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Author Topic: 410 for a Turkey??  (Read 12890 times)

Offline KimberRich

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #15 on: February 17, 2011, 10:45:38 PM »
#4 shot out of a 410 is going to be a pretty sparse pattern.   :dunno:  I'd go with 6's or even 7 1/2's.
I'd use 3 inch shells and #6 shot. Anything bigger and the pattern will have too many holes in it. You'd have to pattern it but I don't see why it wouldn't kill a turkey out to about 20 yards.

You do that.  Shoot one at 20 yards with 7 1/2's.  My bet is the thing runs for roughly 2.7 miles.

:bs:  At 20 yards with the right choke and a solid head shot, I guarantee that would be a dead turkey and it wouldn't go anywhere but down.

Wasn't aware they made the "right" choke for a .410 to hunt Turkey's?  That's a bold guarantee.  I'm assuming you have some personal experience or first hand knowledge of shooting Turkey's with a .410 that you want to share with us to back up your statement?  Can't remember seeing any turkey pictures with you posing with your .410? I filmed a youth hunt last spring where a youngster shot a Tom with a solid head shot at 20 yards with a 3" Turkey Load in a 20 ga. with the right choke in a patterned gun and the bird went down alright... For about 10 seconds.  Then it flopped around, jumped up and hauled a** for the next county never to be found.  We've gotten somewhat off topic..  I should focus on congratulating Hornseeker for getting kids involved...

« Last Edit: February 17, 2011, 11:09:31 PM by bobcat »

Offline bobcat

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #16 on: February 17, 2011, 10:59:59 PM »
The "right" choke is one that patterns tight enough to kill that turkey at 20 yards. That's why I can guarantee it would do it. Because if it didn't, it wasn't the right choke (for that particular load being used)  You don't think 410's are made with a choke that will pattern tightly at 20 yards.  ???

Offline KimberRich

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #17 on: February 17, 2011, 11:15:04 PM »
The "right" choke is one that patterns tight enough to kill that turkey at 20 yards. That's why I can guarantee it would do it. Because if it didn't, it wasn't the right choke (for that particular load being used)  You don't think 410's are made with a choke that will pattern tightly at 20 yards.  ???

 :rolleyes:

Never said that.  I'm sure some of them pattern great.  I'm waiting to see your pics or hear your story about your experiences which backs up this guarantee.   You're really sitting here arguing with me on how a .410 is a viable Turkey gun?  Yes it's capable but ideal? Or even recomended? No.  I can say that a .243 can drop a Moose at 900 yards.  But I've never done it so I'm not about to say I guarantee it. 

Offline bobcat

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #18 on: February 17, 2011, 11:17:48 PM »
Did anyone read the article that Curly posted?

Quote
Thrill of hunt is a close call

Using a .410 shotgun for turkeys requires more skill but is rewarding

March 06, 2009|By Steve Waters

When the spring turkey season opens Saturday in South Florida, many diehard turkey hunters will head into the woods with some serious firepower.

They'll be carrying a 12- or 10-gauge shotgun made just for hunting turkeys: a fully camouflaged pump or semiautomatic with a short barrel and a super-tight turkey choke that puts out a deadly pattern of shot pellets at 60 yards with 3 1/2 -inch shells.

That's a big change from when I first started hunting turkeys 25 years ago. Back then the people who introduced me to the sport used the same beat up 12-gauge shotgun for turkeys that they used for deer, ducks, quail and rabbits.

These new guns are great for killing wild turkeys, but when you're shooting birds at 50 or more yards, you're missing the point, and the fun, of hunting turkeys.

To Glenn Sapir, what makes turkey hunting so challenging and enjoyable is calling a wary, mature gobbler to within 30 yards.

And if you can call a bird in that close, you don't need a fancy turkey gun, or even a 12-gauge shotgun, to kill a turkey.

Sapir, of Putnam Valley, N.Y., is a close friend who has hunted turkeys throughout the country and scored a grand slam - one of each of the four major turkey sub-species - in one season.

A longtime outdoors writer who was the National Wild Turkey Federation's 2008 Communicator of the Year, Sapir is the author of Secrets of the Turkey Pros, an enlightening 176-page hardcover book that features tips and insights from experts such as Eddie Salter, Harold Knight, Dick Kirby, Rob Keck and Ray Eye.

Topics include selecting your gear, locating turkeys, setting up on them, calling, using decoys, moving on birds and, when your hunt is successful, caring for and cooking your bird. (Signed copies are available by sending a check for $25, which includes postage, to Ashmark Communications, P.O. Box 74, Shrub Oak, NY 10588.)

