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Originally Posted by Anfrew Sacco
A .410 is a fun gun but they surely don't pattern well
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As someone who has used .410 S X S guns hunting since 1959 I will disagree with the above statement. The .410 patterns just as "well" as any other gauge/bore shotgun. What they do not have, regarding patterns, is as high a pattern density.
I have successfully hunted with .410s for most of my life, but in my later years truly came to understand that they can be made to be highly effective at game bird hunting by the use of heavier payloads and tighter chokes. Pattern density is what kills birds with a .410. Tighter choke is what delivers density.
Sure, the smaller the pattern the better wing shot one has to be to put that pattern on target. But, that has nothing to do with "not patterning well", and everything to so with shooting ability.
Range must be limited with a .410 as well to be successful. Again, that has nothing to do with "not patterning well" , but everything to do with pattern density. When you are dealing with 3/4 oz. or less payloads you just cannot maintain sufficient pattern density at longer ranges.
Armchair experts will be quick to point out that long-for-bore payloads won't pattern well, and that short-for-bore payloads will pattern better. That is a belief that I have totally shot down, to pardon the pun, by developing a .410, 3/4 oz. load of nickel plated 8s that pattern beautifully. The only way you would know it wasn't a bigger bore pattern is by counting the total number of pellet strikes. The evenness of the distribution is fully equal to any 12 bore pattern I've ever seen. And, it kills way better than any other .410 load I have ever used.
Before I developed that handload I used WW 3/4 oz. factory loads very successfully. But, I'm just a tinkerer who's always trying to think of a way to improve something.
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