doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Is everyone looking for a 410?

To say we hunt for enjoyment wouldn't that be saying we enjoy the kill ?....an assassin enjoys the kill never a true hunter.

It's the chase....which I think a big part of is lost in the game farm shuffle.
I've never been to one. I might reach a point in life when I need a fast forward diversion...just not yet.

Chuck;
I appreciate your comments. I have never asked that all, or even any, agree with all I say. On some things I am highly opinionated, guess I don't really need to say that, and often enjoy giving the "Other Side" of an issue. When I see things though like an NS .410 bringing $2900 & it weighs about 6lb, I simply can't help but wonder "Why"?? I suppose many of my thoughtrs are derived from being raised a rural country boy & having always been a "Blue Collar" worker & even though getting into skilled trades, not flooded with funds & just can't help but think how much nicer 20ga could be bought for that amount & loaded with 3/4oz loads would give all the benefits +(likly much more uniform patterns) than stuffing those out of proportion 3" Roman Candles up that little hole.
But again to each his own.

Joe;

If you don't hunt for enjoyment, why do you hunt? It's all about the chase, never the kill? I take it you hunt with a camera then? Catch and release.....that's very noble.

Mr. Hartman,
Well, I wasn't going for somewhat sarcastic-in fact, I was being downright smartassed. But, you have 'sorta made my point, 'twixt synthetic hunting and the other variety, and the guns used, which, is where the biggest defenders of the little guns make the case for the use of same.
Lets be honest-ALL pheasant hunting is a bit synthetic here in the new world, right? So, I won't weigh further on the right and wrong way to go about it. Some folks, like, say, me, or Larry Brown, have access to pheasant hunting where the birds are truly "living off the fat of the land". Those birds never look like the birds in your photo. I called you on that. I was right, too. Further, use of a 410, and, usually, a 28, on birds that have to earn their living everyday, is not use of the best sporting judgement. I would like to think a shooter like Lord Rippon (who, I am not) probably could do that with a 410-and would choose not to. Simply out of respect for the animal. I, aspire to that line of thinking. I'm trying to get better at it, and, my shooting.
I've shot a few game farm birds in my day-I say shot, because it isn't really hunting, as I define it, anyway. Again, that is just my opinion. It is controlled, and the birds are short on aquired field wisdom. I noticed you said you guide on the game farm. I've done some guiding for wild birds in my past, and I didn't realize people would hire a guide at a game farm-I learn something new everyday, it seems. I suppose a 410 might be used here, since, from what I've seen, game farm birds don't cling all that tenaciously to life. But, like I said, I've been trying to do right by the game animal with as quick and humane a kill as I can, and it would cost more, and be less efficient FOR ME, at this point in the ball game, to consider a 410. Something about getting almost 2 rounds of 20 or 12 gauge ammunition, for the price of 1 round of 410 just chaps my hindquarters, too. Don't even get me started on the price of the guns. My Dad says that's the Barvarian cheapskate ancester in us, which others may/may not be afflicted with. Who knows? I've a hunch about Miller, anyway.
Anyway, back to my point, it seems that plenty of guys endorse the 410. But, when you call them on it, and press them for a few details, the endorsement usually comes with the game farm stipulation, or the dog fart stipulation, which, is you can't shoot the bird at a range farther than one can detect his dog's farts. Which, isn't really an endorsement of a hunting gun at all, if you ponder it. And, I thought the photos you posted, and the later explaination 'kinda made that point better than had been done so far in this thread. And, I was a bit of a smartass about it. Sorry. Truly.
Use the 410 in good health. Did I mention it's really cute? The dogs, too.
Best,
Ted

The MYTH is that .410 is boy's, or girly gun. Just flip through the pages of Anglo publication entitled: 'Because it's there! Climbing the north face of the .410.

Judging by the number of responses to this post, the short answer would seem to be yes, most of us are looking for a .410. I have shot my friend's 870 .410 at dog trials on pen raised quail with great effect out to 25 yards. Past that range though, you're asking for trouble. I would love to have a nice little sxs though. A local shop has the cz bobwhite in .410 for $699, and it's a lovely little gun, and balances well with great dimensions. Too bad the internals are so suspect.

Not everbody wants one. My hobby is to find new homes for orphans digesting 300grains or more of 'full patch' at = or > 2100fps.
PS. With proper choke combo and 18gm load the .410 bore is a fun 20+/-2yrd gun.

I probably have as many .410s as some people have.... (thought you had me there, huh?). No, I've not shot any dog trials with one, don't quite see the reason for that, but I've shot a few preserve birds with the .410. I see some sarcasm and cynicism in Ted's post but he is right on the mark when he suggests that some "wild bird" hunting and shooting is not exactly the harvesting of birds that live off the land and wear black or brown belts. His backhanded comments about the cost of the ammunition just lets us know that he is not an experienced reloader, nothing more. The cost of the ammunition has nothing to do with clean killing of our game. The bottom line is that bad shots (most of us who hunt birds) should not be shooting the .410, even at preserve pheasants, and good shots should be careful of the range at which they choose to engage their targets.

Those .410s can be tricky. One time I got all excited thinking I found .450/400 3&1/4" Winchester double. Bad news! It turned out to be very heavy barreled .410 smooth-bore.

Yeah, no one likes those trashy old smallbore Model 21s. You can tell by the prices.