RE: What Happened?
Ok.....I will be the first. I have no problem shooting past 40 yards as long as my pattern holds up. There are plenty heavier than lead loads capable of killing turkeys up to and beyond 70 yards if you can get your pattern to hold up. Heck lead #6's will reliably kill to 50 if you have the pattern.
I have always said that I will shoot as far as my pattern allows and not a step farther. I will not apologize for knowing my guns capabilities and using them to the fullest. If a person wants to keep their shots within 10-20-30-40 yards go for it. If your idea of turkey hunting is calling the turkey into your lap then have at it, just realize that is not everyone's idea of a great hunt.
Lastly, I'm not sure everyone realizes that some of this patterning stuff is a sport within a sport so to speak. Personally, any shotgun that I get for turkey hunting I try to find the load that will give me the best pattern at the longest range. That does not necessarily mean that I will use that ammo for hunting, it just means I want to find the max potential for that particular shotgun.
Whatever you decide your limits are make sure you have a gun that will hold a pattern to that limit......and have fun.