.410 ga for grouse

[bearheart]

Is 410 o.k. to use on grouse, Legal? thanks. I use a 22 but have a new 22/.410 combo I'd like to try.

[landphil]

Yes, legal, and many use one with good sucess - I've always used a .22 as well but picked up a .410 a while ago, so I will be giving it a whirl this season.

[3kills]

i used a .22 for a long time and then one day my grandpa gave me his .410 and a .22..i tried the .410 and i was hooked on it i like usin it more then a .22 for some reason...

[Mik]

You will find that the magnum shells will reach out a little further.

[PGK]

Not really. Speed will give you a slight edge in distance, but 3'' shells will give you more pellets to hit the bird with. Number of pellets is the severe limitation of the 410. That said, the 410 and grouse are like bread and butter baby.

[c.r.hunter]

Not really. Speed will give you a slight edge in distance, but 3'' shells will give you more pellets to hit the bird with. Number of pellets is the severe limitation of the 410. That said, the 410 and grouse are like bread and butter baby.

It's been my experience that there is a big difference between 2 1/2" vs 3". As in, IMO, 3" .410 is the perfect grouse chambering while the 2 1/2" is almost useless. I don't think it's just more pellets, the 3" hits a little harder as well. I havn't shot tonnes of 2 1/2", I accidentially bought 2 boxes one year and really noticed a big difference in performance. I've never made that mistake again!

[bsa30-06]

i use my 410 on grouse and never had any problems.

[PGK]

If the pellets are going the same speed out of a 2.75inch shell as they are out of a 3inch shell, they dont hit any harder. There are a lot more pellets in a 3inch shell than a 2.75inch shell, so you end up with more payload on the bird. At close range, the difference wont be noted, but if you`re stretching shots out to 15-20-25y, you will notice a difference in killng ratio between 2.75 and 3inch shells.

To add to this, I recently shot two back to back rounds of trap with my 410, one using 2.75inch number 6 shot, and the second using 3inch number6 shot. 2.75inch = 16 for 25 and 3inch = 18 for 25. Not a real significant difference

[Ridge_Kid]

i use my 12 gauge with clay shot

[c.r.hunter]

If the pellets are going the same speed out of a 2.75inch shell as they are out of a 3inch shell, they dont hit any harder. There are a lot more pellets in a 3inch shell than a 2.75inch shell, so you end up with more payload on the bird. At close range, the difference wont be noted, but if you`re stretching shots out to 15-20-25y, you will notice a difference in killng ratio between 2.75 and 3inch shells.

To add to this, I recently shot two back to back rounds of trap with my 410, one using 2.75inch number 6 shot, and the second using 3inch number6 shot. 2.75inch = 16 for 25 and 3inch = 18 for 25. Not a real significant difference

Hmm, interesting! Checked out the balistics on the federal game shock....
To my surprise, the 2.5" is actually going a little faster. So, if you hit the bird with only one pellet, the 2.5" would hit harder! But, (so I can still be right!!!:biggrin:...in my mind!) I like to shoot my grouse close, mostly inside 10yds with a full choke. I like to think I'm hitting thier heads with the full payload which clearly hits harder!LOL
Federal Game Shock;
2 1/2" 1/2oz shot(240 grains) @ 1200 fps=767 ft. lbs.
3" 1 1/16oz(510 grains) shot @ 1135 fps=1459 ft. lbs.
.....Really though, having over twice the pellets must have something to do with my better results!

[PGK]

The federal shells have 1 1/16oz of shot in them!? Are you sure? I thought they were 11/16!? I always shoot winchester cause they're the cheapest. 2 3/4'' winchesters are now running at 1245fps, and Ive noticed a marked improvement in their 'whomp' factor.

As a rule, I shoot 2 3/4'' #7.5 in the early season when the young of the year are small and lightly feathered. No need for more whomp factor. But in Oct and Nov when you're usually dealing with smarter (been shot at a few times) and bigger (colder = more feather development) birds, I'll up to 3'' #6s. But I'm a little fanatical...

[silvertipp]

i thik you meant anal

[PGK]

i thik you meant anal

Whatever gets your rocks off dude, try to keep the site g rated though eh?

:???:

[c.r.hunter]

The federal shells have 1 1/16oz of shot in them!? Are you sure? I thought they were 11/16!? I always shoot winchester cause they're the cheapest. 2 3/4'' winchesters are now running at 1245fps, and Ive noticed a marked improvement in their 'whomp' factor.

As a rule, I shoot 2 3/4'' #7.5 in the early season when the young of the year are small and lightly feathered. No need for more whomp factor. But in Oct and Nov when you're usually dealing with smarter (been shot at a few times) and bigger (colder = more feather development) birds, I'll up to 3'' #6s. But I'm a little fanatical...

Dohhhh, Now I'm really wrong! BUT...BUT...they are 2 1/2" not 2 3/4", that I know for sure!!!!!:biggrin:

[PGK]

I'm too technical, like bartell with rifles. Don't listen to me, I'll just confuse you :biggrin: At the end of the day, a 410 is almost overkill in the right user's hands. Especially if you're satisfied just ground sluicing them. It doesn't really matter, I just like playing with things.

[silvertipp]

Whatever gets your rocks off dude, try to keep the site g rated though eh?

:???:
ya whatever ive heard alot worse from you

[PGK]

ya whatever ive heard alot worse from you

Dude what's your malfunction? Seriously, we're talking about shotshells and you made some weird comment about being anal :???:

[wideload]

Dude what's your malfunction? Seriously, we're talking about shotshells and you made some weird comment about being anal :???:
i think he was saying your way too serious
the question was if you could use a 410 they didnt ask about speed or shot content
forget all the BS take a 20 guage with field loads and you will have fun!!

