ask DS>20 gauge for hunting ducks

[teul2]

I've seen 3in 410 steel 6's kill a pile of ducks

Agreed. Wife's cousin's first birds.



Me playing around on a solo hunt.

[cwink]

I've seen 3in 410 steel 6's kill a pile of ducks

Agreed. Wife's cousin's first birds.



Me playing around on a solo hunt.

Proof positive, it ain't the size of the gun, its how you use it...

[hntrpat1]

My boy killed 72 ducks with his 410 last year. It's all about getting em close and knowing how to shoot. He got the sa-08 20 for his birthday so I reckon he's gonna kill a lot more now

[Click]

I hunt doves only with a 20 and quite regularly duck hunt with a 20.

[DuckBoat]

I am just glad to see other people that realize you don't have to shoot 12 ga 3.5" shells to kill a duck.

[DuckBoat]

My boy killed 72 ducks with his 410 last year. It's all about getting em close and knowing how to shoot. He got the sa-08 20 for his birthday so I reckon he's gonna kill a lot more now

Impressive, how old is he?

[hntrpat1]

Just turned 11

[duramax]

If your aim is good enough and you have a good enough pattern a 410 is just as deadly as a 12. Gauge has nothing to do will killing power. The size and speed of the pellets and the number of pellets you put into the bird is all that matter.

True in theory, but it's not necessarily about aim with smaller gauges. You may shoot at a duck at 20 yards with that .410 and be dead on target, but because of pattern density is so poor, there could be holes in the pattern big enough for that duck. After all, pattern density is crucial in using a shotgun as 1 pellet is rarely enough to bring down a duck effectively.

That being said, a 20 ga 3" at ducks 30 yards or less is very viable if you're using standard steel loads. If you feel like dropping some dough on hevi-shot or bismuth #6's, the 20 ga effective killing range is about the same as a 12ga shooting steel #2's in 3".

[Anatidae]

.............and then the 'fight' started........



Let the games begin!!

[crackhead]

There is no difference between the killing power of 410,28,20 and 12. Go to the store and look at the boxes of shells.. You will be able to find shotshells in all gauges with similar sized pellets traveling at similar velocities.

For example a 12 Gauge Winchester load with #4 bbs traveling at 1400 FPS = 20 Gauge Winchester load with #4bbs traveling 1400 FPS. The only difference is the number of bbs in the load.

If your aim is good enough and you have a good enough pattern a 410 is just as deadly as a 12. Gauge has nothing to do will killing power. The size and speed of the pellets and the number of pellets you put into the bird is all that matter.

Most people have better success with a 12 than a 20, because there are more pellets in a 12 than a 20 and they are throwing a denser pattern. But with the right pattern density and proper aim any Gauge will bring down a duck just as well as the other.
I rarely ever hunt dove with a 12, usually it is 410 or 28. I am a much better shot with my 20 than I am with my 12.

That's insane.

[7ducks]

There is no difference between the killing power of 410,28,20 and 12. Go to the store and look at the boxes of shells.. You will be able to find shotshells in all gauges with similar sized pellets traveling at similar velocities.

For example a 12 Gauge Winchester load with #4 bbs traveling at 1400 FPS = 20 Gauge Winchester load with #4bbs traveling 1400 FPS. The only difference is the number of bbs in the load.

If your aim is good enough and you have a good enough pattern a 410 is just as deadly as a 12. Gauge has nothing to do will killing power. The size and speed of the pellets and the number of pellets you put into the bird is all that matter.

Most people have better success with a 12 than a 20, because there are more pellets in a 12 than a 20 and they are throwing a denser pattern. But with the right pattern density and proper aim any Gauge will bring down a duck just as well as the other.
I rarely ever hunt dove with a 12, usually it is 410 or 28. I am a much better shot with my 20 than I am with my 12.

That's insane.

+ 1

[BR549]

There is no difference between the killing power of 410,28,20 and 12. Go to the store and look at the boxes of shells.. You will be able to find shotshells in all gauges with similar sized pellets traveling at similar velocities.

For example a 12 Gauge Winchester load with #4 bbs traveling at 1400 FPS = 20 Gauge Winchester load with #4bbs traveling 1400 FPS. The only difference is the number of bbs in the load.

