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< 16ga. Ammunition & Reloading ~ Acceptable Size Shot for Turkey |
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Posted:
Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:04 pm
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Joined: 06 Feb 2021
Posts: 5
Location: SW Iowa
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After several months of searching I found 2 boxes of new Browning 16 ga shells. Problem is they are #8 shot. From what I have read #8 is to small for Turkey. Plan to hunt from a tower blind and the distance will be around 30-35 yds. or less.
Can I get by with using #8 shot in this situation?
I may be able to get some #4 or 5 shot. Would it be feasible to dump the #8 and replace with the #4 or #5?
Have always hunted with a crossbow but want to try with my father's 16 ga Browning Semi Auto this spring.
Thanks for your time and I appreciate any and all suggestions. |
_________________ Guns are a lot like parachutes. If you ever need one and don't have one, chances are you won't ever need one again. |
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Posted:
Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:21 pm
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Joined: 26 Apr 2016
Posts: 369
Location: Vermont
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Not saying they wont work but in the states I hunt they would be illegal and in my opinion too light. Big gobblers are tough birds. I've never looked for turkey loads In 16 ga. but If I were so inclined and could get one to 30-35 yards I would not hesitate to shoot a gobbler with Fiocchi Golden Pheasant 6's or 5's same with Federal. Good luck pattern the gun to see how far you can consistently put at least 5 in the head and spinal column. Joe |
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Posted:
Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:27 pm
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2126
Location: Hudson,Wy
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I would not use 8's. Can you replace the #8 shot? Yes, as long as you replace them with the same quantity ( 1 ounce for 1 ounce, etc.) of larger shot and have means to recrimp the hull. In a 16 I would recommend #6 or #5 shot. |
_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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Posted:
Fri Mar 05, 2021 5:17 pm
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Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 965
Location: Minnesota
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I also would not use #8 shot. If available I’d use #5 or secondly #6. I’m talking lead shot . |
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Posted:
Fri Mar 05, 2021 6:05 pm
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Joined: 06 Feb 2021
Posts: 5
Location: SW Iowa
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Thanks much for confirming what I was thinking. Will be working towards the #5 or 6 lead shot and do a reload. |
_________________ Guns are a lot like parachutes. If you ever need one and don't have one, chances are you won't ever need one again. |
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Posted:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 8:21 am
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Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1460
Location: Eagle, Nebraska
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Federal makes a good pheasant load in #5 and #6, with once and an eighth shot, and it is high velocity, these will kill turkey out to 40yards. BUt with only an ounce and an , pattern could get thin the farther you go out. It is absolute must that you pattern your load out of your shotgun/choke at various distances, with all candidates.
8's would be illegal in most states, if not all, and not in any way ethical, practical or anything else. Now that is for lead, the real dense stuff like TSS etc, may come in 8;s.
If I were using 16ga, I have a box or two of older 1 1/4 #4 Winchesters. I would pattern first to see if worth a dang, but that is what I would use, because I have them,
Call them in close and shoot their neck, you will be alright, once you get to shooting at turkeys far away, things can get hairy. |
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Posted:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 8:07 pm
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Joined: 13 Oct 2014
Posts: 254
Location: North Shore of Boston
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8 shot is totally verboten for Turkey hunting, and a 1 ounce is glaring naivetivity - that’s a target load.
Hey, it’s a free country and you can do what you want.
I’d buy box of more appropriate loads - Federal makes some good ones.
Personally I feel Turkey hunting requires hard to find 1-1/4 ounce loads of 4 shot. Check your local Runnings store - some of them have inventories of NOS.
Occasionally you can find 1-1/4 ounce loads of 4’s on GunBroker |
_________________ Bill K
North of Boston
Browning New A5 Sweet Sixteen circa 2019
Browning Citori Upland 16 GA circa 2014
Darne R10 1962
Browning Sweet Sixteen 16 GA circa 1957
Savage Fox Sterlingworth 16 GA circa 1934 |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 6:44 am
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Joined: 04 Mar 2019
Posts: 1846
Location: Central ND
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I have had good luck with 1 1/4 oz. of #5's for spring turkey hunting. I have had very spotty luck trying to get #4's to pattern well.
