The .410 full-choked smoothbore lower barrel allowed the gun to take small birds and take potshots at squirrel and rabbit. The .410 shells used were special all-aluminum cased 3-inch shells filled with No. 6 chilled shot made on spec from Olin Winchester.
The upper barrel was rifled with a 1:13 RH twist for the zippy .22 Hornet. Don’t let the caliber size fool you, the Hornet is a centerfire round that delivers twice as much power as a .22 Magnum downrange and has been used against predators, varmints, and even deer. While the single-shot M6 wasn’t designed to go into combat, the Hornet did allow a (very marginal) self-defense capability.

Designed to fold neatly under the seat of a B-36 Bomber, C-119 transport or other such plane, the M6 had to be light and compact.
Coming it at 3.75-pounds total weight and just 15-inches long when folded, it met that guideline very nicely. This weight included four .410 gauge shotgun shells and nine .22 Hornet cartridges packed in the rear storage box inside the buttstock.
Inside said butt-storage box was a small amount of room for matches, fishing line, and other small knick-knacks if desired. There were no wood, rubber, or plastic parts except for the cover of the storage section of the buttstock, the gun being all metal, made from light steel stampings.

Collectability

Military-issue M6s going back to the Eisenhower days are rare on the civilian market but do turn up. Unfortunately, they are also all NFA-registered SBRs due to their 14-inch barrels. While, yes, they are extremely collectable martial weapons that can fetch up to $3000, they aren’t your typical sexy SBR by any means. Athens made SBRs are a close second.

Springfield dropped their M6 Scout series for reasons unknown a few years ago. When looking at picking one of these guns up second-hand, be sure to check the shotgun barrel for bulges, splits, and warps. Occasionally users try to shoot a .45 Long Colt through the .410 barrel with the unintended result of damaging the gun.

Needless to say, never shoot a round through a firearm it’s not chambered for. It’s just bad for business. Used Scouts since then have skyrocketed from a bargain at $200 to nearly $600 today.