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

I have shot just about everything out there (not saying I am an expert or nothing like that) but for my money if I were starting all over again,Winchester longbeard hands down. It is great stuff with the best patterns I have seen out of a lead shell. The patterns will equal or better any I have seen.
Hevi comes in a close second but at about double the price.
I could not find a shell/choke combo that my gun liked with Fed. HW, and while Nitro shells patterned good, the price and super long wait (and not knowing if you were going to get the shells or not) made them more of a hassle than they were worth, did I mention the price!

People will tell you that you need #4 or #5 or even #6 shot but I have shot them all and it is about a combination of choke/shell/and shot size that will give you a good pattern. I have found (for myself and my guns/chokes) that #6 works well for me. I have tried #5 and #4 in the same shells/chokes/guns and did not like what I saw.
Just about any shotgun and shell will kill a turkey if it is in range but if you are looking for a dense pattern and clean kills, you have to play with all three (shells/chokes/guns).
It is a whole lot like hand loads for a rifle, what works in one will not shoot worth a crap in others.

This is my $.02 worth and your mileage may vary....

I agree.
borden811, pullit, and Rug3 are saying similar things. Might we say that a pattern is developing here?

We might also give a few hints on what has worked for us patterning our guns.

Here is what has worked for this old man:
After years of banging at various commercially printed turkey head targetsI bought a roll of construction paper at Lowes 3'wide and cut off 3'squares that I staple to a square frame made from some discarded lumber. I found that opening up a cardboard box and stapling it to the frame for a backer is really helpful. Black 3/4" electrical tape is my favorite target. For the first shot I put a small piece of it at the center of the 3" square and set it up at about 25yds. (30 steps, paced off, exact measurements are unnecessary here).

Shoot one round at the center of the target and then read I will find a section of the pattern that tends to be more dense then the rest. Draw a circle around this area. I carry an old black crayon in my pocket for this. Should be about 8" in diameter. Sight my gun to the center of that circle.

I then make my "turkey target" which consists a new sheet of the construction paper, a vertical 5" strip of that tape to represent the turkey neck, a piece about 1 1/2" at a 45 degree angle on the top representing the head. Move my target out to 30 yards and shoot one.

Read the target.
1. Where's the density of the pattern? Circle it. About a 10" circle. Don"t re-sight the gun yet.
2. How many pellets poked through that tape? That's my "kill pattern." Dozen or more? If so I move out 10 yards and shoot again at new target.

I want 8-10 in the kill pattern but will settle on 6 if they are there on all subsequent confirming shots. The farther out I go the less dense the kill pattern. I no longer pattern beyond 40yds. It's counterproductive for me. If I can't call him inside 40 then he wins, I grin and work on calling, sitting still, and camo skills.

When I find the maximum distance the shotgun patterns well I re-sight the gun if needed and always shoot at least 3 confirming shots at new individual "turkey targets and circle them." It's habit now to circle all "kill patterns." Read the targets again.

My turkey shooting, real or target, is from a sitting position off shooting sticks. The sticks help me stay still when that Tom takes his time doing all his tricks showing off on his way into the 40yd shooting zone. The sticks also help me hold the gun up for that length of time. These 76yr old arthritic shoulders and arms are just not as strong as steady as they once were. Besides the sticks work well as a walking stick. (cane)

Get box Winchesters
Roll construction paper
Make 3"square frame
Shoot

Jim

Hevishot mag blends. Black diamond or jelly head choke should work well.

A pattern that gives 100+ appropriate size/density pellets in 10" @ 40 yards is a reliable killer.

I shoot Winchester 3" copper plated lead shot in #5's. I have patterned lots of different lead loads and the Winchester #5's works best in my gun out to 40 yds. I will probably try the Longbeards sometime, but I really see no reason to switch from what I currently shoot. Call them in to 40 yds or less and the copper plated lead works well.

I'm gonna buy some of the LB shells and try in my M1. I have a .655 terror I would like to test. I would like to try the heavier than lead #7s at some point.

If I never buy another turkey shell, I have enough at the house from trying different loads to last the rest of my turkey hunting career.

