Turkey Shot gun load info

[sjr]

So is older Imperial 12 Gauge 2 3/4" #4 lead shot a good Turkey load or better off with Federal 3" Steel # 2 or BB shot ?

[waldedw]

The #4 lead will be every bit as good as #2 steel if not better

[nimrod]

3 1/2 inch shell if you can shoot , make sure there dead

[Dick284]

1-3/4 oz of lead #5’s.

[SouthWestRanger]

Purpose built loads are always best but you are trying to head shoot a bird not shoot it in the body, size 5 or smaller with as large a load as you can comfortably shoot. Then pattern your gun and find your max effective range with gun and choke. You don’t need to shoot 3.5” shells to kill turkeys. There’s a reason the new trend is sub gauges and tungsten shot.

[flyguyd]

Its best to get a few different ones and pattern them at 20, 30 ,and 40 yards , then you will know whats best

[sjr]

Thanks guys , great info

[Pierre Tessier]

I highly recommend getting proper turkey loads and putting them through your gun with a full choke or a turkey specific choke at 20,30 and 40 yards max. These birds can eat lead like nothing else. Contrary to logic bigger pellets BB, 2 and 4 shot are NOT ideal as they have less pellets and tend to be slower and pattern poorly for the purpose of turkey hunting.

You can find Winchester and Federal stuff locally (seems it's all we can find here), usually they are readily available at Canadian Tire and even good independent stores might have some. 3" number 6 shot 1 3/4-2oz loads will pattern best in the majority of shotgun and choke combo's. Now if you wanna get fancy and shoot tungsten it is absolutely amazing for patterns and knock down power, but they are quite expensive and you don't need them.

In my experience after putting hundreds of turkey loads on paper from every company you can think of, you will want to avoid 3 1/2" turkey loads they tend to have weak patterns unless you have a turkey specific choke, I think they have too many pellets and your patterns opens up too much, plus the recoil is something to fear especially on a pump or single shot gun.

Happy hunting!

[trapperdodge]

6's.

You don't need a magnum shell to kill a turkey. Your not shooting in the body. Head and neck.

[Bigfeet]

The OP mentioned BB shot. Keep in mind that BB shot is not legal in Alberta for Turkeys. From the regulations:

It is unlawful to hunt wild turkey using:
a weapon other than a shotgun, cross-bow or a bow and arrow,
a shotgun with a bore diameter smaller than 20 gauge, or
shot size smaller than No. 6 shot or larger than No. 2 shot.

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by trapperdodge

6's.

You don't need a magnum shell to kill a turkey. Your not shooting in the body. Head and neck.

This.
Only takes one small pellet in the neck or brain not big pellets all spread out.
Shot a few with #6, 2 3/4" and 3".

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by sjr

So is older Imperial 12 Gauge 2 3/4" #4 lead shot a good Turkey load or better off with Federal 3" Steel # 2 or BB shot ?

Print off some of the free turkey head/neck targets available on line, and take those old imperials out and see what they will do out your shotgun and choke. It's always an eye opener to see where the pattern centres at 10, 20, 30, and 40 yards and you'll know first hand what your particular gun/ammo combination will do.

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by nimrod

3 1/2 inch shell if you can shoot , make sure there dead

3-1/2” is the same powder load as a 3” just with more shot is it not?

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

3-1/2” is the same powder load as a 3” just with more shot is it not?

This is mostly true…..

Too many guys think the longer shell is faster, while quite the opposite, they are usually slower and but carry more payload.

Then there’s the funky bit about long shot columns and patterning…..

If the OP is asking about old shell’s he’s got or using goose loads (illegal in Alberta) I’m afraid he’s a tad mis guided and or new to turkey hunting.

I guess asking before doing is the one thing he’s doing correctly…..

A 1-1/4oz. to 1-3/4oz. lead or plated lead #6, #5, or #4’s shot through the tightest choke that gives a 40 yard pattern of around 24” to point of aim is what is needed, you shoot the turkey in the head, while he struts his stuff is how it’s supposed to be done….. trying to body shoot or wing shoot a turkey is pretty much a fools game I’m afraid….

[elkhunter11]

If I was hunting turkey, I would likely splurge, and try one of the TSS turkey loads. They provide smaller but denser shot, and there are a lot more of them in the load, so they penetrate better, and the odds of getting shot in the head and neck are increased.

[TROLLER]

Originally Posted by trapperdodge

6's.

You don't need a magnum shell to kill a turkey. Your not shooting in the body. Head and neck.

You obviously have never hunted a wild Merrium Turkey.

If you can get them within 20 yards you have done a good job of calling. 20 yards with a 6 shot is going to splatter all over and the bird will be gone.

I have been very fortunate before failing eyesite to hunt all 4 speciman of turkeys.

I have hunted with seasoned hunters as well as outfitters and never have seen anyone shooting less than 2's. I have killed turkeys with my 20 but a 3 inch 2 shot.

6 shot is great for pheasant and partridge but not a 16-20 lb turkey

[CNP]

While there is good advice on this thread, there is also misinformation.

