.410 for Turkey

[Bubba Fett]

So I Googled this and found a lot of people saying that .410 is a perfectly reasonable gun for turkey and a lot of people saying anything less than a 12 gauge 3" high brass will make the birds laugh at you and call your mom rude names.  So I thought I'd ask you fine folks, given my situation.

I've never hunted for turkey.  I've chased rabbits and squirrels since I was 12 and and four years ago got permission to deer hunt on a property.  Now that my nephew is 12 he's also enjoying chasing rabbits and tree rats.  Since he steals my .22 for this, I've been considering picking myself up a .410 for hunting those littler critters.  

The property owner where I deer hunt has been telling me about all the turkey, and after seeing them on trail cameras I let him convince me that 30-something isn't too late to learn to hunt turkey.  But can I use the same .410 for turkey that I'd use for squirrels and rabbits?  If it helps, I'm a grade A certified cheapskate, so I'm looking specifically at the Hatfield $100 .410 at Walmart.

If I'm aiming for the head, it seems like a .410 would do the trick if I'm patient enough to let them get close.  Am I dreaming?  I couldn't live with myself if they called my mom rude names...

Edited September 20, 2017 by Bob Lee

[aknifemaker]

bigger is better, hunting is fluid, not all turkeys will walk within 10 yards of you 10 - 12 gauge is the way to go turkeys are hardy birds

[Slappy]

Its not a good idea.  Turkeys are tough birds and the head/neck is very small target.  You'll want a massive amount of lead headed his way to increase your odds of an ethical kill.   If you use a .410, you will drastically cut your effective range and risk wounding the bird.  20 gauge can be used effectively but again, you'll limit your range.  12 gauge is what most people use and for good reason.  There are plenty of cheap 12 gauges out there though. 

[Ronald_55]

I can't say for .410 on turkey, but I read the Hatfields are inconsistent in quality. You might hit a few pawn shops and LGS and you can pick up a single shot Savage or Stevens for $100 to $150. 

Or do like me and get obsessed with the Savage Model 24. It is an over/under rifle shotgun combo. You can carry a .22/.410 all in one. They make the newer model 42 also. 

[Whisper]

12 gauge is probably best.  Get a used single-shot Savage or something like that; they're cheap and will last you forever.  I still have the one my father gave me in 1964.  Many if not most of them came with a full choke, which is what you want for turkeys.

Cheers,

Whisper

[DWARREN123]

I have found the .410 is more of a experts gun. For turkey I would suggest a 12 gauge.

[nightrunner]

Like dwarren said, the .410 is an experts guns, even though it is often touted as a beginners or youth shotgun. I grew up with one and one thing about it, if you can bag game with a .410, you can do it with any shotgun you find in your hands. Much easier with a 20 or 12 ga.

[AuEagle]

As Robert Ruark wrote, "Use Enough Gun."

[BrasilNuts]

There are many reasons you could give to use a .410 to hunt turkeys, being a " grade a certified cheapskate" isn't one of them.

[chances R]

Sort of like using a ,22 for SD, doable but better options.  One can buy a single shot 12ga for the same $ and be better equipped.  Also why risk wounding/wasting such a great bird being undergunned?

[Danger Rane]

I've taken (x2) Turkeys with my little Rossi Circuit Judge using 3" .410 shells.  The first one was shot at about 14 yards. There were enough pellets in the head/neck area that I felt comfortable pushing out a bit further the next year and took one at right around 20 yards. That would be the furthest I would feel comfortable taking one with my setup. I think the key is to conduct extensive pattern testing with whatever you go with to establish a realistic working range, and make a mental "range card" of your hunting area to determine the distance beforehand to key features like distinct trees, your decoys, creeks, sticks or stakes you put out etc...I usually do this with my LRF as soon as I get into an area, helps me quite a bit. As long as you know your realistic (humane) range for what you are working with and stick with that you should be good. The .410 will require more patience and maybe field craft to let them get close, but it will get r done.

