# .410 for turkey?



## Al White (Mar 11, 2005)

Would you consider turkey hunting with a .410?  With all of the hype going on about 3.5 magnums, I was just curious to know if anyone would shoot a "little ole .410" at a tom?


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## Junebug (Mar 11, 2005)

Sure; inside it's capable range a .410 will kill birds all day long.


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## dominantpredator (Mar 12, 2005)

I don't think a .410 is a gun that can be used to legally turkey hunt in Ga.


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## fredw (Mar 12, 2005)

> Shotguns with No. 2 or smaller  shot and any muzzleloading firearm (scopes legal).



Evidently there's no restrictions on the guage you can turkey hunt with.....above quote is from the DNR's web site.


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## Ga-Spur (Mar 12, 2005)

I used a .410 until last  year and Ol Blue had to have shoulder surgery ; so I gave it to him. He killed the limit in one day at one sitting ,with it by shooting 3 gobblers with 3 shots and it is a single shot. I purchased a Remington 870 pump to use ; but I have not as of yet  used it. The .410 hits a little harder than the 12 gauge ; just less shot  although I use 7 1/2 shot . We are shooting at a bird's  head about the size of your fist .Try it you will like it. Yes the .410 is legal.


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## TurkeyProof (Mar 12, 2005)

*Yes.*

Yes I would, But I'm glad I don't have to.


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## Timbo (Mar 12, 2005)

A .410 cant be used to kill deer,but Ive never heard of it being illegal for turkey.


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## gabowman (Mar 12, 2005)

I voted No. As long as I have the 12 ga. and the 20 ga., then the .410 will stay in the closet.

GB


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## dominantpredator (Mar 13, 2005)

fredw said:
			
		

> Evidently there's no restrictions on the guage you can turkey hunt with.....above quote is from the DNR's web site.


Well it must have changed because a friend of mine won a .410 at our nwtf banquet about 3 or 4 years ago and at the time it was not a legal gun in the state of Georgia.


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## J Ferguson (Mar 14, 2005)

I'm just glad to see somebody posted this cause I been wanting to but I didnt want everbody to think I was some kinda idiot (well not anymore than already) 

I was wondering about this cause I bought My daughter one fer christmas and wanted to let her use it fer turkey if I could get one in under 20 yards fer her I thought it would be ok ..


Now that that seems to be selled what shot should be used ??


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## Randy (Mar 14, 2005)

It is now legal although I do not feel it is ethical!  Just like a 22 cal centerfire during deer season it will work but requires a lot of patience and waiting on the right shot and distance.  As with the 22 cal centerfire on deer, people tend to let the unexperienced people shoot these non-kicking guns but in fact those are the very people who should not be using them.  The first year I ever turkey hunted, I used a .410.  I did not know it was illegal at the time.  The next year I found out it was and bought a 12 ga.  I am glad I did not get a chance to shoot one that first year because I did not know enough to know!


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## Al White (Mar 14, 2005)

"It is now legal although I do not feel it is ethical!"

Why not?

I think that maybe what you are saying is that some people would try too long of a shot with one?  I feel that at 25 yards a .410 would make a turkey do a backflip.  I shot a coyote with a .410, just happened to have one readily handy, last year at 30 yards.  He ran about 10 steps and died.  I was shooting #7 shot in it.


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## Randy (Mar 14, 2005)

Al White said:
			
		

> Why not?



Because there are not enough pellets to make sure of a kill except within very close range and that is where most people fail.  Look at the rage right now.  3 1/2" shells shooting hevi-shot so they can take them at 60 yards.  No dought the .410 will work but it is gun that shoudl be left to experts.


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## Wetzel (Mar 14, 2005)

I bought my daughter a .410 last spring in the hopes that we could get a turkey within range for her to shoot.  After patterning the gun with several different ammos, I quickly decided that I should have bought a 20 ga.  If a turkey is within range, I'd say within 20 yards maximum, the .410 would work great, outside of that 20 yards and I don't think it would be consistent enough to kill turkeys with.  Most hunters today are not disciplined enough not to try longer shots even it they know there equipment is not capable.  Just my opinion..