Read this if you trust MeatEater (and you should) https://www.themeateater.com/hunt/wi...d-should-i-use

I would never use #2 shot on turkeys.

You're going on a hunt that you invested years and years and years of priority. Do not cheap out on using old 2 3/4 #4 shells. These shells can do the job but with the investment you are carrying why not buy some 3" turkey loads in #5 (lead), a turkey choke and pattern your gun at 20, 30 and 40 yards.

Alberta turkey tags take 13 years of priority. Don't blow it on lack of preparation.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by TROLLER

You obviously have never hunted a wild Merrium Turkey.

If you can get them within 20 yards you have done a good job of calling. 20 yards with a 6 shot is going to splatter all over and the bird will be gone.

I have been very fortunate before failing eyesite to hunt all 4 speciman of turkeys.

I have hunted with seasoned hunters as well as outfitters and never have seen anyone shooting less than 2's. I have killed turkeys with my 20 but a 3 inch 2 shot.

6 shot is great for pheasant and partridge but not a 16-20 lb turkey

Hmm, my buddy in Texas takes his 4 Rio grande turkey’s every year with a .410 model 42 Winchester with 6’s every year….

I have also taken 4, Rio grande birds using 1-3/4 oz. plated lead loads out of a 12ga, all were head shots and never took a single step.

IMO Turkey hunting involves calling and decoying the Tom’s into the sub 40 yard range, although sub 50 yards is very doable with a well patterned gun.

[Pierre Tessier]

Originally Posted by TROLLER

You obviously have never hunted a wild Merrium Turkey.

If you can get them within 20 yards you have done a good job of calling. 20 yards with a 6 shot is going to splatter all over and the bird will be gone.

I have been very fortunate before failing eyesite to hunt all 4 speciman of turkeys.

I have hunted with seasoned hunters as well as outfitters and never have seen anyone shooting less than 2's. I have killed turkeys with my 20 but a 3 inch 2 shot.

6 shot is great for pheasant and partridge but not a 16-20 lb turkey

Troller that is a great troll. Well done!

No seasoned turkey hunting in his right mind will shoot a turkey with 2 shot out of a 12g or a 20g. Not only is it illegal in most places but it is also wildly inefficient. Not saying it can't be done, i'm saying it SHOULDN'T be done. No 6 is typically the best shot in regular shot, 7 and 9 in TSS are the ultimate shot size for turkey hunting.

Just to clarify cause I read this somewhere on the post above, you must NEVER shoot a strutting bird, that neck is protected by the body and feathers and your odds of a quick clean kill go way down. Cut or yelp at him and get him to come out of strut you will have a longer neck therefore a longer, larger target area and a clear point of aim.

[SouthWestRanger]

Originally Posted by TROLLER

You obviously have never hunted a wild Merrium Turkey.

If you can get them within 20 yards you have done a good job of calling. 20 yards with a 6 shot is going to splatter all over and the bird will be gone.

I have been very fortunate before failing eyesite to hunt all 4 speciman of turkeys.

I have hunted with seasoned hunters as well as outfitters and never have seen anyone shooting less than 2's. I have killed turkeys with my 20 but a 3 inch 2 shot.

6 shot is great for pheasant and partridge but not a 16-20 lb turkey

This is the biggest load of BS I’ve ever heard. 90% of turkey hunter out east, west and down south are shooting sizes 5 or smaller with large payloads and/or high density shot. I’ve killed a half dozen Merriams in the last few years and have yet to ever hear about any serious hunters shooting larger shot or aiming for the body. You are trying to shoot the head… full stop, end of story. There’s a reason manufacturers don’t make large shot turkey loads. The most recent trend is for 7,8,9 sized TSS pellets even out of sub gauges. Rant over.

[flyguyd]

[/QUOTE]If you can get them within 20 yards you have done a good job of calling. 20 yards with a 6 shot is going to splatter all over and the bird will be gone.

I have been very fortunate before failing eyesite to hunt all 4 speciman of turkeys.

I have hunted with seasoned hunters as well as outfitters and never have seen anyone shooting less than 2's. I have killed turkeys with my 20 but a 3 inch 2 shot.

6 shot is great for pheasant and partridge but not a 16-20 lb turkey[/QUOTE]

Complete bunk. I have been involved in or witnessed the taking of close to 50 turkeys in the last 30 years or so and all have taken with a well patterned shotgun using 5 or 6 shot between 15 - 50 yards. Number 2 or larger is a very poor choice

[Battle Rat]

[QUOTE=TROLLER;4627264]You obviously have never hunted a wild Merrium Turkey.

If you can get them within 20 yards you have done a good job of calling. 20 yards with a 6 shot is going to splatter all over and the bird will be gone.

Real turkey hunters aim for the head and don't splatter the body.
Pretty small pattern at 20 yards.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Hmm, my buddy in Texas takes his 4 Rio grande turkey’s every year with a .410 model 42 Winchester with 6’s every year….

I have also taken 4, Rio grande birds using 1-3/4 oz. plated lead loads out of a 12ga, all were head shots and never took a single step.

