410 slugs?

[Deja vu]

I was wondering what every one thought about 410 slugs. Are they hard hitting enough for game? What is going on is my 12 year old son, my self and my father are going to do a "short range season" deer hunt. The area is the islands on the snake river here in idaho. They Islands are typically less than 1 acre in size. The laws for hunting this area is Short range weapons only. Meaning Archery, Muzzle Loader, pistol (in a round built for pistols so no 30-06 or 45-70 encores) or Shotgun.

My son is pretty skinny and struggle with the 20ga. He does however, do well with the 410 shooting paper. The deer in this area usually are only about 20-50 yards away. You think the 410 slugs are up to the task? My father will be using a 20 ga and ill probably be using a 12ga or may be a muzzleloader.

[Colorado Redneck]

1/4 oz slug at 1800 fps = 800 ft. lb energy at the muzzle

People shoot deer with .357 revolvers that have less energy at the muzzle than that. It is marginal over about 50 yards IMO. If he shoots good it'll work.

[riverratt]

As with everything shot placement is key, but yes a .410 slug is indeed up to the task. When indiana first allowed 410 slugs for deer i dusted off my old bolt action mossburg and went to the range with some 3in slugs. After feeling comfortable out to 50yrds i took it out hunting. On opening morn i had a doe come in at about 30 yards. I put the round through the boiler room and she ran 50-60 yards and was done.

I recovered the half dollor sized slug in the off shoulder. The dammage done was simular to that of my .44 mag (with less penatration).

I had a buddy that used 2 1/2in 410s for years untill indiana allowed pistol rounds in rifles and he had only lost 2 deer out of 20 or so. (Shot placement unknown)

[Doyle]

I think a .410 is too marginal at any range. I was a very skinny 12 year old once too so I understand. However, I think he will quickly get used to a 20ga recoil - especially if you get standard velocity slugs instead of the magnum stuff that most hunters use.

[Pahoo]

I think a .410 is too marginal at any range.

Deja vu
This question has been brought up before, in this forum. Going to have to assume that your states allows for this use. As for many Midwest states, it would not be allowed for any of our deer seasons. Given that, two years ago I bought a .20Ga. setup for my 9-Yr. old and he is of average size. Made this Grandpa proud when he got his first deer. Now, If I could just get him to clean his game. .....

Be Safe !!!

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Had some experience with a 410 slug while party hunting years ago. 10 brawny fellows armed with powerful deer rifles and one tall skinny lady who toted a SXS 410 entered the MN woods one afternoon. We all marched down a old logging road single file for one last deer drive before calling it a day. Oh she was one tired gal keeping up with us younger guys all day long. But game as he11. {honestly we all were tired from making deer drive after deer drive all day long.} But on this lone occasion while walking to our last destination she was lagging 20-25 yards behind all us guys. Every man including myself walked past a standing deer watching this parade of tired, worn out humans not 50 ft away off one side of the trail. We all slipped by the opportunity of a life time. All ~~except that tall skinny lady packing that 410 Double Barrel that is. She stopped and shot that deer in its throat with one barrel blast. When we gents hurried back to see what the commotion was all about. She pointed to a spot in the woods where she last seen her quarry. We found that deer. Not all that far from where she said it would be. It was a 14 point monster taken with a Remington 410 slug. The walk in was tough & brushy. But pulling her deer out with all of us taking turns was short lived and I'm sure our excited laughter and teasing could probably be heard in the next county. We weighed that field dressed bruiser down at the Bar that evening. 263 lbs. What a Buck and taken with a 410 Slug at the end of a long days hunt by a > game old Gal with sharper vision than the 18 gents she hunted with. Don't come across many women having "deer eyes." But this Lady certainly was Blessed with a couple.

[mwal]

Many people don't hesitate for a second to recommend a .357 then laugh at a .410 slug which is can be ballistic superior. Neither one is a long range weapon.
If its legal and the boy shoots it accurately use it. The .410 is also similar to the 38/40 and other old lever actions that won the west and killed much game.

Mwal

[Deja vu]

Thanks for the advise. I like to hear from people that have actual experience!

[Bezoar]

so a hard cast 180 grain flat point in a .357 magnum is ballistically inferior to a .410 slug?

[jmay]

Go for it as long as its legal and the young man can hit vital sized targets and understands his range. People killing things with the old .410 used be more common sometimes even in bolt action forms from Sears, but that was back before game was so much larger, dangerous, and harder to kill than these modern monster now it must be a MAGNUM or your risking it

[DennisCA]

(As other people have stated)

A 410 slug will do job if the shot placement is good, since you kind is 12 - I bet he can handle a 20 ga. with a decent recoil pad. I just think he needs more practice with a 20 ga.

