Brand New Here
11-13-2013, 03:48 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 68
Brand New Here
Hey, everyone
I've been wanting to hunt for years but I've always waited for someone to "take me along". My ex always talked about hunting but never did any of it. I know a couple other people who hunt but have never taken me up on a request, which is fine. I don't want to weigh them down.
So I've decided to take things into my own hands and start the process myself.
The only gun I have is a 410 shotgun. I used it a couple years ago to skeet shoot and was fairly accurate with it. It was handed down to me through the family so I don't know much about it.
Can anyone give me any information on a 410 shotgun? I plan on hunting small game to start out with.
Thanks in advance
I've been wanting to hunt for years but I've always waited for someone to "take me along". My ex always talked about hunting but never did any of it. I know a couple other people who hunt but have never taken me up on a request, which is fine. I don't want to weigh them down.
So I've decided to take things into my own hands and start the process myself.
The only gun I have is a 410 shotgun. I used it a couple years ago to skeet shoot and was fairly accurate with it. It was handed down to me through the family so I don't know much about it.
Can anyone give me any information on a 410 shotgun? I plan on hunting small game to start out with.
Thanks in advance
11-13-2013, 06:17 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,914
First off, welcome aboard!
What do the markings on your .410 say? A maker, model number, or at least the type of shotgun and chamber size will give us a bit more info to point you in the right direction.
A .410 shotgun with a 3" chamber is an absolutely fantastic small game (squirrel and rabbit) gun. In the right hands, it'll be very effective for upland game as well, despite what naysayers of the .410bore scattergun might say. I even used .410 slugs and 00buckshot for coyotes.
If you have a 2.5" chamber, that limits you a bit more than a 3" chamber might have, but it'll still be very effective for small game.
The .410 is very recoil friendly, as I'm sure you've noticed already. But with the small pattern and low shot count, it's often difficult for new shooters/hunters to connect. But when you get consistent with it, you'll be bombproof. Someone that starts with a 12ga might not be able to ever shoot a .410 well, going the other way is easier; hottest fire and strongest steel as it were...
I always use 6 shot out of my .410's. It limits how many pellets I have, further cutting down an already smaller than normal pattern, but giving each pellet a bit extra oomph. After years and years of trying different loads, these days I only use 6's for everything I do with a .410.
Comparatively, for your reference as a new hunter, a 12ga shotgun for rabbits might use number 8 shot, rather than 6's, and for pheasant or other upland game might use 7.5's. In shotshells, the bigger the number, the smaller the shot, so more of them fit in the shell, and more of them will fill your pattern. BUT the less power each pellet has.
What do the markings on your .410 say? A maker, model number, or at least the type of shotgun and chamber size will give us a bit more info to point you in the right direction.
A .410 shotgun with a 3" chamber is an absolutely fantastic small game (squirrel and rabbit) gun. In the right hands, it'll be very effective for upland game as well, despite what naysayers of the .410bore scattergun might say. I even used .410 slugs and 00buckshot for coyotes.
If you have a 2.5" chamber, that limits you a bit more than a 3" chamber might have, but it'll still be very effective for small game.
The .410 is very recoil friendly, as I'm sure you've noticed already. But with the small pattern and low shot count, it's often difficult for new shooters/hunters to connect. But when you get consistent with it, you'll be bombproof. Someone that starts with a 12ga might not be able to ever shoot a .410 well, going the other way is easier; hottest fire and strongest steel as it were...
I always use 6 shot out of my .410's. It limits how many pellets I have, further cutting down an already smaller than normal pattern, but giving each pellet a bit extra oomph. After years and years of trying different loads, these days I only use 6's for everything I do with a .410.
Comparatively, for your reference as a new hunter, a 12ga shotgun for rabbits might use number 8 shot, rather than 6's, and for pheasant or other upland game might use 7.5's. In shotshells, the bigger the number, the smaller the shot, so more of them fit in the shell, and more of them will fill your pattern. BUT the less power each pellet has.
11-13-2013, 07:55 PM
#4
Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern California
Posts: 18,497
Welcome aboard. A .410 shotgun is a good gun to have. My first shotgun was a single shot .410 and it worked just fine on ducks and pheasant. It would make an awesome rabbit gun also.
I don't know which state you live in but all 50 states require a hunter education class and certificate before being able to buy your hunting license. They provide good information that you can use for the rest of your hunting career. Your state's fish and game/wildlife office will also be able to provide a lot of good information as well as sell you your hunting license (they're annual) and whatever hunting tags/stamps you need.
Depending on what animals/birds you want to hunt, there are several forums with good information pertaining to different types of game and birds. There are also regional forums which may be able to point you in the direction of general areas you can hunt in your state. A fair warning though would be to disclose that hunting can be very addictive.
I don't know which state you live in but all 50 states require a hunter education class and certificate before being able to buy your hunting license. They provide good information that you can use for the rest of your hunting career. Your state's fish and game/wildlife office will also be able to provide a lot of good information as well as sell you your hunting license (they're annual) and whatever hunting tags/stamps you need.
Depending on what animals/birds you want to hunt, there are several forums with good information pertaining to different types of game and birds. There are also regional forums which may be able to point you in the direction of general areas you can hunt in your state. A fair warning though would be to disclose that hunting can be very addictive.
11-14-2013, 06:33 AM
#5
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 68
Thank you for the replies! I've actually learned a lot without actally knowing the make or model number off hand.
I've taken some pictures of the shotgun. It is a decently old shotgun, that I know. It still works as I've done some skeet shooting with it, but I can't find a serial number or the maker anywhere on the gun itself. The only markings I've found was a number 2 in the chamber and the "safety" mark.
