410 shotgun slug kill a bear ?

[mokin]

Seven years ago I shot and killed a chupacabra I thought would be the state record. Turned out it was a opossum with mange.

Ewww!

Just to stir the pot a touch. If I get to pick the ammo and 410 then I would take my Winchester 9410 loaded with Brenneke Slugs over a 10mm Auto handgun for bear defense without much reservation (rather have my anti-tank missile but...). In my testing I manage to out penetrate a decent 10mm load (180gr XTP at 1300fps) with the Brenneke slugs from my 9410. I get 9+1 capacity and in a "rifle" format it's much easier to get good hits. The rifle also works as a better club than the handgun would when things get really desperate.

A 180 grain XTP at 1300 fps is a pretty stout load. Shooting a cartridge like that would be much easier out of a "rifle" format as well.

One of the guys at an LGS tried to sell my a 9410 some time back. I was really interested. You got me looking at those again. They have really gone up in price since I last checked.

 

[mcb]

Ewww!



A 180 grain XTP at 1300 fps is a pretty stout load. Shooting a cartridge like that would be much easier out of a "rifle" format as well.

One of the guys at an LGS tried to sell my a 9410 some time back. I was really interested. You got me looking at those again. They have really gone up in price since I last checked.

I might not have been clear. The 180gr XTP at 1300 fps was my 10mm Auto load at the time fired from a S&W 610. The Brenneke Silver Slugs are a 114 gr hard cast slug going 2000 fps from my 24-inch Winchester 9410. That is 675 ft-lbs vs 1012 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. At close range that hard cast slug out penetrated the XTP in both wet phone books and water jugs. The problem is that 410 slug has a horrid BC. It's approximately .07 and has lost half of its muzzle energy by the time it gets 60 yards down range. I like 410 slugs but they are short range, think crossbow ranges.

 

[mokin]

I might not have been clear. The 180gr XTP at 1300 fps was my 10mm Auto load at the time fired from a S&W 610. The Brenneke Silver Slugs are a 114 gr hard cast slug going 2000 fps from my 24-inch Winchester 9410. That is 675 ft-lbs vs 1012 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. At close range that hard cast slug out penetrated the XTP in both wet phone books and water jugs. The problem is that 410 slug has a horrid BC. It's approximately .07 and has lost half of its muzzle energy by the time it gets 60 yards down range. I like 410 slugs but that are short range, think crossbow ranges.

You were very clear. I was trying to agree. I have never shot slugs out of my .410 but I have shot plenty of 180 grain loads at 1300 fps in my Glock. I was just thinking about how much easier it would be to shot such a load quickly with a PCC which is not the topic of this post. I can see the shotgun not only being easier to handle rapidly but having plenty of power up close.

Are the slugs you mention factory loads? I have wondered about taking my .410 out and trying some slugs with it.

 

[mcb]

You were very clear. I was trying to agree. I have never shot slugs out of my .410 but I have shot plenty of 180 grain loads at 1300 fps in my Glock. I was just thinking about how much easier it would be to shot such a load quickly with a PCC which is not the topic of this post. I can see the shotgun not only being easier to handle rapidly but having plenty of power up close.

Are the slugs you mention factory loads? I have wondered about taking my .410 out and trying some slugs with it.

Sorry I must have miss read your post and though you had miss read my post. No problem.

The Brenneke Silver Slug is a factory load. It comes in both 3-inch and 2.5-inch hulls depending on what chamber you have in your 410.

 

[jamesinalaska]

I've never been attracted to the 410, not enough shot, not enough power, just not enough of anything.

Could a 410 kill a bear? Sure can.

Would a 410 kill a bear? Not likely, not on the first shot anyway, which is the one that matters.

 

[Bill M.]

I think the best answer is just no. You are really looking at .38 special power with the .410 slug. Yeah, it can be done but if you have to ask you are not a likely candidate to use one.

Yes, there was a guide that killed a large male grizzly with a 9 mm automatic But that is a much better weapon in terms of power and repeated shots than any .410 I know of.

 

[mcb]

I think the best answer is just no. You are really looking at .38 special power with the .410 slug. Yeah, it can be done but if you have to ask you are not a likely candidate to use one.

I am not saying 410 slugs are power houses but don't sell them that short. Please actually look for real data before making unfounded comparisons. I have never seen a 38 Special produce 650 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. 410 slugs are more like really light for caliber 357 Mag in muzzle energy levels. Even the lightest and weakest of the 410 slugs, the Remington 2.5 inch Sluggers produces a factory published 650 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. The Remington 410 slugger is published as a 1/5 oz (87.5 gr) slug going 1830 fps. I have actually cut several apart and in reality Remington sluggers are 96 gr and chrono'ed from my Winchester 9410 (24-inch barrel) are going 1820 fps, that is a shade over 700 ft-lbs. The Brenneke Silver slugs are 114 gr @ 2000 fps and producing over 1000 ft-lbs at the muzzle, again from real world testing.

It would not be my first choice in bear country but still better than a sharp stick. It has been my choice for deer hunting and has work well within its limitations. It is what it is and it sure ain't a 38 Special!

 

[Airman Basic]

If that's all you have and a bear is munching on you then but all means use it. Better than a knife. Personally I would use spray. And avoidance.

Okay, been a while. Time for this one again.

 

[Bill M.]

My mistake on the data. 87 grains at 1550 in one .38 plus p load. Not up with the .410 at 1850.

Light bullets at high velocity do generate good energy numbers.