A bigger slug is always better than a smaller one!

Just my two cents

[jeager106]

Will the .410 s.g. have sights?
Accuracy with any slug is paramount.
The .410 is marginal for deer, using a s.g. with just a b-b front sight is
a serious handicap.
At least give the lad a good chance with a s.g. with decent sights and limit range to 50 yards.

[T. O'Heir]

Buy him a semi-auto 20. Then call your State Fish and Game people and ask 'em where they got the idea a ML was a short range firearm. Get 'em to define 'short range' too. Silly civil servants making stupid rules about thing they know nothing about are everywhere.
Mind you, if he's happy with the .410 slug and can hit a 9" pie plate, off hand, at 50 yards every time, follow Rule Number One.
That'd be if it works, don't fix it.

[6.5swedeforelk]

It's marginal hits that make most "marginal for deer" ratings.

He will probably do better with a 410 than flinching with a 20ga.

Get or draw him a life-size deer target for placement.

On a large northern buck I've recovered the flattened slug under the hide after a double lung pass thru.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

410 slug. I immediately think of a 40-cal Black powder rifles patched ball. Both weapons shoot near the same weight ball. (93 gr. verses 95 gr.) Speeds may very a little. If the B/P 40 cal patched Ball is legal for deer where you hunt why wouldn't a 410 slug be also. I think many fellows under estimate the capability of that little shotgun. Many commenters don't realize a 410's Ball Shot can achieve the speed of 2400 fps at its muzzle and have over 800 ft lbs of energy behind it. The little Ball Shot I reload for my 410 is a measured 38 caliber. Its carrier (wad) takes up any left over room in the 410s barrel.

Ribs, neck either are good placement shots. I upland bird hunt with a Iver Johnson 410 single and also reload for it. Both bird shot & ball. Buy its components at a local store near by called {Ballistic products.} For your info I have shot 20 ga slugs before out of my friends H&R single shot. I don't care for their sharp recoil either. If the Son wants to hunt and shoot with a 410. By all means take him along. Don't see any negatives only good memory's when any Son or Daughter hunts with their Mom or Dad.

[Deja vu]

a 410 slug is legal. I heard a lot of rumors that they where going to remove slugs from the allowed ammo for "short range hunts" but after calling fish and game they said there is no such rule.

I wish Short range hunts allowed pistol caliber carbines. I may try a handgun obviously in 357 because my bigger handgun is a 45-70 and not legal for short range. May be my Coonan. I also and thinking about using Archery. I own a pretty nice crossbow. But in the end I will likely use the 12ga shotgun.

[jmay]

A guy I use to hunt with hunted wild pigs like crazy and still does and he has killed a mountain of 175lbs+ Russian cross boars and alot of them with a .410 pump Mossberg. Hell i have killed some pretty big stray dogs and yotes with410 #6 shot thats got to count for something.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Curious Deja vu. What is a short range hunt? Don't have it/them here in MN.

[Roaddog]

Sure Shot we do have short range hunting here in MN. Hiway 95 and south shotgun, pistol, muzzleloader. North of 95 rifle.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Roaddog

Oh so that what is meant when someone says Short Range hunting. (Shotgun zones.) Thanks

[CCCLVII]

Short Range hunts here in Idaho are Archery (including crossbow) Muzzleloaders, Handguns (in handgun calibers so no 45-70 pistols) and shotguns. I have heard that some areas do not allow slugs but do not know if that is true.

[bamaranger]

If the 20ga the kid is struggling with is a single barrel, I'm not surprised he's having trouble. I tried to set one up for bamaboy as a youngster for spring gobblers........too light. Kicked (it seemed anyhow) as much as any 12 ga.

Even some of the 20 ga pumps are pretty light. If you can swing it, a 20 ga gas gun, with a good pad, should be much more shootable than a light single, double, or pump 20. Ought to be some out there somewhere, used and so on.

[Deja vu]

the 20ga is a semiauto remington that he is struggling with (1100?)

The 410 does have sights on it.

As far as the laws in Idaho for short range. Shotguns, Archery, Handguns, Muzzle loaders. The Shotguns can shoot slugs or buckshot. I have heard people say there are areas where slugs are not allowed but I am not hunting in such an area. After calling Idaho Fish and Game I doubt there are no slug areas unless its private land and a land owners rules. But they said that may change in the future because of the range of some slug guns.

[Longshot4]

I am a believer in accuracy. Is there a 410 rifled slug gun out there? Rifling and sabot slugs are extremely accurate. Your young one can learn to use a rest but must put it in a fist size target. It helps to have the stock fit also.