Trying something new this spring

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hunter with MS
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by hunter with MS »

Picked up the Steven 301 410 turkey it comes with a screw in turkey choke I put my Simmons pro diamond on it and went about sighting it in and getting a pattern with it with cheap #9 shot the pattern was wow was just as good or better then my 12 or 20 . I Shot it out to 30 yards next I will try some of the tss loads . I'll still use my excal in areas I can some areas I hunt you need a gun .
Last edited by hunter with MS on Fri Jan 24, 2020 1:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
xcaliber
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by xcaliber »

Yep I really wanted to go with the.410 too. When Indiana adds that to the legal list of firearms for turkey I’m getting one!
Good luck, looking forward to hearing your results.
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Cardinalsfanforever
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by Cardinalsfanforever »

not a real accomplished turkey hunter, not a lot of birds here. but looking for some suggestions here, got a 20 ga rem. couple years ago for deer, got a carlson choke coming, maybe gonna get a jelly head for grandsons 20 ga., should we try scopes or just bead site? both are chambered 3 ".
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janesy
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by janesy »

Cardinalsfanforever wrote:
Sun Jan 26, 2020 12:26 am
not a real accomplished turkey hunter, not a lot of birds here. but looking for some suggestions here, got a 20 ga rem. couple years ago for deer, got a carlson choke coming, maybe gonna get a jelly head for grandsons 20 ga., should we try scopes or just bead site? both are chambered 3 ".
Personally I would start with the beads. Make sure your pattern is good, you may have to buy different choke or loads to find the one your gun likes. After you get the gun settled, you can go whatever route you like for optics.
Try some Winchester LongBeard XR loads first. For that matter the Winchester XX works well too for many many guns
Last edited by janesy on Sun Jan 26, 2020 9:44 am, edited 2 times in total.
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robertyb
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by robertyb »

I have killed a lot of birds and mostly with a scope installed. I wounded a couple shooting just the beads early on and went to the scope and ever bird since out to 65 yards had died in its tracks. I use a Simmons Pro Diamond scope.
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Timbrhuntr
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by Timbrhuntr »

I have used a bead, a scope and a reflex site . Bead is ok with an open pattern or if you are sitting in a blind with a decoy and can take your time and move alot same for scope. But if you are moving around and setting up at odd location the birds can come from weird angles and be moving. The shot pattern on most turkey guns is usually tight under 10 yards as well and if you have to take a shot from a weird angle sometimes you can't get down right on the gun or even on the scope correctly. Thats why I went with the reflex sight. If the dot is on the wattles dead bird. You can shoot with both eyes open and see the dot floating out in front of you and this gives better field of view also. Most shots are under 40 yards so it is simple to put the dot on the birds neck and shoot. It also makes for quick target aquisition if for some reason you need a follow up shot. Sometimes with young or new shooters they try to look at the bird and don't get down on the gun properly resulting in misses especially at close range. This isn't so critical for a dot and less experienced shooters . Drawbacks are it uses a battery which can run out but if you get a descent one that shouldn't be a problem. I hunt about 40 days or better every spring and sometimes especially out west I travel all day hunting with dot on and have yet to have a battery fail.
Timbrhuntr
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by Timbrhuntr »

If you are going to go with a scope I agree that the pro diamond is a good choice used one for years but put it away when I used a buddies gun with a dot on it and liked it much better.
hunter with MS
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by hunter with MS »

With Today's turkey chokes shooting super tight patterns it is like shooting a rifle .With 70 to 80 plus percent of the pellets in the kill zone of a turkey target . I found using a scope a must and with my vision as it is I need the scope can not see the bead or true glow sight good enough now to be consist . Of course being so tight turkeys can be missed at close range .
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by jody5252 »

:thumbup:
janesy wrote:
Sat Dec 21, 2019 9:42 pm
Hmmm... This might be the Canadian coming out here(we tend to use more gun than we need) .
But I'd be going 20G before 410.

I use a couple 12 bores and have knocked them clean across a ditch without killing them dead. It's not that they are tough to kill, it's that the margin of error is so high. Turkey hunting is possibly the most exciting hunting you can do without you prey hunting you back lol. When old Tom sneaks up behind you and then drums so loud it feels like you chest is vibrating ... You'll be hooked.
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xcaliber
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by xcaliber »

Well folks, it''s gonna have to wait until fall, or next spring. I cannot hunt by myself due to other medical issues, and can't risk hanging out with the Kid, and seeing his skills. So what's the fun in that. Anyway, due to this pandemic, the Kid might not have a new job until next year, so maybe we'll book that deer hunting trip. I don't need a turkey that bad to risk it my possible LAST hunt. :eusa-hand:
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elkaholic
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by elkaholic »

Yeah I started a (repeat)new tradition for my turkey hunts.

Broke out the beast. Marlin model 55 bolt action 12 guage with a 36 in full choke barrel.

I used it yrs. ago on a hunt. Kinda heavy but easily reaches out and slams them hard.

I barely get much goose or duck hunting nowadays , so was improvising.

Danged thing dont like gun safes either.
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janesy
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by janesy »

elkaholic wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 9:47 pm
Yeah I started a (repeat)new tradition for my turkey hunts.

Broke out the beast. Marlin model 55 bolt action 12 guage with a 36 in full choke barrel.

I used it yrs. ago on a hunt. Kinda heavy but easily reaches out and slams them hard.

I barely get much goose or duck hunting nowadays , so was improvising.

Danged thing dont like gun safes either.
Nice! You don't even need to pattern that at 40 yards, that's pretty much touching their nose already! Sweet
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elkaholic
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Re: Trying something new this spring

Post by elkaholic »

I actually own 2 of them. Lol
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