OUCH!
 

I patterned my shotgun tonight with some winchester super X copper plated turkey loads with 3" shells with 1 7/8 oz No. 4 shot with 1210 fps velocity. (It's a 12 gauge)

OUCH!! Firing those suckers out of my lightweight Yildiz SPZ ME over/under shotgun weighing in under 6.5lbs darn near took my shoulder off!!! As far as a recoil pad it has about 1/4" of padding on the end of the stock. I ended up shooting 4 times and almost cried on the last one.

I've shot a box of shells with that gun in about 2 hours hunting dove before and never even felt it. Shooting clay pigeons I've done the same and never even noticed. Inow knowthere is a BIG (okay HUGE) difference in shooting 2 3/4"; 1 1/8 oz shells and a turkey load!

I then did some target practice with my 7mm Rem Mag with a limbsaver recoil paid and it was like shooting a .22 in comparison. If I end up doing much more turkey hunting I'm either going to have to get a recoil pad for my Yildiz or get a heavier shotgun and put a nice recoil pad on it.

I'm trying to figure out my range now by counting pellet hits. I think I'll be okay out to about 30 yards with the stock full choke that came with the shotgun.

I've got some new respect for turkey loads, that's for sure!

RE: OUCH!
 

Okay I've got my patterns counted.

1st shot - 30.5 yards: 2" - 1; 4" - 6; 6" - 8; 8" - 22; 10" - 38 (I've never really aimed my shotgun before - it doesn't have a rear sight and I didn't even think it. Looking at the shots I missed to the left)

2nd shot - 25 yards:2" - 0; 4" - 10; 6" - 15; 8" - 30; 10" - 49 (This one seemed to hit to the left again, I realized that I could use the barrel release trigger as a rear sight if I make sure it is centered but still didn't get aimed very well)

3rd shot - 29 yards: 2" - 1; 4" - 11; 6" - 26; 8" - 51; 10" - 78 (This one looked a lot better, I think it was a little low when using the barrel release trigger as the rear sight)

4th shot - 29 yards: 2" - 5; 4" - 10; 6" - 23; 8" - 35; 10" - 58 (This one was high. I think I pulled it. This is the one I almost cried on! :))

Are these patterns within reason? Looking at the pattern I didn't see much of a difference between the 25 yard and the 30.5 yard shots other than the fact that my aim was off.

Thanks for any input.

Nathan

RE: OUCH!
 

keep your shots within 30 and youll be alright id imagine...

when i aim a shotgun without a midbead i just get the barrel or the rib completely flat. remember to keep that head down, get that barrel or rib flat in your sight picture and put the bead on the target and squeeze off like a rifle...

when your shooting turkeys that just aint gunna happen...i cannot control myself when shooting turkeys period. i just killed my 3rd spring bird today and i got very lucky. i actually hit him right in the wing...luckily hevishot saved my butt. it anchored him pretty good...with lead i wouldnt had that pattern density or extra umph..it was my fault...i jerked the trigger and jerked it before i got the bead on his head and neck. my first bird, similar story...i remember being a foot or 2 infront of him when the gun went BOOM. i guess he died from a stray BB lol.

thats why its important to know your weapon and how it performs..its not wingshooting.

them turkey loads will definently hurt ya out of a gun like that...my 870 dont weigh much more...but atleast i got a recoil pad. just make sure you got it good and tight in the "pocket" and squeeze off the shot. take a 15 minute or longer break between shots if you want..take some of the tenderness out of the shot atleast..

if i were in your shoes i would pattern your regular field loads...not to turkey hunt with..but to learn how to aim your gun and get good consistant patterns every time..then pattern the turkey loads after you figure out how to aim it consistantly...your numbers tell me that is most likely your problem...not bad numbers...but not consistant..

good luck....turkey hunting is a whole different game...IMO the best hunting there is...

although they are birds...and you hunt them with a shotgun, you gotta learn to shoot it like a rifle...

RE: OUCH!
 

Do something to pad that gun while practicing. Folded towel, foam, whatever. Wear ear protection and a pad or you may be programming yourself to flinch. Which means a bad shot. When you're hunting you'll never feel it but you don't want to be flinching because of the beating you took while practicing. If it starts to bother you stop shooting and come back later. It's better to practice right a few times than practice wrong often.