Im not necessarily a cheapskate, but I do like to be able to fill multiple roles with my tools. A couple years ago I used a 12 gauge Stoeger Double Defense O/U coach gun to take a turkey at 46 yards. But again, that was after extensive patterning and trying about 5 different loads before finding one that really let me reach out there with that gun.

Good luck, and happy hunting. 

[bersaguy]

I did kill a big bird once when I was kid with my 4.10 and it was Canada Goose that was alone and flying cattail high about the 10 yards above me and I led it as far as I could and destroyed it's head when I fired. Did this while walking back through the swamp behind my house from a duck hunt. Yea, I did hunt ducks with a 4.10 over decoys from a blind when I was kid and would get ducks gliding into decoys 15 yard shots max. Took me a few minutes to find the goose that went down in the reeds and cattails but that was my trophy bird with a 4.10. I have never been turkey hunting so don't know how tough and durable they are but I know most folks do use 12 gauge High Brass loads to hunt them...............JMHO

[Bubba Fett]

Thanks for the awesome feedback.  I'll probably still get the .410 for rabbits and squirrels but keep an eye out for a full choke 12 before I tackle turkey.

[bersaguy]

17 minutes ago, Bob Lee said:

Thanks for the awesome feedback.  I'll probably still get the .410 for rabbits and squirrels but keep an eye out for a full choke 12 before I tackle turkey.

Probably a good move and when you said your somewhat of a cheapscate if you compare the cost of 4.10 ammo to 12 gauge ammo you will probably save money by going with 12 gauge ammo cost wise. Good quality 4.10 ammo is very costly verses good quality 12 gauge ammo in my opinion..................

[Danger Rane]

10 hours ago, bersaguy said:

Probably a good move and when you said your somewhat of a cheapscate if you compare the cost of 4.10 ammo to 12 gauge ammo you will probably save money by going with 12 gauge ammo cost wise. Good quality 4.10 ammo is very costly verses good quality 12 gauge ammo in my opinion..................

That's a great point, I think it's kinda crazy how expensive .410 shells are. 

[Quavodus]

I

21 hours ago, Bob Lee said:

Thanks for the awesome feedback.  I'll probably still get the .410 for rabbits and squirrels but keep an eye out for a full choke 12 before I tackle turkey.

A 12 will probably serve you a lot better. I heard about a kid years ago that killed a turkey with a .410 but he got it pretty close. I normally use a 12 with 3" mags. #4 shot. Works really good. But, this Fall I'm gonna use my old 16 gauge.

[10-Ring]

Do yourself a favor and stay away from those Hatfields.  They are junk.  Kid I take hunting got one and I can't say enough bad things about it.  Much better off to find an old used single.  Oh and .410 runs about $12/box.

[gregintenn]

How about a 20 gauge for a do it all shotgun? Cheaper ammo than a 410, smaller than a 12 gauge, and will reliably kill turkeys.

[jwhjwh54]

Get a 12gauge . If you've never hunted turkey's, getting them close enough to use something smaller will be tough. 

There was a stoeger 12 for sale here that someone was asking $250 for that would have been perfect. 

[R_Bert]

Be aware, that Rossi classifies the Circuit Judge (that they sell in the Americas) ... as a rifle.  I am not sure how the TN game wardens view it, but it may be worth finding out before one is in the field with it on a turkey hunt.

Me, I would love to take a turkey with a regular ol Judge pistol w/ .410 load ... point-blank range, of course (I don't think we can do that either).

B.

[whiskey]

For the last 2 seasons I have hunted turkeys exclusively with a 20ga. I’ve killed 20 or so birds with a 20ga and watched 20 or so more die from 20ga turkey guns. However, I shoot handloaded TSS. A .410 is a solid turkey gun out to 40 yards when loaded with TSS shells and topped with an optic. However, most casual turkey hunters would be way better served with a 12ga, a good turkey choke and some Winchester Longbeard shells.


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