Guide

.410 Bore Ammo 2026: Defense Buckshot and Slug Loads From the Makers

By Cole Harlan, EditorUpdated Nov 4, 2026How we verifyEditorial standards

We checked 8 current .410 bore defense, buckshot and slug loads on Federal's and Remington's own product pages on November 4, 2026: 5 from Federal and 3 from Remington. 6 are buckshot or defense shot loads and 2 are slugs. The shell lengths, payloads, velocities, test barrels and statuses below are copied from the maker pages. We don't use retailer prices, patterning tests or third-party ballistics. The Cartridge column shows the name the maker page uses. This is a comparison of popular loads from 2 makers, not every .410 bore load sold.

Scope: this guide covers only defense and hunting buckshot and slug loads for .410 bore for which the maker page lists a velocity, plus the defense shotshells Federal labels Self-Defense. It does not cover birdshot, steel or waterfowl loads, turkey loads, target or clay loads, or other gauges. Grouping follows each maker's own usage label ("Self-Defense" and "Big Game"). Federal's Personal Defense 410 Handgun load PD412JGE 4 is labeled Self-Defense but is a #4 shot load, so its Buck size cell reads "4 shot."

Self-defense loads

These are the loads Federal and Remington label Self-Defense on their own pages. Pellet counts are the "Payload Pellets" figure on each page.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Shell length	Buck size	Pellets	Muzzle velocity	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Federal Personal Defense 410 Handgun	410 Bore	PD412JGE 000	2-1/2in	000 Buck	4	850 fps	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Federal Personal Defense 410 Handgun	410 Bore	PD412JGE 4	2-1/2in	4 shot	59	950 fps	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Federal Personal Defense 410 Handgun	410 Bore	PD413JGE 000	3in	000 Buck	5	775 fps	Not listed on maker page	20	Currently Unavailable
Federal Personal Defense 410 Handgun	410 Bore	PD413JGE 4B	3in	4 Buck	9	950 fps	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Remington Ultimate Defense Shotshell	410 Bore	20697	2-1/2in	000 Buck	4	1,225 fps	Not listed on maker page	15	Currently Unavailable
Remington Ultimate Defense Shotshell	410 Bore	20707	3in	000 Buck	5	1,125 fps	Not listed on maker page	15	Available

Slug loads

These are the slug loads Federal and Remington label Big Game: rifled slugs. Slug weight is the "Grain Weight" on each page, with the "Shot Weight" in ounces where the page gives one. Whether a slug is made for a rifled or a smoothbore barrel is on the maker's page, so check it against your barrel before you buy.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Shell length	Slug weight	Muzzle velocity	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Federal Power-Shok Rifled Slug	410 Bore	F412 RS	2-1/2in	109 gr, 1/4 oz	1,775 fps	Not listed on maker page	5	Available
Remington Slugger Rifled Slug	410 Bore	20618	2-1/2in	88 gr, 1/5 oz	1,830 fps	Not listed on maker page	5	Available

Muzzle velocity is the figure each maker page prints. "Buck size" is the shot size on the page, such as 00 Buck. "Box" is the round count the maker lists per box. Status is the maker's own wording on its product page, and it can change daily. All pages checked November 4, 2026.

Barrel length, choke and the test barrel

A shotshell's velocity depends on the barrel and, for shot, the choke it was measured with. Of the 8 loads, 8 list no test barrel on the maker page. SAAMI's standard .410 bore test barrel for 2-1/2 in and 3 in shells is 26 in long and smooth bore, with velocity measured 3 ft from the muzzle. SAAMI says its velocity and pressure test barrels for lead shot should have a choke constriction of .031 in (plus or minus .005 in), and that 2-1/2 in .410 rounds are tested in a 3 in chamber test barrel. Defense .410 loads are often fired from short revolver or pistol barrels, so a barrel shorter than the maker's can give a figure that differs from the box. We don't convert or adjust any figure.

We have no .410 bore barrel-length page. Our barrel length vs velocity data covers rifle, pistol and revolver cartridges, and we did not find verifiable per-barrel shotgun cut-down data for .410 bore, so we do not show any. For shotshell velocity and test-barrel notes on another gauge, see the 12 gauge ammo guide.

