Turkey Shells....

[exoduster18]

So, its getting to be that time of year to start thinking how that big ol' gobbler is going to look on the table....anyhow....My question is what shells do you all use? And if you do your own reloads, would you please post the recipe?

I'm partial to Federal Premium's 3-inch, Flite-Control wad, copper plated lead shot in size 5. That's 2 ounces of shot to make a turkey into some fresh lunch meat!! I recently picked up a box of 10 for about $9.00 bucks at the local Gander Mountain.

Thanks!!

 

[dakotasin]

i like h-380, federal 210's, winchester cases, and hornady 55 v-max's out of my 22-250.

 

[bowfin]

I would take Federal Premium #4 lead in a 10 gauge, it has always worked well for three of us who have used them on turkeys.

We shot a lot of different shells last Sunday at a Turkey Shoot / Patterning Day last Sunday, and the Winchester Supreme 12 gauge 3" throwing #4 lead seemed to do very well out of everybody's shotgun who tried it.

I definitely did not see any 70 yard turkey guns out there, even when 10 gauge Nitro company shells were fired. I am not claiming there isn't such a thing, but when I do find one, it will probably have more advanced sights than a bead and a rib. (This was sort of our "mythbuster" segment, we aren't encouraging 70 yard shots, just wanted to see if anyone could make a pattern that looked promising at 70 yards)

I did see a few gun / load / choke combinations that I think were 50 yard threats.

At 30 yards, I saw only one gun / load fail, and that was a guy with a pronounced high rib on his trap O/U that was shooting over the target every time. He got rid of the Hevi-shot (I don't think it was a good idea in an O/U anyway) and found that a heavy load of lead (Winchester, mentioned above) moving slower dropped his pattern down perfectly, when aiming at the junction of the wattles and feathers on the neck.

I still have 180 some targets to shoot up, and about $400 worth of shells, so I will be testing all summer, as time allows. I am fortunate to have the run of the range when no one is trap shooting or renting the cabin, and I hope to take advantage of it.

 

[bowfin]

You South Dakota guys are lucky!

For those of you who don't know, a rifle is legal in South Dakota, although I don't know if it is statewide.

 

[Twycross]

I use Winchester XX magnum, 3 inch, 2 oz #5. This had the best pattern in my barrel, beating out XX High-velocity and a couple Federal loads I can't remember. The pattern is good out to around 50 yards.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Also have Winchester XX magnums in the stock pile but am going to try out several different rounds this year. I retired the Winchester 1400 and am now using an Ithaca M37 with a 3" chamber and an extra full undertaker choke. Patterning will commence next weekend.

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

Usedwinchester supreme for years. Last year I tried a box of remingtons nitro turkey load and it patterns awsomely from my gun and they are less than $5a box.

 

[TexAg]

12g. Winchester 2 3/4" copper plated #4s. Killed 2 last year and one this year so far with that load in my grandfather's Winchester Model 1912 w/fixed modified choke.

 

[john1911]

3.5" Winchester Supreme #5. Patterned the best out of my Remington 870.
John