Can You Turkey Hunt with a .410? A Comprehensive Guide to Ethical and Effective Use

As a longtime, traditional turkey hunter who loves the challenge of getting Mr. When I hear or read about someone trying to find the biggest, baddest, most pellets in a 10-inch circle at 40 yards, “reach out and get some” at 75 yards, or find the best turkey gun, choke, and load available, I can’t help but scratch my head. Over the past few years, that conversation seemed to take center stage on online forums dedicated to talking about turkeys. However, the focus now seems to be on discovering the ideal combination for smaller shotgun gauges, such as the tiny 410.

In today’s turkey gun market, the little . When it comes to a turkey hunter’s wish list, 410 has taken the front row, and in response, gun manufacturers have introduced a number of brand-new and intriguing 410 models specifically make for turkey hunting. Both young and old turkey enthusiasts own what was formerly thought of as a beginner’s shotgun.

In the past, when lead shot for turkey loads was only slightly hardened or chilled, turkey guns could not shoot a gobbler at a distance greater than 40 yards, even with the longest barrels and chokes. And back then, most turkey hunters wouldn’t think of taking anything afield but a 10 or 12-gauge shotgun. For those who dared going afield in search of Mr. Tom with the . 410, the actual range was somewhere between 25 and 30 yards with a 3-inch shell payload of lead fed through a full choke. And 30 was a bit of a stretch.

The development of choke tubes, shotshell wad designs, and heavier-than-lead shot, which has demonstrated extremely tight patterning in 12-gauge guns at ranges well beyond that 40-yard benchmark, has played a major role in the shift to smaller gauges. When it comes to the . 410, the new loads of choice all feature pellets that are noticeably heavier than lead.

The new TSS (Tungsten Super Shot) loads from businesses like Federal and Apex, along with the tungsten-based Hevi-Shot Hevi-X Strut, make the 410 a viable option for the turkey hunter. The testing for these loads showed that a #9 or 9. 5 TSS pellet carried the same punch as a #5 or #6 lead pellet. The #6 tungsten-based pellets in the Hevi-X Strut outperformed its lead counterparts. The TSS manufacturers will tell you that their advantage over lead and the heavier-than-lead tungsten with this data is that they could put many, many more #9 or #9. 5 pellets in a . 410 hull than their competition could with the larger shot sizes. The TSS pellets are 20222% more dense than tungsten and 20566% more dense than lead. Let’s face it. Factual information is factual. Both shot options offer a decided performance advantage over what their predecessors had at their disposal years ago.

For the Hevi-Shot enthusiasts, it should be noted that the company makes a great . 410 turkey load called Hevi-X Strut. This load features #6 tungsten pellets launched at a speed about 100 fps faster than the TSS loads. You will also find that these loads are roughly half the price of the TSS loads. The bottom line here is that it’s a matter of personal preference which way you go. The good news is that the . 410 is now a more viable option for turkey hunters than ever before. When all is said and done, you can bet that your ammunition will be the least expensive component of your turkey hunt, even though these new loads are significantly more expensive than lead ammunition.

Before we get ahead of ourselves and start pronouncing the . 410 to be a 50-yard turkey gun, let’s take a moment to examine the reasons behind our pursuit of Mr. Tom so hard in the first place. For those of us who are ardent turkey hunters, it’s not just about shooting a bird as far as possible. it is all about how close to the gun you can get one. The founder of Mossy Oak, Toxey Haas, will tell you without a doubt that the purpose of his original Bottomland camo design was to get him closer to animals rather than measure how far he could shoot them.

The idea that we can kill a gobbler from a distance is something I’m not sure where we got off track, but it’s definitely a big departure from what the die-hard turkey hunters among us used to do. I suppose it’s a case of product companies striving to be the greatest, and they’ve done an incredible job creating amazing products. However, since those in-person encounters with Mr., if technology continues to advance the firearms, chokes, and ammunition—which it most certainly will—we might soon be seen in the turkey woods sporting hunter orange clothing. Tom will be a thing of the past. Undoubtedly, the “in your face” encounter with a gobbler is far more thrilling than making that drawn-out 50/50 shot.

That said, it really is important to understand the ballistics capability of the . 410 shotgun. Regardless of choke restriction, the gun’s extremely small bore results in a long shotstring and a narrow shot pattern. As a result, shooting a tightly choked . 410 turkey gun is really more like shooting a rifle than a shotgun. As a result, making sure that the point of impact is true is critical. The majority of hunters will be more successful if they can aim through an optics system because it can be difficult to align an open rifle sight or a single bead on a gobbler that is stuck at 40 yards and won’t come closer. Especially near the end of the process, you really don’t have much, so you want to be as exact as you can be. 410’s range.

As was mentioned, when it comes to firearms designed especially for hunting turkeys, we’ve gone a long way in a short amount of time. This is especially true of the . 410 gauge models. Let’s take a closer look at six different shotguns available today that are specifically designed for turkey hunting.

In terms of design, this shotgun is actually closer to a handgun than a long gun, but when held correctly and with the appropriate sights, it can be a 410 shotgun with an effective range out to 40 yards. Every Kauger Arms firearm is made to order in the Hazlehurst, Georgia. This custom-made turkey gun takes four to six weeks to produce once ordered and is priced at $1,348. 00 before options. Standard custom wood colors are available, and additional options include finishing the gun in one of two Mossy Oak patterns and installing a Burris FastFire sight.

