Turkey load?

[Ucsdryder]

Most of my turkey slaying has been with a bow but I’m going to take my shotgun for some public stuff this year.

12ga super black eagle 2
Primos tight wad (found it in a drawer from a long time ago)


Only lead shot I have are 2 3/4” high brass 5s that I use for pheasant hunting.

Am I good to go wack one or should I get some of the turkey lead stuff?

I can’t swallow the tss pricing.

 

[eamyrick]

What you have will kill them to 20 no problem. Best lead out there seems to be Winchester Longbeard which will extend you out to 40. I switched to Apex #9s and could never go back. The patterns are insane, but it’s definetly expensive but not too bad when you consider gas, time, etc.

No matter what you decide, make sure to pattern at 25 and 40 to see what the gun likes and where your POI is.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Remmington makes some 3” or 3.5” 6’s that are around 10 bucks for a box of 10 they work well, where tss shines in in the small bores, IMO tss is kind of beating a dead turkey with a 12 guage, 20-30 yards you should be golden. There are some blended shots 5,6,7 or something that was a little more expensive but patterned great.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Remmington makes some 3” or 3.5” 6’s that are around 10 bucks for a box of 10 they work well, where tss shines in in the small bores, IMO tss is kind of beating a dead turkey with a 12 guage, 20-30 yards you should be golden. There are some blended shots 5,6,7 or something that was a little more expensive but patterned great.

Scheels has free shipping today. I’ll swing by Walmart and see if they have anything, if not I’ll order something.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Good luck you should be fine got a whole week before it kicks off…

 

[Ucsdryder]

Good luck you should be fine got a whole week before it kicks off…

I’m using most people’s deer hunting method. I might even go pattern Friday as the sun is going down within sight of some turkeys.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I’m using most people’s deer hunting method. I might even go pattern Friday as the sun is going down within sight of some turkeys.

As one does, heck I usually screw on my broadheads after I hear my first bugle. If you are patterning anything you are light years ahead of everyone

 

[axeforce6]

Man if you can find long beard xr’s 3.5 #6 or #5 2 1/8oz you’ll have a very deadly setup. I’ve killed toms at 60 yards with mine. I shoot an X4 and the carlsons lbxr choke.

 

[Long Cut]

I’ll take TSS every single day of the week. I can only kill 2 birds a year. Check zero with lead and 1 TSS shell to confirm POI.

 

[Billy Goat]

5's will be lethal to 45 if you have the pattern density.


Gonna likely be thin by that point assuming a 1 1/4 oz load, that would be roughly 215 pellets.

Patterns tell you what you can do.


Certainly nothing wrong with a 2 3/4" #5 load, it's not like some stuff that's available.

 

[dtrkyman]

1 1/4 oz 5s will be pathetic quickly at around 30 yards, at least get a 1 5/8th oz turkey load preferably closer to 2 oz if you want to get to 40 yds.

If you keep it under 30 most shells would work!

 

[Brokenstraw]

Under 40 yards you’ll have a dead bird.

 

[S.Clancy]

You'll be fine. I used to shoot them with 3" #2 steel duck loads out to 40-45 yds. If you look at the lethality tables, #5 lead and #2 steel hold lethal penetration to about the same yardage, 45-50 yards. Now, you will want to pattern the gun to see how tight those patterns are at those ranges and pull in accordingly.

Since you have a Benelli (I shoot an ancient Nova pump at turkeys), I picked up a couple boxes of the Kent turkey loads. I patterned them out to 60 yards (#5, 3.5" length) and they were plenty dense. Plus, they were cheap as dirt.

 

[bnsafe]

like everyone else said, totally depends on your gun and how far you are gonna have to shoot. If your hunting wide open areas got get some win xr longbeards or just get tss. if your hunting somewhere you can get them within 30 shoot whatever you want.
My daughter killed her first turkey 20 years ago with a 20 guage youth gun, 18 inch barrel, 2 3/4 6 high brass shells and he fell like a bolt hit him. But, he was 8 yds. I was gonna let her shoot to 25 yds that day.

 

[cuttiebrownbow]

Long beard xr. 3.5 inch #5s if you want to shoot to 50. 3 inch #6 40 and under.

Gun, choke and ammo all need to work together for best patterns. Tons of youtube videos show endless results.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bascheman]

I've had results all over the place between shotguns and chokes. I always get a pattern first then adjust my hunting to what the gun/shell combo allows.

 

[WCB]

With the load you are talking about you would kill 90% of the Turkeys that get shot every year. Pattern your gun and see what it s doing. Don't forget to just try the factory chokes. You'll easily be able to kill a Turkey to 40yds with that.

Not sure when turkeys became armor plated rhinos. It is a big chicken.

 

[Ucsdryder]

With the load you are talking about you would kill 90% of the Turkeys that get shot every year. Pattern your gun and see what it s doing. Don't forget to just try the factory chokes. You'll easily be able to kill a Turkey to 40yds with that.

Not sure when turkeys became armor plated rhinos. It is a big chicken.

Armor plated turkey ammo!

I figure I’m good to at least 100 yards now.

 

[sndmn11]

That's a lot of effort for a burger

 

[ACHILLES]

Dropped mine at 30 yards a week ago with 5 shot. Rem Nitro 3.5” 2oz 1300fps. I’m sure the long beard will serve you well.