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Turkey with a 10 gauge

Ckwilli

Ckwilli

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2019
Messages
1,292
Anyone turkey hunt with a 10 gauge? Have you had any trouble finding ammo? A 10 seems unnecessary since there are so many good 12ga loads now but was curious if anyone still uses a 10.
 
Dr. Buzbee did a series of studies on ostriches that were instrumental in getting local governments there to legalize a spring season for the species. The data doesn't lie. A 12 gauge cannot hold enough #4 buck to put a good pattern on an ostrich head at 50 yards.

You can kill a turkey with a 12 gauge when everything goes right, but I choose my equipment for the cases when everything goes wrong.

:tonguewink:
 
Well one never knows when an ostrich or Sasquatch may appear!
 
I’ve killed a turkey simply by making the gun shape with my hand,pointing at it and yelling BANG! Fell over dead...

In all seriousness With the advancements in rounds and shot metals a ten gauge is not needed. Will it work yes but I’d rather go lighter smaller and easier on my shoulder.
 
Anobody said:
I’ve killed a turkey simply by making the gun shape with my hand,pointing at it and yelling BANG! Fell over dead...

In all seriousness With the advancements in rounds and shot metals a ten gauge is not needed. Will it work yes but I’d rather go lighter smaller and easier on my shoulder.
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My dad hunts with one of those Stevens model 301 turkey guns in .410. He says inside 30 yards or so it’s deadly. The shells he shots are $$$ though.
 
Ckwilli said:
My dad hunts with one of those Stevens model 301 turkey guns in .410. He says inside 30 yards or so it’s deadly. The shells he shots are $$$ though.
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Yea the 410 has come a long way. I remember reading ken Morgan’s book and he had a chapter on the 410. Even back in the 80s 90s people were using them just at close range.

I was a 20 ga guy. It had enough power in the old loads to work at extended range but didn’t smash me up. I think you’d be fine either way
 
Anobody said:
Yea the 410 has come a long way. I remember reading ken Morgan’s book and he had a chapter on the 410. Even back in the 80s 90s people were using them just at close range.

I was a 20 ga guy. It had enough power in the old loads to work at extended range but didn’t smash me up. I think you’d be fine either way
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I shoot a 12ga and the Winchester 3” shells with the flight control wad seem to pattern the best. I’ve tossed around the idea of using a 20 this season but haven’t committed to it yet. I was just curious if anyone was still using a 10.
 
My dad hunted with it browning 10 gauge all the years I was growing up, he sold it to me about four years ago, I’ve shot it but I’ve never taken out turkey hunting ... “ If it triggers gold the bird will fold” Rut Daniels.
 
Killed a couple toms throughout my teens with my dad's Ithaca 10 ga. He then bought a Remington SP-10 day 1 it came out and still owns it and hunts with it to this day. In the old days before hevi-shot, tss, and shot resin, the 10 shot significantly better patterns due to the bore size not deforming the lead as severely. With all the new shell tech out there, the 10 as been rendered moot. However, with my ol man's gun weighing in at I believe 10.5 lbs, it shoots significantly softer than any 12 I've ever fired. I've shot Nitro Company 2.5 oz loads through both my SBE2 and his 10 side by side and the difference is staggering. Then again, is the recoil reduction worth the tremendous weight gain, when you won't even feel the shot at the bird? I don't think so.
There's something about that shotgun that brings back so many memories as a kid. So much nostalgia.
And I always get to brag I killed my first bird at 12 with a 10 gauge lol
 
I have a SxS 10 that I have duck and goose hunted with but never turkey hunted with it. Last time I took it out I snuck on a field of sky carp(snow geese). Raised up and dropped both barrels into 'em. Will never make that mistake again but did find the limit of how many geese this human can tote out of a muddy rice field.
 
10 gauge instead of 12??? Heck, I think the question should be .410 vs a 20 for Turkeys! I think a 12 is overkill unless youre trying to kill turkeys at 75 yards which seems to defeat what turkey hunting is about in my eyes, getting them to come close.
 
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