The best patterning loads I've tried have been Winchester Supreme High Velocity #5's in both 3 and 3 1/2 inch versions out of a 26 inch barreled Win Super X2 using a xxfull comp-n-choke. Great even killing patterns out to 40 yards.

Haven't tried the longbeards yet but will this year.

Out of an 870 28 inch barrel and Primos Jellyhead choke the 3 inch #6 hevishot loads did very well out to 40 yards.

Bob.

the mag blend shell in 3.5 is not what the company enviornmetal makes it out to be

was dissappinted in its pellet count
210-220,s

tore one down weighed it out
got rather pizzed off

1st 1/4-3/8ths inch of it is flax seeds as some sort of cushion or space compensator

separated the shot into approximate 5 6 7 sizes (hevishot varies in size
digital scale weighed it
total shot payload was just barely 2oz in weight(when advertised as 2 1/4oz and 40-45% of it was#5 35-40% was #6 and the rest #7
I think they got the ratios bassakwards if you ask me
and they really are a 3 and 1/8th inch shell with barely a 2 oz load

then if you call them up you get a grocery store in bum fugg
Oregon of all things that never answers
one box purchase for me when they 1st came out and was touted as the greatest thing since individually wrapped cheese
just saying

Better leave those Longbeards alone, they will make everything else in your treasure trove obsolete....!

I never, ever, thought about using anything larger than a #5 shot, back when I used Winchester Supremes, had my best year ever with those killing 9 longbeards in 3 different states. 3 each in each Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee.

A buddy who used to hunt with Nitro Ray is always testing and got me doing this each year with testing new loads, told me about the Longbeards. I now am hunting with #4 shot, they are that damn good.

firstcoueswas80--

Congrats on drawing a tag, thats a big deal in AZ!!

Here in KY we get to hunt em all spring and in the fall and I've shot em with 12 and 20ga and normally kill 3 a year or so.

In your case, with a tag you've waited to draw for so long... spend the money on the high quality stuff. You want pattern density and energy. I would recommend 3.5" shells if your 870 will take em.

#1 Choice- Federal Heavyweight #6s in 3 or 3.5"
#2 Choice- Hevi-13 #6s in 3 or 3.5"

Make sure you got 2 oz of shot and that your pattern is tight at 40 and 50yds.

3 1/2 Longbeard 2oz 6s were giving me 200+ in a 9 inch circle around my POA last week. And the pattern wasn't even centered

I used to do better with some of Nitro Ray's shells but the cost, lack of availability, poor service and recoil got tiresome

SBE2 with Rhino .660. 26" I believe

3.5 Longbeards 2oz number 5s shoot great.

Personally, I never found the loads made specifically for turkey to be all that much better than standard pheasant loads, unless you're wanting to get every bit of range possible out of your gun. If drawing a tag is that rare in your state than the cost and time spent patterning those loads may be worth it to you however.

I've killed probably 20 toms with a shotgun (which isn't a whole lot by some standards) and easily as many hens with 20, 16, 12 and 10 gauges. I tried several heavy duty turkey loads and while they work great, they didn't work any better than normal #6, #5 or #4 pheasant loads all with a regular full choke. I've even killed a few with the modified choke. No issues, to 50 or so yards.

I prefer a rifle overall though, but somehow doubt you can do that with your tag if you're asking this question.

Good luck with whatever you choose, but don't stress about it. It's really about like choosing which bullet to shoot deer with. Pretty much everything works, unless you're testing the extremes of ranges or equipment.

Fifty yards with a #4 pheasant load through a modified choke?

That range may be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much. I'd have to think about it.

I killed several fall turkeys in northern Idaho while ruffed grouse hunting. I KNOW I've killed toms at 50 yards with my 10 gauge and normal chokes and run of the mill steel goose loads.

