Oddball shotgun for turkeys?

[Ironeyes969]

The cheap end of starting is probably a 3" 1.75-2oz lead #4, 5 or 6. Just about every shell brand makes one. Winchester Longbeard XR are very popular but XX or Remington Nitro have killed many many birds

 

[Ironeyes969]

Lots of folks swear by TSS nowadays but at $10-$20 per shot it's very expensive to be testing choke combos with.

If you live/hunt in an area that prohibits lead then the next least expensive would be a quality steel shot in similar sizes (obviously lighter payload) or bismuth or copper

 

[Pilsner]

My experience with turkey loads is so limited that I am going to let the more experienced guys give you advice on this one. I just stopped by wally world and grabbed a couple boxes that had a turkey on them and tried them out. My shotgun like the Longbeard load which was the second one I tried. Kept that box and gave the rest to buddies.
Although I now have a break action 410 that I want to use this year so I will be checking into the TSS world.

 

[dtrkyman]

In 12ga TSS is not needed, buy a turkey choke, if you have an overbored/backbored barrel start around .675, standard barrel .660.

Longbeard loads will look best on paper but are stupid tight up close, 1.75/2oz copper plated 5s will get you 40yds easy.

If you want to push past 40, longbeards in lead, Hevi shot mag blend or TSS.

 

[Pnw_heli]

copy all. I hopped on this thread mostly because a) want to hunt turkeys and b) was concerned an english stocked o/u 28” might not be enough or even just the plain wrong gun.

It’s standard invector choked so I think not back barreled. I’ll look for .660 and try out some patterns. I’ll start with copper plated 1.75/2oz #5 and go from there.

 

[FLS]

copy all. I hopped on this thread mostly because a) want to hunt turkeys and b) was concerned an english stocked o/u 28” might not be enough or even just the plain wrong gun.

It’s standard invector choked so I think not back barreled. I’ll look for .660 and try out some patterns. I’ll start with copper plated 1.75/2oz #5 and go from there.

As long as it shoots to point of aim it will be just fine. A 28” O/U is about the same overall length as a 24-26” barreled pump or auto. Easy to carry and simple to operate.

 

[dtrkyman]

Check poi at 12-15 yards, and don’t just stick out a little turkey target at 30 and 40, get a large backer at least 30x30 to catch the whole pattern!


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[wapitibob]

Browning pump, 3-1/2" 12 ga, 30" barrel. Bought it for Geese a long time ago, no desire to buy a new gun. A little heavy but I hunt turkeys right out of the trailer. Can't let 'em get too close though.

 

[Boles8]

I haven't yet but I really want to get an O/U 20 ga so I can set up a barrel for close birds with lead 6 and a barrel for birds further out with TSS. Is that nonstandard? I don't know.

Think that would be awesome!

 

[dtrkyman]

Many guys using double guns with that in mind, as well as a more open choke in one barrel. Both barrels shooting the same is the challenge!

 

[Pnw_heli]

Many guys using double guns with that in mind, as well as a more open choke in one barrel. Both barrels shooting the same is the challenge!

So for upland I might have one barrel at modified. Am I interpreting correctly that the second barrel should have a tighter pattern given I presumably missed at shorter distance on the first shot?

 

[Ironeyes969]

Imp Cyl/Mod are common together where i hunt for bobwhite, snipe and waterfowl. My buddy uses muller decoy/passing in his ou for ducks and he's absolutely lethal