Inexpensive And Not What You Would Normally Carry Weapons

Discussion in 'Guns, Knives, Tools, Etc.' started by TexDanm, Mar 27, 2018.

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  1. TexDanm

    TexDanm Shadow Dancer
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    We haven't done a gun thing for a little while so I'm going to throw out an odd thought. A couple years ago I picked up a Cricket for teaching my Granddaughter to shoot. This is one of those tiny bolt action single shot 22 lr rifles. It has a pretty nice peep sight but naturally it is rather odd in an adults hands to “shoulder”.

    The good news is that since a 22 doesn't have any notable recoil all you have to do is figure out a stable and consistent way to hold it while you aim. As it turns out this is a simple matter and I just cheek it against my face. The accuracy is amazingly good.

    The stock is held on by one large bolt with a slot that you can fit nearly a dime into it so take down is a snap. The two pieces gives you an extremely small package. It is a totally simple mecinism that you have to manually cock after loading so it is sturdy in its simplicity.

    I have carried it out on my boat several times and it is plenty accurate and lethal for small game getting. I only paid a little over a hundred for it brand new so it is extremely economical. When I bought it I also bought a case of subsonic rounds and the combination makes a bird getter that doesn't mess the eat up too bad. This isn't what I would pick as my only gun BUT if it was the only gun that I had it could do most of the things that I would want out of a single shot 22.

    It has a plastic stock and by removing the but cap I had a place for some ammo. I put some sling swivels and a nylon sling on it and it weighs nothing. I would have no trouble using it successfully for small game. It is actually more accurate than my AR-7.
     
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  2. TexDanm

    TexDanm Shadow Dancer
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    Another gun that I picked up a few years ago that has surprised me is a 410 Snake Charmer. This is a small pistol gripped short stocked shotgun that is dimensionally legal in overall length and barrel length. It is a break action single shot that ejects the empty shell on opening. It has a full choke and a place in its plastic stock for 4 shells.

    I put sling swivels and a nylon sling on it and it is generally my fishing gun if I carry a long gun. It sits beside my chair in my living room with a defence load in it that has one 41 caliber jacketed hollow point on top with two 000 balls under that. At room distances it is lethal.

    This would in a bind make a fine game getter and close up defence weapon. The nice thing about a 410 is that the ammo is very compact and light compared to 12 ga and 20 ga shells. Also you can make a 410 reloader out of things most of us have on hand and then shoot nails, BBs or rocks if you have to.

    I considered the other version of this that has an improved cylinder and will also shoot 45 LC pistol ammo but decided that the full choke would be of more value to me in the long term.
     
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  3. Keith H.

    Keith H. Moderator Staff Member
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    Both good posts Tex & both good choices.
    Keith.
     
  4. Tom Williams

    Tom Williams Moderator Staff Member
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    I have 7crickets atm i buy used cheap when i find 410 i advoid nice cal many uses i just prefer 20 or 12g shotguns i own all 12g atm tho i posted on the cricket before in here as a gun for people who dont know guns to use to learn on abd didnt get much of a acceptance on it funny
     
  5. Tom Williams

    Tom Williams Moderator Staff Member
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    Oh and 45long colt is best roundthat works in some 410s they are made th do it a 41pistol round in a 410 may damage a 410 due to higher pressure of round
     
  6. TexDanm

    TexDanm Shadow Dancer
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    I think that the 410 round is too often overlooked in the survival way because people don't understand its place there. A 410 will never be a good first choice for battle type offensive or defensive purposes. It just doesn't come close to the power of the 12 ga or even the 20 ga.

    The place where the 410 will shine though is when you are limited to only what you can carry and don't know when you will net have the opportunity to resupply. It is a game getter that can in a pinch be used defensively. Compared to the 12 ga the amount of ammo you can carry is impressive. It is like comparing a ruger 10-22 to an M14. It won't do it as well but the ammo weight difference is massive and to some extent so it its usefulness. Basically in a survival situation wasting a 12 ga shell on small game would just be wasteful just as shooting bunnies with a M14 would be.

    In 410 I especially like the single shot break action because it forces a certain mindset on you. You have to make that one first shot count. You might take a questionable shot with a pump or auto assuming that if you miss the first time you will get it on the second or third shot. If it is going to take more than one shot you need to pass on it because ammo is too precious to waste. Also with a pump or automatic you might get the idea that fighting is better than hiding or running. You just won't decide to jump into a fight with a single shot 410.

    The use of the 45 Long Colt in a 410 is generally safe pressure wise because the pressure for a 3" 410 is pretty close to the max allowed for a 45 LC. 13,500 to 14,000. The problem is that the 45 slug is too big to safely be pushed through a 410 barrel. HOWEVER it is becoming more common to make guns that can safely shoot a 410 or 45 lc. Basically what you are doing is shooting a 410 through the larger 45 barrel. They make a "Snake Charmer" like this but I chose and prefer the 410 barrel with a choke.
     
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