Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Went Old School

I was looking in the gun cabinet & found an old box of Super X Mark 5 high brass shotshells. 1 1/4 oz of #4's. The same kind of shells my Dad used back in the days. I took out the x-full turkey choke and screwed in the standard full. Gobbler came in looking for the hen-----dumped him @ 40 yards. I'm sure Dad is smiling down at me. My only regret is that I didn't have his old double barrel SxS. That's back at my brother's cabin in OH. I can forward a photo if someone will post for me. PM your phone # or email.

I've been using a Winchester 37 and the same shells in #6's. Same box of shells that my Dad used for years. they work just fine. Don't understand all the $5 a pop shells people must have.

You mean old school like this, circa 1970, when they came 25 to a box for about $5.25?

They killed turkeys in 1970 and will still kill them today, have about half a box left.

Wink,

That's it exactly. The old red & yellow Western Box . I'll send you a photo of the bird later this afternoon. Thxs--Bob

Not a “must have”, but I do want to make the most of the rare public land opportunities I get near here. I’m also taking the time and bearing the expense to pattern and check POI so I don’t miss or wound. Just like deer hunting, our methods and equipment vary according to our situations. Guys with access to private land, plentiful turkeys, food plots, etc, might be a bit more casual about guns and shells. Fall hunters who scatter flocks of hens and poults or get shots while hunting other small game might get a different idea of what works too.

I m-m-m-missed one a few years ago with the same Activ plated 5s I hammered one with previously using another gun at about the same range. Didn’t pattern them in the gun I missed with, but if I ever use them again, you can bet I will.

This is my first whack using TSS. Starting with a .410, which has proven capable on targets to 50 yards with Apex Ninjas. Weighs a lot less than my A5 too. Have a new 20 as well for round 2 if it comes to that.

Love those red and yellow boxes. I have bought many at $5 per box back in the day, I was a #5 shot man myself

Killed my first turkey with one of those. Think I still have one or two in my odds and ends box. Used to put one in as #3 for pheasants too.

Bob, those are 2 & 3/4 Magnums with 1 & 1/2 oz. of shot, just a little heavier than your Dads. They were some of the very first shells to come out with the plastic filler to cushion the shot, Olin advertised that big time back then. And still just 5 dollars and change for a box of 25. Good times back around 1969-1970, I was a snot nosed kid fresh out of high school ready to take on the world LMAO !!!!

I'll watch my email and post the pic when I get it.

Garry

Colorado Bobs turkey. Damn nice bird and one happy hunter, congrats !!!!!!

Thanks Garry-------1973 is when I graduated High School.

Several years ago I called three longbeards in and they were really putting on a show. I got so wrapped up in it I let them get way too close for my ultra tight shooting 12 gauge Benelli M1/Indian Creek choke/Hevi 13 shell combination and I missed the dominant bird at about 12 yards. Man I was ticked off.

On the drive home from the national forest there is a little country store and I stopped in to get a sandwich and Coke. There is a little section of the store where they might have a used gun or two, a few boxes of 06' and .30-30, .22 LR and assorted shotshells, orange vest, camo gloves, bluegill fishing hooks and bobbers, catfish bait, ect. I spied a box of 2 3/4" 1.5 ounce Winchester Super XX Magnum 5's. My trusty old Wingmaster 870 loves that shell.

The next morning I had that old Wingmaster stuffed full of those Winchester baby magnums. Going completely old school I had an old Lynch box call and a Andy Kaiser slate. I killed a mature longbeard at 24 long paces. Easy peasy!

Bob that looks to be a Winchester 1300 sitting back there or am I wrong on that?
Nice bird.

Way to go man! Beautiful bird, I love the white tipped fan. 👍

Love those white tips as well, congrats

Jim, That's my Remington 870 on the left. On the right is my wife's Weatherby PA-08 pump shotgun. Made in Turkey. She won it at a DU, RMEF or NWTF banquet. We do the circuit.

A true 40 yard shot with 1.25oz lead #4s resulting in the turkey collapsing on the spot involves luck and a magic pellet.

I'd bet it wasn't actually 40 yards, but either short steps or guesstimation, and the bird flopped all over the place. Might be missing some tail feathers lost in the fight with the shooter after he had to sprint to pin it down before it flopped off somewhere into something you'd hate to retrieve it from; like a creek. Maybe that's where the 40 comes from. The wrasslin match started at thirty and ended at forty before the distance was stepped off.

Give me an expensive handload for a flyweight .410 that truly dumps them on the spot!

Just saw pic. Yep, missing feathers.

Congratulations on a fine bird. I am jealous.

If I ever have to shoot one at 40 or thereabouts with 4s, I’ll hold lower. Not enough pellets for sure kills with head shots IMO, and IME. Rather than chew up a bunch of meat, I’m going to go with small stuff aimed at the head/neck from now on.

The Colorado birds are Merriams, right, or are there also Rios? Beautiful bird, regardless.

I was given a milk crate full of shotgun shells by a guy that works at a county waste disposal site. Its far cheaper to give the shells to his gun club buddies than pay government disposal costs for lead & explosives.

There were 2 full boxes of old lead 1-7/8 6-shot 3 inch magnum duck loads. Same as the Remington nitro turkey loads.

My duck hunting buddy has one box for his first ever turkey hunt. He was wondering why they don't let turkey hunters use BB????

Merriams on in the mtns. Out on the Eastern Plains there are some Rios along the creek & river bottoms.