Turkey season...Gett'n close

[castnblast]

Yes, I'm already getting the itch. Just curious, what are your favorite Turkey rounds - manufacturer, shotsize, etc.? I suppose this could go on the hunt just as easy, but what the heck...It's a shotgun question.

[Niagara Shooter]

I prefer Federal Premium 6's, killed a few birds with them in 3 inch outta a 1300 with an undertaker choke (2oz loads, not the hi-vel). Also have Winchester Supreme hi velocity in 3 1/2 in 4's and 5's, and Federal Premium (flitecontrol) in 5's haven't patterned either yet, but both my Gold and Wingmaster have turkey chokes sittin in em waiting for nicer weather! :D

[absolute0]

3" Remington Hevi Shot #6's through my SBE have worked great for me. Nice dense patterns and the pellets seem to hold their energy well out to 45 yards or so. The no-tox hevi shot also allows me to hunt on toxic ammo restricted public land.

[Webleymkv]

I've admittedly never turkey hunted but if I decide to give it a try I'll probably use my 10ga with whatever No. 4 shot patterns the best.

[jdc48160]

I'll be using Winchester Super X 2 3/4 inch, 1 1/8 ounce heavy game load #4 shot. It'll be going thru my new Mossberg 535 with a Carlson's super full extended turkey choke tube. I also have a TruGlo fiberoptic sight on my vented rib barrel.

It should pattern pretty nice. If it doesn't, I'll try a different choke and possibly different ammo.

[castnblast]

I'm going to use 12 ga 3" winchester supremes in #5. Full choke, franchi I-12. I think...gonna need to pattern to be sure. Thanks guys...

[hogdogs]

If'n I git the itch I will buy a license and use #4 shot as that is what I got bigger than 6... 6 just don't got WHACK i need and #3/4 buck is gonna (my luck) pattern around them and they will flip me the BIRD and fly away... so do i do anything different with them from a Walmart bird 'sides plck and gut? Should I gut them out of the Butthole like a "BUTTERBALL"? Never killed a wild one so 'splain the details... (after the kill) I may need to know.
Brent

[bcarver]

Almost any round will kill a turkey at 12 yards.
What you should look for is something that could extend your range for those times when he just won't come in.
Different shot sizes and shot composition give different killing power.
What you want is something that will kill at 40 or 50 yards.
The shot sizes that will do this are #3 steel, #4lead and #5 hevishot.
You also need enough pellet count to put several in the spine/brain.
Unless you have an excellent unheard of patterning shotgun this will eliminate everything but the hevishot #5.
With that in mind I use #5 hevi with the longest round the gun will hold.
I tried several brands but noticed no difference in the pattern.

[bclark1]

I get my black eyes from Remington - 3 1/2" #5 2oz from a Mossberg 835 with a Briley choke and a barrel that's way too long. Effective to 40 yards. The Federal Flite Control stuff looked promising too but my 5-shot trial wasn't enough for me to come to any conclusions last year. Need to shoot it on a bigger target as I think it patterns well, just not exactly at my normal POA. I should switch out to one of my semis for recoil's sake, but the 835's stolen my heart as my dedicated turkey gun. I am excited though - definitely hit those January blues when you realize it's another 10 months until deer/waterfowl/etc.

[ActivShootr]

www.wildlifedepartment.com/turkey_loads.htm - 86k

A bit legnthy but contains detailed information on several loads.

[Niagara Shooter]

Heck yes to that one bclark!! Thats only how many more sleeps till bambi is back in season???

[hogdogs]

I will be using my 20 gauge 18 inch cyl barrel... or perhaps juniors mav 88 big ol honkin' long 12 gauge....
I do not normally buy "special" ammo so likely it would be 2 3/4 inch shells. Is that just not enuff giddyup? I have 6, 4, and both #3 and #4 buck...
Brent

[castnblast]

I kille 2 last season w/ a 20 ga. Used # 5's. 6 will do the trick to. Nail em in the head. no body shots. You won't get the bird, unless you use the buck shot. In that case, I'd use #4 buck

[jdc48160]

I'll be using #4 heavy load Winchester Super X 2 3/4 inch shells.

This is gonna be my first turkey season, so I go that ammo on the reccomendation of my service manager at work, who has been hunting longer than I've been alive. He hasn't steered me wrong yet on suggestions for hunting and gun related stuff.