Looking for a 410

[Tobashadow]

Don't want to spend a lot of cash on it but I used to have a single shot one 15 years ago before it was stolen. Every time I look at the ammo shelf and see my left over box of 410 slugs I get nostalgic.

[Moped]

If your set on a 410, I'd go with an H&R single shot. However, 410 is pretty pricey when it comes to buying shells.  You might want to consider a H&R 20ga.  Shell prices about half.

[Tobashadow]

I've got a single shot 12 and 20 I just enjoyed the low recoil of the 410 I had. I guess I need a better shotgun that has a recoil system.

[UncleJak]

I'll second the H&R. I got one for my son last year and he loves it.

[Moped]

I've got a single shot 12 and 20 I just enjoyed the low recoil of the 410 I had. I guess I need a better shotgun that has a recoil system.

I think they are great shotguns, but the 12ga kick is a bit punishing for me.  I can handle the 20ga all day long though.  What I like about them is if I want I to go tramping around the family farm, it's lite and handy.  Much more fun to carry around and shoot than my Browning Auto 5!

[Guest ochretoe]

My daughters first longun was the H&R single shot.  It is still her favorite.  It is a slug shooting wonder.  With an aimpoint and Remington slugs it will outshoot most slug guns on the market.  She hits coke cans everytime at 50 yds. It will spin a pie plate gong at 100yds. (with her shooting it, not me:)

[enfield]

Unless you're hunting squirrels, my first choice would be a 20.  Heck, I'll buy the .410 slugs from you.

 

.410 ammo is darned expensive unless you load your own, and getting set up to load .410 is darned expensive unless you shoot a lot of them.  Been there, done that.

[fourbyland]

There was an H&R .410 for around $125 in the Peddler last week I think. Too bad you're clear scross the state.

[JAB]

The first firearm I ever owned was a single shot .410 (I think it is a Savage/Stevens.)  I still have it.

 

Personally, if I were going to buy another .410 single shot, in addition to the one I have, there is a good chance it would be one of the Rossi matched pairs.  Wally sells those in the 'youth' configuration - meaning they are quite short and light - for somewhere in the neighborhood of $169 and I have seen them in stock, recently.  They are break action and come with two barrels - one in .410 and one in .22LR.  I haven't really fondled one much but just looking at them I would have to guess that, broken down, the whole shebang would easily fit in a backpack with plenty of room for other gear.  They are supposed to easily break down and reassemble without the use of any tools.  The reviews I have read about them, from folks on other forums who have them, have been pretty positive.

 

In fact, hopefully not getting too far off topic, the other day I was ruminating on the practicality of a .410 as a possible truck gun (thinking toward a pump, largely, but also considering one of the aforementioned Rossi matched paris.)  While certainly not a 12 gauge or even 20 gauge in 'power', I worked out that a .410 firing a slug is certainly no slouch.  The plain old, silver box, 2.5 inch Winchester Super X slugs I have claim a muzzle velocity of 1830fps.  If I have it figured right, at 1/5 of an ounce, these slugs would weigh 87.5 grains.  Feeding that information into an online calculator to find muzzle energy

 

http://www.georgia-arms.com/mecalc.html

 

I get just over 650 ft lbs of muzzle energy.  Now, unless I am mistaken, that is .357 Magnum handgun muzzle energy territory.  Hardly what I would call 'shabby', even given that Winchester may be overestimating the velocity and that shotgun barrel length may impact velocity.  The .410 slug will probably shed velocity/energy pretty quickly but for relatively close range use, when one considers that most .410 shotguns are going to be smaller and lighter than their 12 or 20 gauge brethren - while still having less recoil - the idea of a .410 for a truck gun begins sounding not too silly.  Now, throw in the fact that the ammo is also smaller and lighter - meaning it would be easy to carry more of it - the idea of using one as a trail gun or 'get home' gun doesn't seem all that far fetched, to me.  I'm not talking about replacing my HD shotgun with a .410 and I don't know that I'd choose one if black bears were going to be a possible threat but for anything else in TN, I'd say that a combo of .410 game loads, buckshot and slugs would do the trick.  Others are certainly correct in that .410 shells are more expensive but as it wouldn't be my only shotgun, I wouldn't be blasting through thousands of .410 shells and as I already keep some .410 shells on hand because of my old single shot, that isn't really so much a factor, for me.

Edited April 12, 2013 by JAB

[wjh2657]

I have a Mossberg 500E (.410)  and it is the most elegant of my shotguns. It is very sleek and slender. I bought it for my grandchildren to use when they come to visit.