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Brad Clodfelter · September 6, 2007, 07:15 PM

Well I'll agree that 6 shot is probably the most versatile size shot there is. I have even used it for doves, but 7.5 shot does work better. As for killing power on turkeys, squirrels, or rabbits, I have found 5 shot to be better, and 4 shot to be even better yet. It's just hard to beat 4 shot on the longer shots on say turkeys out to 50+yds. The same can be said on rabbits. I have peppered rabbits with 6 shot loads at 45-50yds, only to see them keep running. Every once in a while you may get lucky and break a leg and stop them long enough to finish them off. But a good load of 4 shot at the same distance will put more rabbits on the ground. Yea I know kill them at shorter distances, but not all rabbits seem to wanna cooperate with that way of thinking.

When I'm shooting a stubborn gobbler at say 50yds, and he doesn't want to cooperate with coming closer, I want some shot heavy enough to penetrate feathers to hit vitals like heart or lungs, or break wing bones or leg bones instead of just relying on the smaller size 6 shot to hit the smaller neck and vertebrae area of a turkey. There are those that say more shot increases your chances of killing a turkey at this distance of 50yds or farther by being able to hit this small vertebrae kill zone on a turkey. I say that may sound great on paper, but it won't be the way it works in the turkey woods at this distance of 50yds or farther. I know, I have tried enough 6 shot loads at that distance to know it's a very iffy deal that you are probably going to end up the loser regardless of how well your gun shoots the #6 loads. At 50+yds 6 shot don't have much zip left at all when it comes to killing power anyway. Yes they still can kill a gobbler at that distance if you are fortunate enough to hit the tiny vertebrae area on his head and neck. But all the shot that hits the turkey in the body is just pepper spray to the bird at that distance. A Mossberg 835 with a .695 H.S. Undertaker choke tube with Win Supreme 2 and 1/4oz loads of #4 is the ticket to consistantly taking turkeys down for the count at this distance or slightly farther.

September 6, 2007, 07:15 PM	#18
Brad Clodfelter Registration in progress Join Date: January 26, 2007 Posts: 925	Well I'll agree that 6 shot is probably the most versatile size shot there is. I have even used it for doves, but 7.5 shot does work better. As for killing power on turkeys, squirrels, or rabbits, I have found 5 shot to be better, and 4 shot to be even better yet. It's just hard to beat 4 shot on the longer shots on say turkeys out to 50+yds. The same can be said on rabbits. I have peppered rabbits with 6 shot loads at 45-50yds, only to see them keep running. Every once in a while you may get lucky and break a leg and stop them long enough to finish them off. But a good load of 4 shot at the same distance will put more rabbits on the ground. Yea I know kill them at shorter distances, but not all rabbits seem to wanna cooperate with that way of thinking. When I'm shooting a stubborn gobbler at say 50yds, and he doesn't want to cooperate with coming closer, I want some shot heavy enough to penetrate feathers to hit vitals like heart or lungs, or break wing bones or leg bones instead of just relying on the smaller size 6 shot to hit the smaller neck and vertebrae area of a turkey. There are those that say more shot increases your chances of killing a turkey at this distance of 50yds or farther by being able to hit this small vertebrae kill zone on a turkey. I say that may sound great on paper, but it won't be the way it works in the turkey woods at this distance of 50yds or farther. I know, I have tried enough 6 shot loads at that distance to know it's a very iffy deal that you are probably going to end up the loser regardless of how well your gun shoots the #6 loads. At 50+yds 6 shot don't have much zip left at all when it comes to killing power anyway. Yes they still can kill a gobbler at that distance if you are fortunate enough to hit the tiny vertebrae area on his head and neck. But all the shot that hits the turkey in the body is just pepper spray to the bird at that distance. A Mossberg 835 with a .695 H.S. Undertaker choke tube with Win Supreme 2 and 1/4oz loads of #4 is the ticket to consistantly taking turkeys down for the count at this distance or slightly farther. Last edited by Brad Clodfelter; September 6, 2007 at 09:18 PM.