.22 Magnum for Turkey Hunting - Page 2

BIG P · April 22, 2012, 01:09 AM

They work good top of the breast & bottom of the neck,Stay away from the beard it will cut it like a knife.Ruger single six 9.5.

langenc · April 22, 2012, 02:13 PM

Illegal as fishin' with dynamite in TN.
From post #12..

I think this means 'it is not legal-we do it all the time. Just dont get caught.'

Gunplummer · April 23, 2012, 10:33 PM

Pennsylvania- Some counties in the fall. I never used a .22 mag on turkey, but body shot coons and it knocks them backward. Find it hard to believe it is not up to turkey. Usually take out the .22 Hi-Power myself.

eastbank · April 24, 2012, 05:01 AM

pa. shotgun in the spring and rifle in the fall. eastbank.

bamaranger · April 25, 2012, 01:46 AM

I lived in a state that allowed rifles for fall turkey hunting. Ideal turkey rifles were thought to be the .22 Hornet, .218 Bee, the .25-20. When the 5mm Rimfire Mag made its appearance in the 70's, some guys bought it for a turkey rifle. The .22 mag was used as well, but the centerfires were more popular and better killers to hear fella's talk.

The aiming point was always the butt of the wing. The head is an elusive target. Heck, spring gobbler hunters miss turkeys heads, with shotguns, at under 30 yds, more often than some will admit. The idea is to run the bullet above and behind the breast, catch the lungs and spine.

The .22 lr was not considered a turkey rifle, but doubtless squirrel hunters potted a few. I have killed one spring gobbler that had a .22 cal bullet wound through the breast bone. Completely healed over and healthy ( super spooky) trophy tom. Migrant tree planters likely shot him on our lease a few years before (they were caught later).

If its true that a .22 mag in a handgun is the ballistic equal of a .22 lr from a rifle, ie the .22 mag looses a bunch of steam from the handgun, then I cannot endorse it as a turkey round from a revolver.

If you are good enough, and disciplined ehough to only head shoot turkeys with a revolver, and its legal, carry on. Hunting turkeys, fall or spring with an iron sighted handgun should be a heck of a challenge. I myself would not be eating much turkey.

I tried bow hunting spring turkey...once.... and got humbled really quickly.

Gunplummer · April 25, 2012, 07:23 AM

Apparently you have never been to a real "Turkey shoot". Turkey tied behind a log, somebody calling, shoot what ever you brought. Shoot for the head when it pops up above the log. Some of those boys could really shoot. Don't see the shoots much anymore with the animal rights people all over the place.

Deja vu · April 26, 2012, 09:22 PM

I would like to try a 357 magnum rifle on a turkey.

Gunplummer · April 28, 2012, 01:12 AM

How about a .38 special? I always wanted a set up for turkey with a .38 and never got around to it. Over the years it kind of got lost in the caliber shuffle when autos became king, but it is still a very good round in my opinion. Another idea I was toying with was the 7.62x25 for turkey. Never got around to that either.

Jack O'Conner · April 29, 2012, 06:04 AM

22 MAG hits like a small grenade. Very large wound channel for such a small bore. Mine shoots dime sized groups at 75 yards every time with plain Winchester ammo.

Jack

bamaranger · April 29, 2012, 06:38 PM

I have never been to a live turkey shoot. I saw one on the Sgt York movie.
I have shot a goodly number of wild gobblers with a shotgun, from about 50 ydes in. I have shot at and lost exactly one with a bow.

Yeah, a .38 with a lead slug would likely make an ideal woods turkey rifle. It would have a trajectory like a rock though. Out of something like a Marlin carbine, it might be ideal. When the clover was up, I use to plug a number of woodchucks with a Marlin so loaded as well as my M27, which I should have never traded.

The post was about revolvers. A .22 Mag from a rifle would make a bottom line turkey rifle in my book.