Sapir regularly hunts with a 12-gauge shotgun, but while he was researching his book's chapter on hunting with decoys, he learned that Dave Berkley of Feather Flex Decoys likes to hunt with a .410 shotgun, which shoots the smallest payload of any shotgun gauge.

Intrigued, Sapir got a .410 Browning BPS pump shotgun and patterned it with 3-inch No. 6 Winchester Super-X shotshells. At 35 yards, he put more than six pellets in the turkey target's head and neck. At 25 yards, he had at least a dozen lethal hits.

He used the .410 in Texas to hunt Rio Grande turkeys. It didn't take long for him to find out how effective a smaller shotgun can be on a big wild turkey.

"I got two gobblers," Sapir said. "The first one I shot at 33 steps and the gobbler dropped as stone dead as any bird I ever shot."

Sapir went back out in the afternoon and dropped a second 3-year-old gobbler in its tracks at 30 yards. (Texas hunters are allowed four birds per season and they can take more than one per day.)

Another hunter was so impressed that he borrowed Sapir's .410 the following afternoon and killed a gobbler at 30 yards.

Besides the .410's effectiveness at close range, Sapir liked its lighter weight, which makes a noticeable difference when you tote a gun through the woods all day.

He also noted that the .410's minimal recoil makes it ideal for women and youth hunters.

Sapir acknowledged that some say it's unethical to hunt turkeys with such a small gun, but he said it's the ethics of the hunter that are the concern.

"You simply have to pattern the gun and know the limitations of the gun," he said. "Instead of taking 50-yard shots that some people might take with a 12 gauge, with the .410 I wouldn't allow myself that."



Offline bobcat

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #19 on: February 17, 2011, 11:23:15 PM »
Close range of course.... 3 inch, BB's?? 2's?? Whatchya think? My daughter is really small and I have the first shotgun I ever got when I was 9.... it fits her (except she hates it cause she closed the action on her hand last night!!!! :chuckle: :dunno:)

Doable??? head shot?

KimberRich,  above is the original post. He asked if the 410 would work at close range. The answer is yes, it will. Maybe that maximum range is 10 yards. Maybe it's 20. Or even 25. It depends on the gun and the load and how it patterns. It was a gun he got when he was nine years old. I think it would be cool if his daughter used it to harvest a turkey. That's all. I've simply been stating my opinion on the subject but you want to call it arguing.  :dunno:

Offline bobcat

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #20 on: February 17, 2011, 11:27:18 PM »
The "right" choke is one that patterns tight enough to kill that turkey at 20 yards. That's why I can guarantee it would do it. Because if it didn't, it wasn't the right choke (for that particular load being used)  You don't think 410's are made with a choke that will pattern tightly at 20 yards.  ???

 :rolleyes:

Never said that.  I'm sure some of them pattern great.  I'm waiting to see your pics or hear your story about your experiences which backs up this guarantee.   You're really sitting here arguing with me on how a .410 is a viable Turkey gun?  Yes it's capable but ideal? Or even recomended? No.  I can say that a .243 can drop a Moose at 900 yards.  But I've never done it so I'm not about to say I guarantee it. 

I said it was ideal?  ???  Don't recall that. That's not what this thread was about. You want the best turkey killing shotgun? Use a 10 gauge with 3 1/2 inch shells, some super duper extra full turkey choke. I think a 243 would kill a moose just fine at 100 yards or less.  :twocents:

Offline Hornseeker

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #21 on: February 18, 2011, 07:27:38 AM »
Ok, I appreciate the impassioned responses here!

So, as far as the turkey locking up at 35/40 yards...well... then we wouldn't be shooting Turkey that day! Thats all there is to that. I am a traditional bowhunter as well and limit my shots to about 30 yards....what if I cant get closer than 50?? Should I just go buy a bowtech so I can stretch that range out?

Lets stay somewhat on topic... This "hunt" is not all about the kill. Claire will be happy to go "hunting" with me. She would also be thrilled, as would I, if a tom "locked up" at 35-40 yards and put on a good show for us...

So... Turkey.... 20 yards..... 410.....

When I shoot a few shots I'll post the results...

Thanks all!

And ps...yeah, that article was telling. IF the writer is genuine.... then it sounds as if the 410 is very capable...
 I've seen 12 gauges and arrows with big broadheads NOT do a good job on Turkeys too.....
Chuck Norris puts the "Laughter" in "Manslaughter"

Offline KimberRich

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #22 on: February 18, 2011, 07:33:08 AM »
Ok, I appreciate the impassioned responses here!

