Turkey loads kick!!!
 

This will be my first year to turkey hunt so I bought some Winchester Supreme 3" shells for my 12 guage 870 to pattern my gun. Prior to shooting the 3 inchers I was bustin a few clays with some light dove loads and then went to patterning my gun with my turkey loads. I wasn't really expecting the gun to take a punch at my eye like it did. It caught me off guard having just shot 50 light loads. Well, 3rd shot with the 3 inchers and the gun somehow knocks my contact off my eyeball. At first I thought it might have just pushed it under my eye lid, but no, it knocked it right off my eye! I had to drive all the way home with some messed up vision. I've never driven drunk but I think that was a pretty close experience.

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

Yep!!

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

Wait till you try a 3-1/2"

Sure is fun though.

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

The worst is over. You won't feel a thing when you are shooting at a turkey.

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

One reason I shoot an automatic,it helps to reduce that recoil some.

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

Your shoulder will probably be an interesting shade of purple tomorrow :)

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

YYYEEESSSIIRRRRRR-EEEEEE

Automatics do help alot. I'm completely new to turkey hunting, but my state requires shotgun slugs for deer. (Besides, I've had some fun handloading for 'dem really big squirrels, and for the 10,000 black birds that fly 60yds above, just out of range.) So I've been there. I find it very interesting that dedicated turkey guns are sold in pump action configurations; it makes absolutely no sense to me. One of the biggest/easiest things you can do to calm the kick is either add as much weught to your gun as you can and reduce the weight of you're load( 2oz down to 1.5) as much as you're willing. From what I've read, certain guns will actually shoot better with less lead being pushed through the barrel.

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

Try a 10ga some time

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

When I was 13. I was shooting a 12 ga 2 3/4 in mags. So I decided to try to shoot 3 inchers, I thought I was tough. Well I shot the 1st one and because I was sitting on a bucket shooting downhill, I got me nose to close to the stock and busted my nose. So I just stuck with 2 3/4 inchers, until I was 14

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

I won't ever shoot turkey loads in 10 guage or a 12 gauge 3.5 incher.

Hal

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

A buddy of mine picked up an 835 for our first turkey season a couple of years back, I decided to hold back and used my grandfathers model 12 because I wanted to make sure I liked this turkey hunting stuff. Our first patterning session I was shooting 2 3/4s he thought he'd be tuff and start off with the big 3.5s. First shot about took his nose off. He went into the woods with some 3 in shells and he hasn't been back since.

My second year I bought an MP153 semi auto and I regularly shoot 3.5's with a smile on my face. Love my MP153!. I haven't been able to talk my buddy into going turkey hunting again though.

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

I remember the first time I patterned my Remington Super Mag with 3.5" Winchester shells. 4 shots and that was all I wanted to do. Got home and had a purple mark on my cheek. Man, they rock ya...

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

LOL. I remember having a scope on my turkey gun, oh, 3 years back and got a bit close with just a 3" shell... POW! I got the gobbler allright, but the scope got me, and good. 4 stitches on the inside and 8 more to close the gash above my eye. The ER doctor said it probably wouldn't have been as bad if I didn't wear glasses, which were in need of repair as well.

My buddy had a good time with that one... since he drove me to the ER after I took my bird home. We couldn't get the bleeding stopped which made it hard to drive. So, he has the ER nurse bandage over the stitches with a huge kids Crayola crayon bandage. I didn't know it was there until I got home. No wonder they were all laughing when we walked out of the hospital.

I no longer use a scope, which for me is a good thing. I've gone up to the 3 1/2" Browning BPS, and would not want to get hammered by it. Those 2 oz. loads in 3 1/2" shells are absolutley brutal. But heck, if it'll shoot 'em... just grin and shoot em.;)

RE: Turkey loads kick!!!
 

I was 8 when I shot my first 3 1/2" magnum turkey load. I about dislocated my shoulder shooting it. Needless to say, I shot 2 3/4" shells for the next couple years!