THE .410 - WHY AND WHY NOT

It's a good bet that any shooter you ask will tell you the first gun they ever shot was either a .22 rim fire or a .410 shotgun.  The two things these guns have in common is their relatively low recoil.  The .22 has almost no recoil and can be extremely accurate, so it makes perfect sense for the new shooter.  The .410 however is likely chosen only for it's light weight and low recoil (in terms of shotguns).

While recoil is a good thing to avoid with new shooters, it's also advisable to let the new shooter hit something, lest they get discouraged and give up the sport.  Therein lies the issue with the .410.  The small shot payload of 1/2 ounce in a 2.5" shell just isn't a lot of lead.  Even the 3 inch shells only carry 11/16 of an ounce.  To maximize the killing power of these small shot charges gun makers build nearly all .410 guns with a full choke, keeping patterns tight.  Tight yes, but small too, making it difficult to hit flying targets.  This is why you often hear the .410 termed an "experts gun".  It's the hardest to hit with.



My suggestion on introducing shooters to shotgunning is to allow them to use the .410 on stationary targets on the ground.  Combine this practice with some time patterning the gun on a large piece of cardboard to get a feel for where the gun shoots and just how small the pattern is.  Then turn them loose on slower moving close in birds if possible.  That way they have some idea of how the gun feels and what happens to the shot after it leaves the barrel.  These close, slow, birds will still teach the concept of lead, but increase the chance of hitting with the .410.  Of course, a 28 gauge is a better option, but fewer of us own a 28 than a .410.  So, use what you have.

There are other reasons to shoot a .410 other than teaching new shooters.  Experienced shooters often like to "handicap" themselves by shooting the little gun.  Theory being, If I can hit birds with the .410, I can surly do it with a larger gun.

Hunters have a mixed history with the .410 bore.  Some shun it as a kid's gun, but it can be more appropriate for certain game than larger gauge guns.  Do you really need to blast a rabbit or a squirrel with a 12 gauge?  The .410 with it's modest payload and super tight pattern allows for clean head shots on small game without scattering the rest of the animal with shot.



It's the self defense role that has caused a resurgence in the .410 lately.  With the advent of the Taurus Judge and S&W Governor, suddenly everyone was interested in .410 shells.  This has flooded the market with all sorts of ammo designed with defense in mind.  Some of these shells are quite nasty. Winchester's PDX loads combine buckshot with lead discs that resemble throat lozenges.

You name it, someone is probably stuffing it into a .410 shell and selling it.  I have to say, I'm not big on exotic ammo for self defense.  It's enough to stop the threat with buckshot or #4 without hitting them and maybe a bystander with two balls and a wire or a pack of damn razor blades.  Cool to play with, but I would personally not carry any of the weird ammo if I had a .410 CC revolver.


My nephew used to swear by .410 slugs.  He used them on coons that would come around getting after his dogs.  According to him, the slugs really split them wide open.  The 1/4 ounce slug is not appropriate for deer, but is useful on coyotes, raccoon, and such. Full chokes may have an adverse effect on accuracy.

http://mcb-homis.com/slug_410/

Large buckshot like 00, is available,  but the shell can only fit like 3 00 balls, so it's usefulness is debatable.  Smaller shot, like 3 buck or 4 buck is probably more appropriate for the gauge.




So, the .410 shotgun has been around for over 100 years and is not likely to go away anytime soon.  It is an enigma.  Soft shooting, but hard to hit with.  What is it worth?  I personally find it fun if used within its limitations.  It's when people try to make the .410 do a 12 gauge job that they run into trouble.