Happy 4/10 day

[upnut]

Bought my first .410 later in life, a Sears Ranger bolt action single shot built in the late 40's. If that gun could only talk... Followed that up with a kinda rare Marlin model 120, built by H&R and sold thru K-mart. Been collecting them ever since, the latest and probably last, a Henry lever action. This is the one I usually have nearby, a slightly modified N.E.F Tamer. Inside 75 yards any woodchuck is toast, using Brenneke Close Encounter slugs.....


Many gun enthusiasts have no use for a .410, it is a love/hate thing. I enjoy shooting them and have collected half a dozen or so.

Scott B.

[doc henderson]

My first gun was a .410 I got for Christmas when I was about 12.  single shot savage break open.  Dad said it would make me a better shot.

[NE Woodburner]

Guy in front of me at our local gun shop was looking for a home defense shotgun, but said he had a bad shoulder and could not take the kickback of a 12 ga and not sure about a 20 ga. Shop owner showed him a nice pump action, short barrel .410 made for home defense (I forget the brand and model). Guy says to the shop owner "Are you sure this thing will stop an intruder?" Shop owner replies "I'm not sure - go outside and come running in at me, I'll shoot you with this gun and see if you keep coming..."

[Jeff]

I wish I had mine back. Not proud about this story, but I had two guns that were given to me as a kid, were taken away from me. Not my fault.  A singleshot .410. And a remington tube mag .22

Both guns my Dad acquired by buying them from 2  relatives when they were in need of funds. Both given to me. 2 years later, at about 14, these relatives wanted their guns back and my Dad took them and sold them back. Kind of a stuck in my craw for a lifetime thing I never talked about, until I talked with my Sister Lynda.  Turns out Lynda had the 410 before me from the uncle deal, dad took it from her to give to me because she got married and left it in the closet.  It was taken from me when Uncle Bill wated it back. He traded a military .30  back to dad, and dad gave that rifle to Lynda. The woundingest gun ever made. Probably made for that purpose.

Anyhow I have so many memories of sneaking out to the edge of our yard at dusk, which was a huge wooded hill that dropped to a swale.  The cottontails would be sitting at the edge of thier holes, and if they were not too far down, I could get one. Most of the time they were simply out of range.

Don't ever do that to a kid. The explanation was that they didn't want to upset a relative. Well they did, and it has lasted a lifetime.

[doc henderson]

sorry for that Jeff.  guns carry a little extra attachment, especially as a gift and being in the family.  I will not go into my personal stories, but we got ours worked out.  I was 50 not 14 so was able to protest.  back in the day, grown-ups were given more credence than kids.  Your dad may have done it different if he could have known how this would be carried for years.

[upnut]

Jeff- your story has given me pause to think. At 71yrs old I have given much thought to the disbursement of my modest gun collection, kids have all moved on and situations have changed in their lives. Still, I am sure there are sentimental attachments I am not aware of. Hope both you and Doc have fond memories to hold on to.

Scott B.

[Resonator]

When my dad passed away, we gave his guns away to those close to him who hunted. His lifelong best friend was just about in tears when we gave him his rifle. Also gave him his string release trap thrower. He used it, and said it was the most fun he and his boys ever had blasting clay pigeons.
-----------------------------------

My late uncle would tell his 410 story...
His military reserve unit was number 410. Someone asked him: "How do you like the 410?" Before he could reply, a guy overhearing the conversation blurted in and thought he meant the gun.

[barbender]

A 410 break action was far and away the favorite gun of out the window partridge and deer hunters back in the day😊 Back in my Grandpa's day they were looking for meat for the pot, and "sportsmanship" was a stupid concept for people that had money (which they didn't).

If I would've stepped out of the door of the truck to be legal, and give the bird a sporting chance, causing it to fly away...let's just say Grandpa wouldn't have been beaming with pride at that moment😁 And that was the common attitude of working class people around here.

[NE Woodburner]

they were looking for meat for the pot, and "sportsmanship" was a stupid concept for people that had money (which they didn't).

I have a very close older friend who lost his father when he was just a kid. They were poor to begin with and lost the main bread winner. He had multiple siblings and step-siblings his mother had to support. Based on his age now I'd say this would have been in the mid-50's.

They raised some animals, but that wasn't always enough. His mother used to have them shoot a deer whenever they ran out of meat, without regard to whether hunting season was open or not. Wasting ammo was frowned upon and one of his sisters was the best shot so she would shoot the deer and he and one of his brothers would field dress it and drag it home, sometimes before school. They never wasted a bit and it was about survival, not sport. He thinks the game warden probably knew what they were doing but looked the other way knowing their situation...

