This may change my mind about .410's and deer.

[Okiecruffler]

This is quite impressive.
http://www.hoeningbigboresouth.com/Big%20410%20Ballistics.html

[ImARugerFan]

Is it legal to hunt deer with a .410 where you live?

[MCgunner]

Well, I'd rather just pull the choke off my only .410 chambered gun and shoot hot .45 Colt 300 grain XTPs. :D

[Maelstrom]

As long as the chamber will contain it, could it be done? I have a .410/.45 barrel for my Encore.

[Maelstrom]

I suppose you could even download that .410 with .41 Magnum bullets, no? You have a selection between 175 and 250 gr.

[machinisttx]

Well, I'd rather just pull the choke off my only .410 chambered gun and shoot hot .45 Colt 300 grain XTPs.

Enjoy a bulged or split barrel if you do that. A .452" bullet isn't going to squeeze through a .410" hole very well.

[machinisttx]

As long as the chamber will contain it, could it be done? I have a .410/.45 barrel for my Encore.

The barrel you have is chambered and rifled for the .45 Colt cartridge(.452" bore). They simply lengthen the chamber enough for a .410 shell.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I wonder how those slugs would perform in my NEF "Survivor" with a rifled .45 colt barrel, which also will shoot .410 shotshells. I'm guessing not very well, if these are .410 diameter bullets, not .451.

[Okiecruffler]

I know what MC is talking about, and he won't get a buldged or split barrel on that 410, but he ain't coming clean with the whole story.;)

I'm not sure, but I don't think the .410 is legal in Oklahoma for deer, at least I hope not. But those loads in a good rifled barrel open up a whole new world of possiblities.

[Snarlingiron]

Is it legal to hunt deer with a .410 where you live?

I believe, if I remember correctly, the only restriction in Texas is that the ammunition has to be center fire.

I hunted for many years with a friend that used a .22 Hornet single shot. He always did as well as anyone else, and had no wounded deer.

[mgkdrgn]

Hmmm.... wonder how they would work from my Judge ....

[tblt]

not here 20 ga. min

[Coyote Hunter]

I wouldn't be ashamed at shooting at a deer with a .410 3" slug...never thought about it till now..

[gp911]

A guy on another forum (graybeard's, to be specific) had a .410 NEF that he made a project out of for hunting deer with regular ol' factory 1/5-1/4 oz slugs at close range (25 yards max, IIRC). He cut the last inch off the barrel after getting 4-5" groups with the stock full choke. With the new cylinder bore he tested various slugs and found a combination that dropped the groups to around 2" and he took a couple deer with it, keeping his original 25 yard maximum shot in mind.

This new setup is mighty impressive though. More than I would have expected, certainly.

gp911

[Loomis]

410 slugs are not legal in IA. The reason I was always told is that it's too close to a rifle. Rifles are not legal in IA.

[mtngunr]

Folk, the standard .410 slug load pretty much duplicates a .40cal muzzleloading Pennsylvania deer rifle with patched roundball in both velocity and terminal performance, over 1800fps with pure lead....why would you need a rifled barrel and heavy slugs? Most of my pals and I that hunt with a .410 get more like 4"/50yd groups from most any choke, but cylinder is always best with slugs....

[DWARREN123]

The 410 bore, in my opinion, is an experts gun. No matter using shot or slug it has good potential but needs a good shooter to utilize it properly.

[Dave McCracken]

Not legal here.

[JRSpicer426]

Accuracy means nothing without some deer killing energy :)

[Maelstrom]

You're talking energy in excess of the 41 Mag. How much more do you need for close range?

[Grant48]

I believe, if I remember correctly, the only restriction in Texas is that the ammunition has to be center fire.

That is correct.

[mtngunr]

Accuracy means nothing without some deer killing energy Waltz over to the BP forum and announce to hunters a .40cal pure lead ball at over 1800fps lacks deer killing energy....it will make for interesting reading...