I was wondering about my total hits after patterning my gun.
The gun is a 12ga Mossy 500. I decided to use my 18-1/2" accu-choke barrel with an Undertaker extended turkey choke. I have a Pro Point red dot and am shooting 3", #5, copper plated lead turkey loads with 2oz of shot.

At 35 yards I am getting 30-40 hits in a 10" circle.
At 40 yards I am getting 20-30 hits in a 10" circle.

My question is, am I getting enough pellets in the circle? I have read several different posts regarding number of pellets getting in the circle. I also understand it depends alot on the shells / choke.

It seems like I am getting a pretty good number of pellets in the circle (especially with the shorter barrel) but I just want to be sure since this is my first year for turkey hunting.

Thanks in advance!!

That sounds about right. For grins, draw yourself a "turkey head" and try the pattern.

cool.... thanks for the info. I figured I was in the ballpark on the pattern. 30-35yards and I feel very confident range wise. On out to 40rds I should also still be good. However, with the shorter barrel I think I will try to limit my max range to about 35yrds (which should be plenty with my hunting areas. This will get me started for sure. Maybe next year or this fall I will try with my Excal Vortex crossbow, but for my first season I will use the shotgun. I have high hopes of bagging my first bird next month.

that isnt even close to the recomended 100 in a 10 inch circle. draw a circle around the densist part of the pattern. then count the hits. if you are not getting at least 70 please do not use that combination. you owe it the turkey to not chance a loss. there are 340 number 5 pellets in a 2oz load. maybe the undertaker is to tight for the 5's. but most likly it is the barrel.

Okay... thanks... that's what I needed to know. When I get some more money, Ill start over again (with the 28" barrel).

The length of the barrel has nothing to do with the patterns. It is all in te choke. The length of the barrell has bearing on velocity and sighting radius only. Its been proven many times over.
Just try another brand of shells or same shells with maybe 6's.

I agree with snapper. I shot my mossberg 500 at 30 yards and had 107 pellets in the turkey target. I use Federals 3in 2oz 5 shot.

I agree 100%

I use Federals and use the factory xx-full turkey choke. Thats a deadly combination.

Dude get some turkey targets. Put them out toat 35 and 40 yards... Shot a couple shells... If you can get 5-8 hits in the turkeys brain and neck vertabre your fine... Were this min of 100 pellets in a 10" circle BS came from I'll never know...

10" circle is for the guy spending hundreds of $$$ on chokes and hundreds of $$$ on shells...

Chance are your wife will want to kill you if you get caught up in the 10" circle BS