With turkey season coming around the corner, which loads do you prefer: I have data for an extremely fast 1 1/8 oz load (1450 fps) in 2 3/4" OR would you rather have a slower 3" load with 1 3/4 oz.?

More pellets? or Fewer pellets traveling faster?

IV

The last turkey I shot was with a 3" 410 with 7 1/2 shot.....yup I sure needed that 3" magnum.....

For what it's worth....don't get carried away with BS in turkey hunting. They really ain't hard to kill if you just shoot them.

The reason I ask is because we called three in last spring-- all were under 30 yards , all left bloody feathers-- all three flew away! Maybe it was just a fluke??? We patterned our shotguns at 35 and were pointing in such a way that we thought the center of our patterns would strike the neck are??

We were using 2 3/4" loads at 1450 (Longshot) with 1 1/8 oz #5's.

We did end up getting a few during the fall season....

IV

Did you pattern those loads?

I have never, ever, been able to push loads past 1300 fps without blowing the pattern all to heck. It's the pattern that kills.

On a turkey neck, a #5 would have enough energy to penetrate clear through even out to 60 yards using standard speeds. I have used buffered #4's on pheasants out to 60 (plus) yards, and darn near shot through them. Those are started at 1200 fps (a little less, actually, if I am to believe the chrono).

In order to kill, you have to put pellets on the targets. Speed is almost irrelevant in lead-pellet shot-shells.

I'd rather have a tight patterning 1 oz of #6's at 1100 fps than a crappy patterning 1.5 oz load of 5's at 1500 fps.

The best loads I have found are Tom Roster's buffered loads. His loading book is available at Precision Reloading. JMO, Dutch.

For turkeys I use a 870 with a super full turkey tube .
I have a Red Dot sight on it so I can put the center of the patteren on the head/neck.

For the few shells Most people shoot , just buy a box or 2 .
I shoot Fed 2 oz of #5
I patteren my gun .
You are fooling your self if you think a standard Full ( in most guns ) will do anything but wound turkeys , just like you posted .

Put a 2" dot on a peice of card board .
Shoot it at different ranges .
If I remember right , 10 pellets in the 2"dot is the recomended min .

Or better yeat buy one of those turkey sight in targets .


Last sprin using my gun/load/choke I took 2 turkeys .
#1 was 19 yds , he lost his head .
#2 was 31 yds , his head was real messed up .


Johnch

I have a Beretta 391 Xtrema 2 w/ Kick off. It's built for the 3.5" shells. Yet I still only use the Remington Duplex 4x6 load in 2 3/4" lenght.

I've shot two dozen birds with this load and have never had one that needed a second shot NOR have I had one fly off.

In other words, a good dense pattern of any of the decent turkey sized pellets should be adequate. Something in the 1350 - 1400 fps range and 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 oz load sounds like good gobbler medicine to me.

HOw're things up in 1L???? I grew up spending summers and winters over in the 2L part of the state.

I have been turkey hunting since I was in 4th grade (I am now 23). When I started I was hunting with a bolt action 410 with 3"shells and 6shot. I worked my way up to a bolt action 20gauge and a Win1300 using 3" 4shot. I finally went to a Mossberg 835 with a 3.5" chamber with 4shot. My very favorite loads are also the Remington Duplex 4x6, but I killed the most birds with my Win 1300 20guage. There was nothing special about those loads.

My preference would be 12 ga. with 1 1/2 to 1 7/8 oz. buffered shot with #6 or #4 plated shot traveling at 1150 to 1225fps. It takes a dense pattern and the closer the turkey the better.

You didn't break the neck bones or penetrate the skull with your load and probably because none of the pellets hit these vital areas. Dense patterns will increase your odds and must be practiced. Let them get close enough for the gun be it .410 or 10 ga. so the load you are shooting can do its work.

quote:

For what it's worth....don't get carried away with BS in turkey hunting. They really ain't hard to kill if you just shoot them.

Amen to that! Closer is better than bigger/faster. In fact, the quickest way I know of to blow patterns is to make 'em go fast. Works damn near every time.

Those %&^%*$&$ high velocity loads are a pain in the shoulder and a instant headache. A waste of powder trying to shoot light shot so fast when it is unable to retain the energy.

When using lead shot, you will get a better pattern with a slower loading. Use a buffer agent. Copper plated shot if available also patterns tighter.The bigger the shot size, the tighter the pattern.Always pattern your load on paper. Some chokes are to tight and blow the pattern . If you buy you ammo, go with the Remington Hevi-shot High-Velocity magnum Turkey Loads

We did pattern these loads at 30 yards with an Outers turkey silhouette; we were getting between 5-7 pellet holes in the neck head area?

Having only turkey hunted a few times we figured this was acceptable? Maybe we were wrong....

Anyway, thanks for all the info, definitely appears the consensus is to prioiritze pattern over velocity and that answers my question!

IV

IV,

I personally prefer much much more than 5-7 pellets in a turkey head target.

My longest Tom to date was at 50 yards and I counted 11 holesin the head and neck area that were facing toward me. He was down for the count when I pulled the trigger besides all of the usual flopping around for a few seconds.