I used to get in the 320-330 count in 10" @40yds with the 501l econ hevi shot load 4c 5c 7h with a rhino.680 in a 835

then nitro ray lateness

bait and switch

and changing components

stirred me away from his antics


I get a 257 5 shot avg in 10"@40yds with the lb 3.5 2oz#6 and rhino.670 in a 835

10 shells
way below half the price of rip off ray
always can be found
and a great killing pattern
whacked 2 with em last yr 1st time using em

didn't ready every post here so my bad if this has been covered. after you settle on the choke and shell selection and pattern it out at 40 yrds, do yourself a favor and shoot it a couple times at 10 or 15 yrds. if that 40 yrd pattern is pretty tight like we all want it, the 15 yrd patter is going to be soft ball size and be like shooting a rifle. would hate for you to miss a big old tom up close and personal.

Beads and super tight patterns are a way to an upsetting hunt, I went with drill and tap and optics. Variable power and 1 1/2 on hunts, 4 1/2 when patterning. You can see the end of my 24" barrel on 1 1/2 power.

Whatever load you choose(i load my own 1 5/8oz of #5 hard lead shot) might be a good idea to get the chamber/lead reamed.

I did this to my 870/modified shotgun and hitting out to 60-70 yards on chickens out here are very doable.

It will be worth the cost.

I've done it with an old full choke Ithaca 12. Seen my dad do it numerous times with an old double 16 with really tight choke.

Not sure about modified.

Patterned again the other day

Tweaked POA/POI and the 2oz #6 long beards are ridiculous at 40 yards

Should have shot further but didn't. Did shoot at 15 yards. It would be easy to miss. I use a speed bead

Also shot a 2 3/4" pheasant load (4s) as that's what I load when my son it on the trigger. It was a turkey killer at 30 yards but not ideal

I've killed turks with ordinary #6 12 gauge Remington Express loads through a plain old full choke at 35-45 yards too many times to count. You guys with your magnum 12's, whiz bang tighter than a rats azz chokes and super duper magic turkey loads crack me the fugg up. You don't have to make a turks head look like a window screen to kill it.

Yeah but it fun to shoot at paper and out pattern your buddies gun!

I use an 870 with a 28" barrel as well and have never had a problem out to 45 yards with 2 3/4" shells. One is a tight modified (measures closer to improved modified) choke. It's an older gun and only chambered for 2 3/4" shells. When I used screw in chokes in my express (cheap 870 with matte finish), I still used 2 3/4" shells and 3" on occasion. The 2 3/4" turkey loads still performed just fine. I used the undertaker turkey (super full) choke and got excellent patterns with the federal turkey loads. The older ones with flight control wads worked great. For the op's shotgun, this is probably how I'd roll:

1. Super full turkey choke
2. Federal copper plated turkey loads: #4 or #5 shot with flight control wad.
3. Synthetic camo stock:




BTDT a time or 2..

Federal premium turkey load

Those lefty 870 hard to come by..

They are John. I found another one (wingmaster) today and almost bought it. Its a 20 gauge though and pretty damn nice...It has screw in chokes too...

My sentiment as well. Just use a regular hunting load. Although I would never begrudge anybody trying to get it down to a science and as much of a certainty as can be done for success.

I just grab a gun, get out there, plunk down and start calling.

If i have a hole in my pattern, or misjudge the distance,the Dinosaurs win that day.
One time, I didnt pull the trigger on a bachelor group of three strutting gobblers I called in cause I just wasnt sure how far they were. My barrel blotted all three out, so I let them walk. Got a kick out of foolin them with my calling though.

Some days hurt more than others when nothing is seen or heard, and theres no shooting. But somehow, it never kept me from going back out.

I just like the competition, guessing game, and intensity.

Blackheart, over gunned!!! I have killed a couple with trap loads of 7 1/2's at 45 yards from an IC!!!

Great post. A lot of guys go to extremes, when some of it isn't necessary. Learning to call them in close enough and keeping yourself concealed well enough makes all the difference in the world. I remember calling birds in to within 75 yards and having them say fu ck you, this is all the further I'm coming in. No amount of choke or load will help you out in this instance. I remember killing a big tom with a heavy trap load once, but he was within 25 yards of me. I've also taken one out that flew right above my head when a friend uphill scared a flock toward me. I was using grand dad's old 30" sterlingworth that time and it worked just fine. I've also spotted and stalked and ambushed the sob's too. Learn to hunt them and you got it made...

