I grew up using one for small game, but hated cleaning and eating with all the shot. Just seemed too much trouble for wally wabbit (.22LR was much better). Same for small ground birds. Almost worthless for duck and geese. A friend says he has his configured for home defense. Whaaaat? I guess it would slow someone down enough to hit him on the head with the buttstock, or at least, mess his face up a lot.

Just curious...do folks still use .410's? If so, what for?

Put yourself on the wrong end of the barrel of a .410 and ask that question about using one for home defense again.

Remember it's .41 caliber and you can get slugs or buckshot.

Well he may mean the triple ball rounds.  Each shell holds 3 000 buck.  

I like the 410 for dove and chucker.  With a side by side or auto there is no recoil and you can watch the shot fly thru the air like tracers and adjust fire to hit.  

My friend let me keep his Thunder Five, which can shoot .410 and 45LC.  It's basically a .410 revolver.  
It's usually kept loaded with .410 and is used as a "tractor" gun.  When doing yard work on the property, it's thrown on the tractor or the Gator.  My girlfriend really hates snakes and that is a little protection for her.

CHRIS

Nothing is easier to carry all day long in the field than a .410.  Do not tear up birds.  Try head shots for rabbits, lead the little sucker more.  A .410 is very versatile.  Carry #6 & #7.5 shot, buck and slugs, you can kill anything.  Now there are 3" slugs available.

It is funny, when we are young we make all kinds of great shots with a 410.  Then we get older and we decide we need more gun.  How did we ever get by with a .410?  Then we get older and decide we need less gun.  Then we get even older and decide we miss the .410 so we buy more of them and start using them again.

The .410 is an excellent little quail gun. I also have taken MANY ducks with it as a kid.

Z is right, the older I get the more I like the .410. I had a good friend as a kid who had a bolt action 410. We had years of fun with it. I had a single shot 12 gauge so I bought a Savage four tenner that reduced the 12 gauge to .410 bore, still have it. Now I have a Remington 870 Express, Remington 1100, Mossberg 500 Bantam and a Savage both action all in .410 bore. I use the .410 for preserve birds and clays to bring back the challange. In some states it is legal to use for deer but not New York. I have shot lots of small game but nothing big with it. I have shot the slugs many times but have not shot the buckshot loads yet. Winchester makes a lever action, the 9410, it's next on my list. Everyone should have a 410 lot's of fun. Just wish the shells were cheaper. MIKE.

My .410 is my M6 Scout.
Neat little gun.
I blasted many birds with an old single shot .410, and a couple of rabbits too.

Don't forget skeet is shot in .410 also.

Yes ECS is right and I need a skeet barrel with a 2 1/2" chamber for my 1100 so I can shoot registered skeet with it. Let me know if anyone has one for sale. My 1100 came with a 3" only chamber a a modified choke, good for hunting but not legal for skeet. MIKE.

The only two things I don't personally like the .410 for are hunting waterfowl and turkey. Sure the .410 will do but I think the 12 or 20 ga are better choices. IMO ther's no better gun for hunting squirrels or kick hunting rabbits. As far as home defense, you can laugh if you want to but someone shot with a .410 is most definitely going to get f@#*ed up.

Quoted: As far as home defense, you can laugh if you want to but someone shot with a .410 is most definitely going to get f@#*ed up.

I've read that the Soviet Russian combat shotgun is chambered for .410. I'm not sure how reliable the source was however.

Yes, The Siaga comes in the .410 and 12 gauge. The military is using the 410 guage with high cap mags, something like atleast 10 rounds. I dont know how extensively there used....but they are used.

check this link out...

www.4-10.freeuk.com/index.html

I have the saiga .410.  I managed to get 10 round mags but they dried up fast.  The gun is reliable and points quick.  I doubt it is very good for pass shooting.  You can dump a 10 round mag very quickly due to low recoil.  I have hunted with it using 4 round mags, but have not shot clays or hunted birds with it yet.  That will be soon.

I also bought some Brenneke 3" slugs to test in it but have not done so.  This gun will only cycle 3" rounds.  

It's a good beater gun. Not to heavy and combined with a 22lr handgun you can hunt about anything.