Mr. Longbeard

Some timespressured turkeys wont' come any closer than 40-45 yards

I only hunt about 15 days for spring gobbler and thats split up over a couple weeks... I wait 11 month to go spring gobbler hunting and if all the closer I can get him is 40-45 yards... I want a gun/shell combo that will get the job done!!!

I guess if I had awsome farms and weeks to chase them I might feel the way you do

RIStrutStopper

The season before last I was using copper plated lead. Two different hunts I shot at gobblers I estimated at about 40 yards. Whether I was off or not, I don't know, but both of those birds flew off. This year I switched to hevi shot and dropped one at a laser measured 39 yards. That bird dropped like a sack of potatoes. I try not to shoot too far, but I'd rather have a little heavier-than-lead insurance just in case. My second bird I dropped at 20 yards, I like to call em in close if I can, but that always isn't what the turkey has in mind.

Canned Heat

I used Rem's copper buffered lead in 4x6's out of a Rem 870 and dropped a 22 pounder at 43 yards (via LRF) last year. Choke was a Primos Tightwad. If you get yourself patterned right and with the right load, out to 60 yards isn't that crazy...especially with some Hevi. Not the shot you want, but doable if you put your time in, know you can hit the mark, and know exactly what your range is. I always laser range a few things prior to calling so I know exactly where my limit is. I will also be using Hevi from here on out....just a better product.

Our season is 5 days...and that's all you get. Some of you guys are lucky..

kdsberman

Im a big fan of Winchester Double-X Magnums. I use #5 shot 2 1/4oz 3.5". Pattern nice. Im gonna try Hevi-Shot this year.

Adrian J Hare

The sport we are patterning for is Turkey Hunting. One of the first things in this sport is to enjoy the excitement in as close as possible. To have a gun that will deliver a killing pattern in a common range is what your after. As most state 40 yards is one of the farthest distances for any shotgun. Hevi shot does deliver a great pattern at these max distances but to limit yourself is the first goal you need to learn. 40-45 yards should be what you want to concistantly shoot an even pattern with 80% of the shot from the shell into a 10-12in circle. Knowing that any shot presence at this range will cleanly take the bird and not second guessing if the gun will do it.

Shooting at birds out of range only make for smarter birds and most often when members are limited in land excess them birds are one less away from eating a tag at the end of the season.

I do a great deal of patterning of turkey guns as I have a range 50yards outside of my deck and can tell you if you shoot a 20 gauge turkey gun Hevi shot is something you should go with. It will turn a 20 gauge into a 40 yard turkey gun. 12 gauge is a step up and can deliver a larger dencity so Hevi shot turns this gauge into a little farther , see (I say little) as most like to see their gun shooting 100 yards but really should be toning back to the 45 yard distances

Aftermarket chokes tend to form a better pattern as they have been milled to deliver the pattern more even and in a greater dencity at a respectable distance with the right constriction. Some of the choke sizes I have found better in both the 20 and 12 are as follows,

.550
.555 in the 20 gauge.

.660
.665 in the 12 gauge.

If you ever get a chance to see the dvd "Learning the Ropes of Turkey Hunting" you will see the difference in what patterns look like with different shot and different shells with chokes...

bigangrychicken

limit yourself for what is effective for you. i'm 8 for 8 at 50+yds since I started shooting Hevi-shot---that's pretty effective.

having said that, I'd much rather shoot one at 15 steps. it's just more fun.

with my old Mossberg---I wouldn't shoot over 35.