Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Sub 12ga thread

Pic from a couple of years ago. Took the first bird to wander in to the decoys, a little jake. Model 31 from 1936 in 16 ga FULL.

Nice bird, but beautiful old Model 31, what a gem !

Thanks Vic, I like the old gun quite a lot. I've taken it out for doves and chukar and it is a pleasure to shoot

Second tom of 2020 for me. Posted before but appropriate for this thread (plus I'm pretty proud of myself, first tom called in and killed by myself ) Blaster is a 20ga. JL Galef Companion singleshot, Fiocchi 3" Golden Pheasant 1 1/4oz #6, about 30 yards.

Spotted him the day before following a hen down a power line right of way. Went in and set up, called some and got him gobbling but he wouldn't budge. Went back the next morning, cold called and he gobbled back. Found a better spot to lay up and sent out a few more yelps on my box call. He gobbled right back and was closer, so I yelped a couple more times, getting a gobble back and it was clear he was coming in. A minute or 2 later I see his head coming up the hill looking for the hen and I let him come another 5 yards or so. He stops and starts getting the nervous head weave going so I decide it's now or never, bang, flop! Sometimes it just works out.

Good luck to those getting after them this spring!

I remember those Companions. Nice snag.

I plan on hitting them hard next month. Am heavily invested in new guns, vest, boots, calls, even pants! Got a bunch of TSS in .410 and 20. Hope they appreciate my commitment.

Looking good ryoushi!

Pappy, post up pics next month of that .410 bird please

Looking forward to the opener!

Nice Dan. Just sittin here thinkin about a Turkey hunt to Idaho if I don’t get a spring bear tag. Make a shed/Turkey/scoutin trip over to my whitetail spot.

Thanks! I inherited the Companion from my FIL after he passed. It has become a favorite, especially for high country blue grouse in the alpine.



That would be a fun trip. Some great turkey hunting in Washington too, Jud. One of the few places (maybe the only?) where you can kill 3 different subspecies of turkey in one season.

Thanks longarm! This is a great thread, goes to show you don't need a big blaster to kill these birds. I'm likely to miss turkey season this year so am looking forward to seeing success pics from those who get after 'em.

Ya father in law has a chunk of ground up tonasket, gotta buncha birds. Area I go in Idaho is covered up with em too. Just lookin for a excuse to get out camp and kill a bird or 2.

ryoushi, if you get the time I would happily host you on a local hunt here. PM me for details

Gotcha. It's unreal how many turkey are out in E WA and N Idaho, a real success story, almost too much so.

Sent!

Hey Jud,
Didn't see your response earlier. You know you are always welcome down this way!

Appreciated Dan, I’ll take ya up on it. 👍

Perfect timing. This Saturday I was pattern checking the TC turkey gun, I have a 4x scope on it to zero in on the head a bit better and have killed several birds with it over the years. I must be getting forgetful more so the closer I get to 70, or I just got used to shooting my 28 at quail this year.
I got a "scope bite" on the bridge of my nose. Something I haven't done for over 10 years., musta just got lazy.
Yesterday I finally got around to cleaning my 410 Companion after shooting some wobble trap with it a few weeks ago. Thought to myself as I rubbed the bridge of my nose that I might want to try the 410 this year and chuckled as I put it back in the safe.

After reading this post, I checked and I do have two boxes of Fiocchi GP 3inch on the shelf. Might need to test my "cluckin and puttin" skills this year.
Your post must have been my message from God.

(In my best God-like voice) I command thee to go forth and turkey hunt with the Companion!

Ain't gotta tell me twice...that's my wife's job.

Looking forward to the grip-n-grin.

You guys got me on a roll now. Just ordered some TSS 410's on line for the 410 Companion, and an Optima 2XF choke for my 28 ga A 400 Beretta.

20ga is as sub 12ga as I can legally go and this will be my first time ever using something smaller than a 12ga. Looking forward to it.

Fed #9 TSS Henry SS w/Henry (Briley) Turkey choke @40 yards



Brenneke Slugs @ 50 yards Skeet choke

Well the TSS 410 shells came late yesterday. Now to convince myself to shoot a $6 shell at a piece of paper. Yeah, I know the shells are the cheapest part of the hunt.

