It’s spring turkey season in much of the country (or just about to be). And Stevens, the shotgun brand of Savage Arms, has just announced a new lighter shooting way to bring home a gobbler. Here’s their press release . . .
Stevens 301 Transforms the .410 Into a Turkey Killer
WESTFIELD, Massachusetts – March 18, 2019 – Designed for use with Federal HEAVYWEIGHT TSS turkey loads, Stevens’ new 301 Turkey shotgun throws powerful patterns with minimal recoil. Shipments have been delivered to dealers.
The .410 platform’s single-shot, break action is simple and incredibly reliable, and the 26-inch barrel is optimized for HEAVYWEIGHT TSS payloads. The removable one-piece rail makes it easy to equip the 301 with an optic, and it’s available in Mossy Oak Bottomland and Obsession camouflage options.
Features
• Single-shot, break-action shotgun
• Synthetic stock and fore-end with Mossy Oak Bottomland or Obsession camo
• 26-inch barrel optimized for Federal Premium HEAVYWEIGHT TSS turkey loads
• 3-inch chamber
• Swivel studs on stock and fore-end
• Removable one-piece rail for optional optic or red dot
• Bead sight compatible with TruGlo sight systems
• Extra-full choke included (Win. choke pattern 1/2-32UN)
• Manual hammer blocking safety
• Recoil pad
Part No. / Description / MSRP
19252 / 301 Turkey Mossy Oak Bottomland .410, 26-inch barrel / $199
19253 / 301 Turkey Mossy Oak Obsession .410 26-inch barrel / $199
Learn more about Stevens by Savage Arms. Visit www.savagearms.com.
My .410 was a constant companion in my youth. But if I was to go for turkey I think I would take my 12.
50 yard kill 410 tss 9
Anyone actually take a turkey with a .410?
This year I used a Winchester pump shotgun with a 28 inch barrel, undertaker choke, and 3 inch shells. Tom I shot was at about 35 yards, hit it right in the head/neck and it WASN’T AN INSTANT KILL! I had to ring its neck when I got to it.
My experience is that turkeys are incredibly tough birds and I can’t imagine taking one with a .410.
LOL. Did you use a mallet to ring its head? Or maybe a stick? And how many times did you have to ring his bell to get him to quit flapping around?
Sorry, I had to ask.
wring?
My hunting partner took a nice turkey at 41 yards with this gun this fall. I was there and saw it. It dropped like a sack of potatoes.
kill tom last year 410 9 shot 36 yards dead 2020 50 yard shot 410 #9 shot dead
This might be the only gun permitted in New Zealand after next week, with an extensive and lengthy annual investigation background check of course. .
Residents will also be required to obtain a gun possession permit, hunting license, submit a notarized written statement of their intentions to law enforcement each time the firearm is removed from storage, and store all ammunition at the local police precinct. Use of firearms for self defense will be punishable by life imprisonment.
It’s 1935, Yoshi. Time to sell off your beanie baby collection & leave.
It’s going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.
I’m not a hunter, so this isn’t an expert opinion by any means. But I know several states don’t allow anything smaller than a 20-gauge for turkeys. Makes me wonder if a .410 is really all that well suited for the job?
*Sheesh*. .410? Really?
I hate saying any round is “worthless”, but .410 is about as useless as anything can get.
Snakes. .410 is the ideal chambering for rattlesnakes. That’s literally the only thing it is really good for.
To be fair, it’s all good for rattlers. First rattler I ever killed was with a .22 Short.
Nah, I killed an innumerable amount of quail with a single shot 410 in my youth, and both myself and my oldest son killed our first deer with a 410 slug.
Definitely not what I would take turkey hunting.
These were designed around the new TSS shot, like just for this round. I’ve seen these shoot “good” patterns at 30 and 40 yards. I think it’s #9 shot. Looks interesting but I’ll stick to my 1955 Stevens 12ga single w/ full choke. Long Tom 34 inch barrel 🙂 Patterns as good as one of the super doper 3.5 inch wonder 12’s. with magnetic ultra chokes. This thing is awesome using #6 Pheasant loads 2 3/4. The best thing is no broken bones when just shooting for fun, try that with the 3 inch or 3 1/2 inch market gun shells.
Weapon of war. BAN IT.
Because muh feelz.
Obviously a weapon of war…camo stock and a silencer on the tip of the barrel. A sniper shotgun if I ever saw one!
Full Auto Single Shot!
A .410 can handle insane sparrows or a feral mouse.
A turkey? Maybe if you mount the bird at the end of the barrel.
Color me skeptical.
Killed a turkey with a short barreled 20 gauge once but I don’t think a 410 is quite up to turkeys.
