.410 for turkey

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Chiflyguy

Chiflyguy

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I've seen a lot of talk, seen some videos.
I'm impressed.
Lugging around an 870 with a 28" barrel is getting old.
Any gun out there that patterns good with non TSS shells?
$8-10 a piece is too rich for my blood.
Now I do have a Stevens 311 .410 double my grandpa bought my late dad in 1953 for $10 from a bail bondsman on the south side of Chicago.
It's one of my prized possessions.
Would you give it a shot?
 
.410 with TSS #9s/9.5s/10s is beyond adequate out to 35-40 yards, with right choke and pattern density. .410 with lead 7.5s may work out to 25 yards or so, with right choke and pattern density. If you only shoot 1-2 turkeys annually, do not let $15 keep you from killing a turkey or two. Pattern and test before you hunt. My .02, good luck!
 
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Chiflyguy said:
I've seen a lot of talk, seen some videos.
I'm impressed.
Lugging around an 870 with a 28" barrel is getting old.
Any gun out there that patterns good with non TSS shells?
$8-10 a piece is too rich for my blood.
Now I do have a Stevens 311 .410 double my grandpa bought my late dad in 1953 for $10 from a bail bondsman on the south side of Chicago.
It's one of my prized possessions.
Would you give it a shot?
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Yes, if you can find 3"# 7 1/2 and limit your shots to 20 yds it'll killem all day long. My Mossberg factory full did fine on 3, all 1 shot kills. I used that same gun a lot squirrel dogging and shooting squirrels 60' and more high, trick was you gotta hold dead on'em almost rifle like.
 
Chiflyguy, I've got a book ( an excellent book) "Turkey hunting- a one man game" by Ken Morgan , who lived at Baton Rouge Louisiana. In that book he mentioned the 410 and said he had killed 6 gobblers with it , all 1 shot kills at ranges of 12,15,17,19,20 and 22 yards. The gun pictured looks like a Stevens or Savage 311 like yours. But back to the book, it should be in every turkey hunter's library. Publishing date was 1987.
 
if you're wanting to get some shells for a 410 that doesn't break the bank that do pretty good i would recommend the Winchester double x sportsmans outdoor superstore has them right now with a rebate for 9.99/ box and they pattern well from my stevens 301. but my gun really shines with Browning 410 TSS it's a 50 yard gun easy with it, I know. here's a pic of my gun with the double x. I wouldn't try it past 35 yards though (target is at 30 yards btw)
 

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tpgarrett21 said:
if you're wanting to get some shells for a 410 that doesn't break the bank that do pretty good i would recommend the Winchester double x sportsmans outdoor superstore has them right now with a rebate for 9.99/ box and they pattern well from my stevens 301. but my gun really shines with Browning 410 TSS it's a 50 yard gun easy with it, I know. here's a pic of my gun with the double x. I wouldn't try it past 35 yards though (target is at 30 yards btw)
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I'm thinking of a 301 for next year.
For the low cost, can't go wrong.
Better jump on it before it becomes the next H&R slug gun
 
Iglow said:
Chiflyguy, I've got a book ( an excellent book) "Turkey hunting- a one man game" by Ken Morgan , who lived at Baton Rouge Louisiana. In that book he mentioned the 410 and said he had killed 6 gobblers with it , all 1 shot kills at ranges of 12,15,17,19,20 and 22 yards. The gun pictured looks like a Stevens or Savage 311 like yours. But back to the book, it should be in every turkey hunter's library. Publishing date was 1987.
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Same gun.
Lot of memories
 
I shot two birds with a 410 last season. One at 25 yards and one at 35 yards did an unbelievable job. I'm using a Steven's 301 with factory choke tube and rouge TSS #9.5s pattern below is 40 yards. It was 124 pellets inside a 10 inch circle
 

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Chiflyguy said:
Not necessary but do appreciate the offer.
What do TSS have that's so special?
The shot?
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The shot is 52%densier than lead so you can use a smaller pellet and still get more thump with it, let me know if you change your mind i have a bunch of and dont care a bit to let you have some of them
 
Chiflyguy said:
👍
Does anyone sell tungsten not $7-10 a shell?
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Probably not but your annual cost is gonna be $30 on the high end if you shoot 3 shells (1 to check poi and 2 if you kill 2 birds). I killed my first last year using a 20ga and TSS. Bird was 42 yards I think (originally 35ish but round wasn't chambered properly). Killed him graveyard dead. I'm as cheap as they come but it's worth the $30. If adding a scope shoot it with regular 2 3/4" shells to get it on then switch over. The first year will be the most expensive from a shell cost standpoint.
 
