ORIGINAL: superstrutter
What are you calling a sloppy pattern? You don't have to have 200 plus hits at 40 to kill a bird at or beyond 40. If you have over 100 at 40, that's going to be a dead bird. I personally, would rather have a little more open pattern than what some of you are describing. I know I can kill him at 50 if I need to, but I also know I will have no problem killing him at 10 or 15. I'm not knocking anyone who loves a real tight pattern at 40 and beyond. I would like to see though, in person, not a picture on a computer, 300 hits in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards.
By sloppy, I mean anything that has holes or is stringing or is just too open for "my" liking. I've shot plenty of sloppy patterns while on the quest for the best pattern I could buy. I'd be willing to say that 75% of the "over the counter" ammo that I've tried is sloppy and I have the boxeswith 5 or 6 unfired shells to prove it. I simply won't shoot those at a turkey. Will 100 hits at 40 yards kill a turkey? I'd say every time. I just like knowing that I have the Numbers on my side and not leave nothing to chance.
My first turkey was shot with 3" Winchester Supreme #5's. It dropped the turkey at 43 yards but when I got up to the turkey he had his eyes open. I finished him off, but that told me that what I was shooting wasn't enough to cleanly kill a bird. I now shoot 3.5" 4x5x7 Nitros, and when I go to the woods the last thing I worry about is if I have enough shell to kill a bird at 40+ if needed.Like every other sport it pays to have the numbers stacked in your favor.