Savage Arms Stevens 301

Looks can be deceiving. As I was walking, rather fighting, my way through the crowded aisles of the SHOT Show, I stopped by to visit friends at Savage. JJ Reich and I started talking turkey hunting when he showed me the new Stevens 301 Turkey — a .410! At first, I thought this was a kid’s gun — and it certainly will be a great shotgun for youth. JJ then told me about Federal’s new turkey load lineup that included a .410 load. Well, this did sound intriguing but to be frank, I was a bit skeptical about a .410 for turkey.

Check Out

I appreciated the removable one-piece rail for optics. While the gold bead sight is compatible with TruGlo sight systems, this rail was screaming for a red dot. A typical gold bead front sight can cover a turkey’s head at 40 yards. On the other hand, a red dot is just right for aiming at a turkey’s neck area. I thought my wife just might use this gun during turkey season and a red dot would be just the ticket for her — or me. The gun features a recoil pad although recoil is not an issue with the .410.

An UltraDot HD-Micro was fitted on the rail and its small size made for a perfect fit. This neat little unit features push-button brightness adjustments in 10 different settings, allowing the dot to adjust to the current lighting conditions. The 2 MOA dot size is just right for a variety of hunting situations. The HD-Micro features a built-in rail clamp and can be mounted in a minute. This little unit worked like a charm on the 301.

The Load

When JJ told me Federal’s new turkey load for the .410 came in #9 shot, I thought he was joking. You see, old turkey hunters like me don’t believe a smaller size shot is ideal on turkeys. Heck, for years I hunted with #2 shot until Missouri prohibited any shot larger than #4. This tiny load was a totally new concept for me until I learned Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) is extremely dense — 56% denser than lead and harder than steel.

Federal Premium Shotshell Engineer Adam Moser said, “This increased density retains velocity and the hardness prevents pellet deformation, which improves pattern efficiency and penetration.” One claim I often hear against sub-gauge shotguns for turkey hunting is the lack of pellets and penetration. Moser said a 13/16-oz. load of #9 TSS has about 295 pellets. For comparison, a 2-oz. load of #4 lead has only about 270 pellets. The #9 shot carried in the HEAVYWEIGHT TSS .410 carries as much penetration energy as a #5 lead pellet at all ranges. Well, as a turkey hunter living in the Show-Me State, this was something I’m going to have to see.

Checking It Out

Karen and I took the 301 to the range with both 3″ #6’s and Federal’s TSS turkey load. We backed off 25 yards and shot both loads multiple times. Karen appreciated the lack of recoil compared to some of our 12-gauge shotguns. The high brass #6 load proved to be a worthy option for small game. I adjusted the red dot sight up to where the center of the pattern was spot on with the 2 MOA dot.

To be perfectly honest, I was shocked at the performance of the TSS turkey load. It shot a much tighter pattern at 25 yards than the #6 shot. We both shot this load a few more times and I walked away with a much different opinion than before. The real test would come when a big tom strutted his way toward our decoy.

The Field

After seeing how well the Stevens 301 Turkey with TSS ammo performed on paper, Karen wanted to give it a try. Years ago if you told me I’d be hunting with a .410 shotgun shooting #9 shot — I probably would have guessed you were on some type of narcotics. Karen also mentioned she liked the fact this shotgun was much lighter than her 12- and 20-gauge shotguns she normally carries for turkey hunting.

Bless her heart — Karen is incapable of sitting still, just like a six year old, meaning we have to hunt from a ground blind so the turkeys won’t see her squirming around. We got to our blind opening morning, set up two decoys and immediately heard a couple of birds gobbling. A few minutes later when they flew down from the roost, I called a couple of times and one of them answered. We waited a few minutes as the woods became silent.

I called one more time and he answered again. I told Karen to get the gun out of the window and watch. Sure enough, a few moments later I saw his head bobbing around in the field. The moment the gobbler spotted the hen decoy, he gobbled and began to strut. It was the kind of morning a turkey hunter dreams about. The big gobbler came working his way toward the decoy, strutting and gobbling all the way. When he got within shooting distance Karen’s heart was beating in over-drive!
I tapped her on the leg, our predetermined signal it was time to shoot. At 33 yards the big gobbler raised his head momentarily as Karen tugged the trigger. Well, those TSS #9s dropped him on the spot and boy was Karen thrilled — and I became a believer in the .410 bore shotgun!

After reviewing and writing about a lot of different firearms, I generally return them to the manufacturer. The Stevens 301 will not be returned — I’ll be sending a check. Karen wouldn’t have it any other way. While the 301 is definitely utilitarian, it provides more functions than just a turkey gun. It would also make a great option for youth or anyone else wanting to enjoy small game hunting.

If you have unwanted vermin sneaking in to your garden, stealing those delicious tomatoes, the 301 could eliminate the produce robbers. Whatever you see a practical situation for the .410, the Stevens makes a dandy choice. They say the .410 is a kid’s gun — well, I guess I’m just a kid at heart.

SavageArms.com

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