this is kind of up in the air because i read alot about the 17hmr not being good for anything but squirels and stuff like that but i have taken 5 coyotes with mine from 50-125 yards and they have all been 1 shot kills and very quick even one in the rear because it was in the cattle pasture and we cant have that so i was just worried about getting rid of him and he dropped at about a 100 yards and by the time i walked to him he was dead but dont know about turkeys i know they are very tough so this will be your choice i know the savage 17s are accurate i just got a new one with the accu-trigger and had one without and at 50 yards you can cover groups with a quarter and some with dime so that is an easy turkey head