Ultralight turkey gun

howl

WKR
Joined
Dec 3, 2016
Messages
463
Location
GA
Just as big game hunters are going for light rifles in cartridges like 6.5CM, turkey hunters can go for ultralight shotguns in .410 bore. Here we have a .410 handloaded with 18g/cc #9.5 tungsten shot that will take Ol' Tom like our 12 gauges with lead shot. Instead of seven, eight pounds or more, we have a bona fide turkey killer at less than 3.5#.

A turkey choke and MRDS is required to make the most of the .410 with handloads. The patterns have to be extremely tight since you're throwing less than an ounce of shot.
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This is at a steel taped forty yards. Compare that to a 12 gauge with standard lead loads.
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It does the business, too!
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16Bore

WKR
Joined
Mar 31, 2014
Messages
3,020
The world may finally be realizing that less really is more...
 

bates

WKR
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
554
Location
Florida
Heck yeah

Apex Ammo is now loading TSS in 20 and the smaller stuff

i have a 20guage on order for next season,
 

KJH

WKR
Joined
May 10, 2016
Messages
547
Good stuff. How long is the barrel on that thing.

My son killed a turkey this spring with a youth .410 and my daughter did it with a 20 gauge. Both did an exceptional job with plain old 7.5 trap loads. Shot placement is more important than anything IMO. Of course, they have to be in range... The bigger loads will get the load moving faster and thus going farther. That is the biggest advantage to a larger gauge that I can see.

Smaller gauge shotguns are just fine for turkeys.
 
OP
H

howl

WKR
Joined
Dec 3, 2016
Messages
463
Location
GA
That Yildiz has a stock length barrel at 28". Personally I like the longer barrels and standard velocity loads for the reduced muzzle report. I tested 3/4oz lead 7.5s as adequate to thirty yards with the turkey choke.

I hunted for many years with 12 gauges, and quite a few with 3.5" guns and heavy loads. Then I tried a 20 gauge with Federal heavyweight loads. That was fine and as good as a 12 with a pound or two shaved off, but I had reason to investigate lighter guns. I found where other folks had figured out how to do it and copied them. Now that I've experienced the ultralight .410, I have no desire to use anything else. Holding up a big 12 waiting on a gobbler to cross the forty yard line got to be a chore sometimes. You can hold the .410 as long as it takes; no problem.

If anyone is interested in moving to a .410, now is the time to start planning. This is still on the cutting edge with limited sources for components or ammunition and work. If I was starting from scratch I would look at using #10s through a stock gun first before considering gunsmithing. Rolling your own loads helps because you can tweak a little to make your pattern better. None of this is difficult, but February is not the time to start.
 
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