Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers .410 shell in the guide gun???

.......wouldn't .410 shell raise hell with the rifling in your barrel?? I would think so but i keep reading people pulling this off??

I tried 2 1/2" 410s in a Martini 45-70 cause it seemed like a great idea for pot shooting a squirrel or quail. I think the rifled barrel kind of centrifuges the shot charge. The patterns were six feet wide at 20 yards. It'd be perfect for distressing furniture but throwing rocks would be more effective on small game.

Find a .444 marlin with microgroove bbl and it will work and cycle well, 2.5 inch only.

I've shot a couple of boxes through my .444 with micro-grove. The pattern spreads out pretty quick. About 15" is maximum range for grouse. Even then, sometimes all you get is feathers. Also, the action is a bit hard to close. You have to crush the crimped end of the .410 against the end of the chamber. It doesn't appear to hurt the rifling, but it leaves the barrel very dirty.

I have shot a lot of grouse with my 1895 ss, I once got 5 with one shot at 8 paces, it works great for me. 2 1/2" shells only of course. I have never tried them past about 12 or so yards, grouse are very tame around here.

How do you quickly change from rifle to shotgun ammo? Do these shells feed the same as a rifle cartridge; or do you stick them straight into the chamber one at a time? Will they extract or do you pull them out? I've got to try this.

1 at a time, they don't feed through my magazine anyway

tried it today and worked OK except the brass cases all split making it a little hard to pull them out. Is that common? If not, what brand of shot shells hold together better?

I just picked up 100 rounds of 2" .410 shells by RWS and another European outfit. Do you think they'd function better in the GG than the 2 1/2" shells?

Probably, the crimp when it opens will not be partially in the throat, which is where it is with 2 1/2 shells.

Done a little work with loading shot shells in 45-70
Take a 410 plastic wad, put it over powder and over- powder wad, and cut a piece of card stock to fit around the outside of the plastic wad.
Fill with shot and roll crimp an over-shot wad and seal with a little silicone.
The paper tube takes the spin and the shot wad goes streight out the barrel - - - no donut pattern!!
These load like a dream and do good out to 20 yds or so.
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