How many pellets (on average) do you get in the critical areas of the head and neck of your turkey targets at 40 yards? I average about 7 with #4s.
How about 45 yards? After 40, mine get iffy. 3-4 at most. Ive tried 5 and6 shot but
tend to get the same or less.

have you tried different brand of shells?some paqttern better than others in certan guns and different chokes.
personally I don' t shoot a bird past about 35 yards,so it doesn' t really matter how many at that range.
try to get them in close;thats the name of the game for me.

I have tried different brands but not different chokes. Im using an X-full turkey choke that came with my Mossberg. AT 35 yards I have an average of 15 pellets in the head and neck. I always bring my birds in within 40 yards. I was mostly wondering if I should experiment with some other chokes to tighten up the pattern. If this is pretty much the norm I wont waste my money on experimentation. I have just heard so much talk about new loads and chokes that I was wondering how tight of a pattern is the norm these days.

15 at 35 is good for me,others my want more.xfull turkey chike should do the trick.
it just depends on you and how much you want to try.
good luck on all you try.
just wait and go get' um.

At 40 yards 7 hits in the vitals is pretty good. No prob taking a turkey at that range... Your gun prob could do better with a new choke and shell combo, but i would stick with what you have, unless you feel like spending some money.....

At 40 yards my 870 Express w/28" barrel puts 9-12 pellets in the brain or neck bones of a turkey target very consistently. I' m shooting 3" #5 Winchester Supreme XX in 2 oz. out of Stardot .668 choke.
The only reason I' m considering purchasing a new gun is to get a shorter barrel and something with sling swivels. I could cut this barrel down and add swivels, but it' s my backup duck gun and shoot, who doesn' t want a new gun?
Of course if the new one puts a pattern downrage like Preacher' s, who would complain?

How many pellets do I get?

With #5 remington hevi-shot I get about 5-7 hits in the brain the vertibre. In all I get about 11 hits in the head and upper neck area in general. I figure if hevi-shot is as good as they say it is this ought to be enough.

Just as a side note, I' ve only had the opportunity to shoot more than 30 yards two times in 4 years of turkey hunting. But it is nice to know what your gun does at different ranges.

I shoot an 835 with the choke that came with the gun. The choke extends 3/8 in. past the barrel and has .675 stamped on it. This gun likes the Win. Supreme High Velocity 3 1/2 in. 2oz. #4' s. The average pattern is 110 in a 10 in. circle, with 40 hits in the head and neck and 16 in the critical zone at a measured 40 yards. I shot it at 50 yards a couple times and a got around 18 in the head and neck with 6-7 in the brain and spine.