I have an H&R .410. I had the barrel cut down to reduce the choke, had the barrel lapped, and put a 3-9x40 bushnell scope on it. Got some 3" brenneke slugs. Sighted it in at 50 tards about 1/2 inch high. It'll shoot 2" groups to 100 yards. I killed a doe with it this year at about 55 yards dropped her in her tracks. I shot her right in the shoulder. Went clear through both shoulders. I think they are the ticket if you don't want any recoil. That is if there set up right and accurate.

If that is all I'd have to hunt with, without the option of buying a higher caliber gun, I'd use it. It definately wouldn't be my go to gun. I also would never go out and buy one for the sole purpose of hunting deer with it. Practice alot with it, know your limitations and don't shoot beyond them. Way better guns out there for deer.

im 13 i now use a 30-06 but i killed my first deer, a button buck when i was 8 at 53 yards

So a 7mm round is adequate for deer but not a 10.4 mm round?? Huh.. It is perfectly capable of putting down a deer. The only issue you have is accuaracy from a non rifled barrell..

Stay within 70 yards and hit them good. What are using? Bird Barrel? If anyone knows of a 410 barrel with rifled sights that will fit a mossberg let me know!

I have a Sav24 .22/.410 with rifle sights and it shoots some Russian Bear 3" slugs very well.Able to hit baseball sized stumps at 60 yards offhand every time.Never tried it farther.In a pinch it would do.Harold

Yes it is, as long as you keep your shots within it's effective range!

I am going to have to jump on board with many that say yes!! My grandma killed more deer with her .410 than most guys on this site!!!Would it be my first choice probley not but more than capable to kill a deer. Heck take any high caliber rifle out there and you can lose a deer if not placed right!! Heck some states allow killing deer with a spear?? So yes a .410 can and will kill deer!! Walt

Wink, the difference is the amount of energy the two rounds produce and can transfer. It has nothing to do with the actual diameter of the bullet.

A typical standard 7mm uses a 145 grn controlled expansion bullet and can deliver near 2000 ft/lbs of energy at 100 yards.

Where as a standard 3 inch mag .410 uses a simple non expanding chunk of lead that weighs around 90 grns (sometimes less) and delivers around 400 ft/lbs of energy at 50 yards.

So even though the .410 slug is larger in diameter than the 7mm the 7mm rifle would make a larger wound channel and transfer more energy to the target than the lighter, less powered larger slug.

There really isn't much comparison between a high powered rifle and a .410 slug. Even a .223 would create a larger wound channel and deliver more energy than a .410 slug will.

In an earlier post I said the 410 was closer to a 32 handgun in ballistics, after looking at more data I will amend that and say depending on what load you pick in each it is closer to falling in between a 38 and a .357. However the pistol rounds would be using a better bullet. When I was looking earlier I was only comparing 2.5 inch loads because that is all I can use in my winchester lever gun. Some of the 3 inch loads are a bit more impressive, if you want to call those numbers impressive.

I still feel that if you keep the range limitations in mind and pick the right shot it can get the job done. If you can put something through the lungs the deer will die, really doesn't matter what you use to make the hole.

Paul