I had posted a few weeks ago requesting opinions on choke dimensions for my recently acquired .410 bore AyA 4/53. The plan was to use the gun on pointed bobwhite quail but the existing chokes were too tight to be practical at the distances I normally shoot. My paced off distances were 12 - 15 yards to the area the birds were hit (not where they fell). The one time I shot the gun on quail I averaged 50%. Birds were either missed or shredded when hit.
Patterns shot with the right barrel revealed a considerable variance with different size shot and manufacturer. Right barrel patterns at 15 yards revealed a 10" diameter with #8's, 9 1/2" diameter with #7 1/2's and 7" diameter with #6. Pellet distribution was very "patchy" with no consistency from shot to shot. The patterns were not usable for pointed bobwhites. The left barrel at 20 yards threw a 7" diameter pattern.
With the information gleaned from my earlier post on this site and my pattern results I decided to have the chokes opened to .000 and .006. This decision on choke constriction did not fit with the often repeated requirement for a full choke in a .410.
At the suggestion of several individuals on this site I had the chokes opened by Mike Orlen. Mike received the gun on a Friday and the work was complete on Monday. I had the gun back on Tuesday.
After collecting 10 or 12 different loads I headed back to the patterning board to see if I had a "quail gun." Patterns shot with the right barrel (choked .000) at 15 yards now had a 20" diameter. Shot size and manufacturer had no effect on pattern diameter. Pattern diameter had doubled and pellet distribution was very good with very few fliers.
A few patterns shot with the left barrel (.006) at the same 15 yards revealed a 15" pattern diameter and very good pellet distribution with several different loads.
Next step was to move on to some clay birds. Standing on top of the trap house I put markers out at 15 and 20 yards. I had to slow the trap speed down to get my shots off at the desired range. I shot 2 1/2", #9's. In 3" I tried #8 1/2's, #8's, #7 1/2's, and #6's. All shots were taken with a low gun and birds were released without my calling for them. Obviously quartering birds at 15 - 20 yards are not difficult shots but the idea here was to see if I had a "quail gun." I fired a bit over 100 rounds and missed a half dozen shots. I believe I do have a "quail gun."
All the loads performed very well both on the patterning plate and on clays. Shot size did not seem to affect pattern diameter as it did with the original very tight chokes. The load that I liked the best on both the pattern plate and clays was Winchester Super X, 3", 3/4 oz., # 8 1/2's. I believe that will be my right barrel load. I have to do some more testing but think the left barrel will be probably be a #8.
Thanks to all that responded to my earlier post and I hope this .410 choke info is interesting.
Dennis
