Stevens 301 20ga Turkey gun

[bellerivercrossbowhunter]

Anybody using a Stevens 301 single shot 20ga turkey gun?

Thinking about getting one if I can find one for the spring season.

Let me know your thoughts if you have one.

[genec]

Why a 20, and not a 12 for the extra range?
I have 3 20s, but would never think of using them where I hunt in 90 - I want the reach-out range of my 12.

[bellerivercrossbowhunter]

Why a 20, and not a 12 for the extra range?
I have 3 20s, but would never think of using them where I hunt in 90 - I want the reach-out range of my 12.

If you can't get a Turkey inside 30 yards you need some calling lessons...

[Sprite]

Why a 20, and not a 12 for the extra range?
I have 3 20s, but would never think of using them where I hunt in 90 - I want the reach-out range of my 12.

I’ll put my 20 gauge patterns up against your 12 any day of the week. As good (in many cases better) than most 12s, lighter and lighter recoiling.

If we could legally shoot the .410s with the #9 TSS loads in Ontario, I absolutely would.

If you need the extra range, be more patient and learn how to get either yourself or them closer.

-Nick

[genec]

I’ve been hunting turkeys for over 20 years, and I still want the range of my 12, and yes I CAN call them, but thats not the point.
And sprite, my 12 will work effectively over 55 yards easily…I doubt your 20 will!
And as far as your assuming my lack of turkey hunting skills goes….I’ve won the OFAH spring turkey contest twice over the years….have you?
if you guys want to use 20s, then fine, but don’t try to put down someone else because they choose to do it differently.

[gbk]

Back to the subject!
I just recently got a 20 g Stevens 301 as asked,the black one..........shot it only once.Slug only so far.
The gun definitely looks nice,carries nice,and i will have no qualms to carry it turkey(if and when i ever start turkey hunting)squirell,rabbit,grouse hunting,and as backup slug gun for short range deer hunting.
I am putting a red dot on it,then will state how it shoots.

I have no doubt,it will be a really good gun for the above purposes.

[bellerivercrossbowhunter]

Back to the subject!
I just recently got a 20 g Stevens 301 as asked,the black one..........shot it only once.Slug only so far.
The gun definitely looks nice,carries nice,and i will have no qualms to carry it turkey(if and when i ever start turkey hunting)squirell,rabbit,grouse hunting,and as backup slug gun for short range deer hunting.
I am putting a red dot on it,then will state how it shoots.

I have no doubt,it will be a really good gun for the above purposes.

Thanks for the info. I found out they are made in China so not really impressed with them sending the production to China.

[sabmgb]

I'm starting to look at 20ga's now as well, I'm tired of not being able to find .410 shells and when you do they are like 35 a box. for a slug gun with rifled barrel I'd take a 20 over a 12 any day from what my friends say. I have a 12ga slug gun, but I couldn't find a 20ga at the time or I would have bought the 20ga.

I do a lot of squirrel hunting and like the weight of my .410, but like I stated above no shells, so I have carried my 12ga and it gets heavy, so that why I'm thinking 20ga, need to handle some to see how they feel. For turkey I will stick to my 12ga, but there are a lot of turkeys shot with a bow so I'm sure a 20 would work well. I have been turkey hunting for 15 years and have shot that many birds all but 2 where less than 30yds so and both those were missed at less than 30yds and taken with 2nd or 3rd shot. So I think it whatever you are comfortable with.

[genec]

In spite of the assumptions of the first 2 posters, I have shot most of my turkeys within 25-30 yards with my 12. However, turkey hunting conditions can differ dramatically from one part of the province to another.
For 8 years I lived near Midland, and turkey hunting was easy there. Lots of wooded areas, and many birds. It was relatively easy to get a tom with decoys and calls with a standard 2 3/4" load, and you could call them away from their hens with a bit of effort.
For the past 14 years I’ve been hunting the family farms in WMU90, and it’s a whole different hunting scenario there. Big open grain fields with only one bush and a wooded glacial river bank along 3 of the fields is the only cover. On the farm, if a tom is with a flock of hens, you cannot call him away - he will not leave the hens under any circumstances, no matter how hard we try. What we do get to call in is the roving toms, and most of the birds we shoot are these. Also, the flocks tend to stay well out in the open fields out of range of the fencelines or treelines most of the time - I think for coyote avoidance. And when they fly down in the mornings they usually fly well out into the fields before landing - 70 to 100 yards is common. The only exception to that is a few I have shot walking out of the bush because their roost tree for that night was well inside the bush. So on some occasions I’ve been glad to have the long range capability to bag a tom in the open field scenarios when we can’t get them to come in closer.

[gonduckin]

A buddy and I purchased them 2 years ago. We are both very satisfied with them. Nice and light, you'll appreciate that at the end of a long day of hunting.

Mines set up with a Burris FF3 and I'm shooting Federal TSS 7's out of the factory choke.

Tony