April 25, 2012, 01:46 AM	#30
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,295	turkeys I lived in a state that allowed rifles for fall turkey hunting. Ideal turkey rifles were thought to be the .22 Hornet, .218 Bee, the .25-20. When the 5mm Rimfire Mag made its appearance in the 70's, some guys bought it for a turkey rifle. The .22 mag was used as well, but the centerfires were more popular and better killers to hear fella's talk. The aiming point was always the butt of the wing. The head is an elusive target. Heck, spring gobbler hunters miss turkeys heads, with shotguns, at under 30 yds, more often than some will admit. The idea is to run the bullet above and behind the breast, catch the lungs and spine. The .22 lr was not considered a turkey rifle, but doubtless squirrel hunters potted a few. I have killed one spring gobbler that had a .22 cal bullet wound through the breast bone. Completely healed over and healthy ( super spooky) trophy tom. Migrant tree planters likely shot him on our lease a few years before (they were caught later). If its true that a .22 mag in a handgun is the ballistic equal of a .22 lr from a rifle, ie the .22 mag looses a bunch of steam from the handgun, then I cannot endorse it as a turkey round from a revolver. If you are good enough, and disciplined ehough to only head shoot turkeys with a revolver, and its legal, carry on. Hunting turkeys, fall or spring with an iron sighted handgun should be a heck of a challenge. I myself would not be eating much turkey. I tried bow hunting spring turkey...once.... and got humbled really quickly.

April 26, 2012, 09:22 PM	#32
Deja vu Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2010 Location: Border of Idaho & Montana Posts: 2,584	I would like to try a 357 magnum rifle on a turkey. __________________ Shot placement is everything! I would rather take a round of 50BMG to the foot than a 22short to the base of the skull. all 26 of my guns are 45/70 govt, 357 mag, 22 or 12 ga... I believe in keeping it simple. Wish my wife did as well...

April 28, 2012, 01:12 AM	#33
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	DejaVu How about a .38 special? I always wanted a set up for turkey with a .38 and never got around to it. Over the years it kind of got lost in the caliber shuffle when autos became king, but it is still a very good round in my opinion. Another idea I was toying with was the 7.62x25 for turkey. Never got around to that either.

April 29, 2012, 06:04 AM	#34
Jack O'Conner Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2005 Location: Manatee County, Florida Posts: 1,976	22 MAG hits like a small grenade. Very large wound channel for such a small bore. Mine shoots dime sized groups at 75 yards every time with plain Winchester ammo. Jack __________________ Fire up the grill! Deer hunting IS NOT catch and release. Last edited by Jack O'Conner; May 1, 2012 at 07:47 PM. Reason: spelling fixed

April 29, 2012, 06:38 PM	#35
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,295	nope I have never been to a live turkey shoot. I saw one on the Sgt York movie. I have shot a goodly number of wild gobblers with a shotgun, from about 50 ydes in. I have shot at and lost exactly one with a bow. Yeah, a .38 with a lead slug would likely make an ideal woods turkey rifle. It would have a trajectory like a rock though. Out of something like a Marlin carbine, it might be ideal. When the clover was up, I use to plug a number of woodchucks with a Marlin so loaded as well as my M27, which I should have never traded. The post was about revolvers. A .22 Mag from a rifle would make a bottom line turkey rifle in my book.

April 22, 2012, 01:09 AM	#26
BIG P Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2010 Location: North Georgia Posts: 1,679	They work good top of the breast & bottom of the neck,Stay away from the beard it will cut it like a knife.Ruger single six 9.5.

April 22, 2012, 02:13 PM	#27
langenc Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2007 Location: Montmorency Co, MI Posts: 1,551	Illegal as fishin' with dynamite in TN. From post #12.. I think this means 'it is not legal-we do it all the time. Just dont get caught.'

April 23, 2012, 10:33 PM	#28
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	Pennsylvania- Some counties in the fall. I never used a .22 mag on turkey, but body shot coons and it knocks them backward. Find it hard to believe it is not up to turkey. Usually take out the .22 Hi-Power myself.

April 24, 2012, 05:01 AM	#29
eastbank Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2008 Location: pa. Posts: 2,450	pa. shotgun in the spring and rifle in the fall. eastbank.

April 25, 2012, 07:23 AM	#31
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	Apparently you have never been to a real "Turkey shoot". Turkey tied behind a log, somebody calling, shoot what ever you brought. Shoot for the head when it pops up above the log. Some of those boys could really shoot. Don't see the shoots much anymore with the animal rights people all over the place.

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