Since Mike was asking about reasonably priced 410s, and since Chuck's photos show his engraved Lefever 410, I was going to suggest a Lefever 410 as a possibility. I believe most of them would fall within the $2 to $3 thousand range, and it seems like there usually are a few for sale on GI. Besides, looking at Chuck's photos, they seem to work.
By the way Chuck, what shot size did you use on the pheasants? It would not have occurred to me to use a 410 on wild pheasants, but perhaps my thinking is too conventional. In a good pheasant year in South Dakota, it might be fun to use a 410 and choose your shots so that you could hunt longer.
______________________________________________________
A little hard work never hurt anyone; but why risk it?
Colin,
The first So. Dak wild rooster I shot with a .410, that LeFever, I used a 3" #7 1/2. After a bit, I switched to #6. I've also tried #5 and #4. My thoughts are that #6 and #5 are about right. I like the #5s in a tight choke for line dancing the cornfields and can kill reliably in the 30-35 yd range. If shooting over a point, #7 1/2 or 6 are fine. Yes, you can hunt longer, waiting for "your shot" while hunting a 410 with a group.
Those pheasant hanging on the post were shot with Mike's gun. But I was rootin for him. He had hung them for his picture, which I took of him and his Britts. I just used his for the backdrop rather than hang my much more awesome roosters.
