.410 for Raccoons?
- Thread starter cyclone
- Start date
Rocky, who can go to 28kg(61lbs), is a furbearing game animal. A small game hunting licence is required. If you're planning on shooting one this time of year, anywhere in Ontario, you'll be doing so out of season. And shotguns, of any kind, are illegal. .22 rimfires(except a .22 mag for some odd reason) only.
Thank you for the legal info; any more information about terminal effects?
If you are own your own property, in an area where firearm use isn't prohibited by municipal bylaws and the raccoon is a nuisance animal the hunting laws don't apply.
What size of shot are you intending to use? I've not shot a raccoon with a .410 but have used a 28 gauge because that is what I had with me at the time. Light bird shot such as #7.5 only works at a short distance.
In a .410 I'd want to use slugs. Raccoons are pretty tough little buggers.
What size of shot are you intending to use? I've not shot a raccoon with a .410 but have used a 28 gauge because that is what I had with me at the time. Light bird shot such as #7.5 only works at a short distance.
In a .410 I'd want to use slugs. Raccoons are pretty tough little buggers.
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Gosh really? I lived in Toronto for 12 years and pretty much concluded that it isn't rural. Maybe it was all the people and the subway that gave me the first clue.
And no I don't have to speak to the MNR about raccoons. The laws are different regarding hunting and vermin control.
I'll save you the trouble of looking it up. From the Act.
- Location
- marmora ontario
Ah well here on the farm they are vermin and I use a 410/22 M6 scout. The 410 works just fine..#4 shot. JITC
No need for slugs?
Edit: I've read accounts of the mask-faced thuggers absorbing a good many .22 LR's - sounded amusing!
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I used to have (and I say that with a tear in my eye) a nice little Italian made bolt action .410 with a very tight choke. It was absolute murder on 'Coons! As a young teen, I would romp around the local farms and take care of any nuisance animals the farmers would complain about, and the .410 was my weapon of choice as most times I was shooting up in the air and a 22 would have the tendency to pass through and travel to parts unknown! At close range, #6s were great as they would also work nicely on grouse and rabbits too.
) a nice little Italian made bolt action .410 with a very tight choke. It was absolute murder on 'Coons! As a young teen, I would romp around the local farms and take care of any nuisance animals the farmers would complain about, and the .410 was my weapon of choice as most times I was shooting up in the air and a 22 would have the tendency to pass through and travel to parts unknown! At close range, #6s were great as they would also work nicely on grouse and rabbits too. 
Exactly and even if you dont kill the coon with the .410 you can bet he wont be back.
Turkeyslayer 1300
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Russell, Ontario
Gonna stir the pot here, why not try buckshot? No idea what other sizes are available but i think winchester loads a 3 ball 00 or 000 load. Under 20 yards should be effective. Slugs and larger birdshot should both work but to my thinking for short ranges buckshot has more oomph than bird shot but multiple impacts incases of less than perfect shot placement.
I'd use #4's personally, it will kill them dead at under 20 yards. Most .410's are choked "Full", so the pellets are more like a slug at under 5 yards anyways. I have dispatched many a skunk around the farm with a .410, and never had one spray after it was hit. I just like the .410 option better than a .22, cause not as much chance of a projectile leaving the property.
Ain't that the truth.
One evening I came home and found a racoon very close to my dog who was tied outside my garage. It didn't seem normal for a raccoon to be up that close to the dog, and since it was 11:30 and not wanting to make too much racket (even though I live in the country) I decided to use a .22LR instead of a shotgun. Three shots to the head only pissed the racoon off. He soon decided I was the source of his annoyance and he came at me hissing away. The remaining four shots in the rifle went to the body but did not seem to a hell of a lot so I resorted to plan B - I grabbing a spade and finishing him off with that.
Lesson learned - use a shotgun. Personally I would grab the 20 gauge and some #4 buck if I had to do it again.
What? That's astonishing! What kind of ammo were you using in your .22?
.22 long rifle 40 grain should easily go into a racoons skull.
