.410 Buck shot & Truck Guns

[kBob]

well it has been a bit since we had an orgy of pictures of them there Sawered Oft (see, I do speak Alabamian) shotguns of barely legal length that happen on occasion here.

The recent Rio .410 shot shell got me thinking about the old H&R (?) Snake Chamber of short barrel and stock fame with its onboard supply of 3 inch .410 shells and optional teenie tiny flash light fore stock.

Now I know some of you have either on eof them OR have sawn an old .410 back to 18.000001 inches or so out to 20 inches.

My question is ;

How do the stacked 000, 00 and 4 buck loads work in them. That is, what kind of patterns are being produced at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 or more yards with them.

Studying up on what is available out there I note velocities from as low as 850 fps to 1150 fps so at what range does penetration become bouncification or at least not deep enough to matter.

Anyone?

What about the mixed loads intended for silly giant revolvers?

-kBob

 

[desidog]

Its been a few years since i got my Saiga 410 and messed with loads for it; but IIRC, the Judge inspired 2 1/2" shells are loaded with a fast burning powder that lead to inconsistent groups with the multi-projectiles. there was a lot of up and down stringing, with the first projectile in the stack being relatively consistent but the following ones dropped due to lower velocities. I found that regular 3" slug shells were better and cheaper than those gimmicky loads.

 

[jeepnik]

Experience with various types of .410's has shown that #4 buck will give you the best patterning of the various buck sizes. Way two few pellets in 0 or 00 to not have some pretty weird "patterns" with holes that are random.

 

[Onmilo]

Ten Yards is about the Maximum for the larger buckshot loads, you might get effective patterns out to 15 yards with the .24 caliber #4 buck

This stuff wasn't designed for hunting.
It was designed for folks on a serious budget to have effective home defense loads for their one and only shotgun.

If you want to hunt big things at the max .410 bore hunting ranges of 30 yards I would go looking for some Brenneke slugs.

 

[plumberroy]

Federal 410 handgun 4 pellets shoot good in every 410 single shot I have tried it in. I know for a fact it will put all for pellets in a possom at 25 yards and pass clean through east to west on a west bound egg stealin' possom
Roy

 

[MICHAEL T]

I had a 410 pump at 20inch . I never figured a 410 be much over 10 yds. This was a house gun for my daughters .If we weren't home . I sold as they got older and move them to 20 . Their all grown and gone so I am back to my 12's .

The Snake Charmer was just that for #6 or so to pop a snake . I sure never use a single shot 410 for SD

 

[12Bravo20]

I reload my own 3 inch shells with 5 pellets of 00 buck. All 5 pellets will hit within a 8 inch target at 20 yards out of my Mossberg 500 with a full choke 24 inch barrel.

 

[Onmilo]

I reload my own 3 inch shells with 5 pellets of 00 buck. All 5 pellets will hit within a 8 inch target at 20 yards out of my Mossberg 500 with a full choke 24 inch barrel.

Thing is, the guns being discussed here are 18 1/2" to 20" barrel open choked if cut down, full choked if an actual Snake Charmer and They simply do not do as well as longer barrel tighter choked blasters.
I have a 22" full choked H&R "Survivor" .410 and a Savage 42 20" .410/.22 combo gun which is open choked.
I can tell you that factory loaded 00 buck from a .410 is actually moving slower at 20 yards than a .32acp 71 grain fmj fired from a Walther PP having shot both over the chronograph.
The BEST MULTI BALL stuff I have found combining range and power are the defense loads made for the Judge and Governor revolvers when fired from the open choke Savage.
The full choke H&R actually tends to throw those loads in a wider and more erratic pattern.
At 20 yards this "defense" ammo MIGHT have enough hitting force to prove fatal to a large thin skinned critter be it hominoid or quadruped but not having the opportunity to legally confirm that opinion leaves me open to the possibility.
The stuff WILL humanely dispatch critters in the skunk and raccoon size range.
I have first hand knowledge of this.
The BEST, OK, I'm serious about using this thing as a defense or survival gun, load remains the 3" Brenneke slug.
At 20 yards this load remains on par with a +P+ .38 or mild .357 Magnum 140 grain load, however, velocity and energy levels begin to drop significantly faster as the load travels out past the 30 yard mark.
Any way one looks at it, the .410 is a very short maximum range proposition.

 

[12Bravo20]

I just wanted to share my experience with everyone. I know the OP was asking about shorter barrels. Yes .410 buckshot will work at 'inside the house' distances, but there are better options available. I would not hesitate to use my .410 loaded with buckshot for home defense. I haven't choreographed my reloads since I don't have a chronograph. I do reload all of my 410 shells on the hot side.

 

[Dirty Bob]

I have one o' them shorty, Cylinder bore .410 single shots as well as a Cylinder Mossberg 500E in .410 bore.

Out to 10 yards or so, it looks like you're shooting respectable groups with a 9mm or .38.

I also water tested them and found significant flattening (obturation) in the pellets, which makes sense. This would probably enhance their stopping power out to 10 yards or so, but would reduce their potential range.

I keep a Mossberg 500E loaded with buckshot at home. This tells you what I think of .410 buck! Modest recoil but 5 pellets of 000 buck will likely end a confrontation quickly. It points quickly and comes back on target fast from recoil. My only mod was a Mossberg 18.5" Cyl. barrel.

Keep your powder dry,
Dirty Bob

 

[Rockslam]

Tried the 000 Buck out of a 20" .410 on a deer at about 17-20yds, aiming neck 1 Pellet head , 1 pellet neck and 1 pellet all the way in the rear ham. Would not recommend. Had previously taken a 3 patterning shots at 10yds with all three pellets maintaining about 6-7" spread. So really at home defense range 3 000 pellets in the chest would be fairly discouraging.