IMO Turkey hunting involves calling and decoying the Tom’s into the sub 40 yard range, although sub 50 yards is very doable with a well patterned gun.

Exactly, disconnect the hard drive and it is game over.

Pick one


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GOBBLER FANATIC]

I have read all the posts on shell length, shot size and composition, weight of shot and effective patterns and kill ranges.

My first turkey hunting experience was in 1999 when I drew my first Alberta turkey tag (I believe it was the second year that Alberta offered a turkey hunt). I was very lucky to harvest my 2nd largest turkey so far on the first ever day I hunted turkeys. It was in the Heath creek area off the Skyline road in the porcupine hills. I was instantly hooked on this gamebird - especially as the season was in the spring when the world is waking up from the cold winter.

So this is my 24th year of hunting the "King of Gamebirds" and I offer the following comments and suggestions that I have learned over my turkey hunting journey:
1). The goal of any hunter should be to take ONLY ethical shots, by that I mean, do your homework and preparations to ensure there is a high probability that you will make an instant kill in 1 shot. Do not take a shot to "see if I can make it..."
2). Any ethical hunter should NEVER rely on the results published by someone else but MUST pattern their own shotgun with various loads and distances to determine what combination of shotshell length, payload, shot size and brand of shell patterns best in their shotgun.

Novice turkey hunters should never consider taking shots at distances greater than 40 yards - turkeys are an extremely difficult bird to kill and usually the only kill shots are pellet(s) into the spine of the neck and/or the head. Simply put, body shots almost always guarantee a fatally wounded and lost/wasted bird. I have never experienced, nor heard of, anyone recovering a wounded turkey - there is no blood trail as the vitals on a turkey are relatively small and there's rarely snow to track the wounded bird.

3). I do NOT recommend using 3-1/2 inch shells on turkeys - they kick way too hard, are very expensive, require a 3-1/2 inch capable gun and probably give the hunter a false sense of confidence that a longer shot can be taken. 3 inch shells with 1-3/4 ounces to 2 ounces of lead shot are certainly adequate to kill turkeys up to 45 yards.

4). When patterning your shotgun, you should take the first shots using small shot (7-9 shot), off a steady rest at short ranges (12-15 yards). This is for 2 reasons - you can effectively see where the sweet spot of the pattern is as it will punch a 1-2 inch hole through the target at that range and you can save your expensive turkey loads for doing the rest of the sighting in at ranges from 20-45 yards. You'll need at least a full choke gun, or extra full or a dedicated turkey choke. 20 Guage is fine but you have to dial back your expectations of an ethical kill by 5-10 yards.

5). I always use turkey (lifesize head/neck) targets to practice sighting in my shotgun. When I review the results of my practice shots, I don't really focus on how wide the general pattern is at the various yardages but more importantly, how many pellets are in the head and neck (kill zone). For my specialty turkey gun, I require at least 12-15 pellets in the neck and/or head to consider it an ethical shot and at least 2 shots with consistent results. I have seen more expensive guns like Baretta, put 30-50 pellets into the kill zone but my Remington 870 turkey gun with the pass-through stock doesn't pattern that tight so my maximum range is more like 45 yards.

6). I don't agree with using large shot like #2s to #4s as I believe there are too many holes in the patterns at longer ranges. In my opinion, #5 shot seems to provide the best combination of shot size, downrange energy and pattern density that it has always been my favorite. That said, if you were a proficient and patient caller and can pull the turkeys within 25 yards or less of your barrel, #6 or even 7-1/2 shot has plenty of energy and density to easily kill a bird at closer ranges.
I have not tried the duplex or triplex loads so cannot provide a comment on those except that they are extremely expensive.

7). True turkey shells are VERY pricey! That said, I have hunted with Kent shells since I first started turkey hunting 24 years ago. Initially, I used 2-3/4 ounce, #5 loads as my Remington model 870 couldn't accommodate 3 inch shells. Now with my dedicated Remington turkey gun, I use 3 inch - 2 ounce #5 loads and they work very well for me. (I suggest you contact Profit River who can likely source Kent loads or online out of Ontario - as long as you have a PAL, they should ship them).

For me, I'm not prepared to put out $3-$8 per shell for boutique turkey loads (and there are plenty of them out there). Instead, I purchase Kent - 3 inch, 2 ounce #5 shot for around $200.00 for a case of 10 boxes of 10 shells. I have found that they have always worked well in my shotguns and are pretty reasonable at around $2/round.

I always shoot my shotguns before the turkey season starts to ensure my gun scope hasn't been knocked off (I use a Bushnell Trophy Red Dot TRS-25 low profile scope and have had tremendous results). If you are planning to hunt turkeys for several years, you will not regret the purchase of this scope - it helps me to focus on only pulling the trigger when the bird isn't moving!!)

I would be more than happy to respond to any questions that anyone has relating to turkey hunting and hope that you have a great experience harvesting your spring gobbler!! GOBBLER FANATIC

[Supermag]

When I went turkey hunting in Ontario, I used Kent 3 1/2" turkey loads with 2 oz of #4 shot. That shell was devastating on both ends! Not fun to shoot, but very effective.