It is worth pointing out that those who feel light loads and loose chokes work to forty yards and beyond are speaking from a narrow band of experience. If you want to get it done every time, in all conditions, approaching the exercise from such a direction is setting yourself up for heartache. If birds are easy to come by, that might be alright. I miss lots of doves and so what. Gobblers are different. It took me three seasons to get my public land Osceola on my terms. No way would I consider taking anything but a tuned up turkey gun on such a hunt.

I started with a factory choke and a not-so-heavy load of #5s. I never patterned it until I watched a bird run off that should have been an easy kill. Patterning that combination told me I had been running the ragged edge the whole time. It was only consistently useful to about thirty yards. I was killing up to forty and probably could have further if I were willing to gamble on a magic pellet. This is why some of the older birds I kill will have a few different types of pellets already in them. People shoot at these public land birds too far and with crap patterns all the time. They whang away and shrug their shoulders when the bird runs off. Those of us who regularly take our limit are apt to do differently.

Measure your distances accurately and test your set-ups on paper before shooting at birds. Don't just shoot at a small turkey target. That pattern needs to kill that bird all over the pattern, not just in the center. Test in conditions similar to when you will hunt. Test at the maximum distance you intend to shoot and don't shoot further. It is astounding to shoot a nice pattern at one distance and see it fall apart when tested just five yards further. Same thing in different weather.

Personally, I like a combo that will kill to fifty yards, so I know it will do to forty regardless of conditions. I like a combo that is not too tight, just tight enough. The Flite Control wads and Longbeard loads can be amazing, but are not entirely consistent. I'm using the FliteControl in my 20ga, but I bought a choke that pretty much defeats the wad to get it to act normally. It'll dump them lights out at forty. If they're in close, I either let them walk back out or just put the bead lower on the bird.

An example of a combination that would work in all conditions would be an 835 with factory extra-full and Winchester Supreme 3.5" 2oz #6s. I have seen several guns using that combo that were utterly reliable to forty in all conditions. A rig like that, you can be all twisted up with the bird at forty and still get him if your head is down on the stock and the bead is near the middle of his neck.

i will add one more thought to all this and yes i understand everyone has their own idea or preference on what they think works best. i remodeled our house a bit this past fall and replaced all the doors. i took the old ones out to my buddies place where i hunt as we will use them in a bond fire one night. well i patterned a couple different loads at about 40 yrds and besides the size of the pattern the other interesting item was the penetration of various types of shells. i can say will absolute faith that the #6 heavi shot penetrated better than the #5 copper loads did. just a thought.

That isn't a big secret.

In fact, a big draw of the hevi shot #7 is the fact that it penetrates like #5 lead, but gives a bunch more pellets in the same loading

may not be a big secret to most turkey hunters but for any of the new guys i thought i would just mention it.

if you dont wanna pay $10 per shell, Winchester longbeards are the best thing going. If money and time are no object, handload some tungsten super shot!

Good post. To the OP and others that are new to the sport. It is beyond important to make sure you pattern your shotguns, regardless of what loads and chokes you are using. Know your poi at 40 yards and the density of the pattern. Fine tune it with choke and load over time if you have to, but get it right. I've tried many things and found the Federals work the best in my shotgun with the choke I was running. My buddies have settled on the Winhcester super duper turkey loads and they work great. Remember, every shotgun is different and one may like one type of load over another.

Can't say I agree with that. I took my limit more than a little regularly before I moved to a place without any turkeys. Some springs I go back home to Montana to hunt them and often jump the border into Idaho to kill two more. I did the whole super tight pattern/high dollar equipment thing, but after 4-5 toms I realized it simply wasn't necessary, unless you're wanting to test the extremes of your equipment. Like others have said, too tight of a pattern will bite you at some point.

I have no idea how many turkeys I have killed over the years...probably 50+ in 4 states including fall hens, and I don't believe I have never NOT killed one because I was using the same shotgun/choke/load I use for pheasants/grouse/chucker. Like WyoCoyoteHntr, I've killed them with light #7.5 trap loads, though I wouldn't go out specifically after them loaded like that.

