Thread: .410 shotgun

The 12 gauge is more popular due to trap and skeet shooting. The 20 gauge is nearly as popular but the best competition is in the 12 gauge class. The 28 and 16 gauge fell from popularity due to it not having classes in those games. Skeet is the main contributor to this being an olympic sport and all.

The 12 gauge gets very little bump from the hunting community other than people generally want the biggest and baddest. Today's 20 gauge load packs more pellets and more energy in it's basic load than the 12 gauge did 40 years ago. Not much actually requires a 12 gauge to bring down.

The 16 gauge is actually the perfect gauge. The shot column is square as in the same length as width giving it better density, more energy, and better predictability than the others. It has the nickname Sweet 16 because it was considered the perfect shotgun for hunting. It fell from popularity again because it did not get a skeet class.

.410 is not a Gauge, it is a Caliber...as in .41 Caliber. That's why some .45 Colt Caliber guns are also chambered for a .410 Shot-shell.
12 Gauge means that a pound of lead that is made into 12 equal sized spheres, has the distinction of having the resulting balls sized 12 Gauge. A 16 Gauge has a bore the size of a ball of lead, that weighs one ounce. And so on. 20 Gauge...20 balls of lead to a pound.

I have an antique 410 that has been passed down from my great great grandfather. He won it at a fair in a contest back when giving away guns was common. It's a joy to shoot, though I don't take it out much.

I never much liked the 20 gauge. It's ok, but the difference between a 20 and a 12 in regard to recoil isn't much to me, while the difference on the other end seems to be much better. I've not handled a ton of different shotguns, but I enjoy the Mossberg 500. It's a solid gun and light to carry around.

My first shotgun was an H&R Mod 59, it was great, the perfect learning tool for a kid. In Missouri, a .410 with slugs can be used deer hunting, a good choice in the ozarks where you are not going to get much distance and there is a lot of brush. The biggest problem with it as far as I can see is lack of range and availability/variety of ammo. The .410 was a favorite a while back, small, lightwieght, affordable to purchase and shoot, alot like the .22 rifle.

I messed up my hearing a bit shooting dozens of 410 shells when I was 13.

None of the older guys were wearing hearing protection while shooting their 20 and 12 gauges, so I thought it was just a personal comfort issue. Nope.

Earplugs!

I grew up with a Savage .22 cal/.410 single shot over/under. My Dad still uses it for shooting varmints that try to get in the hen house. Last year we were having dinner on the enclosed porch and noticed a large rat poking around the outside of the detached wood sided garage. A few minutes later, one shot from the .410 and the rat was toast without any noticeable damage to the garage.

Chris L

You can hunt anything up to and including deer with a .410. You've got to use what you like. A .410 is plenty of gun. Here's a fun article:
The NEW .825 G&S Online Express Magnum

I got my 110lb girlfriend to do her first trap shooting with a .410 but now even she will use a 20ga. 12ga literally knocks her over, its freaking hilarious.