".410 caliber" redirects here. For rifle and pistol cartridges in this caliber, see 10 mm caliber.
The .410 bore is one of the smallest caliber of shotgun shell commonly available (along with the 9mm Flobert rimfire cartridge, and the less common .22 rimfire shot shell). A .410 bore shotgun loaded with shot shells is well suited for small gamehunting and pest control. The .410 started off in the UK as a garden gun along with the .360 and the No. 3 bore (9 mm) rimfire, No. 2 bore (7 mm) rimfire, and No. 1 bore (6 mm) rimfire. .410 shells have similar base dimensions to the .45 Colt cartridge, allowing many single-shot firearms, as well as some derringers chambered in that caliber, to fire .410 shot shells without any modifications.
.410 bore
From left to right: a .45 ACP, a .410 bore shotshell, a 20 gauge shotshell, and a 12 gauge shotshell
Lancaster's pattern centerfire and pinfire .410 shot cartridges first appeared in Eley Brothers Ltd. flysheets in 1857. By 1874, Eleys were advertising modern centerfire .410 cartridges.[1] It appears to have become popular around 1900, although it was recommended as "suited to the requirements of naturalists, garden guns and for such weapons as walking-stick guns", presumably for self-defense, in 1892 by W. W. Greener.[2] The first ammunition was 2.0 inches (50.8 mm) long, compared with the modern 2.5 (63.5 mm) and 3.0-inch (76 mm) sizes. Aluminum shells are available but are not reloadable, as are paper or plastic shells. Full length brass shells can be found and are reloadable. Brass shells can be made from .444 Marlin rifle cartridges, and these are reloadable[citation needed].
Firing Winchester Supreme Elite 410 shells loaded with three 71-grain disks and twelve BB shot into a melon
Shotguns in .410 loaded with shot shells are well suited for small game hunting and pest control; including rabbits, squirrels, snakes, rats, and birds. A .410 loaded with 1/4 ounce slugs is effective against larger animals such as coyotes and deer.
While a .410 is inferior to the traditional 12-gauge shotshell for defensive use,[3] a number of companies market defensive guns chambered in .410, such as the Mossberg 500 Home Security Model shotgun, the Smith & Wesson Governor revolver, and the Taurus Judge revolver. Defensive ammunition such as buckshot, slugs and combination loads are common. American Derringer and Winchester market ammunition loaded with five 000 buckshot pellets in 3-inch (76 mm) shells and three pellets in 2.5-inch (64 mm) shells.[4][5] Combination shells such as Winchester Supreme Elite .410 shells are loaded with three 71 grain disks and twelve BB pellets.
Survival arms
.410-bore M-35 shotgun shells for M6 survival rifle with .22 long rifle for comparison
H. Koon "Snake Charmer" advertisement
The small size of the .410 bore makes it popular for use in compact firearms carried for emergency use. These are often combination guns, with a .22 Hornet or .22 rimfire rifle barrel mounted over a .410 bore shotgun barrel.
The Snake Charmer is a .410 gauge, stainless steel, single shot, break-action shotgun, with an exposed hammer, an 18+1⁄8-inch (460 mm) barrel, black molded plastic furniture and a short thumb-hole butt-stock that holds four additional 2+1⁄2-inch (64 mm) shotgun shells. These light-weight 3+1⁄2-pound (1.6 kg) guns have an overall length of 28+1⁄8 inches (710 mm).[6] They are commonly used by gardeners and farmers for pest control. It originally sold for $89.95 and was marketed as a general purpose utility shotgun "perfect" for "fishing - hunting - camping - back packing - survival - home defense - truck or Jeep gun".
The Savage Model 24 is an American-made, over and under, combination gun, manufactured by Savage Arms. The basic .22LR over .410 gauge model weighs 7 pounds (3.2 kg), has 24-inch (610 mm) barrels, and an overall length of 41 inches (1,000 mm). It may also be disassembled for ease of stowage. Its predecessor was made by Stevens and sported a tenite stock and forearm. In WWII, 15,000 were ordered and issued in air crew survival kits for Army Air Force bomber crews to be used as survival arms in the event they were shot down.
