My first gun was/is a mossberg 410pump. I still have it and its one of my favorite guns since it was my first. I like to shoot clay pigeons with it and can do fairly well. I recently came across some home defense loads for my 410 which put it back in action. I would like to do some hunting with it this fall and am wondering if anyone else out there hunts with a 410. I have a decent amount of management areas around my home that require steel shot and have purchased a few boxes of steel #7. I would really like to hunt squirrel, rabbits, dove with this old gun. Anyone else tried this or have any pointers?

If you don't mind the shot in the meat(I hate it myself)-anyway-.410 is all my uncle would hunt squirrel and rabbit with growing up. Did pretty good job and less pellets to spit out compared to the bigger gauges! Never used the steel but that would probably be better for you to eat anyway than lead in your meat.

I restarted hunting with a .410 SXS (cause I always wanted one) a couple years ago. first were the squirrels and then just for heck of it I started using it in the dove fields and had a blast (no pun intended) when I found that , as long as I was mindfull of the range, 30-35yds, I could hit just about every bird I shot at. What hoot!

I have a beautiful little 410 SxS that I love to hunt squirrel and rabbits with.  It's just fun to hunt with, but it has limitations.  So when I'm hunting seriously for pheasants, grouse or quail, I'll use my 20, 16 or 12 gauge.

.410 is a great li'l gun for small game...however you did say it was your first gun..not knowing the age of the gun or wether it has screw in choke tubes or not or wether it has a fixed choke barrle..you must becareful using steel shot...is the barrle itself rated for steel shot?? if it is and has screw in choke tubes you are half way there...let me explain...410 actually developes a lot of pressure...and steel shot does not deform like lead, so you'll need choke tubes rated for steel also...folks have ruined thier barrles and even thier guns by shooting steel shot out of a barrle that was not made for it...not trying to put you off...just want ya'll to be safe and have a good time picking the tree rats out of the top of them oaks...

Thank you for pointing that out about the barrels. My 410 is about 12 years old and has a fixed choke barrel so I cant change out the choke tubes. I will have to do some research to see if it can handle the steel shot.

My .410 SXS Stoeger is choked modified and improved so eveb though I don't use steel I think it would be ok but my single shot stevens is about 50 years old . My father bought it for my mother to take her quail hunting and I wouldn't dream of doing anything to harm that old gun( its still in great shape).

I have a Savage 24 combination 22LR and 410. Like many 410's it had a full choke that throws very consistent modified patterns with 7 1/2 shot and full patterns with #4's. The latter is my squirrel/ cottontail load.
My daughter has a Stevens single shot as a "house gun" that had the barrel and stock amputated by an elderly lady who took it out while gardening. Picked it up from her estate when she died at 93. Now, that's a real American when your walker has a gun rack on it!

As far as steel shot, I'd never use it in my .410 at all.  It isn't required for small game and the .410 is not a good choice for waterfowl.

VJP now don't go reading anything into this but I do enjoy going after quail with my small ga guns and I just got this years edition of LL Beans hunting catalog and theres a photo ad in there for their shotguns wtih a gentleman using a .410 SXS , When I saw that I felt something move down there, course could've been gas mightv'e been the old lady walkin through.

Oh, I would use mine for quail too if it patterned well at quail shooting ranges.  It's a mod/full choked gun and the patterns are pretty tight out to about 25 yards.  My other guns just do the job on quail a lot easier.

The only reason I have purchased steal loads for my .410 is that almost all of the local management areas I hunt for squirrel or rabbit require non toxic shot. So lead is out of the question there and I dont even know if they make bismuth or other non toxic shot shells for the 410 let alone want to bother with the elevated price tag I'm sure would be slapped on the box.

fortunately my state doesn't require nontoxic shot for smallgame ,waterfowl only, but if you shoot .410's enough you can purchase bismuth or other nontox and handload shells I think they do make steel shot for .410's though but small ga loads are already exspensive