[beenthere]

My .410 is a double barrel, break action and I like it a lot !!

[barbender]

NE Woodburner, I know of other situations like you described. People were literally just surviving, and the Game Warden tended to look the other way. 

The one shot rule was usually in play. You shot once, and if the deer needed finished it got done with a knife. Both to save ammo, and not draw unwanted attention. 

I've heard several good stories about someone going to finish off a deer, and it wasn't clear whether the person or the deer would prevail in the situation😂 Also, I've heard more than one deer was shot between the eyes with a .22, thrown in the trunk and when the trunk was opened in the yard the deer hopped out, very alive, and ran away😂

[Tom K]

I'm a day late, but I like a .410 as well. 

A dozen or so years ago I picked up an old H&R Topper from my buddy. He bought it from another buddy and never shot it before he sold it to me. Well the first time I took it out hunting with him he shot it and fell in love. I ended up giving it back to him as a birthday present a few years ago, and I've been looking for it's twin ever since. I did pick up another single shot, but I really liked that H&R as well.

I've been shooting more clays lately and I've got the dumb idea of trying to shoot skeet with a .410, so I've been looking for an old Ithaca O/U to add to the collection.

[doc henderson]

I took a Browning 10 g pump with big shells to try to win a game of knock out, when I lived in hays.  never got to play as the game stopped as we fired a few practice rounds and everyone was watching.  It was near dusk, and you could see 4 feet of flame with each shot.

[WV Sawmiller]

NE Woodburner, I know of other situations like you described. People were literally just surviving, and the Game Warden tended to look the other way.

My grandfather was one of the first game wardens in Fla, a former gator hunter, plume hunter and fire/night hunter who knew all the outlaw hunters - because he'd hunted with them all his life - and he very often overlooked people who were subsistence hunting or fishing.

[SwampDonkey]

First gun I got was a Ithaca .22 lever action, it looked like a 30.30. At times, many moons ago mind you, when my grandfather was a guide and had his own outfitting business, he had occasionally been stand-in game warden. Especially when the actual warden was on a booze binge. Back then, nobody bothered you for hunting for the sake of having a meal.

[upnut]

 Earlier mentioned the Marlin .410, it is a Model 200. Looks a bit different now, wearing an adult size Choate stock and forearm, scope rail and 1X scope like the tamer. Very effective on woodchucks as well...


Scott B.

[Wlmedley]

My mother bought me a Winchester Model 370 410 when I was around 12 years old. She payed around $30 for it and that was a lot of money especially for her. I still have it and would hate to say how many squirrels I have harvested with it over the years. I had a good squirrel dog when I was a kid and when he heard that 410 crack he started looking at the ground to see where the squirrel had fell. He was seldom disappointed 

[Texas Ranger]

One of my first guns was a Savage .410x22rf over and under.  Took a lot of small game in the hunger days, later picked up a Winchester red label .410 break open single shot (I think Winchester) I took it dove hunting a lot and it was THE gun.  Then someone wanted it a whole lot more and it changed hands.  One of those guns I should not have let go.

[LeftFinger]

My favourite is my mossberg 500 410 pump
sweet little gun

[barbender]

TR, those 22 over 410 guns have to be the perfect survival gun👍

[Texas Ranger]

Barbender, I bought this in the '50's, blued steel and walnut furniture, one gun that will not leave.

[Old Greenhorn]

I've been following along here wondering when somebody would bring up the 22-410 over/under. It took longer than I thought. I believe those came out first from Savage-Stevens around 1935. During WWII they were issued (in a modified version) to pilots as a survival gun often with .22 Hornet instead of the RF. My Dad had one he swapped for in the 50's and I still have it. I think it is THE perfect gun for introducing youth to shooting. I taught my kids and niece and nephew with that gun. It's a beaut, but those .410 shells are getting pricey.

[LeftFinger]

I have a press , makes it pretty cheap to shoot

[Texas Ranger]

As I have gotten older I shoot less, and I buy in bulk which is a contradiction.  I used to reload, and found it a good part of the sport.  I would note that .410 shells have a much narrower tolerance than the larger shells.

[Magicman]

My .410 is a double barrel, double trigger, and double exposed hammer e/w 26" barrels.


2 1/2" chamber, made in Spain.  I have no idea what metal the "action" is made out of?