Original USAF M6 survival rifle/shotgun, caliber .22 Hornet/.410 shotgun
The M6 aircrew survival weapon was made for the US Air Force, with a .22 Hornet rifle barrel mounted over a .410 bore shotgun barrel and was first issued in the Korean War. The military also lists an aluminum .410 3-inch (76 mm) shell, with a rifle primer, as standard issue under the ammunition inventory name M-35. The civilian version Springfield Armory M6 Scout has a .22 rimfire or .22 Hornet over a .410 bore shotgun barrel. The original M6 has a 14-inch (360 mm) barrel, the same length as the stock, and folds in half for storage, making a compact package. With the short barrel, this is legally classified as an any other weapon in the United States, so the M6 Scout is made with 18.5-inch (470 mm) barrels for civilian sales.[7] Special flare cartridges in .410 were issued with the USAF model.
Handguns and shot pistols
The fact that the .410 bore shell fits in a .45 Colt chamber has resulted in some unusual applications. While shotguns are often limited in minimum length, a firearm chambered in .45 Colt, such as the Contender pistol, is not defined as a shotgun even though it can chamber shotgun shells. In the UK, .410 shot-pistols are used around pheasant pens to kill rats where a full-length shotgun would be inappropriate.
Contender in 45 Colt/.410 with ventilated rib
The Thompson Center Arms Contender pistols are commonly encountered with a special .45 Colt/.410 bore barrel. The barrel is rifled for the .45 Colt, but has a special choke and vent rib to make it function as a shotgun. Due to the rifled barrel, the assembled firearm is considered a rifle or pistol (depending on barrel length) and thus is not subject to the National Firearms Act's 18-inch (460 mm) minimum barrel length.[8][failed verification] Nonetheless, possession of a Thompson Center Arms .45/.410 pistol barrel is illegal in California, for both dealers and individuals, and such a barrel may not legally be shipped into the state, or even taken into California for a hunting trip, by reason of it being classified as a short barreled shotgun (SBSG) when used with a Contender receiver.[9]
American Derringer has long offered .45 Colt-.410 bore Derringers.[10]Bond Arms also offers various Derringer models which chamber both .45 Colt cartridges and .410 shotshell.[11]
Smith and Wesson Governor with .45ACP, .45 Colt and .410 shotgun shells
Also, Taurus, Magnum Research, and Smith & Wesson offer revolvers with extended cylinders, long enough to hold .410 shells as well. Magnum Research offers a single-action revolver in their BFR (big frame revolver) line, while the Taurus Judge is similar in price to their other double-action revolvers, with the Raging Judge model capable of chambering and firing the .454 Casull cartridge. The Smith & Wesson Governor is a double-action revolver also capable of firing .45 Colt as well as .45 ACP cartridges with the aid of moon clips. The discontinued MIL Thunder 5 is also chambered in .410-bore. Over the years, a large number of devices have been made that will convert larger-gauge shotguns to accept .410 shotgun shells.
Capacity, compared to other gauges
Length and load
No. 000 buckshot (.36 in)
No. 4 buckshot (.24 in)
21⁄2 in, 410 bore
3 or 4 pellets
8 pellets
3 in, 410 bore
5 pellets
9 pellets
23⁄4 in, 12 gauge
8 pellets
27 pellets
3 in, 12 gauge
10 pellets
41 pellets
Most shotgun cartridges are measured in terms of shotgun gauge. Shotgun gauge is determined by the weight of a round lead ball that is sized to fit into its barrel. For example, the barrel of a 12-gauge shotgun is equal to the diameter of a one-twelfth/pound lead ball (0.729 in) and a 20-gauge can fit a one-twentieth/pound lead ball (0.615 in). Using this method a .410 bore is equivalent to a (hypothetical) 67-gauge.[12]
^William Wellington Greener (1892). The Breach Loader, and How to Use It. Forest and Stream Publishing Co., New York. p. 45. The 28-bore is the smallest of any practical use as a game gun, but the 410 and other sizes are suited to the requirements of naturalists, and for such weapons as walking-stick guns.
