I think they’re popular around here because lots of old timers had one growing up that they used to shoot rabbits, squirrels, and quail on the ground. Back in the late 20’s through the late 40’s around here lots of poor folks foraged for a living. They usually wanted the cheapest gun that gave them the best odds of bringing something edible home.
My great Gramps was a 4 and 10 man, that’s what he called them anyway, fed 8 kids a zillion rabbits with a Stevens Dreadnaught. When he died I bet he had 12 different single shot 410s in the closet he’d picked up here and there and he hadn’t hunted anything in years. They just reminded him of the old days and he liked them.
My great Grandad on the other hand was a little better off and didn’t want pellets in his rabbits and squirrels. For birds he had a 12 gauge, first a Remington M10 and later a M11 and finally a Ithaca M37. But when rabbits or squirrels were on the menu they were to be shot with a 22. And anywhere but the head was a wasteful place to shoot one. He was even known to shoot ducks off the water with a 22 through the head.
I started with one of Gramps’ 410s and it was a terrible handicap for a small boy. My first two dove seasons I managed one on the wing each year. I had much better luck holding tight until they’d land on the pond bank and ground sluicing them. When I went to a single shot 20 my 3rd year my average skyrocketed almost instantly. When my son is ready in the next year or two I’ll find him a 28 or a 20 with very light loads, I don’t know if he’ll have the stick with it that I did if he’s not getting any results and I want to bolster his odds.