[3kills]

It's been my experience that there is a big difference between 2 1/2" vs 3". As in, IMO, 3" .410 is the perfect grouse chambering while the 2 1/2" is almost useless. I don't think it's just more pellets, the 3" hits a little harder as well. I havn't shot tonnes of 2 1/2", I accidentially bought 2 boxes one year and really noticed a big difference in performance. I've never made that mistake again!

i prefer the 2 1/2's out of my .410..just bought a box of 3's though so i will see if i notice a difference but i m usre my findings willbe dead grouse either way LOL

[ratherbefishin]

I was looking at a .410 but picked up a Tamer in 20 guage for my grouse gun-mainly because I can carry a couple of slugs in case I see a deer.Shells are way cheaper too.

[CanuckShooter]

Try using 3" with #4 shot......you get more range out of them than a 7 or 6 1/2 shot size...which translates into more birds in hand.

[c.r.hunter]

i prefer the 2 1/2's out of my .410..just bought a box of 3's though so i will see if i notice a difference but i m usre my findings willbe dead grouse either way LOL

It's almost like I got a tighter pattern out of the 3's. Like the wads were reacting differently through my gun. I'd shoot a bird at close range with the 2.5's and just dust it with shot everywhere through the body. While the 3" holds together tightly and I can make clean head shots all day long. I think I need to buy a few other brands and try some patten's to see whats going on.

[3kills]

i have shot grouse at like 10 feet with my .410 shootin 2 1/2's and never get a pellet in the body..just aim a lil hirer..i think i miss alot of grouse at farther distances cuz i m aimin to high but i rather aim high and miss rather then fil the breast with pellets..

[d6dan]

Try using 3" with #4 shot......you get more range out of them than a 7 or 6 1/2 shot size...which translates into more birds in hand.

What brand name shells are you using?.I'm going to try Winchesters. 2 1/2" and 3".

[Foxtail]

The main difference I find between a .410 and a .22 for grouse is that you can get the grouse flying with the .410 a lot easier than with the .22. I also have a .20 guage, although it works a little better it is a bit heavier and kicks slightly more, and it's only a single break action where the .410 is a pump.

[PGK]

It's almost like I got a tighter pattern out of the 3's. Like the wads were reacting differently through my gun. I'd shoot a bird at close range with the 2.5's and just dust it with shot everywhere through the body. While the 3" holds together tightly and I can make clean head shots all day long. I think I need to buy a few other brands and try some patten's to see whats goiong on.

Very possible. The larger amount of shot in the 3'' maybe give you a denser patter with a longer shot string. If you have success with the 3'', use em.

I'd like to hear why #4 will give you 'more range' when a bigger, heavier pellet (no matter what it's initial velocity) is going to slow down faster than a smaller pellet, effectually giving you less range.

There's what, 90-odd pellets in a 3'' #4? Not nearly enough for me. Granted, #6 has around 160 If I remember right. #7.5 is a big jump up from that to like 250 or so? The difference in my trap scores when using #6 vs 7.5 is noticeable, but like I say, I like the little bigger pellet for slightly bigger birds at a little more range. They die either way, but I get less cripples with 6 shot late in the season.

The 410 is a winner when you harness pattern density and speed. If they made a 3'' 7.5 that left the tube at 1275 or 1300 fps, I would challenge anyone alive on the trap range. So far, only the 2 3/4'' wnchesters do 1275fps, and with the smaller payload, they still don't perform as well as the 3'' shells.

Pattern your gun!

[LeverActionJunkie]

Very possible. The larger amount of shot in the 3'' maybe give you a denser patter with a longer shot string. If you have success with the 3'', use em.


I'd like to hear why #4 will give you 'more range' when a bigger, heavier pellet (no matter what it's initial velocity) is going to slow down faster than a smaller pellet, effectually giving you less range.



Pattern your gun!

Two good points here and one that doesn't jive very well. Firs off.

Pattern density is affected by pellet count, choke constriction, and yardage. If you have 250 pellets a full choke and shoot a pattern at 15yrds, you should get a denser pattern (more pellets in a 30" circle). If you fire 160 pellets out of a skeet tube at 30 yrds you will get a less dense pattern.

The second part is the one that doesn't work PGK a heavier object will slow down slower than a lighter one. An object of less mass always loses it's velocity faster than a heavier one. We often can't get a heavier object, be it a bullet or shot charge, to travel at the same velocity as a lighter one. But if the heavier and lighter object can be propelled to the same velocity, the lighter object will shed it's velocity faster. Always. It's physics.

The third part, Pattern your gun, is absolutely necessary. If you plan on shooting one grouse on the ground and then one in the air you have to pattern your shotgun with the choke you intend to use. Just pace off a distance you usually shoot chickens at and hang a big piece of paper with a thirty inch circle and an aiming point in the middle. shoot at the middle and see what the pattern looks like and how many pellet strikes are in the circle. Sometimes your pattern is high, low, left or right, depending on how your gun fits you. Sometimes the pattern has holes in it or any number of different things can occur, but at least you will know and be able to correct the problem or compensate for it depending on what's going on.

We don't shoot rifles that we haven't sighted in so it's only fair to see what our shotguns are doing.

[Rossbay]

I use both the .22 and the .410, the .410 is more effective but the .22 is way more fun. Shooting (trying to) heads off grouse with .22 is great sport.