Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting 12 Guage turkey load

I have finally drawn my first spring turkey tag. I have a 28" 12 Guage 870, with an extended choke tube that I use for predators. I have no idea about what load to use, any suggestions would be awesome.

Hevi shot turkey #5 are my favorit

shot a lot of em
nitro ray stuff
hevi shot
many plain old lead loads
many plain old copper and nickel plated loads

all will pattern good depending on what your set up likes


but..................................


for the money and the performance
Winchester longbeard loads are the shyt!!!!!!

get a truglo strut stopper extreme choke (not the gobble stopper)for the 870 and buy 2 boxes of some #6 longbeard in 3 inch or 3.5 inch depending on your chamber length
and a aftermarket open sight
and go pattern it at 40 yds

probably set ya back 100 bucks total

Nitrocompany.com
Call and talk to Ray. He will not steer you down the wrong path.

Steve

good luck with that................

501l in econ load was good till he switched from red federal hulls to brown fiochi hulls

the h517 is good in strait 7

if the op is gonna order from nitro ray
he better get em now
they go fast
and he is slow filling orders at times also

better if he could find a local dealer if any in his area

sometimes they sell individual shells and you can experiment and then decide if the cost is worth the pattern
and once you nail down which shell of nitro works
then buy a box of 25

cause you take the chance of ray changing components or not having components for the shell you like for years on end and you have very few left














or just go buy some Winchester longbeard shells .........
and kill em just as dead

Always did me right.

Steve

I haven't shot the Winchester longbeard shells, but the reviews I've read say they are awesome.

Steve

I shoot plain lead 3" #4 Federal Turkey Loads out of a Carlson Dead Coyote choke. I've been knockin' them flat with those loads since '96. The Dead Coyote choke goes very well with the Flight Control Wad of the Federal ammo.

Use the predator choke you have, and buy some Winchester longbeard shells as previously stated. They shoot well out of just about anything, and won't break the bank. If you want to spend a little more buy some hevi 13 6s or 7s. 3" 2oz, or 3.5" 2.25 oz. The nitro Ray shells are over priced. They might pattern a little better than the hevi 13 shells, but not for as much more as they cost.

Most everyone I shoots them with 3" or 3.5" number 5's. I have been using the Remington 3" 4x6 duplex for years. I have heard great things about Hevi shot 4x6 as well.

Good luck and shoot straight

Bob

Shooting hevi shot(or any heavier than lead load) in any size bigger than 5s is pointless for turkeys. The shot size is big enough that the pattern density drops off rather quickly. 6s and 7s carry plenty of energy to 40 yards or more, and have good pattern density.

And the reviews are 150% correct.

There is NO MORE bang for your turkey shell buck than the Longbeard XR. Not even close..........

I haven't had any problems with a. 2 3/4 she'll in number 4 shot. I'm good out to 45 yards.

3" 5's are my favorite, but I have killed the with everything from 2's to 7 1/5 trap loads..

In a lead load I have had better patterns with winchester supremes than any other shell in 4 different guns. I also shot hevishot, and that stuff is great.

Indian Creek makes a great choke tube. AND I agree with renegade on the strut stopper extreme especially for the money.

the strut stopper extreme is the only choke that is close to my rhino .670 in my 835
and I have shot a lot shell and choke combos over the years


slumlord shoots a ssx in .670 with the LB 2 0z #6 in his 835 and has a hellava pellet count in the 250 plus range in 10"at 40yds

Do you suck as bad at turkey hunting as you do deer hunting?

Been shooting the Hevi-Shot magnum blend in 12 gauge 3" since the were introduced - they have always worked very well for me. I do have about four boxes (5 each) left, so that's a lot of turkey hunting. HOWEVER, from what I have heard and read here and elsewhere, I intend to pattern the Winchester 12 ga 3" Longbeard load through my Pure Gold .670 tube and see how it patterns - the Hevi-Shot is getting very expensive around here.

I have had 5 different 12ga Turkey guns. Shot hundreds of rounds testing patterns. The guys Touting the Winchesters are right. I found some ammo that would shoot better patterns but the Winchesters would always get the job done. As has been suggested I'd encourage you to buy a box of 3" Win. Longbeards and begin with the choke tube you have. Almost every turkey hunter has a favorite choke tube for their gun and will frequently tell you it is the best. My experience is there usually is a tube that shoots better than the others but any of the above suggested tubes will usually give you patterns that will take turkeys out to 40yds. If I can't get them inside 40yds then I'm thinking that my calling needs improving. An 870 loaded with turkey loads will get your attention when you ask her to speak. I could never get used to the recoil from the 3 1/2 loads. 3" is all I have ever needed. In fact my old Ithaca 37 shooting 2 3/4 loads never let me down. I'd also suggest #6 shot. It usually gives me the best combination of distance and density of pattern. If your pattern is tight enough so that you can't fit a turkey head and neck in there without getting 4 - 6 pellets in it you are good to go. At least that's always worked for me. Have fun and make sure you know what your gun is doing and where it shoots. Pattern, pattern, pattern.

Best to you
Jim