How to make all your hunting buddies think you’re an “expert shot”.
1. I know it's hard but try to forget about that frustrating POS single shot .410 your dad bought for you when you were a kid. Those damn things have soured more folks on .410s then anything else out there!
2. Obtain a .410 sxs, one chambered for 3” shells.
3. Make certain the gun fits you well, spend the time to pattern it for point of impact.
4. Forget about the full chokes it comes with, have it rechoked to cylinder (or skeet) and modified. In my opinion modified is the .410 equivalent of full.
5. Take it out to the skeet range, and/or shoot some short range trap (to emulate a pointed bird flushing). Do this to give yourself confidence that the gun will indeed do its job.
6. Take it out upland hunting, I recommend 3” shells loaded with #7.5 shot (the pellet count for 3/4 ounce #7.5 shot is nearly the same as 1 ounce of #6 shot) at ranges under 30 yards, the bird won’t be able to tell the difference in shot size.
For you guys who are just average shots like me prepare to be astounded. Even after shooting countless preserve birds with my .410, I hear the anemic “pop” the gun makes, I see the bird drop and I still say to myself “wow it actually works!” For you guys who truly are expert shots, you’ll soon learn that a well centered shot with a .410 will make the bird just as inedible as if you’d done the same with your 12 gauge.
Based on a lot of book and internet research augmented by field research (hunting), the above recommendations are what I’ve found work for me, I doubt that very few .410 enthusiasts would disagree much with my recommendations (however, I’m open to other folks constructive opinions).
And remember this is a challenge, I'll only listen to you .410 naysayers after you've gone through the above described drill. I doubt that any who do will be .410 naysayers any longer.
Steve
