Continuation....410 slug discussion

Well, if you feel like the equivalent of 3 .22LR bullets will do the job, go for it.

I'm always alarmed by the effectively tiny size of .410 slugs, but at a reasonable range, it'll knock most things dead.

There is quite a bit more muzzle velocity on these slugs, but it fades rapidly.

Good luck!

The Brenneke 410 Silver Slug IMHO is considerable more effective than any other factory slug available for the 410 shotgun. I live in Ohio and deer hunting is limited to shotguns, some handguns and muzzle loaders, no rifles. Slug guns can be as small as 410. I have been hunting deer with a 410 slug gun since 2003. I have successfully taken two nice bucks with my Winchester 9410 lever action 410 shotgun. I have done a lot of testing of just about all the available 410 slugs on the market. Sort of an obsession... hobby of mine .

From all my testing the Brenneke slug are best 410 slug available for four reasons.

First the Brenneke slugs have the highest velocity of all the slugs I have tested. The only slug to actually deliver over 1800fps in actual testing in a three in chambered gun.

Some of the lighter slugs (Rem & Win 2.5in 1.5oz) will exceed 1800fps in a 2.5 inch chamber but loose a lot of velocity when fired in a 3 inch chambers due to gases bypassing the slug as the slug jumps from the end of the short shell through the chamber to the forcing cone.

In my testing I got a five shot average of 1866fps for the Brenneke slugs in a 3 inch chambered, 24 inch, full choke barrel. That is 888ft-lbs of muzzle energy. Most of the other slugs are closer to 700ft-lbs.

Second the Brenneke slug is the heaviest slug available. This give is the best ballistic coefficient and thus the slug retains more energy down range. Some of the 1/5 ounce slugs (Rem and Win) will have lost half their kinetic energy before they get 50 yards down range.

Third the Brenneke slug is cast from a harder alloy then the pure lead most of the other slugs manufactures use. This harder alloy combined with the heavier weight gives much better penetration. The soft lead foster slugs flatten very badly and often fragment badly reducing penetration considerably. With the marginal kinetic energy of the 410 slug you need all the penetration you can get.

Fourth, the Brenneke hybrid foster slugs, in my experience, have given the best most consistent accuracy in a variety of chokes. 410 shotguns are notoriously choke very tight and the Brenneke hybrid foster slug seems to shoot with more consistent accuracy from any choke. If your really serious about a 410 slug gun you are best served with a cylinder bore gun. This seem to shoot slug the most accurate in most cases.

I could ramble on a lot more but I won't and instead I will submit a link to my website where I have documented much of my testing and hunting experience with the 410 slug. I hope you will find it interesting and helpful.

http://mcb-homis.com/index410.html

The 410 slug is capable of a lot more than many give it credit.

mcb

Good stuff, mcb; thanks for posting this. I've done nothing with slugs through my Savage 24, but was considering the options. You've helped give me a big leg up on the question!

And welcome to THR!!

Good stuff mcb. Ive been watching this thread, waiting for someone with experience to chime in.
Im curious, what kind of accuracy do you get with the brennake through a full choke at say 50 yds or 75 yds? They advertise 2" @ 50yds, but im sure thats with cylinder bore. (Never mind, I reread your test, I initially thought you had modified your stevens by removing the full choke, but now I see you tested it with the full choke.)



Marlin 183, full choke. Winchester Super X 2 1/2" foster slug @ 40 yds running. (lucky shot!)

I haven't test Brenneke slugs at more than 25yard with a full choke. I have since cut the barrel down on my Stevens 38B to remove the choke to make a slug gun out of it. That project is nearly complete and when I go back to the range to test it I will try to remember to take my old Savage single barrel (still full choke) and see what type of groups I can shoot at longer ranges. At 25 yards the Brenneke slugs did manage a slightly better than five shot 2 inch group from the Stevens 38B with a full choke. That was far better than any of the other slugs I tested that day through that gun.

With my Winchester 9410 I have shoot my best groups at 50yard with Remington Sluggers. I managed a five shot 2 inch group at 50 yards over sandbags. I used sluggers to take the first deer I have taken with a 410. It did the job but the Brenneke slug do seem to penetrate much better. I have to modify the Brenneke to use in my 2.5 inch chambered Win 9410 but with those I have put 4 out of 5 shots in the vital area of a deer silhouette target at 100yds. I don't think I would ever shoot at a deer that far unless it was a follow-up shot. I try to limit my range to about 60-70 yards.

Thanks for looking at my website.
mcb

Yea that's a great site. I bookmarked it for future reference.
My old .410 was given to me for Christmas 1974 as my first gun. My brother got one just like it that year. Mine had an inch cut off the stock. These were the guns we learned to dove hunt with. I recently moved back to the farm and got mine out of the closet and cleaned it up. Its been playing the pest control role, accounting for numerous skunks (6 shot) and one young, dumb, coyote. I doubt I'll ever try to take a deer with it, although I know it's quite capable. Ive shot everything from dove, quail, rabbits, squirrels, ducks, skunks, and now a coyote with it. It's the one I'll never let go because of all the memories and experiences I've had with it in my hands.
I love my .410!!!!!!!!!

mcb,

Welcome to THR.

Thank you for your most informative postings of quality content and I also compliment you on your website content.

Regards,

Steve

mcb,

Welcome to THR! I went to your web pages and I gotta say, I think you did pretty doggone good on your M-44 purchase. Looks like a real keeper judging from your pics and target results. Plus, you got a Russian M-44. My favorite M-44 is the Russian. They really are wonderful bargain rifles.

Thanks for the welcome guys.

mcb

i killed a Kayotie (spelling error on purpose) with a .410 at 30 yds. it worked just fine