|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,859
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,859 |
I think its un American not to have a dedicated Turkey gun or two with turkey chokes, scopes, red dots and dedicated turkey ammo. This keeps our economy going and it is the American way. I approve this message. Dan
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 11,698
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 11,698 |
I’ve only shot two turkeys with a 12 ga shotgun, both with a modified choke and 2.75” shells. Both were dead on the spot.
NRA Patron
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,284
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,284 |
Killed them with dedicated turkey tubes and turkey specific shotshells and killed them with standard shotgun chokes and standard shotshells - it's all about the Indian and how the Indian controls the shot string placement.
One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others. Archibald Rutledge
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,195
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,195 |
Pattern your shotgun, know where the pattern hits Vs where you aim. Start at the start!
If you are dedicated, you can find chokes and loads that will pattern 100% in a 20" circle at 40 yards. This will give you an effective range or 60 yards, perhaps more.
TSS shot writes a whole new use in shotgunning.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 10,262
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 10,262 |
I use a mdl 12 full , and a stevens 410 unknown choke. I have called them in to 10 feet away from me. no need for anything over choked. the 410 blowed off the head on one that was about 4 feet ,. that was the closest one ever. I love my 410.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,736
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,736 |
Single shot 20ga. with Federal Flite Control Heavyweights # 7 or # 6 will kill Toms all day long @ 40+ yds. with a factory full choke. ---- The flite control wad works better for me with a full choke rather than the tighter Turkey chokes that I have tried.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,927
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,927 |
Over the years it has amazed me how far a shotgun will kill a turkey.. I shot several with trap loads of # 7 1/2 out of an improved cylinder choke... One I remember was 44 yards away.. Last fall I shot my gobbler with a mod. choke in my old 870 12 and WW # 5 pheasant loads.. If I go out for turkey and take a shotgun, it is usually a 12ga. with a full choke.. Last spring I used my model 12 heavy duck and 3"5's.. Agree. 3 or 4 years ago, I had a Tom sounding off behind my shed. I got the dogs tied up and went out there in shorts and flip flops and shot him with a skeet choke with 7 1/2 AA target load. He didn't flinch at 30 yards. I've got plenty of high dollar turkey chokes and loads I like to pattern, but that's just cause we are prone to buy such stuff.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 9,089
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 9,089 |
Lately I've been killing them with a cylinder bore, 20 gauge flintlock and 7 1/2 size shot.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke 1795
"Give me liberty or give me death" Patrick Henry 1775
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 13,292
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 13,292 |
I always felt the tight chokes were so you could make head shots and avoid putting many shot in the edible parts. My current Turkey gun is a Mossberg 500 with a Primos tight wad choke and it does pattern tight! This year I an going to try out some of the TSS small shot loads and use the edge of the pattern for head shots. Have to say though I have generally used full and modified chokes with good results.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,747
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,747 |
This is a good question. Over the years I have spent a pile of money on X-Full turkey choke tubes from many different brands and in probly 2 dozen different turkey shotguns but I never did warm up to the look of an extended choke on a shotgun, (I love a short barrel on my turkey guns) so I now I only use My flush factory Full tubes in all My turkey guns and found very little difference in any of my shotguns effective killing range, With the Winchester Extended Range 3.5" #5 My guns still throw a mighty dense pattern @60yds and I usually like them around 35-40yds before I shoot anyway (unless I let them walk like ive been known to do these past few years 😂).....Good hunting....Hb
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 9,089
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 9,089 |
I use the regular full choke. I tried one of the extra full turkey tubes and it was so tight I needed rifle sights on the gun to not miss a turkey head at 20 yards. These days I do my turkey hunting with a cylinder bore flintlock. I never did understand why some folks want to shoot a turkey at 50 yards.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke 1795
"Give me liberty or give me death" Patrick Henry 1775
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 695
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 695 |
I use an old double with Mod and Full chokes. I reload using some Tom Brister (sp) loading data which produces low pressure heavy shot loads. You can get close to 100% patterns at 40 yds. Charlie
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,436
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,436 |
I like to get most of my shot in the head and neck area, so I don’t have to pick pellets out of the breast meat. That is the reason I like the tighter turkey choke. I will be shooting a 20 gauge this year with TSS for the first time.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 47,719
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 47,719 |
I use an old double with Mod and Full chokes. I reload using some Tom Brister (sp) loading data which produces low pressure heavy shot loads. You can get close to 100% patterns at 40 yds. Charlie I've had very good luck with my old sterlingworth as well. Its never missed a turkey and it has gotten a lot of them....
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 349
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 349 |
Why? Because all of my shotguns were built well before fancy turkey chokes were marketed. I take that back, one wears a polychoke that can be cranked to extra full!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 11,891
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 11,891 |
I have an 870 that came with a barrel marked mod.
All i have done is use a forcing cone reamer in the chamber.
It does shoot tight always has but it seems to put more shot in the head.
I also load my own shells with hard number 5 shot.
I use it for everything quail and other birds and also for skunks ,also have used it ti give warning shots to the neighbors dogs when they are here at the house chasing our critters.
|
|
|
707 members (117LBS, 10gaugemag, 12344mag, 01Foreman400, 10Glocks, 74 invisible),
2,686
guests, and
1,303
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,187,683
Posts18,399,735
Members73,820
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|