Opinions on gun size!!!!!

[ManOfTheFall]

I have always wondered if a .410 was good for turkey hunting. I am sure it can kill one but I do wonder a few things. I took my grandson out today for youth season and I called in 2 big gobblers. The first one he shot at was at 23 yards away. It appeared to be a clean miss. The second one I called in I told him to wait until he's practically on top of the decoys. The decoys were between 18 and 20 yards away. He shot at the second one and it appeared to be a clean miss again. We have practiced at these distances many times and he always puts the bulk of the pellets from the shell into an 8" paper plate. Even his first shot ever with a shotgun was a good one. This is his 3rd year of turkey hunting but it was his first opportunity at a live turkey. He is 9 years old and he used 4 shot as his shell. He remained very calm and patient and waited until I told him to shoot and everything. You couldn't have asked for a much better chance. I don't know if he had turkey fever or if it's the gun just isn't strong enough or what. Comments would be appreciated please.

[00buck]

Not sure I have clean missed them at 30 yards with a 12 gauge not sure on 410 just got the boy a 20 gauge and I have never hunted with a 410


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mrbb]

at 20-25 yrs it SHOULD be enough to kill a turkey, but its not rocket of energy past that point
it can be a combo of things, from a tuff turkey to kill, or simply NOT hitting any vitals, turkeys are pretty tuff birds.

MY suggestion might be to put some targets up from the like set up shooting conditions and see if he can again make the same shot, like if shooting from a blind OFF hand or??

also, can try taking an old phone book out as a target and see how far into it the bb's go?

I know there NOT common to find, but a good 28 gauge , pump, or more rarer a single shot 28 gauge is an awesome kids shotgun, lots of power, not much recoil, there light and nimble, just what a smaller shooter needs
and if your OK with spending a little $$ a semi is a gun, that once they kid is done you will find you WANT to use for everything you once used a 12 GA for, MINUS< maybe waterfowl
28 ga's are super pheasant guns, a caliber/gauge so few ever use??

I'm NOT a fan of 410's to be honest!
but they can kill , just make it harder than needed ,IMO> better tools out there for the job!