I will hopefully purchasing a savage axis in 270 win along with handloading equipment in the next few weeks for hog, deer and coyote(coy's only in oklahoma). I live like an hour from the turkey hunting capital of the world (Osceola, FL), and i was thinking about using the 270win for gobblers. So, I was wondering what kind of loads to do for the longbeards? My initial thought was for the lightest FMJ loads possible with a big charge for the least meat damage as the 270 is obviously, way overpowered.

The .270 win. is probably the best single caliber for a whitetail hunter, who hunts them in the east, west, north & south !

How's that !!! LOL


12 gauge with an extra full choke and #5 turkey loads in 3" or 3.5 " shells.

the thing is, i wont be buying a gun other than that 270 for a while. This will be the first gun of my own. The only other gun i have access to is my dad's 20ga single shot and i don't know if it even has chokes, its old, so old ive never even seen it, my dad isn't an active hunter or shooter. Thank god i have unles on both sides of my family that i can visit, one is in jamaica and does dove hunting in the mountains, and the other owns 100 acres in oklahoma that i can roam and shoot everything from rabbits to coyotes.

Clean up your Dad's 20 gauge and go have some fun.................

Single shot will make you a better hunter in the long run !

Hi Kaianuanu,
You might want to check FL regs. Many states so not allow the use of rifles for turkey hunting. If that's the case, follow Sheridan's advice...there are some devastating 20ga turkey loads out there that should work in your dad's single shot.

But if the 20 guage is older, better stick to shooting lead.

Another good idea is to search Pawn shops, Gun Shops, Sporting goods stores and Gun shows to find a used shotgun. I bought my wife's shotgun for just $80

NO longer hunt Public land with rifles for Turkeys in Fl, as of 2011. Private Only.

If the 20 is Old, chances are it has a long barrel, choked Mod, and will kill Turkeys all day long out to probabaly an ethical 40 yrds.
Try Winchester 2/3/4" #4's up to 6's.. What kind of 20 is it, and how long is the Barrel ?
They are Light, and deadly, throw good patterns, nothing wrong at all with that 20.

Shooting a Turkey at 50 yrds and out with a rifle, would not be very rewarding anyway.

I'm not knocking you for your choice of firearm, and I don't know what your state regs. are concerning type of firearms for hunting a turkey. But, I would not under any circumstance want to be in the woods, siting on the ground hunting a turkey, and know that someone would be in the same area with a high powered rifle shooting on level at a bird.

Go with the 20 ga., I hunted several years with a single shot 20 ga. and harvest several birds. I now hunt with a single shot 12 ga. and my hunting partners also hunt them with shotguns. They are all dangerous when shooting on a level playing ground, but I know where my buddies are at, and feel a lot safer knowing a shotgun is being used.

dog1

Kaianuanu,

I agree with dog1 - For safety reasons don't use the 270 during spring turkey season where other hunters are in area!


I have shot turkeys with my 270 (legally) during rifle deer season. Don't see any difference in the bullet used - All make a small hole going in and a baseball size hole exiting! So...If you do shot one, Try for a head/neck shot or Shoot one coming toward you - NOT going away!