I just shot some #9 Fed TSS from my new 410 with a .385 Comp-N-Choke. Wind was gusting and it was raining but at 42yds I got 107 and then 111 in a 10” circle. I have some Browning tss ordered since I can’t find the Federals.



I don’t know if this 410 will replace my 870 youth 20 and Federal 7’s but it’s sure going to see some time in the woods.

Best to do it. Your POI may be different than with other loads/chokes. Mine shoots a bit low at 40, but it’s easily compensated for with the prism sight. Other than Turkey season, I’m keeping the Skeet tube in for use with the slugs and other specialty loads I have. I’m hoping to acquire some Apex shells to try. The Federals also patterned pretty well at 50 yards, but I think 40 is a good safe stopping point.

Hornady Critical Defense FTX loads impacted a bit low too, but two grouped very close together at 50, so they are an alternative to the Brennekes. Needs more study.

I know the smaller guns will kill them dead. I called one in for a buddy last year that killed one with a Winchester model 42 410. For me it is a comfort thing and it took me several years before I would hunt with a 20 ga. After I did, I sold all my 12 ga turkey guns and never looked back.
Not saying I would not try a 28 or 410 but I am very comfortable with a 20 and what it will do, so that is about as small as I want to go.....(for now)

C'mon man!

Snagged a box of Apex Turkey Ninja .410s today. 403 #8.5 pellets in every one!

Oops, my bad. The .410s are #9.5. Over 400 pellets per shell.

This is the center of a target I shot today at 50 yards. Better than the Federal TSS at 40 yards.



Apex Turkey Ninja .410 7/8oz #9 TSS 3” shell

They were out of .410 today, but had 20s. 510 #8.5 pellets. They ship fast, as well they should for the price!

That is very impressive

I need to get some Apex loads

They’ve got it goin’ on for sure.

Imagine what a 12ga sportin’ a couple ounces would do.

The plan remains calling one in as close as possible, but this makes worrying about “is it 35 or 45” kinda moot, as the courts like to say. A crow sitting smugly in a tree at 50 yards might get a nasty surprise, if a feller didn’t mind the expense.....

Rogers has the Apex 410’s in stock. I have a few boxes headed this way.

Do they ship quickly?

First I’ve heard of them.

20 gauge: Normal #6 pheasant loads




16 gauge: Same deal. Normal #6 pheasant loads

Yes, mine are already on the way.

I picked up my 1187 20ga. compact and .410 single shot from the gunsmith last week. I had both guns drilled and tapped with a Weaver base and will be mounting a Bushnell Trophy 1.75-4 with the circle reticle on the 20, the .410 is getting a red dot. Federal TSS already on hand.

I've got a feeling both are going to be a lot of fun, 10s and 12s get to stay home.

I have that scope on a .22. Thought about using both it and a Leupold 2.5 on my Henry, but will stick with the prism for now. Playing with it at the range, it seemed like just a bit of magnification would be useful to my old eyes, but not at the expense of much added bulk.

Is that a 37? I just sold a 1961 20ga Deerslayer to offset the cost of a new O/U. Thought about just tubing it, but at the time I didn’t know Apex made 2 3/4 Turkey loads. No one else seems to, and I’ve never used a 20 on any birds. Regular 3” 20s have a reputation for crappy patterns.

Mainly though, I wanted the O/U.😜

I started setting up 20 gauges for my kids 15+ years ago when they started turkey hunting. For years, I watched what the 20's did before the old man's lightbulb came on. Why was I dragging around a 3 1/2" gas gun when these pocket bombs were doing everything I needed ?? I set my own 20 up about 4 years ago and haven't looked back.

Yes, on the 37.

I just whacked another good tom Merriams this morning with that O/U 20 gauge.

Nicely done !!!!!!!!!

Thanks! Today's was a first light, opening morning kind of deal....



Time to go get another tag I guess.

Nice work.

It appears you know what works!

Pappy,

I hear you, I've put a red dot reflex on the .410. My 8 year old grandsons shoot it like they're playing a video game. The 20ga. is going to be double duty, turkey/deer slug gun with the added benefit that pulling the scope off returns it to general shotgun duty.

With a 1 piece Weaver base drilled and tapped and old fashion Weaver lows this thing is mounted like a rifle. It's mounted so low I don't loose the ability for a good cheek weld. And being the old fart I am, a scope is more natural to me than a dot.