Originally Posted by
nchawkeye
"If your limit is truly 40 yards save your money and buy some Wally world Remington Nitro lead #6s they will kill every turkey just as dead as any of the high dollar loads at close range."
That works for me...My Browning B-80 loves those Remingtons...I checked my ego at the door years ago on taking long range shots on game...When I shoot, something dies, quickly...
The rush in hunting for me is how close you can get to the game animal without them knowing you are there...Not on how far your equipment will kill something...Woodmanship, skill and knowledge are an acquired trait and often overlooked by those that don't possess those skills...
you are right they will kill but as has been said in the beginning your gun must pattern them well enough to kill. PB(lead) is a lot harder to get good patterns with and HTL(heavier than lead) is a lot easier and will give better patterns. plus you can drop down shot sizes to add more lethal hits on target.
so advantages to lead
-cost
advantages to HTL
-pattern
-per pellet energy
-easier to get a good pattern
-gives you a huge buffer for range misjudgment
I have killed a number of birds(and deer) and only 3 birds have been past 45 yards. so even shooting HTL it does not mean you have to or are looking to kill way out there. some of us are just looking for better patterns with better penetration. I used lead up until this year. after what I personally saw with my pattern and then 6 birds being killed with my rig I will not go back. only one of them was past 40 @44. hit a bird with lead at 40-45 and you better make sure you get on him (seen several "dead" birds get up even though they had been hit in the skull or spine, the lead simply did not break the bone). hit one with HTL at that distance and there is not a doubt it breaks the bone.
plus the guys that choose to shoot HTL really don't care that it is costing them a few bucks to shoot a bird. really what is a few extra bucks when compared to the other costs of hunting. most guys spend more than that in just gas to drive to a hunting spot. tags/license, calls, decoys, camo, none of these costs are ever offset no matter how long you hunt because killing a turkey does not make you money(unless you are in the hunting industry) so weather it is the 1st or the 100th with a certain decoy it still cost $ _____ the same to kill that turkey. I know I do not care that it cost me $5 more per turkey than it does someone who shoots lead because I know my confidence is higher and if I accidently misjudge him by 15 yards there is still no doubt he is dead.
hope this did not come off as a rant. it was not intended to be