For many years, the Mossberg 500 pump shotgun has been a go-to gun for turkey hunters nationwide. New for 2020 is the Mossberg 500 . 410 turkey gun. With its 24-inch vent rib barrel and X-Full Extended choke tube, synthetic stock that pulls in slightly less than 14 inches, top mounted safety, swivel studs on the stock and forearm cap, and an adjustable fiber optic front sight for simple target acquisition in low light, this pump action model comes in Mossy Oak Original Bottomland. The gun weighs in a 6. 5 pounds, so it’s an easy carry in the turkey woods.

Along with the well-liked Mossberg 500 pump model, the business has responded to hunters’ demands for semi-automatic shotguns. New for 2020 is the Mossberg SA-410, a semiautomatic . 410 gauge shotgun that is loaded with custom features.

The gun comes standard with a synthetic stock and 26-inch barrel finished in Mossy Oak Original Bottomland camo. A factory-installed XX-Full Turkey Choke and adjustable fiber optic Ghost Ring optics allow for precise sighting on the vent rib barrel. Additionally, the SA-410 has a receiver mounted rail that enables the addition of red dot optics or more scope to the weapon. The SA-410 weighs in at 6. 5 pounds, has a 13. 75” length of pull and features a 4+1 magazine chambered for 3” ammo.

It’s always interesting when something new, new hits the market. A new gas-operated semi-auto called the Pointer Phenoma has been introduced to the market by Legacy Sports International in Reno, Nevada. This gun is available in a range of gauges, including the Mossy Oak Bottomland and Mossy Oak Obsession patterns. 410. The man has a fiber optic front sight, a vent rib, and choke thread patterns that work with both Beretta and Benelli Mobil. Each gun comes with five different choke tubes.

Any time you see Federal Ammunition come out with a new specialty load like the Heavyweight TSS in . 410, you can be sure Savage Arms will develop a shotgun to accommodate the new cartridge. Given that Vista Outdoors owns and operates both Savage and Federal, the combination of firearm and ammunition was almost a given.

The Savage 301 Turkey is a break action, single shot . 410 shotgun that is available in either Mossy Oak Bottomland or Obsession. With the camo color, one-piece detachable rail for a red dot or other optic, swivel studs to add a sling, a front sight that works with Tru-Glo, and an additional full Winchester, Savage engineers have definitely made it “turkey specific.” Choke compatible choke tube. It is hammer driven and features manual safety located on the receiver of the gun. The small gun weighs just a little bit over five pounds and has a 26-inch barrel that is optimized for Federal TSS loads. Suggested MSRP is $199. 00.

For years, TriStar Arms in North Kansas City has imported excellent semi-automatic shotguns for turkeys. Similar to Mossy Oak, Tristar is a significant NWTF sponsor. The TriStar NWTF G2 was unveiled by the company in 2019. 410 semi-auto in Mossy Oak Obsession. This little gun has a fiber optic sight, a 26-inch barrel, and a Beretta/Benelli Mobil turkey choke tube. With a more open choke, this little gun could be an excellent early-season dove gun thanks to the interchangeable choke system.

Although the manufacturers have designated the guns and optics on the above list as “turkey models” or ideal for hunting turkeys, you may want to take into account other options when making the decision. 410 your gun of choice. As discussed earlier, the . 410 bore prints patterns that are fairly narrow and with a long shotstring. Since most turkey hunters strive to get a gobbler as close to the gun as possible, some . 410 purists opt to use an over and under . 410 model fitted with a more open choke for very close encounters with Mr. Tom and a conventional turkey choke for shots 25 or more yards away.

At the same time, some hunters will want to go with a more adjustable scope option. Sometimes it is necessary to have an adjustable eyepiece, a higher lens objective, and more magnification flexibility.

.410 Shotgun Choke Tubes for Turkeys

Charlie Boswell at Comp-n-Choke has long been known as an innovator when it comes to custom choke tubes. According to the company, he created custom chokes with release ports to disperse gases as the payload exits the choke, resulting in a slight reduction in felt recoil. Now, this isn’t an issue with the . 410, but the tubes are designed the same way through the spectrum of gauges. Comp-n-Choke’s Turkey Choke for . 410 models is bored . 385, and they offer chokes for many of the more popular shotgun models.

Jeb’s Choke Tubes has introduced a turkey choke for the . 410 following a very successful launch of their 12 and 20-gauge Head Hunter models some years ago. Instead of noting a defined constriction in the chokes, Jeb’s offers their . 410 turkey model in Improved, Modified, Full and Extra Full. This provides a range of options for hunters who want to use a more open choke at their turkey hunting location. JEBS . 410 Turkey Choke Pattern at 30 Yards (39 Vital Hits) JEBS . 410 Turkey Choke Pattern at 40 Yards (29 Vital Hits).

Carlson is one of only a few companies that makes different choke tubes for specific ammunition. They recently introduced the Carlson TSS Turkey Choke in 12, 20 and . 410 gauges. The . Although the 410 model is best suited for Federal Heavyweight TSS loads, it also performs admirably with heavier-than-lead loads in shot sizes 7-9 from other manufacturers.

For many years, Indian Creek choke tubes were the talk of the turkey hunting world. That’s because Indian Creek was among the early pioneers of turkey specific custom choke tubes. Today, the company manufactures its Black Diamond custom choke in . 410 for a variety of different turkey guns. The . 410 choke restrictions for turkey guns ranges from . 380-. 390. Indian Creek reports that these custom chokes improve pattern density by as much as 40% with . 410 loads.

Is a .410 Enough for Turkey Hunting?