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## hawglips (Mar 14, 2005)

I would if I had to.  I figure it will do fine as long as you keep it mighty close.  Not a whole lot of lead in those shells.

Hal


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## Spitdevil (Mar 19, 2005)

All I use is a 410!


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## Gaswamp (Aug 20, 2016)

hawglips said:


> I would if I had to.  I figure it will do fine as long as you keep it mighty close.  Not a whole lot of lead in those shells.
> 
> Hal



oh how things change


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## dtala (Aug 20, 2016)

Randy said:


> Because there are not enough pellets to make sure of a kill except within very close range and that is where most people fail.  Look at the rage right now.  3 1/2" shells shooting hevi-shot so they can take them at 60 yards.  No dought the .410 will work but it is gun that shoudl be left to experts.



it ain't ethical to shoot turkeys with a 3.5" magnum 12 if ya do it at 150 yards either....."ethical" ain't got nothing to do with it. A 410 at 20 yards will kill every time if you do your part.


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## NCHillbilly (Aug 20, 2016)

dtala said:


> it ain't ethical to shoot turkeys with a 3.5" magnum 12 if ya do it at 150 yards either....."ethical" ain't got nothing to do with it. A 410 at 20 yards will kill every time if you do your part.



Yep. Ethical is in the shooter, not the gun. Sniping at birds out of the effective range of your weapon is exactly the same, no matter what gauge and load you're shooting.


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## KentuckyHeadhunter (Aug 20, 2016)

A lot of guys hunt turkeys with a .410 I can assure you.  Also remember a .410 is not a gauge.  It's a caliber.  The smallest gauge is a 28.


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## GLS (Aug 20, 2016)

I've carried a .410 single shot for the last 4 seasons when I'm not carrying my 20 gauge single shot.  At 3.5 lbs. rigged out it's a pleasure to carry and if I do my part, it does its.  I don't consider myself an expert but I am enthusiastic.  Gil


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## Big7 (Aug 20, 2016)

KentuckyHeadhunter said:


> A lot of guys hunt turkeys with a .410 I can assure you.  Also remember a .410 is not a gauge.  It's a caliber. _ The smallest gauge is a 28._


_
_
That Would be a 32. 

The largest is a 4... 

I vote "NO" on a .410 bore for turkey.
Recon it would do in a pinch but why?


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## cowhornedspike (Aug 20, 2016)

hawglips said:


> I would if I had to.  I figure it will do fine as long as you keep it mighty close.  Not a whole lot of lead in those shells.
> 
> Hal





Gaswamp said:


> oh how things change



Beat me to it.  You could probably blackmail Hal with this quote some day.


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## smoothie (Aug 20, 2016)

They are great to use! If you have some toms competing in the woods or coming back to the roost to the ladies first then you are going to get some good 20 yard shots. Be loud, rustle some leaves and be behind a tree. Play the gobble!


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## blood on the ground (Aug 21, 2016)

all day long.. my son killed his first turkey with a 410 and it was just as dead a 12 g would kill it.


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## bearhunter39 (Aug 22, 2016)

I have seen my dad kill plenty of turkeys graveyard dead with a Stevens bolt action 410 and winchester 3inch #4s.a lot farther than you would believe it shoots like a rifle.


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## Nannyman (Aug 22, 2016)

Come on guys. This is an 11 year old thread. Hal and TSS have changed the game in sub gauges. They can now hold patterns to 50yds.


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## M Sharpe (Aug 23, 2016)

KentuckyHeadhunter said:


> A lot of guys hunt turkeys with a .410 I can assure you.  Also remember a .410 is not a gauge.  It's a caliber.  The smallest gauge is a 28.




If I remember correctly from my hunter safety days, years ago, it would be a 67 gauge. The number of lead balls the diameter of the bore that it takes to make a pound.


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## KentuckyHeadhunter (Aug 23, 2016)

Mark I stand corrected.  I was just naming the smallest one I could think of.  Someone else mentioned a 32 and ive never heard of that either.


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## Steve Roberts (Aug 23, 2016)

Man in the late 70's and 80's I wished I had a 12ga that would pattern as good as my Yildiz 410!!!