My experiences with turkey hunting is either #5's or #6's in the 16.....probably the best two choices for decent pattern density & pellet energy in the 16. |
_________________ Mark...You are entitled to your own opinion. You aren't entitled to your own facts. |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:23 am
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Member
Joined: 27 Jun 2012
Posts: 1115
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I've always used #6's because after shooting a lot of turkey head and neck patterning targets at various ranges the #6's gave the greatest number of killing hits. Never drew down on a gobbler that didn't drop right there. I consider #8's great for preserve quail and have killed a few bonus preserve chukar and pheasant with #8's, but don't even carry #8's with me when I head west for chukar, Huns, sharptail and wild quail. |
_________________ An elderly gentleman, his faithful dogs, and a 16 ga SXS. All is right with the world. |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:33 am
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Member
Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 120
Location: FL
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Posted:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 9:36 am
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Joined: 06 Feb 2021
Posts: 5
Location: SW Iowa
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Be nice if a guy could just walk in and pick up a box or two of any ga. shells right now. 12 ga are starting to show up a bit more in this area. I have been looking for 3 months or more for 16 ga., nothing within 80 miles that I found. Found a box from a dealer in ga. with shipping close to $80 a box. That is why I grabbed the two boxes of 16 ga I found even though they were #8 shot. Now to find a box of any ga with #5 or 6 shot to do the conversion. |
_________________ Guns are a lot like parachutes. If you ever need one and don't have one, chances are you won't ever need one again. |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 9:37 am
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Joined: 06 Feb 2021
Posts: 5
Location: SW Iowa
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Be nice if a guy could just walk in and pick up a box or two of any ga. shells right now. 12 ga are starting to show up a bit more in this area. I have been looking for 3 months or more for 16 ga., nothing within 80 miles that I found. Found a box from a dealer in ga. with shipping close to $80 a box. That is why I grabbed the two boxes of 16 ga I found even though they were #8 shot. Now to find a box of any ga with #5 or 6 shot to do the conversion. |
_________________ Guns are a lot like parachutes. If you ever need one and don't have one, chances are you won't ever need one again. |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 9:39 am
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Joined: 06 Feb 2021
Posts: 5
Location: SW Iowa
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Be nice if a guy could just walk in and pick up a box or two of any ga. shells right now. 12 ga are starting to show up a bit more in this area. I have been looking for 3 months or more for 16 ga., nothing within 80 miles that I found. Found a box from a dealer in ga. with shipping close to $80 a box. That is why I grabbed the two boxes of 16 ga I found even though they were #8 shot. Now to find a box of any ga with #5 or 6 shot to do the conversion. |
_________________ Guns are a lot like parachutes. If you ever need one and don't have one, chances are you won't ever need one again. |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 11:23 am
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Member
Joined: 09 Jan 2013
Posts: 2171
Location: Florida
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I have killed 50 plus turkeys with #6 lead. Once killed one at 67 steps by mistake .
It is all I used until I found about TSS .
That said most any load will kill a turkey out 25 yards. |
Last edited by fn16ga on Wed Mar 10, 2021 3:44 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Posted:
Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:33 pm
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Joined: 13 Oct 2014
Posts: 254
Location: North Shore of Boston
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Chieffin -
I hear what you say about availability of ammunition these days, but hear me out.
I live in ‘anti gun’ Massachusetts and things are doubly bad for us. The one gauge I can find ammo for is 16, primarily because 16 shooters are strictly in the minority.
Now regarding hard to find ammo, I reached out to the 16 Gauge Society members and several helped me out - for which I am very thankful.
Therefore in a gesture of ‘paying it forward’ I am willing to help you out, I have a pretty good inventory and I am not into gouging - send me a ‘PM’ (include your phone number) and we’ll talk. |
_________________ Bill K
North of Boston
Browning New A5 Sweet Sixteen circa 2019
Browning Citori Upland 16 GA circa 2014
Darne R10 1962
Browning Sweet Sixteen 16 GA circa 1957
Savage Fox Sterlingworth 16 GA circa 1934 |
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