410 Shotshells in the 45/70?

leveractionjunkie · Post by **leveractionjunkie** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:26 am

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=15899 I just read this on another forum. Looks to me like the guy was using 2 1/2" .410 shotshells in his guide gun, has anyone here tried this? I can't see it being a huge problem but I was just wondering about it. Does it have to be 2 1/2" ? can you use 3"? is it even worth it?

Thanks for the help

PPpastordon · Post by **PPpastordon** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:03 am

I have heard of doing this for what seems like all my life - or at least from back in the '60's. Have heard several persons tell me the worked pretty good in the slow twist barrels for the .45-70's.
Personally, never tried it. Found the 410 difficult enough in a smooth bore. Why make a marginal performer even more difficult?
Grace and Peace.

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:22 am

I've tried them in Marlin and Browning 45-70's. They don't always extract well, the extractor can slip over the rim of the smaller 410 shell, then you have to manually extract it as best you can. The other issue is the rifled barrel tends to spread the shot pattern pretty fast, and makes a hole in the center of the pattern. The practical effective range seems to be about 15 feet before the pattern opens up and gets thin. You may be able to kill small game or birds father than that, but if you realisticaly look at the pattern density, it's mainly luck in my experience.

Hillbilly · Post by **Hillbilly** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:16 am

An old uncle of mine had a Springfeild trapdoor he found in the barn rafters when he was a kid... back in the early 30's.... it was in pretty good shape for the years

The bore was pitted pretty bad... he'd let us run a few .410 through it just to make it go "boom".

I was about 12 then.... I'd estimate the .410 in that old rifle to be minute of beer can at 30 yards or so.

Modern day..at over $7 a box for .410 I dont know why anybody would run em in a guide gun... unless it's just for giggles.
~Hill

Old Time Hunter · Post by **Old Time Hunter** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:36 am

I've used my Springfield Trapdoors for turkey hunting using .410 shot, it works. Tried it once in a '86, the 2 3/4" worked...ok, just cycle carefully.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:52 am

I have shot the 2.5 inch .410s in a Thompson Center Contender in 45/70.

The extractor always slipped over the rim and I had to dig them out with a knife.

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 12:57 pm

I just wish that I could find .410 shells at $7 a box. Ever once in a great while I may find them at $9 but it seems to get #6s you have to spend around $11 or 12 per box of 25. I would be a little worried about shooting them through a rifle that I thought very much of, old .410s can be bought CHEAP, 45-70s cant.

Texican · Post by **Texican** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:37 pm

I've got an old reloading manual that lists a .45-70 "Hock Shop" load. It's a light charge with 3 stacked lead balls in the case, crimped on the last one. Any of y'all have any experience with that one?

OJ · Post by OJ » Thu Feb 14, 2008 1:13 pm

i was given a Hepburn #3 half octagonal barrel rifle and an 1888 Trapdoor Springfield by my grandfather's brother ( he also gave me my first horse) in the early 1930s - both in 45-70. I lived out in the sandhills of Nebraska and ammo choices were limited so I shot .410 shells in both and had a ball. Effective range was limited without choke but I did in some prairie dogs and unwary rabbits with them.

JimT · Post by **JimT** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 1:58 pm

I shot 410's in my friend's Ttapdoor when we were kids. Worked OK on rabbits if the distance wasn't too far.

jbm1968 · Post by **jbm1968** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 2:03 pm

Now I have to go and buy a box of 410s.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:23 pm

I DO have two .45 Colts that say right on the barrel ".45 Colt or .410 Shotshell" - a Contender, and a Rossi/Braztech breakopen.

I know the .45 Colt loads group at about 8" at 20 yards out of the long gun, so I suspect the 'jump' to the rifling is a serious issue with that setup. Maybe a longer cartridge like a .45-70 would avoid that issue at least. I thought about trying to find long brass and making special .410-length rifle loads loaded up like the .45 Colt's only in longer brass.

canonsix · Post by **canonsix** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:27 pm

Back in the darages,I use to load 45-70 brass with a shot load.It was Wyoming jack rabbit effective at about 20yds, A real PITA to load for , but it was fun to work out a load. Doug

Old Time Hunter · Post by **Old Time Hunter** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:46 pm

.45-70 Birdshot

OJ · Post by OJ » Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:48 pm

I also had a H&R Handy Gun - .410 pistol (yep- NFA gun and registered) with a 12" barrel that gave me about the same range - some 20 yards with a good shot - as the 45-70 rifles did.

The .22 single shot rifle I got for my 6th birthday in 1932 did a better job, however -

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:15 pm

OJ wrote: The .22 single shot rifle I got for my 6th birthday in 1932 did a better job, however -

It seems like you lived in the best times this country ever had; wonder if we'll ever see times like that again!

OJ · Post by OJ » Fri Feb 15, 2008 12:29 am

AJMD429 wrote:
OJ wrote: The .22 single shot rifle I got for my 6th birthday in 1932 did a better job, however -

It seems like you lived in the best times this country ever had; wonder if we'll ever see times like that again!

Sadly, I doubt we will. I could walk down main street (well - a town of 115 only has one street) with my .22 and my dog and only would get standard greetings - no big deal for me or them. Despite the problems of the 1930 depression days, I had a good life for which I still appreciate. It sure wasn't all bad as is portrayed today. I'm grateful for the life that was dealt me.

410 Shotshells in the 45/70?

410 Shotshells in the 45/70?

old trapdoor

"Hock Shop" Load