A question about .410 caliber...

[pheenix42]

My dad kept a .410 shotgun in the house when I was a kid, and now that I'm an adult I'm wondering how the .410 caliber is used other than a small bird gun or occasionally dispatching a badly wounded cat. (poor creature crawled up under a car hood...)

So, what does the .410 get used for? (it's a noob question, to be sure, but the only stupid question is the one you don't ask!)

 

[wolfman]

My dad kept a .410 shotgun in the house when I was a kid, and now that I'm an adult I'm wondering how the .410 caliber is used other than a small bird gun or occasionally dispatching a badly wounded cat. (poor creature crawled up under a car hood...)

So, what does the .410 get used for? (it's a noob question, to be sure, but the only stupid question is the one you don't ask!)

My first shot gun was a .410, and it dispatched more than its fair share of squirrels, rabbits, quail, and ocassional phesant. Would have probably have helped harvest a few deer too, if it had been legal to hunt them with it back then. Carried it every day after school on the 10 or so miles of trapline a buddy and I put out every winter.

 

[NateIU10]

I've been thinking about getting a .410 for squirrel recently. Hope that helps lol.

 

[Cwood]

I know a few people back home in Ohio that use it to hunt deer.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

One of my younger cousins killed his first deer with a .410...

-J-

 

[Crystalship1]

Friend of the family had a lever action .410. That was a cool lil' shotgun!!!

 

[possum_128]

My first gun in 1966 was a .410. In fact I still have it. Killed many of squirrel with it. I have 2 other guns in .410. One is used to dispatch timber rattlers on my property and the other for woodpeckers who like to damage my log home. Great guns.

 

[quicksdraw]

Dad gave me a Savage model 24 .410/.22 O/U when I was a kid. I used it on rabbits, squirrels, pigeons and the regular trips out to the dump to ambush rats. Excellent weapon for a kid to start with.

 

[Soundslikejosh]

The 410 also makes skeet and trap harder, or so I have been told. I've never shot either with a 410, but supposedly the decreased shot charge makes accuracy more important. Apparently a guy who can shoot 25 with a 410 on a skeet range is something to really brag about.

 

[snorko]

While many people consider it a good training shotgun, it was developed mainly as an expert caliber as a sort of handicap.

 

[pheenix42]

I know a few people back home in Ohio that use it to hunt deer.

Oh, really...? .410 slugs, then? What kind of range do you get out of a slug that size?

 

[pheenix42]

One is used to dispatch timber rattlers on my property.

Wait...timber rattlers? Where are you located that would have timber rattlers around?

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

One is used to dispatch timber rattlers on my property and the other for woodpeckers who like to damage my log home. Great guns.

You really should reconsider your actions, considering that they're ILLEGAL.

Woodpeckers are Federally protected under the North American Migratory Bird Act.

Guide to Migratory Bird Laws and Treaties

Any Conservation Officers on the board want to pay a visit?

-J-

 

[chaad]

My first gun in 1966 was a .410. In fact I still have it. Killed many of squirrel with it. I have 2 other guns in .410. One is used to dispatch timber rattlers on my property and the other for woodpeckers who like to damage my log home. Great guns.

I use mine to scare away woodpeckers too. Usually I shoot into the ground, but sometimes I point the muzzle in a safe direction to make sure that none of our woodland friends are injured. I only want to scare them to protect them from any chance of ingesting any foreign substance that may have ridden in on the logs and hurting their little tummies.

It's strange that someone else on the board would do the same thing!

 

[possum_128]

As far as where I am located, outside of Martinsville....and yes I have a lot of them. And as someone else said, they are in fact protected, just not when they strike at my wife when working in the garden of striking me in the garage. When that happens, they are not protected on my property. I have contacted DNR on this problem many times but was told I'm just seeing the same one. Thats why I shot 6 of them that had nested in my garage last year. Yeah. must be the same one.

As far as the woodpeckers, oh well I know this as well. But what else is one to do when they tear up my cabin? Scaring them off doesn't work....been there tried that. If I don't shoot them they just come back and do more damage. I'll leave them alone if the feds want to pay for the damage to my cabin. Otherwise if they are a pecking I'm a shooting!

 

[bwframe]

As far as where I am located, outside of Martinsville....and yes I have a lot of them. And as someone else said, they are in fact protected, just not when they strike at my wife when working in the garden of striking me in the garage. When that happens, they are not protected on my property. I have contacted DNR on this problem many times but was told I'm just seeing the same one. Thats why I shot 6 of them that had nested in my garage last year. Yeah. must be the same one.

As far as the woodpeckers, oh well I know this as well. But what else is one to do when they tear up my cabin? Scaring them off doesn't work....been there tried that. If I don't shoot them they just come back and do more damage. I'll leave them alone if the feds want to pay for the damage to my cabin. Otherwise if they are a pecking I'm a shooting!

Peckers and rattlers are protected. I'm out here living with them also. My understanding (second hand) is that some understanding CO's have said "don't ask, don't tell."

That being said, it's not in the better interest of this forum to be discussing illegal activities.

 

[chaad]

... they strike at my wife when working in the garden... I shot 6 of them that had nested in my garage last year. Yeah. must be the same one....Scaring them off doesn't work.... If I don't shoot them they just come back and do more damage.

Sounds like those mutant zombiepeckers out to get your brains. Saw it in a movie once. Not pretty at all.

ps...Always wondered what the popcorn emoticon was for.

 

[chromegrill]

squirells, varmits, and like you said, the mangey cat...

 

[jnicol6600]

I use mine to kill rabbits. I can misplace a shot and still not tear up very much meat

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

I strongly prefer a .22 for squirrels, but a .410 is the perfect tool (especially for a kid or small built person) for rabbitos. I used to use one to "scare off" ground squirrels at my uncle's place on the Kankakee. My record is 5 with one shot. Top that!