^Chuck Hawks' updated rec.guns FAQ on defensive ammunition
^Field & Stream. News for 1979 Part II. by Bob Brister. May 1979. page 159
^S. P. Fjestad. Blue Book of Gun Values, 13th Ed. Blue Book Publications.
^. Archived from the original on 25 October 2007. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
^. State of California. 2008. Archived from the original on 12 July 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2013. As used in this section, a "short-barreled shotgun" means any of the following: (A) A firearm which is designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell and having a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length. (B) A firearm which has an overall length of less than 26 inches and which is designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell.
^"Ball Weight and Density". from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to .410 bore.
The Shotgun Report review of the Remington 870 in 28 gauge and .410 bore
The .410 Bore by Chuck Hawks
January 31, 2023
bore, caliber, redirects, here, rifle, pistol, cartridges, this, caliber, caliber, smallest, caliber, shotgun, shell, commonly, available, along, with, flobert, rimfire, cartridge, less, common, rimfire, shot, shell, shotgun, loaded, with, shot, shells, well, . 410 caliber redirects here For rifle and pistol cartridges in this caliber see 10 mm caliber The 410 bore is one of the smallest caliber of shotgun shell commonly available along with the 9mm Flobert rimfire cartridge and the less common 22 rimfire shot shell A 410 bore shotgun loaded with shot shells is well suited for small game hunting and pest control The 410 started off in the UK as a garden gun along with the 360 and the No 3 bore 9 mm rimfire No 2 bore 7 mm rimfire and No 1 bore 6 mm rimfire 410 shells have similar base dimensions to the 45 Colt cartridge allowing many single shot firearms as well as some derringers chambered in that caliber to fire 410 shot shells without any modifications 410 boreFrom left to right a 45 ACP a 410 bore shotshell a 20 gauge shotshell and a 12 gauge shotshellTypeShotgun revolver derringerPlace of originUnited KingdomProduction historyManufacturerEley BrothersProduced1874 presentSpecificationsCase typeRimmed straightBullet diameter 410 in 10 4 mm Neck diameter 455 in 11 6 mm Base diameter 470 in 11 9 mm Rim diameter 535 in 13 6 mm Rim thickness 060 in 1 5 mm Overall length2 in 2 1 2 in 3 inPrimer typeShotshell primerMaximum pressure13 500 psi 93 MPa Ballistic performanceBullet mass type Velocity Energy109 375 gr 7 g Federal 2 1 2 in 1 4 oz slug 1 780 ft s 540 m s 769 ft lbf 1 043 J 109 375 gr 7 g Winchester 3 in 1 4 oz slug 1 800 ft s 550 m s 787 ft lbf 1 067 J 350 gr 23 g 3 in Winchester No 000 buckshot 5 pellets 1300 ft s 396 24 m s 1 313 ft lbf 1 780 J 328 125 gr 21 g Winchester 3 in 3 4 oz No 6 shot 1100 ft s 335 28 m s 882 ft lbf 1 196 J 218 75 gr 14 g Remington 2 1 2 in 1 2 oz No 7 1 2 shot 1 200 ft s 370 m s 699 ft lbf 948 J Contents 1 Origin 2 Survival arms 3 Handguns and shot pistols 4 Capacity compared to other gauges 5 References 6 External linksOrigin Edit Two 410 shells being loaded into a side by side double barrel shotgun Lancaster s pattern centerfire and pinfire 410 shot cartridges first appeared in Eley Brothers Ltd flysheets in 1857 By 1874 Eleys were advertising modern centerfire 410 cartridges 1 It appears to have become popular around 1900 although it was recommended as suited to the requirements of naturalists garden guns and for such weapons as walking stick guns presumably for self defense in 1892 by W W Greener 2 The first ammunition was 2 0 inches 50 8 mm long compared with the modern 2 5 63 5 mm and 3 0 inch 76 mm sizes Aluminum shells are available but are not reloadable as are paper or plastic shells Full length brass shells can be found and are reloadable Brass shells can be made from 444 Marlin rifle cartridges and these are reloadable