The Caldwell .410

[Dean Romig]

I received my latest DGJ yesterday and after thumbing through it completely I went back and read John Johnson's well done article on his three Parker .410s with a focus on the fully optioned VHE ordered by Caldwell Banker's first president.

It was a very nice and informative article John and I enjoyed it.

Tonight I'll read about a collection of four very high condition lower grade Parkers that look beautiful in the pictures.

[Dave Fuller]

I enjoyed it too. I always say there are no Parkers in Oregon but yesterday a gunsmith here showed me a beautiful Parker hammer gun and 2 hours later I came home and read Johnson's article. I guess I gotta get out more.

[Bruce Day]

I have much admiration for those few who are excellent shots with a 410. I've shot Parker and other makes of 410's and struggle with them, and consequently am of the view that they are not a game or target gun for me. The story about his accuracy with a 410 for quail and doves was impressive.
While at the UP shoot, I listened to a fellow discuss that 410s should have a more open choke for a tighter pattern. I don't know enough to know, but these 410's are tough to use with any effectiveness. At the UP, I shot 410, 28, 20 and 12 ga's at the long range course, where you stepped back every time you made the preceeding shot. I struggled to get halfway back with the 410 and did incrementally better as the bore size increased.

[Dean Romig]

I had the pleasure of shooting John Dunkle's skeet .410 at the Jan 1st Major Waldron shoot. I shot low gun American Skeet and smashed the first six targets then managed to miss most of the rest :eek:

A .410 is not an easy gun to be consistant with . . . unless it's consistantly missing :rolleyes:

[Bill Murphy]

The .410 is just like any other gauge. The more choke, the tighter the pattern until diminishing returns sets in. Bruce was talking to someone who has never patterned a .410. A .410 in the field should have a bit of choke, a lot if you use it at its limit of effectiveness. I sure would like to have one of those modified and full .410s in the article.

[Bruce Day]

Bill, I can't imagine that he was not the expert on 410's that he purported to be. He wasn't shooting anything, just hanging around while Mike Koranda and I shot, but he seemed to know so much more than others, and I am truly a novice with 410's.

We offered to let him shoot the 410 and demonstrate, but unfortunately, he had some eye problems and wasn't able to shoot.

By the way, our member Mile Koranda is an excellent shot, and if I am not mistaken, won the 410 and 28ga distance events, I think I placed 3rd. Mike also did very well in the pigeon ring and sporting clays events. I placed at the 50% break shooting a Parker 12 C fluid steel with light loads at sporting and a Parker 12 C Bernard with heavier loads at the pigeon ring.

We both used Mike's AYA with 410 and 28ga barrels, as neither of us have the real small ga's in a Parker.

[Jim Williams]

Bill, I can't imagine that he was not the expert on 410's that he purported to be. He wasn't shooting anything, just hanging around while Mike Koranda and I shot, but he seemed to know so much more than others

We offered to let him shoot the 410 and demonstrate, but unfortunately, he had some eye problems and wasn't able to shoot.

I know of a few "pilots" like that who hang around the airport all the time and never seem to fly anything. But boy do they have great stories of all their skills and exploits. "There I was, at 10,000 feet..."

Jim

[Bill Murphy]

I have found it a real pleasure to shoot and break bread with Mike Koranda. He is a real gentleman and a great shot.

[Kevin McCormack]

The first time I shot my first .410 was at a box bird handicap shoot. The .410s were handicapped at 22 yards but we were allowed to use the big Roman Candle 3 inch loads. I went 5 for 5 with 3 second barrel kills, then blew the whole thing by chasing my surviving cripple around the ring like a girl instead of a grown man. I didn't fully understand that you had to bring your bird to bag INSIDE the ring to win it all! Nevertheless it was the zenith of my low-grade .410 Parker performances. Of course I shot my higher grade gun a lot better........Did I mention I once went a way-back-when limit of 5 Woodcock with 11 shells with an LC Smith .410? Or do I need to move that over to the other site? Greg is watching...........

[Dave Suponski]

Kevin. A great shot with a .410 is a great shot with a .410! I don't care what make gun you were using :bowdown:

[Rich Anderson]

I happen to like the 410 for clays and game with in reason. When I shot registered skeet I practiced almost exclusively with the 410. If you can hit em with a 410 then the rest of the guages are easier. The key to using it IMHO is that you need to concentrate on the target.

When I shot in PA there were three targets difference in score from 28, 16, & 12. Sorry I don't have a SXS 410.....yet. I doubt I'll ever shell out $30K for a Parker but maybe one of Tony G's Foxes...someday.

[Dean Romig]

Having pulled my soft chair up close to the screen and having just finished my first double shot of Lynchburg's finest I shall pour another over a bit of crushed ice and wait eagerly for the story of your prowess with the Elsie .410

:corn:

[Kevin McCormack]

That was a great hunt, Dean, made all the more sweet since the guy who invited me after he and his dog found a flight cover told me in part jest, part ridicule, "There all over the bottom, even more this morning than when I checked yesterday! Meet me at the parking spot and, oh yeah, don't bring that popgun of yours - too much choke and not enough shot. Use a man's gun for a change!" I felt so good about it later I bought him lunch. He said the salad dressing was quite sour.

BTW - I brought out my beautiful little Bob Runge engraved & signed Remington 11-48 F Grade .410 (no gold, thank you) on the 4th of July weekend, like I do every year, both to honor the man and to celebrate the spirit of the All American Gun. Shot a round of sporting clays in the morning with it wearing the full choke barrel, then later in the day shot a couple of rounds of skeet after changing to the skeet-choked barrel. Reminded me of how deadly boring skeet is but how exciting it can be with a .410 (you tend to use a lot of bad words). Also how deadly the little guns can be on close targets in the woods, especially those wascally wabbits!

[Dean Romig]

He said the salad dressing was quite sour.

He was probably thinking 'grapes' while saying "salad dressing" dontcha think?

I don't even have a .410 though I wish I did . . .

. . . come to think of it, Mr. Dunkle rarely uses his and it is probably taking up valuable space in the rake and shovel rack in his back shed. Maybe he'll read this and ask me if I can think of someplace to store it for him.


:rolleyes:

[Dave Suponski]

. . come to think of it, Mr. Dunkle rarely uses his and it is probably taking up valuable space in the rake and shovel rack in his back shed. Maybe he'll read this and ask me if I can think of someplace to store it for him.


Ya Dean I know a perfect place also...it's in southern CT :duck:

Kevin,I used to have a couple of .410,s an 1100 skeet with tournament wood on it(not an F grade but pretty nice) an an Model 42 with a solid rib,B carved wood and #2 engraving. Still wish I had the 42 :banghead: