Captain E.C. Crossman and a .410 Parker

[Smoothebore]

Ya'll are killing me! The rain let up, so I went exploring the storage building for a box of books. It was in Peter Johnson's book. He states that Major Charles Askins, remarked in his book, Modern Shotguns and Loads that, while he understood the appeal the .410 gauge had for women and young people, he personally regarded it as of little value for practical shotgun shooting and that whenever he saw a full-grown man carrying one into the woods for serious hunting, he always had the feeling that nature had made a mistake in the man's sex.

Well, that's just one man's opinion. I don't actually agree with it, I just think its funny as hell.

Dave

[MarketHunter]

I'd swear it was Askins that came up with the golf quote as well. Now I'll have to dig into my books and find that one!

Apparently the good Major and myself would have gotten along quite well.


Destry

[Dean Romig]

Well you just know Destry's LHAO over that one

[Old and Reliable]

[quote=Dean Romig;15908]Well you just know Destry's LHAO over that one

Ruark was my favorite writer- he told it like it was- and his advice of enough gun works for me, as I am a devout waterfowler- not a brush busting grouse/woodcock hunter anymore. Now there is another extreme for birds, Believe Elmer keith thought an Ithca NID 10 gauge Magnum was perfect for pheasants "Out West"--

[Bill Murphy]

Francis, I couldn't agree with you and Elmer more. I have used nothing other than the ten for my little bit of waterfowling for the past five or six years, and for the past year or so, I have used my little tens for pheasant and grouse gunning. My little Sauer ten is ideal for preserve birds, since I try not to shoot until everyone elses guns are empty. I use the RST 1 1/8 ounce light loads and have popped some third shot type ringnecks at pretty good range with the left barrel. Next preserve season, I may break out a little 7 1/2 pound EH Grade 28" Parker ten.

[Blind Dog]

A while ago I posted of the effectiveness of the little Turkish 30" .410 I got last summer on 30+ yard pheasants. I recently bought a box of 9.3x72 brass, loaded them up with 10g Unique under a case full of Cream 'o Wheat and fire formed them to fit its chambers. I believe I can load these with up to an oz. of shot and push it at about 1200fps without going over 20,000 psi using SR 4759 which I have a lot of. I'll work up to it, checking the soft large pistol primers for pressure signs. The chamber walls are much thicker than those on a S&W mod. 29 which is designed to handle 40,000 psi. While it is light and handy, the 30" bbls. keep it from being whippy; it's not a small person's gun. It's shown below under my 10ga 3 frame 32" PH.

[Austin W Hogan]

Where did you find that Bill? I have a 30 inch lifter ten at 7 14, but the barrels are like onion skin.

I think there are some more early light ten hammerless guns hiding somewhere. I had a 26 inch that went 7 10 or so.

Bogardus liked 1 oz ahead of 4 drams plus for upland hunting. It would be nice to have the ballistics on that load; it probably had pressures similar to 7/8 oz in a twelve.

Best, Austin

[C.O.B.]

I believe it was Clint Eastwood AKA Dirty Harry who sail "A mans got to know his limitations". If you know and abide by the limitations of the little guns they will perform well on the range and in the field. You might not get as many opportunities at wild Pheasant with a 28 VS a 12 but the ones you do get the bird is in the game bag IF you do your part.

[Old and Reliable]

As I am mainly a devout waterfowler, I might put my std. 12 bores in league with your fine 28 VH- and then the 3" Mag 12's and the (hopefully someday std. 10) up to the big bores.

For early season light feathered ducks, over decoys or jump shooting float trips- a std. 12 2.75" 1 & 1/8 oz. first shot, possibly 1 & 1/4 oz. second and maybe third shots- I would venture to compare that to your upland work on pheasants with the 28 bores.

But when the weather turns and the flight birds are "In"- I use the 3" 12 mags-and I am more into pass shooting or field layout hunts then.

The "upland" hunts I have now are mainly Hunt Club preserve pheasants, our native stock here in MI is pretty much "Kaput"-- and my club hunts are less costly than a 3-5 hunt in SD or KS- if you go by the Hunting Lodge prices as seen in GSJ, etc.

I also hunt with mainly flushing dogs, and often get "rangy" shots on Roosters, where a well balanced 12 double choked M&F works best for me. I'm almost 70, still have good vision (hearing, not so great) but my reflexes aren't what they were 35 years ago.

I'm NOT a cheapskate- but every preserve pheasant that sails off unhit is a $20 bill getting airborne- SO-- just from a "cost effectiveness" point of view, I prefer a 7 & 3/8 lb. side-by with DT (ejectors optional, some of my Smiths and Parkers have them, some don't) 28" or 30" barrels, PG and splinter FE. That's my "winning combo"!!

[Brush Buster]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Russ, that little PH looks to be plumb near wore out. Another few hunts and you best be looking for a replacement.

Bill ; I am just getting back to the conversation since yesterday ,but I will tell you ,I am trying to wear her out so I have a good excuse to look for another ,maybe I should be buying other brands ,there is just no " wear out " to a Parker !