The .410 slug capable or comical?

Guns Magazine, June, 2003 by C. Rodney James

Interestingly enough, a couple of the .410 Brenneke slugs I fired hit the 50-yard target sideways indicating that neither the guide wad nor the helical vanes were having the proper effect at that range.

Up To The Job?

Penetration and expansion tests were made with the Winchester 42 into water-filled paper cartons at a range of 50 yards. The results showed a tremendous difference in performance between the Foster and Brenneke pattern slugs.

In terms of performance, there is really no comparison. The flat point and hollow point Foster slugs, with Winchester at 93 grains and Remington and Federal at 97 grains are completely outclassed by the 114-grain Brenneke. The Fosters tended to shatter into flat slivers, while the Brenneke maintained its integrity, expanding to .455 inch.

The Brenneke's performance is roughly comparable to a hot, light-bullet load in a .40 S&W pistol. The performance of the Foster slugs is somewhere around the .32 S&W long to .32 H&R Magnum level. The greatest fault with the Foster design is that the slugs come apart after a relatively shallow penetration.

After extensive testing, it's my opinion that the Brenneke is an adequate deer load at close range. The Fosters are strictly for small game. Having said this, it must be admitted that a lot of deer have been taken with the .22 long rifle cartridge and my local gun shop owner told me that one of his customers took one deer a year for eight years with .410 bore Foster slugs. This is hardly a recommendation. That person is no longer living, so no insights into his hunting technique are available.

Buckshot In The .410

Nobody makes a buck load for the .410 with the exception of a three-ball shell sold by American Derringer for its O/U pistols. Buckshot is therefore a handloading proposition. Fifteen years ago I became interested in the defense potential of this little cartridge and was amazed to find it to be rather impressive. Six No. 00 buck fit nicely in the 3-inch shell and weigh 3/4 ounce. The load I used was from the NRA Handloader's Guide, which recommended a charge of 16.0-grains of Hercules/Alliant 2400 behind a 3/4-ounce load of shot,

In those days I tested bullets on pine boards. The results were buckshot penetration from this load that was about 1/10-inch less than that fired from a 12-gauge riot load at the same 20-yards distance. To my amazement this .410 load (only 2/3 of the 12-gauge nine-pellet riot load) produced a report about on the level of a .38 pistol and very modest recoil compared to the boom and heavy kick of the 12 gauge.

At 20 yards, the cylinder barrel of the Model 42 Winchester would reliably put all six pellets into or very close to a 12-inch circle, while the 12 gauge spread to a yard or more. Buckshot is now made of harder alloys and is available from CCI/SPEER and Hornady in 2 or 3 pound boxes instead of the old 25-pound bags. This load is a defense load not recommended for deer hunting.

The .410 must ultimately be classed as an expert's gun and used much like a rifle--with careful use of the sights. If you have one it might be worth your while to explore its potential.