old blackpowder guns

[Mortblanc]

The .410 was developed as a shot round for the ranchers in the American west, who were armed primarily with a 44-40 rifle.

They were first made as brass cased cartridges that would fire in the lever action Winchester so the men riding the fence lines and out in the back country would have small game capabilities while carrying a big bore rifle.

Eventually the manufacturers began making smoothbore guns specifically for the shot load, which was designated the .410.

The reason it is .410 and not .44 is due to the mislabeling of the parent cartridge. The .44-40 is not .44 caliber, it is .429, and the shot load had to be slightly smaller to work through the action.

But while the .44-40 rifle slug is a full 240 grain bullet, the .410 shotgun slug is a miniscule 80 grain projectile. The buckshot load is a better choice, giving one 4-5 chances for a hit rather than just one.

Of course when you compare a 3" 410 buckshot load to a 12 gauge standard 2 3/4" load you are comparing 5 pellets to 9 pellets. If you compare the 12 gauge 3 inch load you have jumped to 12 pellets. Which means that at 40 yards the 12 gauge puts more pellets on target than the .410 has in the unfired shell.

And all your targets are not going to present themselves at that perfect 10 yard range. Over here we routinely shoot ducks and geese out to 60 yards using #5 shot, and deer and bear with buckshot out to 80 yards, but not with .410s.

As to the relationship between black powder and caliber, I can assure you that a small bore black powder gun can have adequate power for general purpose use. I have several black powder guns from .30 caliber to .45 and the small bore guns are handy, use less powder and much less lead. In fact, it is the light weight bullet that disfavors them. A .30 caliber round ball is only about 50 grains. I sometimes load my .30 bp rifles with paper patched cast lead 30 caliber bullets of 100 grains and they shoot very well out to 100 yards. They are equal to our .30 carbine round or the Russian 7.62x25 smg round.

I have pulled the barrels off several surplus 8mm Mauser rifles and they made excellent muzzle loading rifles. I would expect the long barrel of the Mosin would do very well also with more length to burn a larger powder charge.

Your much loved Enfield .303 began life, and spent its first decade, as a black powder round.