SlabSlayKid, read up on the concept of inertia. This is the concept definition that allows an arrow to penetrate a five gallon pail of sand, but will stop a 30'06 bullet from pass-through. 410 is an extremely light caliber 'deer' gun, no matter how you look at it, particularly when compared to other calibers. Very low ballistic coefficient, extremely low energy, typically poor sights on 410 shotguns, and plain old lead slugs don't help the equation either. 22's have killed deer too, but that doesn't make them deer rifles either.

Great points guys, I believe you quack addict that you made the 300 yard shot, but I have heard so many 300 yard shot stories and they are rarely at the yardage stated, they are most often much closer because are people really ranging how far they are shooting, I picture 3 football fields as 300 yards and I would feel pretty hesitant to let drive at that range even though I feel pretty comfortable with my 30-06, been using the same heater since 1983 when I was 12. I would be too worried about wounding it and often times I have long range deer decide to come much closer by waiting them out or letting them go and seeing them shortly after at closer range. But if you are an out west hunter you probably practice longer ranges and have a better comfort zone reaching out. 410 Hmmmm. My dad handed me my brand new BDL bolt remington 30-06 and said here, you can handle this, so we practiced often, I learned to take the recoil and that was that. I always wanted to shoot what my uncles and grandpa's and dad shot. I think you do what works for you, practice with any gun you have so when the time comes you have been through all the procedures before, it's why i learned to drive a car at 10 in grandpa's hayfield so when I got on the road with the farm trucks and tractors etc. I had already practiced adequately. Same with any gun. Good Luck Musket Hunters ! And Quack, nice shooting