.410?

Gauge and bore are synonymous. While it may be more usual to use gauge for shotguns and bore for rifles, they both mean the same thing, the number of pellets of the muzzle size needed to make a pound.
 
Gunplummer wrote: Legal for deer in a rifle area, not legal for deer in a shotgun only area. State law, what more do you need? When Pa. started special regulations areas (Shotgun only) that was the law.
Click to expand...

That is not the same as saying a 410 is not a shotgun. It is saying that a 410 is not legal to use in a shotgun only area for deer. I would be willing to bet where the game laws concerning hunting birds were concerned, the 410 was legal where shot size or method of take was regulated.

State law can not call a 410 a rifle while the fed. calls it a shotgun. You don't have to believe me but you can consult an attorney that is knowledgeable in federal regulations if you wish to confirm. What the state can do is say you can't use it for a specific application. Much like many states banning any and all .22 or under calibers for deer hunting.

Here in Cali. the law for deer hunting with a shotgun specifies the use of 00Buck, 000Buck, or slug. The game laws also specify that no gauge larger than 10 may be used. I have the following options with common factory ammo:
10Ga. 00, 000, slug
12Ga. 00, 000, slug
16Ga. slug
20Ga. slug
28Ga. S.O.L.
410 Bore 00, 000, slug.

Yes, if I want to I can hunt Mule Deer with a 410. Doesn't make it right but I can do it.
 
There you have it. ".410 bore and slug" I strongly suspect that a .50 cal. smooth bore musket would have been illegal also. The designation "bore" was enough to make it illegal at the time. Enough nonsense, they changed the law anyway.
 
Small shot does not travel far. You may have a total of 3/4 of an ounce of shot, but the individual shot of 7 1/2 does not carry very far. The .410 is quite effective on squirrels and rabbits. It is also effective on game birds although using the .410 for them is quite challenging.
 
I always used a 12 gauge on squirrels unless all I had with me was my .22 pistol. Use a smaller shot, and you'll do fine. The circuit judge is an interesting gun, but really a toy. If you got really close, it would probably work. From what I've read, the smaller the shot size, the more prone to the doughnut pattern they are. 12 gauge and 20 gauge are much cheaper for the small game loads, and the slugs pack much more punch for deer. If you do decide on the circuit judge or judge pistol, be forewarned that in NM, shotgun is only a weapon that is designed to be fired from the shoulder (for the purposes of hunting.) That means I cannot use my pistol gripped shotgun under state law for hunting squirrels. At least, that's how I interpret the law. You'd have to do a lot of product testing with that gun to see what shells pattern acceptably and at what range.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top