citation needed Firing Winchester Supreme Elite 410 shells loaded with three 71 grain disks and twelve BB shot into a melon Shotguns in 410 loaded with shot shells are well suited for small game hunting and pest control including rabbits squirrels snakes rats and birds A 410 loaded with 1 4 ounce slugs is effective against larger animals such as coyotes and deer While a 410 is inferior to the traditional 12 gauge shotshell for defensive use 3 a number of companies market defensive guns chambered in 410 such as the Mossberg 500 Home Security Model shotgun the Smith amp Wesson Governor revolver and the Taurus Judge revolver Defensive ammunition such as buckshot slugs and combination loads are common American Derringer and Winchester market ammunition loaded with five 000 buckshot pellets in 3 inch 76 mm shells and three pellets in 2 5 inch 64 mm shells 4 5 Combination shells such as Winchester Supreme Elite 410 shells are loaded with three 71 grain disks and twelve BB pellets Survival arms Edit 410 bore M 35 shotgun shells for M6 survival rifle with 22 long rifle for comparison H Koon Snake Charmer advertisement The small size of the 410 bore makes it popular for use in compact firearms carried for emergency use These are often combination guns with a 22 Hornet or 22 rimfire rifle barrel mounted over a 410 bore shotgun barrel The Snake Charmer is a 410 gauge stainless steel single shot break action shotgun with an exposed hammer an 18 1 8 inch 460 mm barrel black molded plastic furniture and a short thumb hole butt stock that holds four additional 2 1 2 inch 64 mm shotgun shells These light weight 3 1 2 pound 1 6 kg guns have an overall length of 28 1 8 inches 710 mm 6 They are commonly used by gardeners and farmers for pest control It originally sold for 89 95 and was marketed as a general purpose utility shotgun perfect for fishing hunting camping back packing survival home defense truck or Jeep gun The Savage Model 24 is an American made over and under combination gun manufactured by Savage Arms The basic 22LR over 410 gauge model weighs 7 pounds 3 2 kg has 24 inch 610 mm barrels and an overall length of 41 inches 1 000 mm It may also be disassembled for ease of stowage Its predecessor was made by Stevens and sported a tenite stock and forearm In WWII 15 000 were ordered and issued in air crew survival kits for Army Air Force bomber crews to be used as survival arms in the event they were shot down Original USAF M6 survival rifle shotgun caliber 22 Hornet 410 shotgun The M6 aircrew survival weapon was made for the US Air Force with a 22 Hornet rifle barrel mounted over a 410 bore shotgun barrel and was first issued in the Korean War The military also lists an aluminum 410 3 inch 76 mm shell with a rifle primer as standard issue under the ammunition inventory name M 35 The civilian version Springfield Armory M6 Scout has a 22 rimfire or 22 Hornet over a 410 bore shotgun barrel The original M6 has a 14 inch 360 mm barrel the same length as the stock and folds in half for storage making a compact package With the short barrel this is legally classified as an any other weapon in the United States so the M6 Scout is made with 18 5 inch 470 mm barrels for civilian sales 7 Special flare cartridges in 410 were issued with the USAF model Handguns and shot pistols EditThe fact that the 410 bore shell fits in a 45 Colt chamber has resulted in some unusual applications While shotguns are often limited in minimum length a firearm chambered in 45 Colt such as the Contender pistol is not defined as a shotgun even though it can chamber shotgun shells In the UK 410 shot pistols are used around pheasant pens to kill rats where a full length shotgun would be inappropriate Contender in 45 Colt 410 with ventilated rib The Thompson Center Arms Contender pistols are commonly encountered with a special 45 Colt 410 bore barrel The barrel is rifled for the 45 Colt but has a special choke and vent