I've taken some pictures to help
Picture of the number 2
And the safety switch
I also have another shotgun, its a double barrel and belonged to an old friend. Its so old, I don't think I'll be hunting with it. Its an Iver Johnson "Herculese Grade" and the serial number is 9121. Not sure how old it actually is but it definitely hasn't been fired in at least 40 years.
I used to be whipper-in on live hunts for fox/coyote/bobcat on horseback a couple years ago with the hounds and I loved it. We would mainly catch coyotes but every once in a while the hounds would run down a cat or fox. The guns we used were 22 revolvers and only used on the dogs. We used rat shots to discipline the pack if they got out of control (50 hunting dogs after one animal, you understand).
The hunt safety courses in my area are already filled but I am on the waiting list. I'd like to get the 410 cleaned and inspected before hunting anyways so I've got time
I've taken some pictures of the shotgun. It is a decently old shotgun, that I know. It still works as I've done some skeet shooting with it, but I can't find a serial number or the maker anywhere on the gun itself. The only markings I've found was a number 2 in the chamber and the "safety" mark.
I've taken some pictures to help
Picture of the number 2
And the safety switch
I also have another shotgun, its a double barrel and belonged to an old friend. Its so old, I don't think I'll be hunting with it. Its an Iver Johnson "Herculese Grade" and the serial number is 9121. Not sure how old it actually is but it definitely hasn't been fired in at least 40 years.
I used to be whipper-in on live hunts for fox/coyote/bobcat on horseback a couple years ago with the hounds and I loved it. We would mainly catch coyotes but every once in a while the hounds would run down a cat or fox. The guns we used were 22 revolvers and only used on the dogs. We used rat shots to discipline the pack if they got out of control (50 hunting dogs after one animal, you understand).
The hunt safety courses in my area are already filled but I am on the waiting list. I'd like to get the 410 cleaned and inspected before hunting anyways so I've got time
11-14-2013, 10:18 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,914
It's a Stevens 59, I would guess a 59 A or B, since it has the black tipped forend, but the pistol grip looks a bit more like a C to me. It also could have been marked a Stevens 39A, or a JC Higgins 101.25. These were all variants of the same model. These were built anywhere from 1938 to 1945, with the C being made from '46 through 1967. I don't think yours looks like a C stock.
It should have a 3" chamber, so it can shoot anything from 2.5" to 3".
That Iver Johnson Hercules is probably a fine shooter as well, assuming it has been treated well. It's not much older, possibly not at all older than that Stevens. The Hercules Grade's were made starting in 1922, discontinued in 1942. I'm assuming it's a .410 as well? If it's a 2.5" chamber, it was made between 1922 and 1935, if it's a 3" chamber, it was made between 1936 and 1942. BUT, if it's in great shape, it might be worth a lot of money for an old scattergun, up to $1000ish.
I had a "Ward's" Hercules in 16ga several years ago, which was made for Montgomery Ward's stores by Iver Johnson. The guy I bought it from didn't know what he had, I bought it for $200 "$100 per barrel" he said... I sold it for $650 after 2 upland seasons. Very slick shooter, knocked down a lot of pheasant with it, almost sad I sold it, other than turning over 200% profit on it.
It should have a 3" chamber, so it can shoot anything from 2.5" to 3".
That Iver Johnson Hercules is probably a fine shooter as well, assuming it has been treated well. It's not much older, possibly not at all older than that Stevens. The Hercules Grade's were made starting in 1922, discontinued in 1942. I'm assuming it's a .410 as well? If it's a 2.5" chamber, it was made between 1922 and 1935, if it's a 3" chamber, it was made between 1936 and 1942. BUT, if it's in great shape, it might be worth a lot of money for an old scattergun, up to $1000ish.
I had a "Ward's" Hercules in 16ga several years ago, which was made for Montgomery Ward's stores by Iver Johnson. The guy I bought it from didn't know what he had, I bought it for $200 "$100 per barrel" he said... I sold it for $650 after 2 upland seasons. Very slick shooter, knocked down a lot of pheasant with it, almost sad I sold it, other than turning over 200% profit on it.
11-14-2013, 11:43 AM
#8
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 68
This thread has been incredibly informative! I've been wondering about these guns for years and I'm very excited to know more about them. Thank you! I had no idea that 410 was so old!
This is the Iver Johnson I was talking about. I don't believe its in great shape, but I don't know much about guns as it is. Either way I don't plan on selling it.
It could definitely use some TLC
I'm from (and currently living in) PA, but ran hounds down in Georgia with the horses. Most hunts lasted about 4 hours at a dead gallop over miles of country. It was a lot of fun and I miss it. Live hunts aren't very popular in the US (these days they will drag a scent for the hounds to follow), but every once in a while you'll find a facility that will tackle live hunts. I was lucky enough to have worked for one so I was able to enjoy the chase for free. The coyotes down there are everywhere. Some days they'd come onto the farm and we'd just pop them off while exercising the horses.
Thanks for the avatar compliment I saw the image a number of years ago and have always loved it.
This is the Iver Johnson I was talking about. I don't believe its in great shape, but I don't know much about guns as it is. Either way I don't plan on selling it.
It could definitely use some TLC
I'm from (and currently living in) PA, but ran hounds down in Georgia with the horses. Most hunts lasted about 4 hours at a dead gallop over miles of country. It was a lot of fun and I miss it. Live hunts aren't very popular in the US (these days they will drag a scent for the hounds to follow), but every once in a while you'll find a facility that will tackle live hunts. I was lucky enough to have worked for one so I was able to enjoy the chase for free. The coyotes down there are everywhere. Some days they'd come onto the farm and we'd just pop them off while exercising the horses.
Thanks for the avatar compliment
I saw the image a number of years ago and have always loved it.
