I think my post has been totaly mis-interpreted. I am in total agreement the largest drawback to most .410's has been that over the years virtually all of them sold as "Hunting Guns" have been bored full choke. As to the "Cheating" part I was simply saying if you shoot an I/C pattern firing 11/16oz of shot from a 6lb gun, "WHAT" makes it more "Challenging" or "More Fun" than firing 3/4 or 7/8 oz from a 20ga 6lb I/C gun at 20-25 yds. Since I already have a 6lb 20 I simply see no inducement for paying the exorbitant prices a decent .410 would cost & then get a 6lb gun using the 3" shell. From a using standpoint the only empty "Nook" in my gun cabinet would be for a sub 5lb gun firing a max of ½ oz shot. I have incidently only ever owned one 3" chambered gun in any gauge & that was a 20ga I bought new in the late 60's. It was bought in spite of, not because of, the 3" chamber. It was predominately used with a 2½de-1oz load. In the late 70's that load with #6 shot served my then teenage son quite well in a local swamp for both woodies & mallards. My personal preference has always been more for downloading a larger gauge than pushing a smallbore to it's ultimate limits, but to each his own. I did a considerable amount of hunting with a 6lb 14oz 100+ yr old English sidelock damascus 12ga (¼ choke, both bbls) loaded with a mild 1oz load. For the purpose I was using it for this gun proved to be very effective & gave me great pleasure. No doubt every shot I made with it could have been handled by a 3" .410, many by a 2½" one. Would that have been more fun? Not to me. As nearly all of my guns over the years have been bought used & simply "Off the Shelf" as it were I denote the great success ratio of this gun to a happy co-incidence of fit & feel, not to any superiority of the gun or load itself. I realize it is probably just personal prejudice, but I just much prefer a short fat, shot column in the hull to a long skinny one. That 11/16oz of shot stacks up longer in the bore of a .410 incidently than a 1½oz load would in a 20ga, yet the 3" 20 is only loaded to 1¼oz. Just not my Cuppa Tea, Thank you. I do like to present opposing views though, & then let each decide for themselves.
When you price even an economy grade dbl such as a NS, Stevens, etc, etc in both .410 & 20 & then price a box of 3" .410's vs a box of promo 7/8oz 20's & realize both will serve essentially the same purpose, the .410 simply loses all incentive to me. Maybe I'm just "Cheap", but then, I worked hard for every dime I have & always had to try & stretch them as thin as possible.
My Main Total point though is no one should feel any need to appologize or feel handicapped if they desire to shoot a 12ga for all their hunting. Properly loaded it will handle "Efficiently" virtually anything which flies, runs or climbs.
The .410 is a special niche gun, if you have the need or desire for that special niche, I don't, my larger (bore, not weight) guns with light loads handle it quite well.
