Hypothetical question re: .410 bore shotgun

R

rantingredneck

New member
Loaded with 3" Sellier and Bellot buckshot loads (5 pellets 00) or 2.5" Winchester 1/5 oz. slugs, would it have enough energy to be an acceptible home defense round.

Before anyone jumps on me and says "buy a 12 gauge", I have three and two are loaded with 00 buckshot. I also have a few handguns that are loaded and kept in various locations in the house. Therefore I'm not proposing that I rely on a .410 bore for HD, but am asking a hypothetical question about it's effectiveness.

Also I've shot and patterned both loads and their accuracy is adequate within 15yds.
 
i sure wouldnt want to be shot with a 1/5 oz sl=ug or 5 00 pellets. most .410 slugs are about as powerful as a .357 mag, so for home defense thats pretty good. 00 buck shot being fired from a .410 is just as powerful as 00 shot fired from a 12 gauge, the .410 just has less pellets. i think .410 buckshot would be fine for home defense.
 
At home defense distances you would not want to get shot with a 410 as you described. You will hear a lot of crap about bigger payload but that would be enough to stop any one.
 
I have a .410 that I use for HD, and I have never worried about whether it would stop a person. I have mine loaded with slugs, but may try the buckshot as well. It might be good to alternate them.
 
My HD is a Stoeger O/U .410 . I patterned 3 inch Winchester 000 Buck with 5 pellets at 15 yards and got a nice 10" diameter pattern dead on-target. I'm satisfied.
 
Thank you for all your responses. I kinda figured that was the case but wanted other opinions than mine on the subject. I keep two 12 gauges loaded along with various handguns, but my wife is not terribly comfortable with the handguns yet and is a bit nervous about 12 gauge recoil even though she's shot them quite a bit. My .410 break action is small and light and simple to operate under stress. It's only a single shot but it's a quick reload too. My plan is to get her to the range more this year to acquaint her more with handguns and the 12's. But until then I've at least got the old H&R for a backup.
 
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