I have noticed more advertisements for single shot .410's for turkeys. When did this become a thing? Growing up all my life even the lowly 20 gauge was considered not adequate and it had to be a 12 gauge Extra Full Choke.

The use of tungsten shot is what is behind using a .410.
#9 tungsten shot is supposed to penetrate the same as #5 lead.
It does work but best for experienced hunters.
I use 12 gauge with tungsten shot, it works really well.

M

Going smaller on everything has been the trend for quite some time now.

More challenging too

I thought it was a good idea, and still do! First turkey this season went down with the TSS. At $6.00 a shot, I thought I'd try some #6 that I reloaded. Darned if it didn't kill the next turkey very well. Both shots were at 28 yards. Patterning your 410 bore is even more important than with the larger gauges 'cause you ain't got the pellet load to work with! Those #6 loads also wreak havoc on the 'coons and possums and skunks that develop a taste for my chickens. I love this little shotgun!

My 9 year old killed 1 and I killed a second with his 410 #6 lead no problems! Now his was 3.5 yards and mine was about 7 yards! Gonna be hard to go back to the 12ga!

Call them in close, get them in close, then no worries about the gauge. I don't hunt anymore but during my prime 10 years of really being into it, I would have been comfortable using number 3 or 4 - 410 shells from Walmart. My trigger pull ranges averaged 2 to 10 yards. No feeder. Open territory.

Turkey hunting is not about killing, it's about calling and positioning.

Bare hands work if you got the skills....
Disclaimer: I definitely don't have these kind of skills!
15 yards and in with a 410 for the win though.

LOL, he's lucky he didn't grab one with big sharp spurs!

Patterned my 410 yesterday with tss. It’ll get the job done at 30 yds no doubt.

thats what I tried to tell my wife

You and me both brother.

I use a .410 because it doesn't weigh much over 3 pounds. I carry that thing miles and miles. Add the folding turkey chair to it and the total weight is about the same as a big 12ga.

My handload of #9 1/2 TSS has about 300 pellets which is equivalent to a 1 3/4oz load of lead #5s from a 12ga. The TSS pellets are very hard and pattern very tightly. Back when I still used #5 lead I was using a 2oz 12ga load to do what the 13/16oz .410 does.

The only trick to the .410 is the pattern is smaller. You do have to draw a finer bead.

.410 seems to be the rage right now, I'm still able to shoot with crossbow.
okie

Goodness, at 3.5 yards, there's not a lot of room for era...seven is way to close for me. I have a feeling that there's a good story on how these birds managed to get so close before you all took the killing shots. I would love to hear it. Were you calling? Sitting in a blind?
Thanks and Adios,

Gary

I have had several in closer than 5 yards, one of the best was my largest Eastern gobbler on a cousins place in Mississippi. it had rained during the night and I heard no gobblin from the roost so was just standing by a large pine tree on the edge of a small field. Made 3 tree yelps with just my voice, heard wing beats and saw turkey flying my way. He landed tucked his wings in and stuck his head out to gobble. I cut him off in mid gobble stood there
watching him until he quit flopping around then 3 steps bent over and picked him up. All that was left of the head was the beak hanging from about 4 inches of skin. 1 5/8 oz #5 lead did the job on a late season 20lb gobbler with 12 1/4 inch bearded bird.

I have had others that close or closer but that one was quite memorable for shortness of the hunt and size of the gobbler.

Yes Sir, a full choke or tighter at 3 steps will do damage to a turkey's head. Back in my outfitting days, I never wanted a gobbler within 20 steps when shooting a 12 or 20 gauge and not less than 15 when shooting a .410. With the extra tight chokes today, a bird in close was generally one that was missed.
Adios,
Gary

I hate to admit I played with a big Rio Grande Gobbler along the Lampasas River one morning too long enjoying the show. Let him get in close and at about 2 yards took the shot but never put the cheek to the stock and shot right over him. Lucky he spun and ran straight away and my next shot was at 35 yards which dropped him. It can happen.

Guiding I want them to shoot at ranges like you are talking about though. For me if I miss one there will be others to shoot.

We were always taught the same thing, and I believe its because ( and this goes across the whole spectrum from rifles to shotguns ) that the old timers who all taught us to hunt did not fully understand ballistics.


I have killed a lot of Ducks with a 20 gauge. I use a 12 now due to increased payload but my favorite 20 gauge load is spitting a charge of no. 4 shot at 1550 fps. That's 100 fps more than my 12 meaning it has MORE knockdown than the 12 gauge, just less pellets. I'll tell you it crushes ducks. My dove loads are moving about the same speed as a 12....my favorite dove gun is a Citori 12 because i shoot it so well but I prefer a 20 and shot a 20 exclusively for over 20 years. I never use a 12 for upland hunts and have killed pheasant out to 50 yards with a load of 7 1/2 shot from a AA super handicap, which I like for upland work.

Many moons ago I wouldn't consider anything less than a 12. Then I tried a 16, and it worked just fine. Next up was the 20, and, son of a gun, it took 'em down just fine. Several months ago I thought I'd try the new Savage .410, and, I'll be darned if it didn't shatter those gobblers heads. I've come to the conclusion that, just like rifles and hand guns, if you know where the firearm will shoot will you finally press that trigger, you can make humane kills with hand gun, rifle or shotgun. Gauge and caliber aren't nearly as important as knowing what your limit is and what your firearm's limits are.

Here is a twist on the .410 for turkey hunting craze. 53 years ago my dad gave me my first “real” gun when I was 9. An H&R Topper model 158 .410 breach open hammer action single shot. Anyway I dug it out of my moms closet last year and it was in pretty bad shape. I put the elbow grease to it getting all the rust cleaned off the receiver, barrel and action. Deep cleaned and conditioned the stock and fore end wood. A few more bells and whistles and it looked great! The whole purpose was to take a gobbler with my first gun my pops gave me. With the advances in ammo particularly TSS, that 53 year old rig is deadly inside 25 yards throwing a nice tight pattern thru the fixed full choke the gun was fitted with when manufactured. On my first hunt with it the turkey gods were with me as I pulled a gobbler into 12 steps and the Federal #9 TSS slobber knocked him. Daddy Burr would have been proud and I would be lying if I said I didn’t get pretty emotional about it. I have bought a Rossi .410 rig now specifically made for turkey hunting and with the X-full turkey choke it comes with it patterns great out to 35 with those same Federal TSS #9. I haven't gotten out with it yet this year as I've only carried my go to Weatherby 20 gauge turkey rig on my hunts. May have to try to get out one more time with the four hundred and ten though

Good story and excellent results! Give us the results with the Rossi, please. My Savage turkey gun has been deadly and it's a pleasure to shoot all year long!

Good story and excellent results! Give us the results with the Rossi, please. My Savage turkey gun has been deadly and it's a pleasure to shoot all year long!

Very cool. Put that shot cam vid up!

I sure wish I could but I didn't get it! I love the Tactacam especially the stabalizer mount on my bow because it is very easy to access and activate with very little movement. The shotgun mount is a little different because it is in front of the fore end piece which can be very tricky it a bird sneaks in on you silent which this bird did. He had gone silent on me for 15-20 minutes and I thought maybe he had bugged out but then I heard him spitting and drumming behind me. He walked 5 steps to the left of me towards the dekes and I just wasn't going to risk the movement.