The OP has drawn a rare tag, and to him it may be worth it to go crazy and buy all kinds of new equipment. If that's the case, then good for him. It will absolutely work out for him.

Another simple option that will kill birds near and far is to use Hevi/Heavyweight/Tungsten type shot, waterfowl loads with #2 pellets, and body shoot them.

In other words, use goose guns/loads. It may not be pretty, but it works.

DD, we'll let you clean those ones out for us....

but not here in Missouri. #4 max in the show me state.

Same in Tennessee. #4 is the largest allowed.

Any chance I could buy 2 or 3 different loads from you folks to test or what my 870 likes without going broke, buying a bunch of different boxes from the local sportsmans Wrehouse?

That used to be common with lead #2s. I imagine tungsten #2s would kill further than I'm willing to shoot one.

Honestly, I'm not allowed to hold too far down. My wife will call me out to where she is cleaning the bird and make derogatory speculations about my manhood if she finds too many pellets in the breast. Here lately, I have taken to aiming a middling load Heavy #7s at the eyeball.

We have shot size restrictions here


Nothing larger than 4 lead #2 steel, or #4 non toxi v shot other than steel


I've always approached turkey guns as a speciality/dedicated gun.

More of a rifle than a shotgun, A turkey gun IMO should throw the tightest, most dense pattern it is capable of. And should wear some sort of sight, other than a bead. I prefer a red dot

I've patterned my turkey gun out to 60 yards and as close as 10.

While I have no intention of shooting a bird at the far extreme, I'm a realist and understand that sometimes birds hang up, and if I've traveled 6-8 or more hours, and get a bird to hang up at 50-60 yards I have full confidence that a shot on a bird who's neck is extended at that range Wil result in a dead bird

Tungsten #2 don't stay inside a goose much--you can "eat right to the hole" as that's all there is.

Winchester Long Beard XR #5 or #6
Best pattern out of my Remington yet!

Except that he doesn't tell you that they are over SAAMI max pressures, and low on velocity.

I like Hevi-Shot MagBlend. It patterns well in EVERY 12ga I've ever used it in.

and my 10 ga

Winchester Long Beard 3" #4 will be in my shotgun this Friday!

Just me but I bought a box of Remington 3" nitro turkey loads with 1 7/8 oz #4 shot on close out a couple of years ago figuring I might go turkey hunting some day. Think I paid $4 or so. Got my chance to go last week . Screwed in the full choke tube in my old 870 express and found my shells. A nice Tom stuck his head up at about 40 yds. And I lined the bead up on him and it literally rolled him. The guy I went with is a 3 1/2" super full choke guy and he couldn't believe it. I'd buy some shells with either #4 or #5 in at least 1 1/2 oz and not worry about it. I mean now that I think about it I've killed Pheasent at 40-45 yds dead in the air with 11/8 oz of #6 and a modified choke numerous times with plenty of penetration. So throw in an additional 1/4-1/2 oz of shot or so to add to the density and a turkey should be doable .

I had no idea there was so much talk about turkey guns and loads, but I've never shot one further than about 20 yards with a shotgun. (It's thick around here.) #5 Rio Royal Turkey loads are what I use now.

20 yards?

May as well take a long barrel colt and I can send you some of my "snake shot loads"...

That's just how it is around here. I shot one Saturday and didn't even see him 'til he was at about 15 yards, and couldn't shoot until he was about 10. I'm considering using an open choke from how on, 'cause I almost missed him.

Get a double barrel with 2 triggers and have a full and improved choke if it tickles ya.

Good idea.

Cut it down to 20 inches and thread for screw in chokes.

I try to never let one get inside 20 yards.

I have been using the Nitros for years and have had great success.

My 12 year olds are both using Longbeard XR in their 870 12 gauges. The 5 shot patterns VERY well in both guns. One is using a Primos Jellyhead tube, the other is using a Tru Glo Gobblestopper Xtreme tube. The tru glo pattern is a little better but he also has a longer barrel.

Pick up a decent choke tube and buy the Longbeard XR in 5 or 6 shot at 22$ for 10shells.. You will be very pleased. I won't buy the Nitros ever again.