That load was w/ the cheap Wal-Mart special Win Super X 1-7/8oz of copper plated and buffered #6 shot, 3" mags (The Red Hulls). I've used several different brands and some pattern moderately better than others. I would say that you choke and your shot size has alot to do w/ good patterns. I've been using a Trudot tube for the last couple of years and intend on trying a Hastings and HS this year at the range. Another very important thing to remember w/ turkey set-ups is that many shotguns don't shoot straight w/ turkey chokes. I have adjustable fiber optic sights on my turkey rig and I sight it in just like a rifle.

Good Luck

Reloader

I think the sights may be a good investment, last year I bought a used 24" barrel (3" 12 ga) for my 1300 and it came with a ported turkey choke, we may try loading some #6's at differing velocities etc. and go for the highest density pattern in the head/neck area at 30-40 yards.

IV

Idaho Vandal,

We hunt Turkey seriously here in Missouri and I suppose I have taken a truck load in my hunting the last several years. They are a big tough bird and if you don't get enough shot in the head and neck they will get away. Under ideal conditions they are easy to kill but turkeys that are call shy and hunted hard will not just run right in to the decoys. I have had lots of Big Toms hang up just out of range. Shoot the load that patterns best in your gun!!! I prefer #4 shot or #5. They penetrate much better on a longer shot. Try diffrent choke tubes and diffrent brands and shot size until you find the combination that shoots tight in your gun.
My turkey gun will take the head off at 30 yards and that is the kind of pattern you are looking for. Good Luck and Good Hunting.

Hawkeye47

Hawkeye47 has the right idea. Some of our turkeys are hunted hard and call shy...those in the deep woods wilderness areas. OTOH, those feeding under the soccer mom's backyard bird feeder can be gotten with a slingshot. It all depends on what you consider a wild bird.

Here in PA, wild turkeys are considered big game; in the same league as elk, whitetailed deer and black bear. It is unwise to use a gun/ammo intended for rabbits and grouse.

The original question: Heavy OR fast?? I use both because I hunt the endless mountains region of PA where they are very skittish.

Max load of copper-plated, buffered #4's, powered by max dram equivelant in 10 guage magnum, with extra full choke from Mark Bansner. It's been one-shot deadly out to 65 yards for almost 20 years.

And even when a really dumb bird comes in close to one of my lame calls, I am always aiming at the head/neck and don't pepper the good-eating part with BB's. This weapon aims more like a rifle than a scattergun.

lol I have to say this... I prefer my rifle and a good rest!!! Just kidding...

Three inch loaded with 1 7/8 #4 or #5 and 30 grains of lonshot powder...Packs a good punch 1200 fps and kills turkeys dead!!!

Turkey hunting load/pellet selection is an interesting topic. It reminds me of big game hunting cartridges reading about 338 win mags, and bigger, or heavy bullets in souped up 45-70's for whitetail-only to then read a counter point of a guy who has taken elk with with a 44 mag pistol.

Getting back to turkeys. The technology and options available to the hunter is never better. Two ounce loads, buffered shot, rifle/scope sights, super full chokes, etc. Then you read an article about turkey hunting with a double barrel muzzle loading shotgun-with fixed cylinder choked (not choked)bores, no shot cups or buffer.

I'm all for the a humane kill. But it seems that if you are a strong turkey hunter, you stack the odds heavily in your favor by getting the bird 5 yards closer than what you normally shoot. The patterns are more dense, and it is the same as shooting a tight group out further.

If a master turkey hunter who has posted multiple grand slams of turkey (4 species) can do it with a cylinder choked muzzle loader, then us "regular folk" can certainly do it with several different modern guns and/or loads.

If you want tight patterns, use larger shot, harder shot (copper plated), buffer, and use a lower MV (keep subsonic). #5 shot makes a lot of sense to me. I have a Rem 870 3" chamber (Rem choke), with full choke. I also have a Browning 20 gauge BPS inv+. I may just take the 20 ga out this time (relatively new used toy for me-needs to be used more).

Many loads, gauges, and combinations will work. But calling them in an extra 5-10+ yards will work best no matter what you shoot. Remember, this is turkey HUNTING not turkey SHOOTING. Call them in close, and enjoy the hunt.

I've killed more turkey with 7 1/2s than anything else. I used to use a 12 ga Ithaca 37 with a modified choke. Now I use it's brother, a 20 ga with 7/8 oz of 7 1/2's and ya gotta get them inside 40 yds for best results....haven't lost one yet.

Hell, Dick Cheney proved you can knock down a lawyer with #9s in a 28 gauge....turkeys are a lot smaller!!

Hello gentlemen!

I posted photo on Big Game Forum but wanted to thank the responders here as well!

Got a young tom yesterday using 1 7/8 oz of #5's in a 3" mag. (12 gauge) I patterned a few different loads and put some hi viz sites on for this year.

Called in 2 toms at about 7:15 AM and nailed one at 35 yards. Went without a hitch! 17 pellets hit the neck/head area of the bird.

Thanks again for your replies!

IV