410 gauge

[Xrperry]

What does anybody think of having a single shot 410 as home defense? I live in a small apartment and I don't think I should be barking off a 9mm, 40sw, 30-30,22, 45-70, 30-06.

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[Kruel J]

What does anybody think of having a single shot 410 as home defense? I live in a small apartment and I don't think I should be barking off a 9mm, 40sw, 30-30,22, 45-70, 30-06.

.410 is a REALLY underrated HD option. Too many folks here talk plenty of trash about it, but with buckshot it's like dispensing 5 9mm rounds at once.

 

[Member 34319]

At least get a pump. Not much more expensive in a pump action than a single shot. Then you'll get more capacity.

 

[Kruel J]

At least get a pump. Not much more expensive in a pump action than a single shot. Then you'll get more capacity.

Agreed. Single shot anything is less than desirable for HD.

 

[westcoastal]

practice your reloading, otherwise is good defense

 

[Member 34319]

This would be the only use I'd see for a single shot in a defensive situation. Though, while searching for this type of thing, most came back pumps.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

For "speedy" re-loading of a single shot...
Tuck a couple of shells in between the fingers of your hand that is holding the forearm of the shotgun...
Fire....keeping the shotgun on your shoulder...open the breech...have the old shell eject...with your firing hand reach for the new shell...re-load , close the breech , fire again....

With practice this is actually pretty speedy....
Back when the only breech loader that owned was a single shot 20 gauge...this is what I practiced for home defense.
Andy

 

[gunnut38]

Plenty of power at close range ,manageable recoil , and lack of over penetration. Makes sense.

 

[Xrperry]

Thanks for the info everyone. My girlfriend lives with me and I was thinking it might be good for her

 

[410Guy]

410 is great for self defense you need number 3 buck shot it has been tested and it works i have one for self defense no recoil its the best shotgun you can get

 

[edzz]

A single shot of any kind would not be my first choice for home / self defense.

A bit over 40 years ago a friend of mine used a .410 shotgun to end a case of domestic violence that his wife had interjected herself into. Seems that his wife had gone too the aid of their landlords wife, when she did so the landlord started hitting her too. This is when my friend got involved words were exchanged and that was when the landlord said he was going inside to get his gun and did so. My friend retrieved his .410 loaded with one round of bird shot and when the landlord pointed his gun towards my friend my friend fired his one shot of .410 bird shot. The landlord ceased further aggression and slowly bled out.
Did a .410 work? Yes, Has my friend ever owned another .410? No. Last I knew he favored a .45 and a 12 gauge.
After spending enough time in a southern jail to come to enjoy grits he was found to have been acting in self defense and the defense of others whereupon all charges were withdrawn.

The humorous part that came out of this was when a short time later the police came knocking on his door. They wanted to take him down to the station again, however this time they were asking him to fill out an application. Seems he was the type of candidate they wanted. A few years of college, good physical condition and had shown due restraint prior to using lethal force.

Seemed like the hard way to get a job offer...

If he had had more than one opponent or if the landlord had been more determined I doubt a single shot .410 would have been enough to save the day.

 

[Xrperry]

I think a buckshot load would have been a little better

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

As much as I hate to be 'that guy' . . . It's 410 bore, not gauge.

While most shotguns are described by the number of round bore sized lead balls it takes to weigh one pound the 410 is actual bore dimensions, more or less.

If it was me I would go with America's Rifle, repeated test have shown that the 5.56/223 has less penetration through common building materials than almost all handgun rounds and shotguns loaded with buckshot, as well as having less recoil than even the 410

YMMV

 

[CatScat55]

When I was about 14 I shot the top of a old toilet with a 410. It didnt shatter like I expected but one of the B'Bs managed to make its way back in my direction and hit me in the top lip. Dropped me to my knees. Will it work for HD absolutely but I doubt I will ever touch one again. Even though it was my fault lol

 

[bbbass]

repeated test have shown that the 5.56/223 has less penetration through common building materials than almost all handgun rounds and shotguns loaded with buckshot

I haven't seen or read about those tests... But I would suspect they were done using either varmint loads or soft points for the 223. I like an AR pistol w/brace loaded with soft point hunting bullets. But IMO an AR can be more complex than a novice shooter should be using for home defense w/o some decent training and practice.

In this test, all buckshot loads and all AR bullets pass thru two interior walls and exit out the exterior wall. Not something I'd be in favor of... (Paul Harrell has some good vids on using a .410).

 

[DeanMk]

What does anybody think of having a single shot 410 as home defense?

I think a picture, or better yet, a video, says a thousand words....

 

[Mark W.]

JUST RUN SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF YOUR LUNGS AND WACK THE BAD GUY ON THE HEAD WITH A BALL PEN HAMMER.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Would a single shot .410 shotgun work for self defense....sure.
Would it be my first choice...No....But I wouldn't curl up and just wait to die , 'cause that was all that I had.

But then we ain't talking about me...
My situation and where I live , seems a bit different that the one outlined in the OP...
So I have other choices.

Learn to use the gun you have , safely and effectively for your situation.
Andy

 

[DeanMk]

JUST RUN SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF YOUR LUNGS AND WACK THE BAD GUY ON THE HEAD WITH A BALL PEN HAMMER.

...never thought about using one as a hammer....I guess if it works for you.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

View attachment 687270

...never thought about using one as a hammer....I guess if it works for you.

That's so you can "write 'em off"...
Andy