.410 for deer hunting?

The first few years my wife hunted deer she killed her deer with one shot from a Savage pump 410. Her stand was in little creek bottom and shots were 30-40yds. Same stand and practically the same shot year to year.
410 slug has about same power as a standard .38 special at those ranges.
I had buddy that was worried about the 410 thing and I think her Third year he insisted she use his Rem 1100Lt 20g. With which she shot her deer again same stand, same range. The Rem was a lot prettier than the Savage so I ended up having to purchase a 1100Lt 20g. Which she continued to do same shot, same spot for years.
On subject of 20g slugs for deer. I don’t know exactly how many deer I’ve shot with slugs. There was a game warden who made it his mission in life.
I shot a few with 20g as far as I have with 12g which is about 125yds. The Average shot in my neck of the woods is 30-40yds. Most of mine are shot on the jump out of thick cover. The 410 is no good for that type of hunting.
For sitting on a stump on a deer crossing , which is deer shooting not deer hunting the 410 is fine. Several kids shot their 1st deer from wife’s stand too. At 30-40 yds it’s not hard to kill a deer with a 22. I know a guy that once killed one with a 22short / Ruger Single-6 at about 25’.
The 357 mag is popular deer rifle here in Ohio now that we have limited rifle season. A 410 slug ( 1/5th once ) at 1250fps at 30-40yds on stationary deer will kill it just as dead as a 45/70. I also forgot to mention they weren’t bang flops but didn’t go better than 20yds. yes they were good hits, from people who could shoot.
I saw on a gun forum that shooting running deer is unethical. It probably is for 50% of hunters. I’ve found that Bar Stool Bullseye Shooters don’t fare to well when you stand them up on their hind legs. A man has to know his limitations.
 
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If you like your eyes and fingers you will never shoot a 45LC out of a 410 bore shotgun.

In the early 60s I had a S&W .44 Special and my brother had a Bay State single barrel .410. We didn't have any .410 slugs so we used the .44s and didn't have any safety problems. I don't remember the accuracy or penetration but I'm pretty sure a 246 gr. .44 that is keyholing would leave a mark. Larry
 
I saw a deer taken with a 410 at just about 200 yds.

At 200 yards, a .410 slug will have 50-70 ft⋅lbf of energy left, and hitting anything will be pure luck. If one can't handle a halfway decent rifle cartridge, then that person should not be hunting at distances of 200 yards.

Here's a Gundigest article on the subject: .410 Slugs: What’s The Use?
 
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If you like your eyes and fingers you will never shoot a 45LC out of a 410 bore shotgun.

My Contenders are made to shoot both 45s and 410. So is a Judge. And I have shot slugs in the Contender...choke removed of course. Actually shoots ok. I only shot the one deer with a 410. But understand 410 slugs cost the same as 12 ga...and I wanted to eat deer rather than seafood so much....father being a Chesapeake Bay waterman et al...I still don't eat seafood. The 410 slug while not great is adequate for deer to maybe 100 ft or so. Where the rub comes in is not everyone will be content to only shoot that far and only on standing or walking critters. Many don't consider the 410 a sporting round at all. Limited range and pattern. I killed my first goose and thousands of doves with the gun. Just have to KNOW the limitations. And BTW when it comes to patterns the average 410 will shoot better ones with the short 2 1/2 inch rather than the 3 inch loads. Ask how I know! I do remember two men who used the 410 slug in their beef and hog slaughter business. Most used the 22 but one had an old Iver Johnson 410 cut off to about 12 inches:eek:
 
At 200 yards, a .410 slug will have 50-70 ft⋅lbf of energy left, and hitting anything will be pure luck. If one can't handle a halfway decent rifle cartridge, then that person should not be hunting at distances of 200 yards.

Here's a Gundigest article on the subject: .410 Slugs: What’s The Use?

I didn't say it was a thing to do.. I just saw it happen. I was about 12-13 years old . The kid that shot was excited to even see a deer. About 10 people were surprised. They were just finishing up on a deer drive. As I said...inside 30 yards may be acceptable
 
I’ve shot 45 Colt from various 410 single shots. The only bad feedback I know is a guy wrecked a Snake Charmer 410 with a .444 Marlin. We found 45 in 410 was inaccurate. Same as I’ve found with the Judge.
Most who bad mouth 410s never had one. Used within range limitations they will do the job. My dad never liked 410s for kids. He said it put kid at disadvantage and wounded game. Because kids would shoot to far. I think there is some truth in that. I know guys that use 410s for rabbit & squirrel exclusively.
 
My son his first deer with a Winchester single shot in 410 at the age of 12. The shot was about 25 yards right thru the heart/lung area. About as effective as a 357 Magnum.
 
I didn't say it was a thing to do.. I just saw it happen. I was about 12-13 years old . The kid that shot was excited to even see a deer. About 10 people were surprised. They were just finishing up on a deer drive. As I said...inside 30 yards may be acceptable


Yes, I know, I didn't comment on what you're doing but on what you observed.
 
In order to kill a deer with a 410, everything must be perfect. There is no room for error. Your marksmanship must be perfect. Your ability to estimate range must be perfect. Your knowledge of deer anatomy has to be perfect. The animal must be in the right position to present a proper target so that tiny slug can hit something vital. More likely than not, it will just wound the animal and cause it to die a slow death someplace other than where you are. I would not consider using a 410 for deer unless it was a survival situation. In fact, I would go so far as to say that using one for deer is unethical.

I would have to disagree.
Two old friends of mine who have passed away did most of their deer hunting with bolt action .410’s, and killed quite a few deer with them over the years.
Both said they never took a shot past 50 yards, and the little high-speed sluge made pretty nasty wounds with plenty of penetration.
One of them had only lost one that he knew he hit, and the other guy had never lost any. And they almost always waited for a good ( not always perfect ) shot thru the lungs if they could.
 
I think that might be illegal in some jurisdictions.

You will find these kinds of rules in some places:
Shotguns used for deer or bear must be 10 gauge, 12 gauge, 16 gauge, or 20 gauge and shoot slugs or #1 or larger buckshot. 10-gauge and 12-gauge shotguns using slugs may be used to hunt elk, goats, sheep, or moose. Shotguns used for waterfowl hunting must use approved non-toxic shot ammunition.
 
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