10 ga vs. 12 ga.

[wesbowhunt]

Does the 10 gauge offer a significant advantage over the 12 gauge? I know it has more recoil but just curious[:-]

[Wingbone]

Frankly, I don't think there is an advantage with a 10 ga. With the new chokes and the specialized turkey loads, 50 yd.killing patternswith a 12 are pretty common. Shot from a 10 doesn't hit any harder than shot from a 12. You just get a little more shot with a 10 when compared with a 3" 12 ga. shell. With a 3.5" 12, the loads are equivalent.

[SCtrkyhntr]

The 12 is plenty of gun to kill turkeys. I have see a many of tom die at 60 + yards with a 12 ga. The 10 ga. could really destroy a bird that comes in close, heck just this season I saw a client take the head smack off of a tom at about 7 yards. He was only shooting a 3" 12 ga load but had a tight patterning gun. I think having a tight patterning gun and knowing where it shoots is better than just shooting a big gun out of the box. Although the 10 ga will kill turkeys dead as a hammer and some poeple like that, my buddy just sold his 12 and bought a 20 to turkey hunt with because he killed so many with the 12. He kills turkeys consistently because it shoots tight and he knows where it will hit and the limits of the gun, that is probably the most important thing to remember about a turkey gun, knowing its limits.

[rick_reno]

i like 12 ga. - where i live it's a lot easier to get 12 ga shells.

[huntnma]

i'd stick with the 12 guage

[silentassassin]

The 12 is plenty of gun but I did switch to a 3.5" gun this year. I didn't have any problems killing turkeys with the 3" gun and I am sure I could still kill turkeys with a 20 ga. but it sure is nice to have a gun and a shell and choke combo that if one hangs up about 60 yards that you can still kill him grave yard dead. From the testing I have done since turkey season ended with the mossberg 3.5" and the rhino choke with the Hevi-shot 4x5x7's, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to take a 60 yards shot.

[TomC]

I agree that the 12 ga. can do just about anything in the hands of a knowlegeable, experienced shooter....

I still LOVE my American Arms s/s 3 1/2" magnum 10 ga.
It's heavy
It's UGLY
and it's killed a pile of gobblers over the years....I've never lost a bird with it (knock on wood)-although I've gotten into some wicked footraces & wrestling matches after the shot!
You should see the flame from this thing early in the murky AM![:@]

My vote is for the 10 gauge

[Bobgobble2]

Good reply Tom!I feel the same way about my Ithica mag10!User friendly its not because it is awfully heavy but man with one of my own handloads fired out of it,itsturned alot more than one ole gobblers head into jelly and then a few have lost there head too!!!

[Pro-Line]

I have never shot a bird with a 10ga...but sat by a buddy while he did. was that impressive.

He's a goose hunter, so he just switched chokes and hunted gobblers with the same gun. It is a Browning semi-auto. He shot a big bird at 55yds, and there was never a flop.

I don't think it's necessary, but a 10ga is highly effective! LOL

[Adrian J Hare]

I've went from a 10ga Browning to a 12 ga Remington to a 20 Benelli. Every step down was as good if not better then the gauge above it. I don't think I will ever go back up now that I have shot a good shooting 20 gauge.

60 yards ! no wonder we have a problem trying to call these birds in [:@] What ever happened to the "Call them into range" idea. For every 60 yard kill I'll lay a bet that there is 50 misses at that range. I think you guys need to start blowing QuakerBoy calls there ...BT