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Well we all arrived booted and suited ready for our first shooting day of the new season, 120 birds, but we were all using the little 410 apart from two on 28 bores, we were a little apprehensive but we had taken the precaution of breaking a few clay's at Orston the afternoon before, this had convinced us that the little gun could really hold its own in the field. After the meet-n-greet and drawing pegs we set off for the first drive, once at our pegs in the warm sunshine with the stubble crackling under our feet we surveyed our surroundings and slipped cartridges into our guns as flankers started to push birds into the game cover out in front of us, suddenly birds were moving and a flush came forward, now was the moment of truth, would the little 410 be up to the job, a single bird came over the line, my pal George on number 3 swung his borrowed gun and fired, the Partridge folded as though it had hit a wall, with that birds were coming over at every angle and height, everyone was in the action. The whistle blew and the drive was over, we gathered together in excitement all extolling the virtues of how we shot, did you see this?, did you see that? we were all on a high with all doubts gone. with pickers up bringing birds in the keeper informed us that the first drive had put 53 birds in the bag, WOW. Nearly half the bag on the first drive. we all decided that with the cobwebs blown out and the 410 up to the task we could be much more selective in the shots we took, on the second drive the breeze was picking up and the birds were really going, but bird after bird was falling to the little gun with another 39 added to the bag, by now we were all walking with a bit of a swagger, i personally killed four birds that i would have been chuffed if i had used my 12 bore. we shot one more drive to finish on 118. We had put the 410 through its paces and it had come out "rockin" were we all in awe of our day, brilliant, fantastic, does not do it justice, so much so that we are already planning a Pheasant day. As our new pal Les from Yorkshire said "when that shot leaves the barrel it does not know if it came out of a 12 bore or a 410" the 410 patterns very tight and hits hard, we all missed loads but when you connect its dead, we had few runners. You underestimate the little 410. but it can do the job, not on extreme birds but nothing out to 40 yards was safe, ROLL ON NEXT TIME. PS. Thanks to all those that joined us and to all of you who expressed an interest, i will be in touch. Richard.