Considering a 410 Shotgun for Turkey

[Sirex]

I would only buy a turkey shotgun made in Turkey. Who knows more about t(T)urkey?

 

[Doco Overboard]

I was just thinking,
I have a smooth bore Martini here that needs to be built up into something sweet. An Indian pattern prison gun.
577/450.
Now that, would be an awesome turkey gun to equip one self an additional amount of challenge and personal satisfaction.
Its even got sights on it.
There may even be the additional benefit while working up a load, and through the course of development to learn about how a SG works and where a good pattern really stems from.

 

[outrider58]

I would only buy a turkey shotgun made in Turkey. Who knows more about t(T)urkey?

The TriStar(that I just bought) is made in Turkey.

 

[Sirex]

The TriStar(that I just bought) is made in Turkey.

Nice. I have a Tristar G2 Viper in 12G and love it. I was seriously considering getting the .410 version, but with the cost of .410 ammo, and I don't hunt, so I figured I'd spend money elsewhere. But I love my Viper.

 

[mauser58]

Do some homework. The ballistics are the same. Range is the same.

As far as missing goes, every true turkey hunter has missed a time or two. It's part of hunting.

Very true

 

[mauser58]

The TriStar(that I just bought) is made in Turkey.

I have the O/U Tristar and a very nice shotgun. Also one of the prettiest black walnut stocks I have.

 

[outrider58]

Nice. I have a Tristar G2 Viper in 12G and love it. I was seriously considering getting the .410 version, but with the cost of .410 ammo, and I don't hunt, so I figured I'd spend money elsewhere. But I love my Viper.

I'm happy to hear that. It was difficult to find reviews on the 410 other than on YouTube and you can't always trust those. The only complaint I remember hearing was on their finish work. They sometimes have blemishes. It being a hunting gun, I was too worried about superficial blemishes.

 

[fabsroman]

If I can get more land I’d happily hunt squirrels and rabbits with a .410. I can’t comment on turkey because I am not in that game really. I want to, but realistically I am not. A .410 means less shot in the rabbit or squirrel if you do use a shotgun. Quieter. Faster follow-ups. The shells aren’t so much more expensive to make it prohibitive really. Or at least a few bucks extra a box isn’t going to change my ability to pay my mortgage on the first of the month even if I went wild and shot two limits a week all season.

I have an old sears pump .410. My only real complaint is the length of pull on the slide is long. I can handle it fine, but it’s a little awkward and very awkward for my boys who aren’t small for their age. My 12yr old might be taller than my 5’6” wife before he turns 13 in a few weeks and my almost 15yr old is two inches shy of my 6’1”. I am loath to cut on it, but I am tempted to take half or three quarters of an inch off the butt and put a grind to fit pad on there. I can break mid to high teens in trap easily enough, granted I haven’t shot since before COVID (I need to fix that!) with my 12ga 870. The couple of times I’ve tried that .410 I shot high single digits. It really ups your game!

Not what I’d ever use for birds in flight. Birds on the ground and small game it’s nicer than the 12ga on most levels IMHO

You can use a more open choke for squirrel or rabbit with a 12 gauge and you will get the same amount of pellets in the animal, but have a larger margin of error.

 

[K31]

I would only buy a turkey shotgun made in Turkey. Who knows more about t(T)urkey?

Since the American turkey was erroneously named after the guinea fowl (then called turkey cock), not the Turks.

 

[outrider58]

Since the American turkey was erroneously named after the guinea fowl (then called turkey cock), not the Turks.

You can add the American "buffalo" to that list...

 

[firemn260]

I found a old rusty mossberg 183 bolt action 410 the other day when I was rooting around my friends barn. I figured it would make a nice squirrel gun for my son so he gave it to me. It cleaned up pretty well.

Was looking around at bass pro and all I could find where Defense loads that I’m guessing are for the 410 revolvers and turkey loads. I about busted my jaw up on the floor when I saw how much the turkey loads where for a box of 5.

Seems interesting though, super high density tiny pellets moving along quickly.

I’m considering putting together a cheap loading set up for it. I have a boat load of lil gun and 209s

 

[PoPo3]

I hope all these guys knocking the .410 for turkey don’t deer hunt with a bow…..

 

[outrider58]

For all the doubters and naysayers out there...

 

[MeatGrinder]

Whoa!!
Congratulations
Details please

 

[Bountied]

For all the doubters and naysayers out there...

View attachment 410173

I hope you only shot one of those...

 

[outrider58]

I hope you only shot one of those...

Yup.

 

[Bountied]

Yup.

Good work, what ammo/choke setup did you go with? Also what are the specs on the Tom?

 

[outrider58]

Good work, what ammo/choke setup did you go with? Also what are the specs on the Tom?

Whoa!!
Congratulations
Details please

Mine was 24# 1.25" spurs 10.5" beard. We got them right off the roost. The other was only 17# with identical beard and spurs. Three gobblers came in to my calls. We were done before 0630.

You never want to think you know what turkeys are going to do. I'm not nearly that good. Given the roost we called them from though, their normal pattern proved their undoing. They read the playbook.

Ammo was Federal Premium TSS 3" #9 shot. I chose the TriStar Viper Turkey choke. It was what I sighted in with and I was averaging 10-12 pellets in the head on paper at 40 yards. I will try some other chokes sometime this year after the season.

 

[Bountied]

Mine was 24# 1.25" spurs 10.5" beard. We got them right off the roost. The other was only 17# with identical beard and spurs. Three gobblers came in to my calls. We were done before 0630.

You never want to think you know what turkeys are going to do. I'm not nearly that good. Given the roost we called them from though, their normal pattern proved their undoing. They read the playbook.

That beats sitting there all day. Hopefully the bugs weren't to bad yet.

 

[44man]

I believe I am going to get a 410 for rabbit hunting after seeing this!