Which 410 cartridge for squirrels?

[Chasey]

Ok so I bought a 410 Mosberg Hushpower to bash squirrels in trees. The 12g was too noisy

Sadly though, the 3" sub cartridge i am using just don't seem to have any knock down power and I end up wounding then one or two more bangs to finish them off.

On the ground at say 25m its worse. I can see by the reaction and the debris blown up, I have hit them, but they just run off

I am using Eley Extra Long Magnum Subsonic 18gram No6 shot

Any ideas?


Comments that i might be a crap shot with a shotgun and need a 12g to make up for my uselessness will be met with humble agreement

ATB

 

[Muir]

I am unfamiliar with available 410 shells today but when i was a kid (in the dark ages) I used my mother's H&R single shot, full choke 2.5" 410 for squirrels and porcupines. I used #6 shot as close as I could get which was usually 15 yards. I aimed for the head. When i got good enough I switched to 22LR, sometimes firing 22 shorts. ~Muir

 

[paul o']

#6 and forget the subsonic but just to add as a foot note , we had a guy bring one to our range some years ago set up an target at 15yrs the shot came back at us like rain as it bounced off a dry IPSC card target ?

 

[FISH BOY]

Ok so I bought a 410 Mosberg Hushpower to bash squirrels in trees. The 12g was too noisy

Sadly though, the 3" sub cartridge i am using just don't seem to have any knock down power and I end up wounding then one or two more bangs to finish them off.

On the ground at say 25m its worse. I can see by the reaction and the debris blown up, I have hit them, but they just run off

I am using Eley Extra Long Magnum Subsonic 18gram No6 shot

Any ideas?


Comments that i might be a crap shot with a shotgun and need a 12g to make up for my uselessness will be met with humble agreement

ATB

Sorry to say this but I have exactly the same hushpower and use the same 18/6 subs which has been used to great effect on feral pigeons and rabbits over the years. Always go for the nose.

Think the key to it is range as I don't really ever attempt anything over 20 yards.

Don't ever remember seeing anything bigger cartridge wise in a 410.

 

[2130martin]

.22LR or 12G shotgun is best.......410 is good in theory but they are too tough for the little gun in my opinion...

 

[nun_hunter]

Have a look on YouTube as I found a few videos where a guy was testing a Chiappa 410/.22 combination gun and the pattern on the 410 (full choke) was next to useless at 25m with a range of cartridges. Sub 20m it was better but 15m was really the best for guaranteeing at least one pellet would hit in the head otherwise it was just body shots. Lethal but not a drop to the shot scenario.

 

[BryanDC]

I used a 410 a lot at one time for squirrels and rabbits with Winchester Super X 2½" with ½ oz of No.6 shot. I always found them to be a really good cartridge as long as I didn't shoot at silly ranges. I even occasionally shot a round of clays with them. I used Eleys sometimes because I had to use a fibre wad but never felt they were as good.

 

[JTO]

On the back of the old 10/- Gun License were recommended ranges of 15 yards for a .410 and 35 yards for a 12 bore.

 

[McKenzie]

Squirrels are tough little things; I always found copper shot very good for them as it usually has better penetration, although admittedly it wasn't from a 410.

 

[Heym SR20]

I would use a standard 410 cartriidge - 2 1/2" or 3". The Moderator will reduce the noise substantially but not as low as subsonics. I would also go small shot size - No 7's as you will get a much denser pattern and far more chance of pellets hitting the vitals.

 

[Thetownie]

I use express cartridges 3"

Very sporting.

 

[enfieldspares]

Too big a size for too small a target. Use #7 as a maximum. If you can get them #7.5. Pattern fails before penetration. There's not a squirrel bred that #7 or #7.5 won't kill. Your problem isn't lack of striking power it is not enough pellets in the count to give a killing pattern.

 

[Chasey]

I would use a standard 410 cartriidge - 2 1/2" or 3". The Moderator will reduce the noise substantially but not as low as subsonics. I would also go small shot size - No 7's as you will get a much denser pattern and far more chance of pellets hitting the vitals.

Interesting point thanks.
I had considered going 4s to see if that would help. I was thinking Winchester Super X Magnum, But I have some 7s and will try those first

 

[Dalua]

Interesting point thanks.
I had considered going 4s to see if that would help. I was thinking Winchester Super X Magnum, But I have some 7s and will try those first

I concur with the 'pattern fails before penetration' school of thought on this. No pellet has enough energy to kill a squirrel without hitting it - and you don't get many 4's in a .410 pattern!
I've never understood why anyone bothers manufacturing .410 cartridges with anyting bigger than 7s - yet they are often not easy to get!

 

[nun_hunter]

This review shows the pattern at different distances and should explain why they need more pellets not bigger ones.

 

[FISH BOY]

This review shows the pattern at different distances and should explain why they need more pellets not bigger ones.

Good vid. Wouldn't like to pull the wrong trigger tho....

 

[enfieldspares]

Just Cartridges stock Lylavale, Gamebore, Fiocchi and etc. Thus not only 7 but 7.5 and 8 and even 9. I look strongly at the Lylavale 2 1/2" in 9 shot size. I think that'd be the most lethal. Or Gamebore's 7.5 in the same length.

 

[Jax]

4’s have been the best rabbit stoppers I’ve ever put through my .410 huspower. Stone dead kills at 40 yards.

7.5’s and 6’s are a waste of time in my experience Rabbit wise. 5’s and 6’s are good for pigeon though.

 

[Mungo]

Having used one of these on rats, I found two things:

1. Beyond about 15 yards, there were very big holes in the pattern.
2. It shot substantially lower than you expect. At 15-20 yards, you need to hold well above the body - ie. block it out completely.

 

[Druid]

I concur with the 'pattern fails before penetration' school of thought on this. No pellet has enough energy to kill a squirrel without hitting it - and you don't get many 4's in a .410 pattern!
I've never understood why anyone bothers manufacturing .410 cartridges with anyting bigger than 7s - yet they are often not easy to get!

this is correct! Patterns kill. patchy, holey patterns don’t.
Smaller shot if you can find it and get in closer.