.410 as a survival gun

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

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Mar 22, 2006
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I was looking at the snake charmer .410 field gun online...I know alot of folks son't like the .410 and I haven't shot one since I was a kid... mostly I shoot a 20
but I was thinking the shells are small and light the gun is light and breaks down it's stainless steel and has a simple action...the .410 as i understand is adequate for most small game at close range and give the proper load can be formidable as a self defens weapon if need be with in self defense...THere is no info on what if any choke is available for this gun. If there is no choke it will be able to handle slugs better, but will spread a small shot pattern out even further allowing more opportunity to miss...although on the flip side the shot would not be deformed while squeezing through the tight and tiny choke possibly making it perform better...but all this is just guessing on my part like I said I have little experiene with this gauge...any thoughts?
 
That was actually my first shotgun when I was a kid. It's a pretty handy little design. I think it will do just fine at closer range for small game. If you're looking for defense, I'd just keep some slugs with it. I don't know that I'd trust buckshot out of one to do the job, though.
 
Agreed on the buckshot. Think there are only 3 or 4 OO buck in a .410. Shot for small game and slugs for humans or big game. Plenty of small game has been taken with a .410, but you'll have to get closer with the open choke and small amount of shot in a .410. You can certainly carry more .410 than large shotgun shells.
 
As kids we all got 410s as our first guns. I still have mine. Single shots is all Dad trusted us with. With that we did it all though. Squirrel, rabbit, pheasant, targets and white tail deer were all killed by us boys growing up using nothing but 410 gauge shotguns. I bought me a Mossberg 410 Pump years ago and still have that but these days its not feesible to really do a lot with the 410. I mean I still shoot it but the fact is you can buy 16 and 12 gauge ammo for less $ so it makes those the ones I use the most.

STR
 
Get the Thompson Contender pistol with the .410 barrel and you can shot the .45 acp out of it too. you could just get the smooth barrel or the rifled for more accuracy with the .45 acp. It's light and compact. It also comes with several other inter changeable barrels for more calibers. .223, .308, .44mag, .22LR, .357 the list goes on. A few different barrels and you have the ultimate survival weapon.
 
The .410 shot column causes large numbers of shot to deform, causing excentric "fliers" and uneven shot pattern.
 
For the size and weight, a .357 revolver with even a six inch barrel would be handier and far, far more versatile than a single shot one hand .410 Snakecharmer.....

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.410 would be a fine survival gun if you can find steady ammo for it.

Since its usualy a little spendy, a 6" 357 magnum with stout rounds will be ballisticaly similar and cheaper to shoot.
 
RescueRiley said:
I was looking at the snake charmer .410 field gun online...I know alot of folks son't like the .410 and I haven't shot one since I was a kid... mostly I shoot a 20
but I was thinking the shells are small and light the gun is light and breaks down it's stainless steel and has a simple action...the .410 as i understand is adequate for most small game at close range and give the proper load can be formidable as a self defens weapon if need be with in self defense...THere is no info on what if any choke is available for this gun. If there is no choke it will be able to handle slugs better, but will spread a small shot pattern out even further allowing more opportunity to miss...although on the flip side the shot would not be deformed while squeezing through the tight and tiny choke possibly making it perform better...but all this is just guessing on my part like I said I have little experiene with this gauge...any thoughts?
Click to expand...

I hunt small game with a .410 shotgun. Right now, I use a Remington 870. I used to use an H&R Pardner (single shot, very similar action to the snake charmer). I use 3" shells with 6 shot. Often times, I can get the job done with one shot. In most instances where I've taken more than 1 shot with the pump, I could have done it with the break barrel too. In fact, I was once able to load and shoot 3 shots through the H&R at one squirrel- of course it was my second hunting trip sooooo.......

You want a full choke, if possible. The added constriction is important for getting the shot where you want it. I have a relative who has made one shot kills on squirrels out to 40 yards with a .410. You have a small shot load, you want to keep it tight.

I shot dlugs through the H&R once. Full choke, I kept all five in a paper plate at something like 25 or 30 yards. Can't testify on the buckshot that's out there.
 
Tony Turner said:
Get the Thompson Contender pistol with the .410 barrel and you can shot the .45 acp.
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The .410 shoots 45 Long Colt, the rimmed revolver cartridge. Not .45 ACP.

THere is no info on what if any choke is available for this gun. If there is no choke it will be able to handle slugs better, but will spread a small shot pattern out even further allowing more opportunity to miss..
Click to expand...

In the pistols, there is no choke because it is a .45 Long Colt rifled barrel, that just happen to be able to fire .410 shells. Not sure about the snake charmer because it seems to be a (just barely) legal shotgun... by just barely I mean just long enough in barrel length and overall length.

And while we're at it, there are others .410/45 Colt combos: http://www.gunblast.com/Taurus-Judge.htm. EDIT: Just changed my mind after reading how poorly the thing patterns with the 410. I'm also reading bad things about accuracy on all of the .410/45 LC (when firing the .45) due to the longer chamber made to accept the .410.

More good general .410 reading: http://www.chuckhawks.com/410bore.htm

How about a 20 ga youth H&R and maybe cut the stock down even more? (I took almost 3 inches off my Mossberg and it is much handier now.)
 
I can't find anything in 16 guage at the moment, I hear it still packs a good punch with nowhere near the kick of a 12 guage.
 
STR said:
I mean I still shoot it but the fact is you can buy 16 and 12 gauge ammo for less $ so it makes those the ones I use the most.

STR
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Exactly. Low brass 12s are often cheaper than a box of .410s and are WAY more effective.
 
Liam Ryan said:
I can't find anything in 16 guage at the moment, I hear it still packs a good punch with nowhere near the kick of a 12 guage.
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A duck/goose hunting buddy of mine had a 16, it was a pain in the hole to find shells half the time. And we sure went through shells in those days ! There's nothing like the thump of a big speckle belly or Canada when it bounces off the frozen ground.
 
WVHILLS said:
can't you shoot 45 long colt out of some 410s ?
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I thought that it was the .41 Long Colt that could be snuck into a .410, this makes more sense than trying to squeeze a larger diameter shell in there. I wouldn't recommend the practice anyway.
 
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