I know I'm beating the hell out of this, but how about this:http://www.gunrush.com/firearm/gun/Mossberg-57110-Shotguns.htm
Weighs 5 1/4 pounds and you can take the barrel off in seconds. It would leave you with the action & stock of probably 22 inches and a barrel of about 20 inches. The Snake Charmer site says it breaks down to 18 inches and weighs 4 lbs. No big difference there. EDIT: Snake Charmer II says 18 inches and 3 lbs.
Maybe the Mossberg 500 accessories like a folding stock will fit and further decrease the overall length and total weight. I think they will according to a few posts on another board but I'm not sure. I mean something like this: http://www.atigunstocks.com/product-mossberg2.html or http://www.atigunstocks.com/product-mossberg6.html. Don't be tempted to get the pistol grip only. It recoils like heck and limits you to hip shooting which isn't good for more than a few yards. You may like the stock just the way it comes from the factory with the 12" pull. I do.
The Mossberg is available in 20g (or 410) and is not much more expensive than a $130-150 Snake Charmer. The cheap grade Mossbergs can be had for $100 or so more. The 20 g Mossberg has accuchoke tubes so you can change the choke. You may also consider a NEF Pardner youth shotgun which is essentially a Chinese made Remington 870 clone. However, it will be heavier and will be Chinese.
Comparison
---------20 G---------------------------- 410 bore
slug----1 oz (437 gr ?) @1800fps------1/4 oz (109 gr ?) @1775 fps
buck---18 pellets #2 buck (.27 cal)----5 pellets OO buck (.33 cal)
6 shot--1 1/4 oz (281 pellets)----------11/16 oz (154 pellets)
I couldn't get an apples to apple comparison with respect to buckshot. I also assume that I the Snakecharmer can use 410 3" shells though I'm not positive it can. If it can only fire 2 3/4 shells, they hold even less. (I am fairly certain it fires at least 2 3/4 because the site speaks of "magnum" 410 shells. The standard 410 is 2 1/2.)
So, as you can see, you are getting a lot more with the 20g compared to the 410. I think the disadvantage in picking up a "real" shotgun is that it will be 2 lbs heavier, will disassemble to be 4" longer, and be maybe $100 more. The weight and size are manageable. Just leave one of those 7 huge rambo fixed blade knives at home.
The price is no more a few missed dinners out. But a 20g 505 Youth could also be used by you to hunt small game, hunt deer with slugs, and defend the house admirably. No single shot .410 with an open cylinder and a pretend stock can do those things well.
EDIT: additional benefit is ammo commonality with your current 20g double barrel.
Weighs 5 1/4 pounds and you can take the barrel off in seconds. It would leave you with the action & stock of probably 22 inches and a barrel of about 20 inches. The Snake Charmer site says it breaks down to 18 inches and weighs 4 lbs. No big difference there. EDIT: Snake Charmer II says 18 inches and 3 lbs.
Maybe the Mossberg 500 accessories like a folding stock will fit and further decrease the overall length and total weight. I think they will according to a few posts on another board but I'm not sure. I mean something like this: http://www.atigunstocks.com/product-mossberg2.html or http://www.atigunstocks.com/product-mossberg6.html. Don't be tempted to get the pistol grip only. It recoils like heck and limits you to hip shooting which isn't good for more than a few yards. You may like the stock just the way it comes from the factory with the 12" pull. I do.
The Mossberg is available in 20g (or 410) and is not much more expensive than a $130-150 Snake Charmer. The cheap grade Mossbergs can be had for $100 or so more. The 20 g Mossberg has accuchoke tubes so you can change the choke. You may also consider a NEF Pardner youth shotgun which is essentially a Chinese made Remington 870 clone. However, it will be heavier and will be Chinese.
Comparison
---------20 G---------------------------- 410 bore
slug----1 oz (437 gr ?) @1800fps------1/4 oz (109 gr ?) @1775 fps
buck---18 pellets #2 buck (.27 cal)----5 pellets OO buck (.33 cal)
6 shot--1 1/4 oz (281 pellets)----------11/16 oz (154 pellets)
I couldn't get an apples to apple comparison with respect to buckshot. I also assume that I the Snakecharmer can use 410 3" shells though I'm not positive it can. If it can only fire 2 3/4 shells, they hold even less. (I am fairly certain it fires at least 2 3/4 because the site speaks of "magnum" 410 shells. The standard 410 is 2 1/2.)
So, as you can see, you are getting a lot more with the 20g compared to the 410. I think the disadvantage in picking up a "real" shotgun is that it will be 2 lbs heavier, will disassemble to be 4" longer, and be maybe $100 more. The weight and size are manageable. Just leave one of those 7 huge rambo fixed blade knives at home.
The price is no more a few missed dinners out. But a 20g 505 Youth could also be used by you to hunt small game, hunt deer with slugs, and defend the house admirably. No single shot .410 with an open cylinder and a pretend stock can do those things well.EDIT: additional benefit is ammo commonality with your current 20g double barrel.