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## KentuckyHeadhunter (Aug 23, 2016)

A guy who field tests my calls only uses a .410 and he killed five turkeys this year in two states using my scratch box.


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## Steve Roberts (Aug 23, 2016)

KentuckyHeadhunter said:


> A guy who field tests my calls only uses a .410 and he killed five turkeys this year in two states using my scratch box.



Looks like a guys Yildiz O/U 410 from low country Georgia!!!!


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## KentuckyHeadhunter (Aug 23, 2016)

Nope that one is in Kansas/Missouri.


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## Steve Roberts (Aug 24, 2016)

KentuckyHeadhunter said:


> Nope that one is in Kansas/Missouri.



That's a good looking gun, was thinking about getting one in a 28 Ga. The good thing about Yildiz O/U's is,  if the barrel's are not regulated close for poa/poi. Briley chokes in Texas does their warranty service, and will rethread them to change the poa/poi.


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## hawglips (Aug 24, 2016)

hawglips said:


> I would if I had to.  I figure it will do fine as long as you keep it mighty close.  Not a whole lot of lead in those shells.
> 
> Hal



There is no lead at all in the ones I kill turkeys with...

Yep, times sure do change.


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## hawglips (Aug 24, 2016)

Steve Roberts said:


> Looks like a guys Yildiz O/U 410 from low country Georgia!!!!



Looks like 13/16 oz of 9-1/2s....


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## Gaswamp (Aug 25, 2016)

hawglips said:


> There is no lead at all in the ones I kill turkeys with...
> 
> Yep, times sure do change.



thought u might get a kick out of the post.


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## JMB (Sep 7, 2016)

I have too much respect for the bird. 410 poses zero additional challenge when compared to a 20 or 12. If you want to kill closer, call them in closer (or, sigh, put your decoy closer). My issue is why handicap yourself if you wound a bird and need a follow up shot that puts it down. I mean down. I feel a 410 should be outlawed for turkeys simply due to the fact it is flat out not enough gun. Will it kill them? Sure. Can you make that follow up shot on a wounded bird with the same efficiency as a larger bore. No. Are you risking a wounded bird to a greater degree? Absolutely. To me, it is the opposite of sporting.


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## sman (Sep 8, 2016)

With TSS I see no problem.

I've seen .410s with TSS out pattern 12s with lead at 40.


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## hawglips (Sep 9, 2016)

JMB said:


> I have too much respect for the bird. ...I feel a 410 should be outlawed for turkeys simply due to the fact it is flat out not enough gun.



The .410 isn't enough gun, unless you have it loaded with the good stuff.   My current .410 rig performs better than my 12 ga rig back when I was shooting 1-7/8 oz of lead 4s.  

Unless one is swinging the gun at the turkey, it's not the gun that does the killing, but what comes out of the gun....


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## Steve Roberts (Sep 9, 2016)

JMB said:


> I have too much respect for the bird. 410 poses zero additional challenge when compared to a 20 or 12. If you want to kill closer, call them in closer (or, sigh, put your decoy closer). My issue is why handicap yourself if you wound a bird and need a follow up shot that puts it down. I mean down. I feel a 410 should be outlawed for turkeys simply due to the fact it is flat out not enough gun. Will it kill them? Sure. Can you make that follow up shot on a wounded bird with the same efficiency as a larger bore. No. Are you risking a wounded bird to a greater degree? Absolutely. To me, it is the opposite of sporting.





Are you shootings past 40 yards?


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## GLS (Sep 9, 2016)

JMB said:


> I have too much respect for the bird. 410 poses zero additional challenge when compared to a 20 or 12. If you want to kill closer, call them in closer (or, sigh, put your decoy closer). My issue is why handicap yourself if you wound a bird and need a follow up shot that puts it down. I mean down. I feel a 410 should be outlawed for turkeys simply due to the fact it is flat out not enough gun. Will it kill them? Sure. Can you make that follow up shot on a wounded bird with the same efficiency as a larger bore. No. Are you risking a wounded bird to a greater degree? Absolutely. To me, it is the opposite of sporting.