I’d be all-in for one because I love .410’s, but I wouldn’t think about one dedicated for turkeys?!
Looks like Federal talked Savage into importing a cheap gun to sell expensive ammo.
A friend killed one with a pellet gun, head shot, at around 20 feet. I’ve shot a bunch of critters with a .410, to get a turkey you’d have to be nighty close. I’d think with #6 shot 3 inch shells maybe inside of 30 feet
It’s actually legal to turkey hunt with a pellet rifle in CA. For possums, which is pest control and not hunting, I prefer a .22.
Opossums are beneficial, they eat carrion that could support a fly infestation. They eat nuisance grubs and insects, they are basically immune from contracting rabies. As gross as it sounds they are also the only known mammal that can exist on a diet of its own species without developing and cow like symptoms.Mayb an answer to a problem there?) Then they have the uniqueness of being North America’s only marsupial and an ice ice age through back to boot. Unless you own chickens or are hungry, yah ought not be shooting Opossums
I did own chickens. I haven’t killed a possum on purpose in a lot of years. But, I ain’t risking wrecking a vehicle to avoid running over one.
Wow are the comments bad on this one. The .410 pushes the same size pellets at nearly the same speeds as the bigger brothers. Just a lot less of them. I’m currently looking for this gun, can’t find online or at a retail store. Yes this shotgun and choke are designed to use the new tungsten steel #9 TSS load.
I got a ring neck when I was a teenager with a 410 single. It was dead when it hit the ground. I’d think that a 410 would be a bit light for turkey though, but they are far from useless. FWIW, dad gave me an Ithaca model 37 featherlight 20 gauge the first time we hunted. I shot it once and was done. That thing knocked me half way into next week…I think I weighed about 90 pounds at the time. I liked his 870 16 gauge better than that Ithaca…liked to shoot it more than carry it. My grandfather gave me the 410 and I still have it today. After I retired and moved back home, dad found 2 model 37s in 12 and 20 gauge. Maybe I’ll get around to writing a review someday. I’m about 170 now, so I think I’d like them more…
When using a less then ideal gage or caliber.
One just needs to be a better hunter.
IIRC, .410 would not be a legal firearm for turkey in Iowa. As to whether or not it would/could kill a turkey, they’re pretty easy fare with a .22 long rifle…
Might get one for my 5 year-old grandson to move him up the chain from the BB gun. I’ll be carrying my Mossberg 835 again, which I just patterned pre-season. I’ve been hearing about this new choke from CArlson’s made just for Mossies shooting Winchester Longbeard’s, which truly changed the game in turkey hunting, outperforming all other shells I’ve tried. Have to say I was disappointed, my Jellyhead put more pellets in the center at 30 yards than did the new Carlson choke, so I’m back to the Jellyhead, which has laid MANY turkey on the ground pushing those 3 1/2″ Longbeards in #5. Did get a new DSD hen decoy to go with my DSD Jake, which the gobblers just love to punish. I have to shoot the turkey to keep him from messing up my decoy! Ready to get out there!
killed plenty of turkey with a .410….just need to call them in a little closer…..all that fancy 3″ or greater shell size and super chokes are just mfr. going after your money…not needed.
problem with .410 is a box of .410s cost more (about 2x more) than a box of 20s or 12s….why is that?…..
by the by….I use a flintlock 20 ga. smoothbore…..no choke….kill plenty of birds (doves, quail, pheasant and turkey)…just need to be a hunter instead of a shooter
Who said anything about “needed”? You do you, BO, I got this 40 years in.
Oh BTW My stevens 94c is the 30 inch. Took it out this am looking for gobblers, no joy…. dammit.
“Aawww yeah this is all anyone could ever need!” – Anti gun boomer fudd.
feel savage hit a market for a gun for hunters willing to work alittle harder to level a already hard field to harvest a bird..after shooting enough to assure a clean a kill as possible…these m301 410s are showing up now..got mine yesterday.179.99 @ basspro seen then for 169.99 OUT OF STOCK other stores
watch for them to pop up on web sites basspro acamedy buds all the regulars AND GO GET ONE..think we are gonna like em..camo wrap.. rail for sight.. sling swivels choke treaded WITH XTRA FULL TURKEY CHOKE.INSTALLED .out the door under 200.00..want another one already but will wait for #2 when more on market
Looks like a good a good squirrel gun as well.
Unfortunate for me was going to purchase this gun to get my grandson into turkey hunting and use the tss loads but my state does not allow number 9
2 youths have taken big Toms on opening day of youth season in N.C. with this shotgun and they were instant drops at 35 yards, you had better think again if you don’t think they will take out the big old tom’s, THIS NEW .410 IS AMAZING!!!