Does any ammo manufacturer make a 2 3/4" turkey load?
I have an older side by side shotgun that I want to hunt Turks with this year. I can't find any 2 3/4" shells specifically for turkey. Are phesant loads the only option? thoughts?
Have you tried Nitro Ammo Co?
Just about any high brass 4's or 6's. Get the ones with the most powder and most shot, regardless of price. I know the 12ga 3 1/2" magrum guys will hate me, but my turkey gun for the last 15 years has been a Rem. 1100 lite 20 with a x-tra full choke. Killed some at 45yds, but mostly wait till the bird is within 40 and then he's mine!
Been using 20 gauge, 2 3/4", 1 oz, # 6 hard shot upland bird hunting loads from Remington for three years now. This load and a factory Beretta choke has taken four turkeys. The longest shot so far as been about 40 yards. They pattern great and I have no problem recommending them. My standard 12 gauge turkey load is just my upland bird hunting handload of 1 1/8 oz. of copper 6's at about 1200 fps. I've personally never seen a need for the specialty turkey loads, but I also keep shots within 40 yards, 30s better. I haven't had a turkey get away from me yet using the standard stuff.
Magnum....I haven't seen the Nitro 2 3/4" shells on the shelf. I was aware they made it, but haven't seen it. I know Winnie makes a 2 3/4" turkey load too, haven't seen that on the shelves either. No big deal. I agree with mw406 and cdi23, any high brass #5 or 6 will probably do just fine.
I doubt you'll find any 2 3/4" Nitro Co. Ammo shells on a shelf.
You'll have to order them direct most likely...
http://www.nitrocompany.com/ammunition.htm#top%20page
Just checked Natchez for the 2 3/4" mag loads. They have these in #4 and #6. Might not be easy to find them on the shelf at the local hardware.
20ga Mag Federal
Here's a few that will work:
Fio golden pheasant NP 7.5s:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=350314Win 1-1/8oz buffered CP #6:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=526609Fed premium 1-1/8oz buffered CP #6:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=616504Fed premium 1-1/8oz buffered CP #7.5:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=599481Hevi 13 1-1/4oz #6:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=125575I would go with the 2-3/4" H13 6s for the best patterns and longest ranges. Then, the Fed premium 7.5s. HV plated 7.5s will knock the daylights out of toms out to 40yds if the patterns are there. Just find what distance you can consistently place 80-100 hits in a 10" circle and set that as your max range.
Hopefully your sxs will shoot true to the bead. One of my SXSs shoots one bbl dead on and the other alittle off. Luckily the full bbl is the one that's on.
I have fired several of the h13 6s through one of my old Stevens 311 20ga sxs with no ill effects and good patterns to 40yds.
Good Luck
loder
Thanks fellas.
loder, thats the info I was looking for. The gun i'm speaking of is an old 20g Stevens 311 sxs. I appreciate it.
I shot one with a pheasent load out of a 20ga. I was grouse hunting in an area with turkeys, so I loaded a bit heavier. A load of #6 Federal Pheasant at 30 made for one very dead turkey.
I take youth hunters out every year. I bought a box of 25 pheasant loads about 5 years ago. So far that box has accounted for 5 turkeys. Furthest at 49 yards, lasered, closest 30 yards. All of them were dead right there. 5 shot 1260 fps, 1.25 oz. shot. Don't take no super magnum to kill a turkey. Should mention that it is a 12 gauge, but that doesn't matter.
In my kids 20 gauge for turkey we use Federal Premium 2 3/4 inch 4 or 6 shot and keep the distance under 40 yards. Pretty devastating loads.
My son uses Remington 1 oz., 6 shot loads in is 20 gauge. He's 3 for 3 so far. One at 40 yards the other two at more like 20 yards. He has a factory Beretta full gauge choke tube in his gun.
The Nitro Ammo company does make a 20 gauge 2 3/4" turkey round.
http://www.rstshells.com/rst_classic_shotshells_shotshells.htmRST makes two different 2 3/4" 20 loads in #5 ... no devastating loads but I bet they would work just fine... nice shot is known to pattern well at distances and carry a lot of killing power.
Same is true of Winchester High Velocity one ounce 20 gauge loads, 1300 fps, size 5 and 6 shot, which have killed 8 toms in my ancient Western Field 550(Mossberg 500) since I got the new titanium shoulder that doesn't like 12 gauge magnum recoil, the farthest one at 40 yards, most at 25-35 with the 25 year old stock full choke tube that actually measures .582, what some now call Xtra-full.