For the last decade I've done most of my spring turkey hunting with a Sauer 12-gauge side-by-side made just before WWII. It's choked the typical German tight and tighter, with 2-3/4" chambers.
Mostly I've used 1-1/4 ounces of #5 shot, either lead or Bismuth, depending on regulations, and have not had any trouble taking gobblers out to 45 yards. My last one was one of the bigger-than-a-pigeon Montana Merriams that weighed 19-1/2 pounds with the guts out, taken last spring.
This spring Eileen and I are going to try to do a combo bear/bird hunt on the west side of the divide, using our German combo guns. Mine is a Sauer drilling 16x16x6.5x57R, while hers is a no-name over-under 16/9.3x72R. Eileen usually uses a 20-gauge but likes the combo gun she decided to step up a little.
In Montana's fall season we shoot 'em with whatever's handy. The .22 Hornet is ideal, but they also die from .270 injection.
I would hate to see the pile of turkeys killed with standard Fedremchester standard 2 3/4" 1 1/4 oz loads, or the standard 16 and 20ga loads for that matter.