rib to make it function as a shotgun Due to the rifled barrel the assembled firearm is considered a rifle or pistol depending on barrel length and thus is not subject to the National Firearms Act s 18 inch 460 mm minimum barrel length 8 failed verification Nonetheless possession of a Thompson Center Arms 45 410 pistol barrel is illegal in California for both dealers and individuals and such a barrel may not legally be shipped into the state or even taken into California for a hunting trip by reason of it being classified as a short barreled shotgun SBSG when used with a Contender receiver 9 A modern 45 Colt amp 410 bore Bond Arms derringer American Derringer has long offered 45 Colt 410 bore Derringers 10 Bond Arms also offers various Derringer models which chamber both 45 Colt cartridges and 410 shotshell 11 Smith and Wesson Governor with 45ACP 45 Colt and 410 shotgun shells Also Taurus Magnum Research and Smith amp Wesson offer revolvers with extended cylinders long enough to hold 410 shells as well Magnum Research offers a single action revolver in their BFR big frame revolver line while the Taurus Judge is similar in price to their other double action revolvers with the Raging Judge model capable of chambering and firing the 454 Casull cartridge The Smith amp Wesson Governor is a double action revolver also capable of firing 45 Colt as well as 45 ACP cartridges with the aid of moon clips The discontinued MIL Thunder 5 is also chambered in 410 bore Over the years a large number of devices have been made that will convert larger gauge shotguns to accept 410 shotgun shells Capacity compared to other gauges EditLength and load No 000 buckshot 36 in No 4 buckshot 24 in 21 2 in 410 bore 3 or 4 pellets 8 pellets3 in 410 bore 5 pellets 9 pellets23 4 in 12 gauge 8 pellets 27 pellets3 in 12 gauge 10 pellets 41 pelletsMost shotgun cartridges are measured in terms of shotgun gauge Shotgun gauge is determined by the weight of a round lead ball that is sized to fit into its barrel For example the barrel of a 12 gauge shotgun is equal to the diameter of a one twelfth pound lead ball 0 729 in and a 20 gauge can fit a one twentieth pound lead ball 0 615 in Using this method a 410 bore is equivalent to a hypothetical 67 gauge 12 References Edit Eley Cartridges by CW Harding 2006 William Wellington Greener 1892 The Breach Loader and How to Use It Forest and Stream Publishing Co New York p 45 The 28 bore is the smallest of any practical use as a game gun but the 410 and other sizes are suited to the requirements of naturalists and for such weapons as walking stick guns Chuck Hawks updated rec guns FAQ on defensive ammunition Winchester 410 buckshot American Derringer 410 buckshot Field amp Stream News for 1979 Part II by Bob Brister May 1979 page 159 S P Fjestad Blue Book of Gun Values 13th Ed Blue Book Publications G2 Contender Pistols Archived from the original on 25 October 2007 Retrieved 20 September 2007 California Dangerous Weapons Control Law ARTICLE 2 UNLAWFUL CARRYING AND POSSESSION OF WEAPONS 12020 State of California 2008 Archived from the original on 12 July 2011 Retrieved 29 January 2013 As used in this section a short barreled shotgun means any of the following A A firearm which is designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell and having a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length B A firearm which has an overall length of less than 26 inches and which is designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell American Derringer model 1 Bond Arms Ball Weight and Density Archived from the original on 27 February 2012 Retrieved 16 February 2012 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to 410 bore The Shotgun Report review of the Remington 870 in 28 gauge and 410 bore The 410 Bore by Chuck Hawks Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 410 bore amp oldid 1135659839, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
