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

 

[woods89]

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!

Different chokes would definitely be part of it. Ideally I'd like my close barrel optimized for 15-25 yds and my longer barrel optimized for 40-50 yds. I think you'd just have to play with loads and chokes until you got what you wanted. I've definitely heard that barrel regulation can be an issue, though.

I'd like to try it with a Savage 555 Compact, as I think I could take it apart and put it in my backpack for some of my overnight pack in hunts.

 

[FossilFinder]

I bought a Lefever 12ga that needed a little love off GB for the sole purpose of killing a turkey. The gun was made in 1926 but she did just fine!

 

[FossilFinder]

My next goal was to kill one with. MZ shotgun. Found one on GB and worked up a pattern. Was close several times last spring but they wouldn’t close the distance required for the MZ.

 

[Fresch]

I’ve killed all my gobblers with an 1970 era Ithaca 37 featherlight, full choke because that’s what I had. That said it patterned well with 2-3/4” Remington #6 nitro turkey loads and always does its job when I do mine. The gun is a dream to carry and I just love cycling the bottom load action!

 

[FossilFinder]

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?

A more open choke for the closer birds gives you a better margin of error/wider pattern. The tighter barrel/choke is less forgiving close and better suited for the longer distance shots.

With a double barrel you get the best of both worlds for optimizing patterns. A word of caution though. Double guns are regulated at a set distance and load. A heavier turkey load may be off center. A little hold over may be required.