number of shots to kills average is usually slightly better with the .410

Many shooters seem ignorant of what these little guns can and cannot do. Some think that the the smaller guns throw smaller or tighter patterns; which seems logical. Most .410s come with a full choke which aids this thinking. Truth is an open choked .410's pattern opens up quickly and is said to throw the widest pattern of any gauge.

I believe the biggest single problem with the .410 is the full choke. Most .410's have a full choke for making the longest shots possible. But any person who understands wing shooting and shotguns would never buy a full choke for short range use.

The smaller diameter shot pattern of a full choke is harder to hit with. An open choked .410 is good to 20 yards on birds and comparatively easy to shoot well. A full choke is only reliable for a few more yards when the pattern is centered on birds. This makes it difficult to shoot well. ".410 shotguns are always short range guns!"

The .410 has a tendency to throw patterns with dense centers and thin uneven fringes. Plastic shot collars help but some shot is deformed as it travels down the barrel. The longer shot column of the three inch shells and the full choke seem to magnify this problem.

The second and related problem is shot size. Some shooters brag of making long shots using larger #6 shot or even #4 or #5 shot. These are lucky shots where a few pellets hit the animal's vitals. I don't believe shot larger than #6 should be used in .410s. The #6 shot only for those who like to hunt squirrels or rabbits with the little guns.

Larger shot sizes are for longer range shooting, and again ".410 shotguns are short range guns." The little shells don't hold enough shot to effectively use larger shot sizes.

The best shot sizes for birds are the smaller #8 and #9 shot. With the larger sizes of shot the pattern thins out very quickly. If you need to use larger shot sizes, use a 20 gauge, or even a 12.

The small gauges are not as versatile as the larger 12 or 20 gauges. The .410 does offer three inch loads which hold about 40% more shot. In my experience they pattern less evenly, and their advantage is not as great as expected.

There are slug loads for use in .410 shotguns. I've only used the slugs for pest, and not enough to comment on them. They are not legal for deer in Oklahoma, and I wouldn't use them anyway.

The ammunition makers offer low cost promotional shells in 12 and 20 gauge. Remington has made a lower cost load, but only with #6 shot and a 20 round box. We pay a premium or reload the little .410 and 28 gauge shells.

Some say the shells cost more because less shells are sold, but are less shells sold because they cost more? It appears that we get less, for more money, but I have more fun with less gun.

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