Turkey loads

What is the absolute smallest load you would hunt turkey with? I recall seeing a program(Turkey Call)where some old timer bagged a turkey with a 20 guage and was using 7 or 8 shot. He said to many hunters get wrapped up in size shot and length and forget about density patterns. Your thoughts.......

#6 in a 20 guage would be the smallest for me.

I'm sporting a nice green bruise on my upper right bicep right now from the 3-1/2' 12 guage #4's that I took a jake with Wednesday. The weather was crappy, cold and rainy, so I was wearing a nice quiet camo jacket. Unfortunaty, when the jake poked his head up above the woodpile, all hell broke loose, as usual. When I tried to shoulder the gun, I discovered that the flap on the hood of my coat had vecro'd itself to the soft quiet fabric of the coat somehow, and every attempt to get the gun in position resulted in a tearing velcro sound! This wasn't going to to work so I just had to slide the butt down onto my bicep and pull the damn trigger. Having just sighted the shotgun (Mossy 835) in with a red-dot scope and using these same Winchester Supreme loads, I knew what to expect. OUCH!

The bird went down in a heap, though (32 yrds).

When I first started turkey hunting back in '91, I fell for the idea of large shot size. So no.4 shot 3 inch copper plated 12ga. loads were the first ones I tried. I figured it would have the best knock down I could get, and no.4 shot was the largest I could use here in Illinois.

I hunted with that load for the first two years, even bagged a nice 21 pounder the second year with them. Then I got smart and finally decided to shoot at some paper to pattern the loads. There was consistently a three to four inch 'hole' right in the center of the shot pattern. If the turkey's head would have been in the center of that pattern, it would have resulted in a wounded bird.

I then tried some of the same but with no.6 shot. The pattern was very even through out, and much denser. So that is what I have been using since.

Different guns may shoot those no.4 loads better. It is best to buy as many different types as you can afford and pattern them on paper to see what your shotgun likes best.

Personally, I wouldn't go any smaller then 6 shot 3 inch shells. I have been meaning to try some no.5's, thinking to split the difference of the two, but have yet to try it.

Mike Corey NRA ~ USA Shooting Appointed Pistol Coach

Alan

I use a Remington 11-87 SPS 21in with a Remington ventilator (factory) choke (added after purchase). I use Winchester Supreme Turkey loads exclusively, I'm not doing a commercial, they just pattern well and have earned my confidence. I have tried 4's, 5's, and 6's, and the 5's pattern the best. I use turkey head targets, shoot two of them, count the shots placed in the heads of both, and divide by two. This way you have somewhat of an average performance. By the way, this shotgun is a 3 in mag, and the recoil is reduced by the gas operated action, and, the ports in the choke tube are supposed to help 'felt' recoil. However, I'm not sure exactly how that is measured. Your gun may give you different results, but I think that you will find this a valid method of finding what works best for you. As far as the least gauge/shot combination is concerned, if recoil is the issue, I'd consider a semi-auto to help with this. Don't take a chance and miss, or even worse, wound a magnificent bird. I personally, after a lot of springs spent in the woods, wouldn't take a 20 ga. turkey hunting by choice. I've killed a number of nice toms at ranges that I would have been afraid to attempt with anything less than a 3 in. 12. As for the 'old timer' that was on TV,...........well............bless his heart!

Good Hunting

if you watch your range the little 20 is a fine turkey gun.....but a 12 will give you more shot options and better payload...the old single shot 'long tom' full choke thumb buster i have doesnt kill them any deader than than my 16 or 20.....karl

Karl, I got a 'long Tom' from a friend who was getting guns out of his house, Do you have any idea who made this gun??, All mine has on for I.D. is LONG TOM on one side of the breech and'1929'model on the other side. I'm taking it out this year for the first time after gobblers...... Jim

i think it was built for montgomery wards but im not sure?