410 for fox??

M

Mark_in_WI

New member
I was at the ammo section the other day and saw that they had a LOT of 410 slugs. I asked the staff about this and she saids that ALOT of the people in the area use this for fox. Is this something that others use or is this something that is a local tradition? Would the range be that much better then using a 12ga? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
Thanks for your thoughts
Mark
 
I would not use a 410 for any thing but snakes used to use a 410 pump when I was a kid one shot to roll the jack a second and somtimes a third to put them down
 
I wouldnt use it its not worth the risk of not getting the fox.Not to mention it might be a coyote that comes in then you are really pushin it. 12 ga would be a much better option in my opinion.
 
When i was a teen my buddy and i would sit within about 25 yards of the den entrant about 1/2 hour before dark and when the fox would come out we would put a load of shot up the side of his head. He used the Steven Single Shot 410 and never lost a fox and this was when they had heavy fur and there was a lot of snow on the ground. He used Number 4 shot and it never entered our mind it wasn't enough gun. With that said if you want hunt foxes with a small gauge then go to the 20 ga. I have killed foxes in front of my beagles with Number 8 shot and the 20 ga IC Choke. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif The above story happened in the early 60's
 
I have used the .410 & 20 for fox using #4 pellets. Both did the job and the 20 was a little hard on them. I would not use the slugs. Good Luck
 
The 410 Shotgun Slug in my opinion is about one of the most useless shell still in production. If you use the 410 for Foxes stick with Number 4 shot.
 
Quote:
Yeah it will work this is basically the .17hmr for coyote discussion....we all know how that goes hahah



Agreed. Used within it's range limitations, it will work. But, the question remains: Unless you have no other better firearm available to you, why would you want to use it? Using it severely handicaps you and unnecessarily increases the chance of producing a wound which may result in a failure to recover a wounded animal and a long suffering death for your quarry.
 
I have taken 3 fox with my .410. 2 were in a trap, one came up one me while sqiuirrel hunting. (both grays) He popped up on a log about 15 yards from me, and I let him have a sample of #6shot. DRT. But in no way would I use it on fox.

Its like with anything else. Its not so much the gun as it is the range and shot placement. With that said I still wouldnt handicap myself, Even if I were to an expert. But that is just my opinion.
 
I remember hearing stories of poachers and shiners using that 410 slug to kill deer /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif..... sad day /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gifsigh
 
Quote:
I remember hearing stories of poachers and shiners using that 410 slug to kill deer /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif..... sad day /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gifsigh



Is it illegal. I didnt think it was. I could be wrong. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

Not the poaching part but the use of the .410 slug for deer.
 
I remember my dad telling me that when he was younger, most everyone used the .410 for fox. he said that they called a sxs .410 a "fox .410". I asked if he was meaning that they were fox shotguns and he said no, just that everyone used a little sxs for fox hunting, didnt really say why they prefered them, just that they all did. So for chrismas one year I bought him a stoeger "fox .410". (even though he doesnt hunt fox). It may just be a local thing, alot of places use it for deer too, in this case they all used them for fox, a local preference? most likely /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

I personally love .410's and think they are a very capable gun, as people have stated, when used within its limitations.
I generally dont shoot too many slugs out of mine, but if you are looking to shoot them a full choke is going to make accuracy a bit tougher than say a mod, or IC. It seems that a alot of them now are going to mod/IC lately instead of full/full.

My new gun, which if it ever makes it in county, is a o/u that im going to use for coons. ( at night only allows .22lr or .410). Once i get it set up the IC is gonna be a slug, the mod is gonna be Shot, and my partner will have the .22. (ill most likely carry one of my pistols too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif JIC )

I think that the range of a .410 slug may get you 50-60yds on a fox IF you practice alot, fox arent too big. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif

If you dont shoot one alot I would suggest something else along the lines of the guns already listed.

Good luck and have fun.

Dave
 
Thanks everyone. I don't have plans to use one. I just heard this in the ammo isle and it sounded different. I just wanted to see if this was a common practice.
Mark
 
i just think that people are getting into the larger the better.I started off using a .410 when I was 6. I am noe 35. I still use my .410 for all types of hunting with great success.
 
It would probably be ok inside 30yds, #4 like mentioned. I know I wouldn't want to be hit by it at that range,lol. About half my coyotes have bird shot under the skin, there are too many people shooting at them with the usual 12 ga from too far away.
When I had my 12ga modified for predators by Bansner's in PA, he told me to use the Federal #2 shot load. I tried another big brand name load and the pellets stopped on the fox's skull, I had to stop the fox with my .223, I carried both when stalking fox sometimes. He told me the Federal loads had a little more powder and a little less lead shot, thus the load was faster and penetrated better. He was right, go figure.lolT.20
 
Last edited:
I think a 410 slug would be fine out to a 100ydrs or so on fox even a coyote, to the naysayers on 410 slugs leathality do the math, a 1/4 oz slug = right aroung 100gns, at a mv of about 1500-1700fps depending on what make, all in all that would be very, very ,very, close to a 40 cal black powder patch and ball.
Bottom line how many deer/foxes/coyotes/humans, do you think have fallen to a 40 cal muzzel loader, before modern centerfires?
A 410 slug will do fine within reason, end of story.
 
Quote:
I think a 410 slug would be fine out to a 100ydrs or so on fox even a coyote, to the naysayers on 410 slugs leathality do the math, a 1/4 oz slug = right aroung 100gns, at a mv of about 1500-1700fps depending on what make, all in all that would be very, very ,very, close to a 40 cal black powder patch and ball.
Bottom line how many deer/foxes/coyotes/humans, do you think have fallen to a 40 cal muzzel loader, before modern centerfires?
A 410 slug will do fine within reason, end of story.



I think the objection to the 410 slug is not just because it's low in energy at the longer ranges (around 100 yards), but because it's used in a platform not conducive to good accuracy. If they produced a .410 with a rifled barrel and sights suitable to shoot the slugs accurately, then fewer objections would be made to them for varminting. The same objection could be made with respect to a 20ga. or 12 gauge slug, or any other single projectile firing gun, when it has no sights except for a bead and a wide groove in the receiver and is being used against a small target.
 
Back
Top