# Need recomendations.



## Mo Mo (Sep 16, 2016)

People change, interests change. I was into competitive shooting for a while now and to be honest, it's lost it's luster. It's kinda expensive to do. And shooting at extended long range takes a bunch of skill. Not that I don't have the skill, but to be honest, I just want to relax and hunt at normal ranges. I have all but sold most of my competition rigs and I am spending more time in the field hunting critters of all size. I have used the same old trusty .22LR for small game now for years. It's a tack driver. I am thinking of selling the old Marlin 80/ J,C. Higgins/ Sears and Roebuck bolt action ( it would just sit in the safe, kids already have their own .22 rifles) and possibly picking up a 22/410 O/U for small game. Not that the bolt action with a 7 round mag won't do it, but I feel having both a .22 round and a .410 shot shell at my disposal would be beneficial for chasing rabbits, grouse and other small critters. Does anyone have any experience with any 22/410's that they could point me in the right direction? Who makes a good one? Pros and Cons? I want something lightweight for walking.

I have re-purposed my AR that I bought for competition, into a predator rifle and will be taking all of the tactical crap off it and possibly adding a boyds wood kit to it, I will post pictures when this happens. So the rifle I am asking about will only be used for small game hunting.

Thanks in advance for any help.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

I had a Savage .22/.410 O/U. Seemed like a sensible idea, as you mentioned, to have both calibers at the ready. The practical problem was that it made for an all-purpose gun that was not very good - *because* it was 2 guns in one.

Take the .22 LR barrel. It was actually fine for what it was: a rifled-sight, single-shot .22 LR. Just how good do you think it would be afield? No scope, and relatively heavy for a single-shot .22 without optics.

Take the .410 barrel. Not much good with iron sights designed for a rifle, and you certainly wouldn't want to mess it up with a scope that would be problematic. And, the .410 with its wimpy loads - even in 3-inch configuration - is anemic at best.

Reminded me of my old 1973 Yamaha DT 360 motorcycle: It could be used on the street or dirt track, but was no good at either job.

Bottom line: I gave the gun to my nephew. Almost useless, but dang cool to look at and think about.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

I shot a bolt action .410 shotgun when I was a kid, no 22 lr. attached. Hell you need to be a good shot to kill a rabbit with a .410

Ruger Single Six Convertible 22lr./22 MAG. And a good Shotgun problem solved.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Got that right, AZP.

People that think they're smart to get .410s for youngsters because of their low recoil. It's a bad joke. When you only have 11/16s of an ounce of shot in a 3-inch shell, you gotta be real good to hit anything moving. Now add to that you're doing it with an awkward iron sight designed for a rifle.

Any clues why I gave mine away?

A better choice for the O/U concept would include at least a 20-gauge smoothbore but they're still problematic for other reasons stated.


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## Mo Mo (Sep 16, 2016)

So what you are saying is keep the .22 since it works well. Thank you all for the help.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Yeah, that .22 has killed a lot more game than any amount of .410s.


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## Mo Mo (Sep 16, 2016)

Very true GW. I have killed countless rabbits, squirrels and foxes with that old .22. It's as accurate as the day it was given to me. I think that I am going to put a decent scope on it as it wears irons right now. My eyesight isn't now what it was back then.


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