The same argument about a "second" shot being more efficient and therefore "not the opposite of sporting"can be applied against anyone shooting a 10, 12, 16, 20 or 28 gauge single-shot.  While a single-shot can be reloaded quickly, there's no argument that a pump, auto or double can deliver a second shot far quicker than a single-shot.  But I don't adhere to that argument anymore than I feel that today's .410 shooting today's TSS load is a suspect gun and load for a turkey shot at ethical ranges.  The late author Kenny Morgan killed lots of turkeys, including some with a .410.   But to do so, he reportedly often shot a double-triggered .410 SXS with a cork between the front and rear trigger so that when he pulled the front trigger, both barrels fired.  He was shooting lead.   Today, such is not needed to efficiently and reliably kill a turkey with a .410 at ranges once considered the ethical maximum for a 12 gauge shooting lead.  YMMV. Gil


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## Gaswamp (Jun 11, 2017)

GLS said:


> The same argument about a "second" shot being more efficient and therefore "not the opposite of sporting"can be applied against anyone shooting a 10, 12, 16, 20 or 28 gauge single-shot.  While a single-shot can be reloaded quickly, there's no argument that a pump, auto or double can deliver a second shot far quicker than a single-shot.  But I don't adhere to that argument anymore than I feel that today's .410 shooting today's TSS load is a suspect gun and load for a turkey shot at ethical ranges.  The late author Kenny Morgan killed lots of turkeys, including some with a .410.   But to do so, he reportedly often shot a double-triggered .410 SXS with a cork between the front and rear trigger so that when he pulled the front trigger, both barrels fired.  He was shooting lead.   Today, such is not needed to efficiently and reliably kill a turkey with a .410 at ranges once considered the ethical maximum for a 12 gauge shooting lead.  YMMV. Gil



First time I wish I had a second shot this year after that ammo failure


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## Jack Ryan (Jun 11, 2017)

Laws are for the stupid people the rest the world just puts up with.


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## Bubba_1122 (Jun 17, 2017)

Been shooting TSS over the last 2 years. Have kilt birds out to 43 yards. Closest was 20. All dead without a flap. Just plain smoked. 

I think many who said no in the poll probably haven't experienced the knockdown power of #9 TSS and just can't quite digest the thought of shooting #9's through a small bore at such a big bird. TSS ain't magical, but it hits mighty hard.

I have a fixed choke Mossberg 410 pump with a factory fixed full choke. Bought it with the hope that it'd pattern well using TSS. It didn't, so I've kept hunting with my 20.

Needing to decide whether to send the barrel off to Sumtoy and get tubes (which would probably cost more than the gun did). Other options are to buy a 870 in 410 or load for my 28 gauge O/U.

Will likely end up going the 28 route, but after loading and shooting the Mossberg if I could tweak the pattern just a little I could be pretty comfortable from 30 in with it (and I'm generally pretty conservative about such things).


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## moto (Jun 29, 2017)

I prefer my 12 any and all day long, but have no objection to 20's because I have used them as well. I just have more confidence in having extra juice and shot. I have witnessed way too many birds get away, even with well placed shots. At any time a hole can open up in any given pattern so why risk it by reducing the load.

Plus, remember that using #9's is/was illegal in some states regardless of energy/velocity. I grew up using 7's, 8's, and 9's for grouse, pheasant, squirrels, crows, rabbits, etc

It's the same argument regarding airguns for deer; a .50 is said to be more than proficient to take down a deer so why use anything else?


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## Steve Roberts (Jun 30, 2017)

Back in the day it use to be if you could put 5 lead shot in  the bone structure of a turkeys head, and neck that was your Max. kill range. It was printed on the old Winchester turkey targets.


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## badge40 (Jun 30, 2017)

Jebs choke tubes just posted their results from a .410 with TSS loads and the pattern at 40 yards was unbelievable.


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## kmckinnie (Jun 30, 2017)

badge40 said:


> Jebs choke tubes just posted their results from a .410 with TSS loads and the pattern at 40 yards was unbelievable.



I believe it.


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