Seems most .410 loads are with small shot, 7 1/2s or less. This makes sense if a guy is going to hunt doves and such with one.
I live on 18 acres of woods and when I'm just messing around or working, I need to start making sure I'm carrying a gun of some sort. While cutting and burning brush the other day, I had opportunity to see quite a few various types of rodents and such I'd rather not have that close to the house. We do have a lot of snakes which don't bother me, but if I were to encounter a venomous one I'd kill it. I have a shoot on sight policy for raccoons and coyotes, and there's always a possibility, though slight, that a two legged varmint may show up unannounced as well.
I bought one of the little Rossi Tuffy shotguns (think Snake Charmer) with the intent of putting some ATV gun racks on the riding lawn mower and carrying while I mow. It's small and light enough that it would be real easy to just carry in the hands while I'm out doing stuff. I haven't even shot this little gun yet, so not sure how it'll work out. I did get some brass .410 shells and read Ed Harris' article on loading them. I also have quite a bit of #5 bird shot, which generally seems to be too big for effective patterns in the .410.
The obvious thing to do would be to carry a big bore revolver with one or two shot capsules and some solids to cover all bases, and sometimes I do. The shot loads would be much less effective than what that .410 would throw and, being honest with myself, I am not a good enough pistolero to be able to hit small, fleeting targets.
Is such a load worth pursuing of should I just buy #6 loads and be done with it?