Question on .410 bolt action single shot shotgun

Hole Shooter · May 25, 2008, 09:32 AM

I have an old single shot bolt action Marlin .410 shotgun (youth model). I have ONLY shot three inch .410 shells through this gun. However, I have recently come into several boxes of two and a half inch .410 shells. My question is.....can I safely shoot the 2.5 inch shells in this shotgun even though it is chambered for 3 inch shells? My concern is where the end of the chamber meets the start of the barrell, if there is a difference in diameter.

Hope this makes sense and many thanks in advance for your reply!

Hole Shooter

J F Cooper · May 25, 2008, 10:23 AM

Assuming the gun is in good ordr, Fire away, the 2 1/2" ammo is fine in a 3" chamber..JFC

flyby · May 25, 2008, 10:32 AM

Yes its safe to use the 2.5", I used to have an old mossy Bolt-action .410 (3+1) with a 3" chamber and used the 2.5"s sometimes also.
Its the same as shooting a shorter 2.75" 12ga in a longer 12ga chamber ..Or a .38spl in a .357 mag.
The only thing is sometimes performance suffers a little ..but also sometimes not ..you'll have to check it out with your particular gun and ammo combination.

May 25, 2008, 09:32 AM	#1
Hole Shooter Member Join Date: October 18, 2007 Posts: 31	Question on .410 bolt action single shot shotgun I have an old single shot bolt action Marlin .410 shotgun (youth model). I have ONLY shot three inch .410 shells through this gun. However, I have recently come into several boxes of two and a half inch .410 shells. My question is.....can I safely shoot the 2.5 inch shells in this shotgun even though it is chambered for 3 inch shells? My concern is where the end of the chamber meets the start of the barrell, if there is a difference in diameter. Hope this makes sense and many thanks in advance for your reply! Hole Shooter

May 25, 2008, 10:32 AM	#3
flyby Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2008 Location: S.FL Posts: 222	Yes its safe to use the 2.5", I used to have an old mossy Bolt-action .410 (3+1) with a 3" chamber and used the 2.5"s sometimes also. Its the same as shooting a shorter 2.75" 12ga in a longer 12ga chamber ..Or a .38spl in a .357 mag. The only thing is sometimes performance suffers a little ..but also sometimes not ..you'll have to check it out with your particular gun and ammo combination. __________________ “The vulcan neck pinch is not half as powerful as the vulcan groin kick, but it's more politically correct” ~ spock

May 25, 2008, 10:23 AM	#2
J F Cooper Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2007 Location: Southern Ohio Posts: 125	Assuming the gun is in good ordr, Fire away, the 2 1/2" ammo is fine in a 3" chamber..JFC