If you really don't want to spend $30-$50 a year on ammo, then I would advise against a .410. You can obviously kill a turkey with a .410 shooting lead, but it's going to be a 20-25 yard proposition. With tungsten, you can easily stretch one out to traditional 12 ga ranges.
 
I personally never have really understood the 410 craz, unless its just to say you did it with a 410 (which is fine). 20 gauge achieves the same purpose going to a subgauge for me. You cut weight in carrying it and unlike the 410 your not limited to a single shot (obviously not all 410 are single shots but thats what most get)

If you carry around a 12 gauge and want to go to a sub gauge to really reduce weight and some recoil then just go to a 20 gauge, again just my opinion. Yes shells are more expensive but they are easier to find and have much better efficiency.
 
Southern Sportsman said:
If you really don't want to spend $30-$50 a year on ammo, then I would advise against a .410. You can obviously kill a turkey with a .410 shooting lead, but it's going to be a 20-25 yard proposition. With tungsten, you can easily stretch one out to traditional 12 ga ranges.
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Then what's the point? I just don't get the 410 tss thing, 410 and lead, yes, but not 410 tss. But that's just me.
 
I've never used anything but, a 12 gauge personally. I just have always used 3" lead loads. The thing with .410's is the light weight. A guy at work bought one last year. A Stevens I think.
 
REN said:
I personally never have really understood the 410 craz, unless its just to say you did it with a 410 (which is fine). 20 gauge achieves the same purpose going to a subgauge for me. You cut weight in carrying it and unlike the 410 your not limited to a single shot (obviously not all 410 are single shots but thats what most get)

If you carry around a 12 gauge and want to go to a sub gauge to really reduce weight and some recoil then just go to a 20 gauge, again just my opinion. Yes shells are more expensive but they are easier to find and have much better efficiency.
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Although I sometimes hunt with a .410, I generally agree with this. Mine (which is a pump gun) weighs roughly the same as my 20, any my 20 (O/U) is actually shorter. But my wife's dad gave me the gun (his old rabbit gun) when my son was born. It's a full size gun (High Standard Flite King K4111) with a 26" barrel. But since I hand load, I couldn't help but tinker with it. Turns out, it's a real sweet shooter with the right load. (Most recent patterns below).

Shortly after I got it, I found a wood butt stock for it on ebay for less than $40. I snagged that and cut it down to a 10.5" length of pull and fabricated a butt pad. I cut the length off in three equal sections. When my kids outgrow the shortest length, I'll screw on the next section and extend it. Should be able to do that until they grow into the full size stock or switch to a 20.

Honestly, some of the smaller framed youth models that are now available (Mossberg Super Bantam, Stevens 301, Rossi, etc.) would be better kid guns. Even with the shortened stock, the 26" barrel makes mine a little hard for a small kid to balance/aim with. But the nostalgia of this gun has kept me from switching. We have a little monopod to support the weight, and that works fine for turkeys or any stationary target.

I think I've killed 3 turkeys with it, and my wife used it to kill her first last year. And my son will try to add another notch to it this weekend. Overall, the reduced recoil of a .410 is big for smaller kids, even compared to a reduced-recoil 20 ga load. But when I hunt with it, it's just for chits&giggles. It doesn't reduce weight or length vs. my main gun.


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Iglow said:
Then what's the point? I just don't get the 410 tss thing, 410 and lead, yes, but not 410 tss. But that's just me.
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I don't disagree. Unless there is a genuine concern about recoil (small kid or someone recovering from some type of injury/surgery), there is very little benefit other than reducing weight by a pound or two — which is not insignificant. But if shooting tungsten, it's not much of a handicap either. Some people undoubtedly do it to appear cool/accomplished or to impress people. While I'm always impressed by the proper calling up and killing of a gobbler, if you shoot him at 40 yards with a shotgun, I'm not any more impressed by the gauge of shotgun used.
 
for kids and smaller framed people I totally get it. Again not crapping on people that use them, if you enjoy it and find it a cool challenge then by all means!!

having said that, IF I were to ever do it, TSS would be the only option as far as ammo goes in it. You can get away with lead just fine in 12 and even 20 to some extent but I would just never hunt with a 410 and lead shot personally.
 
Lots of great responses.
I'm trying to cut down weight.
An 870 was fine up in Illinois sitting in a ground blind with decoys.
Down here, I'm movin up an down the mountains.
Also got my dad's browning bps 20 gauge.
Just trying to use guns that mean something to me.
 

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