.410

[LoganSinclair 0]

hi guys, Starting to want to get a shotgun, so i have been looking around to see what there is and was thinking of a .410 to start off with. Are these good guns and what all would you be able to shoot with them?

ATB Logan.

[jack68 628]

If your in range every thing you shot at.. Jack

[BunnyBolter 16]

theyre good to start off with but you can only realy use them for ground game and pidgeons , there are many out there , my first was a coey single barrel hammer gun , now i use a mossberg pump action with a hushpower silencer , good gun to start off learning the basics like safety and technique , have a look on the web and you can pick them up cheap , have you thought about a 20 bore ? atb Jack

[LoganSinclair 0]

Cheers Guys! Nah i've never really thought about a 20 bore, my mate has a 12g but i was just looking for a gun for rabbits,crows, pidgeons and maybe the odd pheasant and duck? how would a .410 be for that?

[BunnyBolter 16]

the loads for 410's arent powerful enough for pheasants and ducks to make a clean kills , for those birds you would need 12 bores and 20 bores lowest , simply because the loads in 410's are too small and will not kill as clean as a 12 bore packing 32 grams of size 5 shot compared to a 410 load which has about 19 grams of size 6 shot . 410's are perfect for ground game , pidgeons , rooks and crows at the right range . atb Jack

[LoganSinclair 0]

Aw okay, might think about a 12 bore then. Cheers for the advise!

[matt_hooks 188]

The 12 bore will most likely be cheaper to feed too.

[LoganSinclair 0]

Thanks Matt!

[SportingShooter 0]

If I were considering my first shotgun for general shooting then I would be seriously considering a 12 bore.

 

The margin for error is larger, the ammunition choice is larger, the quarry species it will happily take is broader and the range of guns is much better.

 

I disagree that the small bores, .410, 28 etc are not capable of killing anything other than ground game, it is down to the capability of the person holding it. However, for a newbie to shotgunning, a 12 will give you far more confidence.

[HUnter_zero 58]

Following this with interest.

 

I've owned a few .410 and will admit that in my hands I might as well be using a spud gun.

My take on the matter is; The little .410 has a lot less shot in each cartridge, the shot flies at the same velocity as shot fired from a 12 bore, however due to having less shot it means a greater opening in the pattern or to put it another way a larger gap between each ball or pellet when hitting the target at say 25 yards. I don't subscribe to the "expert marksman with a shotgun" crew. There is a massive degree of luck with shotguns, the pattern flies as the pattern flies, we have no control over how many pellets strike our quarry, we just hope that sufficient hit the mark to produce multiple wounds resulting in death. To my mind, if you have less pellets with a greater distance between each pellet there is much less of a chance of killing your quarry. I am sure others will disagree but this is my own observation after owning and selling half a dozen .410 over the years.

 

As for your first gun, there are plenty of good solid guns out there, it's a buyers market. 20 bore, 12 bore either will do.

 

John

[3175darren 1,100]

Hi mate trust me thousands of pheasants, have fallen to a 410 I love the gun but by the sounds of it the advice you have been given is right 20 or 12 bore would suitable 410s are great over rabbit sets in the right hands, pigeons anything really within reason but range is limited even with three inch magnum shells, of couse the idiot lead shot ban in england rules it out for the ducks I do remember seeing ducks shot to a small flight pond with one and it was fine, a long time ago mind but you really have to be on the ball with one go for a cheap 12 or 20 at least then you can get the shot combinations for everything,

[LoganSinclair 0]

Cheers Guys, appreciate it!

[ksfowler166 0]

" of couse the idiot lead shot ban in england rules it out for the ducks I do remember seeing ducks shot to a small flight pond with one and it was fine"

 

Why couldn't you use steel , bismith , or tungston shot for ducks? The 410 was my first gun but I would advise against it.A 20ga or 12ga is way more effective and cheaper.With tungston shot you would have no problems taking ducks, geese, and pheasants out to a reasonable distance.35yd's is the maximum range I would shoot a 410, any farther and patterns and penitratons start to go.Sorry for the spelling.

Edited November 2, 2011 by ksfowler166

[LoganSinclair 0]

Cheers mate! No worries

[smiles40 24]

if its your first shotgun,get a cheap single i had one for years it teaches you to make that shot count and not just blast off multiple shots at everything,i think its safer to start with as well plus it will be cheaper for you in 12g just my opinion hope it helps.