Federal TSS .410 - feedback

Has anyone plaid with the Stevens 301 .410 with teh extra full choke? I just got one and have been reading about the TSS loads.

Thoughts?

If you can find one get you an Indian Creek .380 choke. The federal loads have not done very well. The best patterns I am seeing that aren't hand loads are from Fox Trot Ammo. He has a load called 383 stroker that has been putting up some really good numbers for a 410. Some people are getting decent numbers from federal but most I would not want to shoot a bird over about 25 yds with it. With the combo I mentioned people are getting 180-220 in the 10 at 40 yds. Federal has been doing good to break 100 at 40. Not to mention, If you cut open the Federal and weigh the amount of TSS that is supposed to be in there, you are getting shorted quite a good bit.

Boss has come out with a load for turkeys that look devastating.

Agree...Federal TSS no Bueno. I shoot 100% Apex. Well worth it. I personally have no desire to try to shoot birds with other gauges, but thinking about getting a .410 for my daughter if she shows an interest in turkey hunting.

Apex has had some good patterns posted. However, if you do much digging on how they acquired their recipes, well thats just another reason I reload my own. Not to mention, when these guys first came out they walked around at the NWTF in Nashville liked they owned the show. That kind of put me off as well. WIth that being said, if I wasn't reloading I would either shoot Fox Trot or Apex. The best patterns being posted for a 410 are coming from handloads and Fox Trot though.

I’m all in for Apex; completed a slam with my .410 using Apex shells. Great pattern! Furthest one I shot for slam was 33 yards and he was dead right there!

No I’ve never plaid with any firearm, can you teach me?

I'm not a fan of these .410's for turkey hunting. I've set behind way too many misses over the years with 12 gauges. You have virtually no wiggle room with a .410. There are those that will take the time to pattern it properly and the patience to wait for the right opportunity to fire..the vast majority won't.

The patterns being accomplished with the 410 and tss is better than most 12 ga with lead shot. Regardless if it's a 410 or 12 ga a miss is a miss and ga doesnt have anything to do with that. If a person knows the capabilities of their gun then get after it. A 410 and tss is a very deadly combo out to 40 yds. Not much better past that. However a lot of the older 12ga patterns wasnt worth a flip at 40 and people still killed turkeys. At 40 yes there are people getting over 215 in a 10in circle. There is still some 12a with leadshot not doing that. I would gladly hunt with one. When everyone switched to the 20 people were saying it wasnt deadly etc. I can promise you I'll take my 20 anyday over my old 12a with lead. I would also be willing to wager that most if not all 12s shooting 4 or 5 lead will not put as many pellets in the 10 nor do they have the range of the 20.

If I missed a turkey with a 12ga I wouldn’t tell anyone about it. I also wouldn’t turkey hunt with a 410 unless it was the only gun I had. I prefer a 22 for turkey hunting. But that’s just me.

You cant get them close enough to kill them with a shotgun?

Lets compare apples to apples. Lead is not in the discussion. Go look at TSS patterns from a .410 and a 12 gauge and tell me which one has more wiggle room built in.

You mentioned over the years with 12 gauge misses. To each his own brother. However the point in was making is a 410 ser up.properly with tss will kill the piss out of a Turkey. Of course a 12ga is gone have more density theres over 2x as much shot so your not comparing apples to apples there either. The 12ga over the years didnt shoot tss. The bottom line is this...a 410 with tss is a deadly mfer out to 40 yds and some to 50. It will easily kill turkeys less than that. Keep your head down and shoot straight and wait for good shot opportunities and you wont miss. However if you compare 12gas over the years...before tss...what has the better pattern...a 410 with 9.5 tss or lead 12ga?

A. .410 TSS loads are finicky. You have to be real particular with weighing and assembly to get consistent results. This is the realm of the low volume handloader. This became apparent when I started with it and why I'd only use my own handloads.

B. The .410 pattern is small. And it doesn't get real big at distance. I tested at 60 steps and was amazed at about an 18" pattern. You bear down and make a careful shot with a .410. It sure smokes 'em though!

C. It's kind of a stunt because people want to say they did it with a .410. That's no big deal because the distance isn't less than 12ga lead. The weight of the guns is where it's at.

D. I just wanted y'all to know I got this far in learning my ABC's.

Good info. Also, temperature, humidity and wind have more effect on these small payloads than I realized.

I've never taken the humidity into account before pulling the trigger lol

I would not hunt turkeys with a 410, I save it for dove season.

I had hunters with a savage 410 single shot and they used TSS and had great success up to 50 yards. They are shredders for sure with full turkey choke