.410's? For Gobblers

[Ten Bears]

First years out, but all I got is an old .410. Will that do the job with a 3" & #4 shot?

 

[snite66]

I don't know what the laws are where you are but down here we can't use anything smaller than a 20guage for turkey. I don't know if a 410 would work real good on turkey. they are pretty tough birds. I am sure a 410 would kill a turkey I just don't know if it would have the knock down to be sure of a consistantly clean kill. I believe in almost overkill....I shoot a three and one half inch shell. My dad asked me why I shoot a 3.5 shell and I told him because they don't make a four inch one yet .

Seriously, I wouldn't go after them with anything less than a 20 guage. I would just be scared of being under gunned.

 

[dgibson]

TB, I'm sure it can be done, but I'm with Steve. You've got to get the pellets to penetrate a turkey's neck and break the vertebrae. A .410 just doesn't have the mojo to do that at any distance. You'll have to call them in awfully close to get the job done.

 

[Ithaca 37]

Get a turkey patterning target and find out for yourself what the effective range is. I bet you'll find out it's less than twenty yards, maybe 15.

I wouldn't use a .410 myself, even a 20 gauge is a big handicap.

 

[AA]

Simply put, the 410 with it's 11/16 oz of shot does not throw out a very dense pattern.It gets worse with the larger shot too, ie. #6,#4's. I would wait until you get your hands on a 12ga.This is not implying that turkeys are not killed with lesser guns but in the long run the 12g ga will be the better choice.

AA