If your aim is good enough and you have a good enough pattern a 410 is just as deadly as a 12. Gauge has nothing to do will killing power. The size and speed of the pellets and the number of pellets you put into the bird is all that matter.

Most people have better success with a 12 than a 20, because there are more pellets in a 12 than a 20 and they are throwing a denser pattern. But with the right pattern density and proper aim any Gauge will bring down a duck just as well as the other.
I rarely ever hunt dove with a 12, usually it is 410 or 28. I am a much better shot with my 20 than I am with my 12.

That's insane.

+ 1

Why yall say that? Inertia is the same with ANY gauge slinging the same size shot at the same velocity! A number 4 sized pellet traveling at 1400 fps doesn't know whether it came from a .410 or a 10 gauge!

[7ducks]

The .410: What Good Is It?


By Randy Wakeman


That's a tough one to answer. My first shotgun was a .410 bore, a bolt action Mossberg given to me at the age of five years. I shot a .410 shotgun before I had a BB gun, and it was bigger than I was. I carried it to the dove field, but my Dad ended up carrying it back to the car most of the time. Actually, make that all of the time.

I have no idea who originally developed the .410, which is a caliber, not a gauge. If it were a "gauge, it would be something approximating a 67 gauge. It is used to introduce younger shooters to the sport with its low recoil and by expert skeet shooters, but it really doesn't belong in the game fields at all.

Originally available as a 2" shell, then 2-1/2", and later 3", it patterns so dismally that it is best left in the venue that keeps it alive: the skeet field. There it serves as a method of increasing the challenge of the game. Early on, the .410 was considered a "taxidermist's shotgun," as the pellet count was so low the possibility of severely damaging a mount was decreased.

The .410 makes limited sense in certain states where rabbit and squirrel cannot be hunted with rimfire rifles and handguns, but with its dismal pattern and high cost per shot it is neither practical nor particularly effective. In comparing the National Skeet Shooting Association scores, you might be surprised how close the top shooters do in 20 gauge class vs. 12 gauge, with 28 gauge not all that far back. Only when you examine the .410 bore scores do you see a rift developing across the classes. It is the worst performing commonly available shotgun gauge/caliber that can be had, and a horrible crippler of game if not used within its severe limitations.

If it goes bang and is fun to shoot, I generally like it. For clay games, if a .410 is your choice, then so be it. What is bad is when it is promoted as "ideal" for the new shooter or hunter. It can be a needless source of cost and frustration, particularly when low recoil 20 gauge loads, and soft-shooting 20 gauge shotguns are so readily available. Breaking clays and bagging birds builds confidence, is enjoyable, and breeds enthusiasm. Missing is just no fun, and there is certainly no glory--only shame--in wounding game.

A fairly common trivia question is "What has the biggest pattern at 30 yards, a 12 gauge or a .410 bore?" Actually, the .410 does, because its pattern is spread by a much higher percentage of deformed shot diverging from the main pattern. But, it does not have the larger effective pattern. The 1/2 or 11/16 ounce shot mass of the .410 cannot possibly populate a pattern with as effective a density as a standard 1-1/8 ounce 12 gauge field load.

For clays games, or trying to spend the most money per ounce on lead as possible, the .410 has its place. As a pleasant introduction to shotgunning, it fails miserably compared to 28 gauge or light 20 gauge loads. The .410 can be a nasty prank to play on your son or daughter. On the other hand, if you have to buy the shells, the last laugh may be on you!

[teul2]

Sounds like Randy Wakeman has a down right hate of the 410 based on a bad experience. While obviously the 410 can not compete in pattern density compared to a 12ga, I don't feel the limitations are as sevier as he leads you to believe.
Just my $0.02

[Anatidae]

The term 'Killing power" is the cog in this wheel. Even adding the word 'effective' (killing power) leaves too many open ends. Too many variables based on field conditions, and shooter capabilities and unbiased reality. Thus not worthy of debate (to me).

If you're talking about ducks - I agree with Nash Buckingham - don't take boy to do a man's job. I've crippled enough birds with a 12ga to know I don't need to go 'down' a gauge under normal conditions. Ai think that's the biggest unknown in all the comments thus far.

If a person feels confident in a sub-gauge and/or wants to take kids that are too young to hold a gun up (any gun), yet - before development of 'sound' wingshooting skills - that's their business and responsibility. Happy Hunting!