.410 bore: what SAAMI lists

SAAMI's shotshell standard is ANSI/SAAMI Z299.2, titled "Voluntary Industry Performance Standards for Pressure and Velocity of Shotshell Ammunition for the Use of Commercial Manufacturers." The PDF on saami.org is the 2015 edition reaffirmed in 2019 (file name dated 2025-09-23). SAAMI measures shotshell pressure with a piezoelectric transducer system and gives pressure as maximum average pressure (MAP) in psi. For .410 bore it lists a MAP of 12,500 psi (the table shows 125 in psi/100) for lead buckshot in 2-1/2 in shells, and 13,500 psi (135) for lead buckshot in 3 in shells. For rifled slug loads in 2-1/2 in shells, which it describes as made for smooth-bore firearms, it lists 12,500 psi. SAAMI's buckshot velocity table lists 3 pellets of 000 buck at 1,300 fps in a 2-1/2 in shell and 5 pellets of 000 buck at 1,080 fps in a 3 in shell, measured 3 ft from the muzzle. The .410 bore 2-1/2 in cartridge drawing was issued 05/29/1979 and revised 12/24/2018. SAAMI's standard .410 bore test barrel for 2-1/2 in and 3 in shells is 26 in, smooth bore. Read the standard at the SAAMI Z299.2 PDF.

Not yet verified

These makers and loads are not in the tables.

Winchester: we opened 9 Winchester product pages (shotshell, handgun and rimfire) on Nov. 4 and every one said "There is no ballistics data available at this time," so we have no Winchester figures to copy.
SIG Sauer: the maker's site returned an access error (403) to our automated check, and we could not verify its product pages.
Hornady: item 86238 (410 Triple Defense) is a two round-ball and one FTX slug load, not buckshot or a single slug, and its page prints no velocity, so it is left out. Other Hornady .410 pages were not in the sitemap we checked.
Other makers: we did not check Fiocchi, Sellier & Bellot, Brenneke, Rio, Aguila, Challenger or other .410 makers this round, so none are in the tables.
Out of scope: other .410 loads, such as Federal's Upland Steel and Top Gun lines and Remington's Game Load (item R20014, labeled Small Game), are small-game, upland or target loads and we did not open them for this guide. All other gauges are also outside it. Federal's Personal Defense 410 Handgun load PD412JGE 4 is a #4 shot load that Federal labels Self-Defense, and it is in the defense table because of that label.
Test barrels and stock status: Federal's and Remington's shotshell pages list no test barrel.

Firearms for .410 bore

Check your firearm maker's manual for the shell length it is rated for, 2-1/2 in or 3 in, and for whether it can shoot slugs through its barrel and choke. Federal names its defense line Personal Defense 410 Handgun. See new shotgun releases. The .410 bore is a shotshell, not the .45 Colt cartridge, which has its own .45 Colt ammo guide.

Where to buy

We link only to maker pages, listed in the sources below. Federal and Remington show availability on their own product pages (for example "Available" or "Currently Unavailable"). We don't track retailer stock or prices. Before you order, check your state's ammunition rules, because some states require a background check or restrict shipping.

For more ammo, see the 12 gauge ammo guide, 20 gauge ammo, new ammo for 2026, 9mm ammo and all ammo releases.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for .410 bore buckshot and slugs?

SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 12,500 psi (125 in psi/100) for .410 bore lead buckshot and rifled slug loads in 2-1/2 in shells, and 13,500 psi (135) for lead buckshot in 3 in shells, measured by transducer, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.2.

How many pellets are in .410 defense loads?

In our tables the maker pages list 4 or 5 pellets of 000 buck, 9 pellets of 4 buck and 59 pellets of #4 shot, depending on the load. SAAMI lists 3 pellets of 000 buck in a 2-1/2 in shell and 5 in a 3 in shell. Check the pellet count on the box or the maker page.

What test barrel do .410 bore shotshell velocities use?

SAAMI's standard .410 bore test barrel for 2-1/2 in and 3 in shells is 26 in long and smooth bore, with velocity measured 3 ft from the muzzle. Federal's and Remington's pages list no test barrel.

How fast is .410 bore buckshot and slug ammo?

In our tables, listed muzzle velocities run from 775 fps to 1,830 fps across buckshot, defense shot and slugs. Test barrels are mostly not listed. See the barrel section of this guide.

Do you list prices or stock for .410 bore ammo?

No. We link only to maker pages. Where a maker page shows a status, such as "Available" or "Currently Unavailable," we copy it as of Nov. 4, 2026.

.410 Bore Ammo 2026: Defense Buckshot and Slug Loads From the Makers

Self-defense loads

Slug loads

Barrel length, choke and the test barrel

.410 bore: what SAAMI lists

Not yet verified

Firearms for .410 bore

Where to buy

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Keep exploring

Self-defense loads

Slug loads

Barrel length, choke and the test barrel

.410 bore: what SAAMI lists

Not yet verified

Firearms for .410 bore

Where to buy

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Keep exploring

The Gun Release Report