Probably not a whole bunch of info because they are pretty numerous and cheap. It's so much of a tool at that point that most really won't go on and on about them.
For what you are using it for it's a fine tool, as long as your pests are pretty small the 410 will work well.
The few farmers/ranchers I know pretty much all use/carry some flavor of .410. Depending on the price, not sure I'd want one approaching 100 years old... one can buy a new or like new single shot for well under $200
Be aware that while shotshell availabillity has been decent of late, by far the hardest shotshell to find is .410.
That said, I think an older weapon, so long as it is in good repair, is ideal for your application, and so much more interesting to own than a characterless modern ho-hum shotgun without the history of the Stevens.
Cool, thanks guys, that's what I figured. A nice little tool to have, with a bit of history.
It comes with four boxes of cartridges so I should be good for a while.
It's chambered for 2-1/2 shells so I imagine that makes it even harder to find.
Overall it seems in good condition.
ShawnG said:Cool, thanks guys, that's what I figured. A nice little tool to have, with a bit of history.
It comes with four boxes of cartridges so I should be good for a while.
It's chambered for 2-1/2 shells so I imagine that makes it even harder to find.
Overall it seems in good condition.
Actually with the Taurus Judge, there's a lot of 2.5 inch 410 options once the stock comes back
When one is a farmer, a gun becomes a tool.
Not much different than a hammer. You keep it in the truck, because you know at some point your going to need a hammer.
I wouldn't want to treat an heirloom or antique, as a tool.
My advice would to buy the cheapest new Remington 870 12 gauge you can find.
They are the sbc of the shot gun world. Lots of aftermarket support, known weaknesses with easy fixes, and you won’t have to worry about using and abusing it. Just my experience, your mileage may vary.
I would get 50-100 shots through it and make sure you are comfortable with operation and able to take a decent shot. Make sure the mrs. is as well. Doesn't take much practice to be fair with a shotgun. But for the cost of 100 rounds I think it's worth getting used to. After that, a dozen or so shots once or twice a year should keep you in practice. Should be a great tool for the job.
FWIW, my "shoot stuff out of the air" gun is an old Stevens 20ga. Needs rebluing. Runs great as long as I don't forget to pull the hammer back (need more practice)
Second the Remington 870. Last time I checked, 410 shells were stupid expensive. 12 gauge is everywhere
Job number one is make sure your paperwork is in order.
I've had a couple .410s. They're a nice thing for close-range, but they lack the oomph to reach out. Not that this is your intent, but as an example: not bad for a rabbit in your yard that is 40' away, but not good for a squirrel 40 yards up in a tree. It just lacks the capacity or pellets so you kind of have to re-think your choke and pattern. They also lack the capacity for a lot of powder. For pest control on a farm, a .410 is great for really close things. If you want to take care of groundhogs 40 yards away, 20 ga at a minimum.
Even a 3" mag 12 ga with an extra-full choke doesn't always do a number on a turkey at 50 yards. Shotguns are great at hitting quick-moving things at close range when you find the need for point-and-shoot. Pheasants, Rabbits, squirrels, quail, ducks. If you have something on the ground just chilling like a groundhog and you have time to aim, stick with a rifle.
I just think that if you're getting a shotgun, a .410 is a fine addition to a collection, but as a utility/varmint gun, I can't recommend it. What I would recommend is maybe finding some way of borrowing it and/or a 20 ga and a 12 ga. Take them out and shoot at paper targets at 20 yards. The .410 will pepper the paper with 40-50 pellets. The 20 ga will effectively remove the center of the target. The 12 ga will have you wondering where all this confetti came from... and where did my target go?. Ok, not really, but the difference is striking.
My go-to for things like groundhogs on the farm is either a .17 Win supermag or a .222 Rem mag. There are better varmint rifles, but those are the two in my collection that best suit. I sold my .410 because I never had a use for it. It's just... well... small, and doesn't have much range, many pellets, or much powder. I think of it more as a home protection piece than a varmint gun.
ShawnG said:Cool, thanks guys, that's what I figured. A nice little tool to have, with a bit of history.
It comes with four boxes of cartridges so I should be good for a while.
It's chambered for 2-1/2 shells so I imagine that makes it even harder to find.
Overall it seems in good condition.
You can always shoot shorter, just not longer. 2.5" is an "up to" number. You can do the 2" shells, but they're even wimpier. The 2-1/2" and 3" should be the more common flavors.
In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :
I don't disagree with 12 gauge being better by far, personally I would just rather download a 12 than use a smaller gauge too but the 410 works well for small pests with less recoil too.
As it should, it's pretty close to half the bore size of a 12 gauge, .410 vs .73
I'd suggest 20ga as a good general purpose shotgun. It has enough oomph to use slugs for deer, but less violent recoil than a 12ga so easier to shoot.
Remington, Winchester, and Mossberg all have reliable pump offerings that should be widely available and supported by most shops. Many will come with a field barrel (with interchangeable chokes) and slug barrel so you can set it up for your use.
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