So, as far as the turkey locking up at 35/40 yards...well... then we wouldn't be shooting Turkey that day! Thats all there is to that. I am a traditional bowhunter as well and limit my shots to about 30 yards....what if I cant get closer than 50?? Should I just go buy a bowtech so I can stretch that range out?

Lets stay somewhat on topic... This "hunt" is not all about the kill. Claire will be happy to go "hunting" with me. She would also be thrilled, as would I, if a tom "locked up" at 35-40 yards and put on a good show for us...

So... Turkey.... 20 yards..... 410.....

When I shoot a few shots I'll post the results...

Thanks all!

And ps...yeah, that article was telling. IF the writer is genuine.... then it sounds as if the 410 is very capable...
 I've seen 12 gauges and arrows with big broadheads NOT do a good job on Turkeys too.....

You're totally right and I look forward to hearing about your hunt in the future.  It's great that she's thrilled to be in the woods with her Dad.  Nothing better in my opinion.  Good Luck to you both!

Offline runamuk

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #23 on: February 18, 2011, 07:36:23 AM »
Hornseeker thanks for asking this I have a 410 and happen to really like shooting and I have read lots of articles about people who use them to hunt deer.  I think the difference is when I think of using my 410 I am not thinking in yards so much as distance in feet. :dunno:

Offline Hangfire

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #24 on: February 18, 2011, 08:12:18 AM »
When my dad was 74 it was the year I turned 50. He gave me his 28 ga. Iver Johnson single shot (he got it used, when he was 7) with the condition that my son gets it when he turns 50. This gun means a lot to the family. After my dad died of cancer, I decided to take a fall turkey with it in his honor. The 28 ga is a lot more gun than the 410. I shot a young of the year at 20 yards with # 6 shot. The bird did not go down and ran off. I was able to catch up to it and shoot again at 10 yards.  I have another 28 that has a tighter choke and a 28 Red Label with interchangeable chokes. These last two guns would be useable for the distance that they pattern well. My dads old gun is not, unless they are very close. My uncle took 8 turkeys with one shot with a 410, out of a feed lot on the res, several years ago.
Pattern your 410, find out what distance it does well,  and probably use #6 shot.

Offline KLRKeith

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #25 on: February 18, 2011, 09:56:21 PM »
I would say pattern it and then see.  Post pics of your pattern if you can I would be interested to see what it does.  I've only shot a .410 out of a Tarus and wasnt impressed at all.  But that's a pistol so I would be very interested in seeing a shotgun pattern at say 25 yards.
Have fun

Offline carpsniperg2

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #26 on: February 18, 2011, 10:00:50 PM »
My fave saying with turkey hunting is: It only take one pellet to kill. If the ranges arn't to far and you get a good pattern at 20 yards or so. GO FOR IT!
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Offline brew

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #27 on: February 18, 2011, 10:13:46 PM »
i think the consensus on this thread is right....if you can find a good pattern in a load that she is comfortable shooting at a certain range than more power to ya....don't matter what the gun is if the person pulling the trigger doesn't think they have an opportunity to take the animal they are shooting at then the trigger shouldn't be pulled...eliminate variables and have fun with the hunt...on a side note I really enjoyed your story about the monster elk you took....awesome job and thanks for getting the youth involved in hunting...
beer---it's whats for dinner

Offline gadwall

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #28 on: February 21, 2011, 07:24:01 PM »
Two of my kids went turkey hunting for their first time in 2005.  They both shot an 870 in 28 gauge.  Both killed turkeys cleanly at up to 28 yards but I loaded 7 1/2 shot to get the pattern that I wanted.  I also set the decoy out at the maximum distance that I would allow the kids to shoot so they'd have a point of reference.  I know of some kids that have killed turkeys with 410's but they were 15 yards or less.

 :twocents:

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Offline Hornseeker

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Re: 410 for a Turkey??
« Reply #29 on: February 25, 2011, 11:49:32 AM »
Alright, got a  box of 5's and have some 7 1/2's... so we'll put them on paper in the next week or so. Great idea with a yard marker out there. I'd say right now, this has got to be a 20 yard or less deal, but might even have to go 15 or less...

The guy that is talking about letting us hunt his place says they call them in to 5 yards quite commonly!! That sounds like the ticket... maybe too close ???

Maybe pics tommorrow? I'll go ahead and shoot a couple 20's and a couple 12's to make some comparisons!

Thanks again!
Chuck Norris puts the "Laughter" in "Manslaughter"

 


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