.410 tss stevens bolt .410

[Aklin458]

I have a stevens 58 bolt action .410 I inherited from a relative.. I would like to shoot the federal .410 tss loads out of it. It has a fixed full choke. This is the only old firearm I own and am wondering if I can safely shoot that hot of a load out of it or if it's an accident waiting to happen.

Thanks!

 

[HRH2K]

I can only offer second hand general consensus I’ve found from researching loads for old shotguns. The concern isn’t shooting a “hot” load pressure wise, as long as the gun is in good mechanical condition.

What can happen is hard shot like steel or tungsten can score the forcing cone, or “bulge” the choke. The hard shot won’t compress, so it forces the choke to give. From what I’ve read it may or may not affect patterning if this happens. So, In short, there isn’t really a “kaboom” safety issue to worry about but you may damage the barrel of your gun, at least cosmetically.

If you feel sentimentally about the gun in any way, I definitely wouldn’t try it. Again, take this for what it’s worth... second hand anecdotal info! Good luck!

 

[Billy Goat]

Like said the main concern is bulging the barrel or choke damage. The barrel bulge will be ahead of the choke. Most of the non-toxic loads are shot that is a lot harder than steel, and it won't compress like steel. It also doesn't need to be. They react to constriction a lot faster than lead or bismuth.


Don't fire modern loads from a damascus barrel, otherwise it's a choke concern.

 

[Aklin458]

Thank you for the responses! I will continue to use it for rabbits and squirrels!

 

[Goatboy22]

I've got the 58B .410 (was my grand dads) and shoot the Browning TSS 9's out of it with no problems. Small shot at the lower velocities (1100 FPS) of these loads hasn't effected the choke that I'm aware of. The trigger was fairly easy to lighten up to, but you may want to take it to a gunsmith to work on. Superlight shotgun for Merriam's death marches in the mountains! Pattern it with some 3 inch 7 1/2's to make sure it's shooting where you're aiming, paint an orange dot on the back of that brass bead and have fun!

 

[TristanJH]

Similarly, I am hoping to get out and shoot a turkey with great gramps' 410, and don't know that the barrel is proofed to TSS. The gentlemen who chimed in above are absolutely right, the risk there is more to the gun/forcing cone than to its safe function. While it is unlikely that a few rounds would damage your gun, you could look to ITX13 or bismuth for a heavier non-toxic option that will be friendly to old steel.

 

[Jacack]

I have one of the 58 and have shot a handful of the tss out of it with no problem. I was planning to let my son use it this year for turkey but it didn't pattern great , I measured the choke and it is more open than full. I think it was .396 if I remember right.

Ended up just buying a savage 301 turkey 410 and for about 200.00 it's a great little gun that patterns great out to 40 yards.

 

[MarshCallUser]

You should be fine. I shoot it out of my old single shot H&R.