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Dave in Maine
PostPosted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 5:44 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 1972
Location: Maine

A lot of folks upthread have noted 8s are insufficient for turkey. I agree. What I wanted to add was the first thing a turkey hunter should do is look to his state's regulations. Many states (mine included) limit the shot size one can use for turkey. And that's both the largest shot and the smallest. So, here in Maine (where turkeys have taken over the single most complained about nuisance animal! We have lots of them!) the rules say:

Shotgun: A person can use shotgun gauges 10 through 20, using shot sizes 4 through 6 or mixed loads that include shot sizes 4 through 7. In addition, shotgun gauges 10 through 28, including .410, may be used with shot sizes 7 through 9 in Tungsten Super Shot (TSS). A person must possess a valid big or small game hunting license and a turkey permit.

So, lead or steel, no bigger than #4 and no smaller than #6, but, if you used mixed loads it can be between #4 and #7. And your gun can be a 10 ga through a 20 ga.
TSS, you can use that 28 ga or 410 and the TSS can be #7 through #9.

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jrothWA
PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 3:14 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Nov 2006
Posts: 367

Used a Marlin Model 90 for upland game & squirrels, using the Win Mark 5 shells loaded with#5 shot, and For grouse and squirrels and rabbits that load was deadly and I did not picked out much shot for cooking. it to pass through better that #6 shot.

Using a M37 16ga for past four years of Turkey chasing and do not feel under-gunned.

Hint: practice your calls or the Tom's and let them get CLOSE!
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fourtown
PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 3:52 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 25 Jan 2014
Posts: 223
Location: MN

Same here

If you can't find suitable shells soon, send me a PM. I'll gladly help you out.

Marshall
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irishwhiskey
PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 6:29 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 31 Jan 2017
Posts: 45
Location: Virginia

I use #6 in a pinch. If high brass 7 1/2 won’t kill a turkey, you’re not doing your part.

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irishwhiskey
PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 6:29 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 31 Jan 2017
Posts: 45
Location: Virginia

I use #6 in a pinch. If high brass 7 1/2 won’t kill a turkey, you’re not doing your part.
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megasupermagnum
PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 8:21 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 11 Dec 2017
Posts: 77
Location: South Dakota

It would definitely be in a gray area. #7.5 used to be a much more common size for turkey, and it worked out to about 40 yards. I think most would agree a #7.5 doesn't have a lot of potential left past 40 yards. If I plug that into the KPY shotshelll calculator, I compared #7.5 to #8. According to that, if #7.5 is marginal at 40 yards, #8 comparable to that at 34 yards. So I'd say say you should be ok. If these Browning shells are higher velocity pheasant loads, that could buy you another 4-5 yards too.

As for ethics, there are an awful lot of turkey hunters that still swear the holy grail of 12 gauge lead turkey loads was the Federal 2 ounce buffered load of #7.5. Personally I think #6 is generally the best around size for turkeys, but that is just me. #5 works great if you have the payload, which a 16 gauge does not. I have yet to have a #4 produce acceptable patterns, maybe in a monster 10 gauge load.
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Two Pipe Shoot
PostPosted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 10:50 am  Reply with quote
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I shoot 7.5’s in my right barrel (mod) and 5’s or 6’s in my left (full). I limit the right barrel to 25 yards and let the left barrel take over to 40 yards. Penetration is the first consideration and pattern density is the second. If you hunt them for fifty plus years you learn that woodsmanship is the best ally in the turkey woods and properly used will have you inside forty yards when you squeeze the trigger. Getting them in range is only half of the equation, killing them is the second. Please take the time to pattern your gun for density at a variety of ranges and try your best not to fall victim to new lore and marketing of products that tout 50+ yard infallibility; crippling one for predators to finish is an experience I wouldn’t wish on anyone. Letting a bird walk because the shot wasn’t ideal and killing him later is very gratifying.

Reno

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fn16ga
PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 5:13 am  Reply with quote
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Two Pipe Shoot wrote:
I shoot 7.5’s in my right barrel (mod) and 5’s or 6’s in my left (full). I limit the right barrel to 25 yards and let the left barrel take over to 40 yards. Penetration is the first consideration and pattern density is the second. If you hunt them for fifty plus years you learn that woodsmanship is the best ally in the turkey woods and properly used will have you inside forty yards when you squeeze the trigger. Getting them in range is only half of the equation, killing them is the second. Please take the time to pattern your gun for density at a variety of ranges and try your best not to fall victim to new lore and marketing of products that tout 50+ yard infallibility; crippling one for predators to finish is an experience I wouldn’t wish on anyone. Letting a bird walk because the shot wasn’t ideal and killing him later is very gratifying.

Reno


well said !
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robp
PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 6:29 pm  Reply with quote
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I talk with Tom Roster every once in a while
He did testing at NILO farms and shot a couple 1000 turkeys he says #5s are the best in magnum lead quality hard shot being the key
I've been using 1 1/8 tss hand loads in 7s for a couple years its pretty amazing
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fn16ga
PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 5:15 am  Reply with quote
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9 1/2 TSS will kill them further than you need to shoot them .
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pepperdawg
PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:19 am  Reply with quote
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OP - I'll mail you a couple boxes of #4 if you want. Just ask you pay shipping.

Would be #4 1-1/8 oz Remington - the old green and yello box. I have more than I will ever use.

PM me if interested.

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Two Pipe Shoot
PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2021 4:01 pm  Reply with quote
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Back before no-tocks, we’d buy 25 round boxes of 3” 12’s in 4’s and 6’s for ducks. There was one load of 4’s that patterned incredibly tight. Gobblers shot with 4’s often don’t even flop they die so dead. Over the years I have spent a fortune on 3” shells in 4 trying to find one that would pattern like the old days. Same gun, same barrel, same gunner, no dice. Then I decided to try a 2.75” 4 in that left barrel and that ten round box, reduced to seven by patterning, killed seven gobblers. I tried to find another 4 load to replace the others and finally gave up over a hundred dollars later.

It often takes a lot of time, money and energy to get a bird in range. I don’t guide anyone that won’t show me a pattern for the load they intend to shoot at a gobbler I call. That’s a waste of my time.

Reno

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Stack16
PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:25 pm  Reply with quote
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pepperdawg---check your P M

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UncleDanFan
PostPosted: Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:21 pm  Reply with quote
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A couple decades ago, I was talked into buying an 3.5" 12ga 870, with a spring loaded recoil reducing stock. Shot a turkey at a whopping 25 yds with it, and the recoil coupled with the spring loaded stock made my thumb give me a bloody nose. Needless to say, I sold it, and that howitzer became the reason I tried a 16ga sxs. I've never looked back since. All that simply to make the point that turkeys are not difficult to kill at reasonable ranges with a tight choke. Don't overthink it.

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pepperdawg
PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2021 8:14 am  Reply with quote
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Stack16 wrote:
pepperdawg---check your P M


Back at you Stack

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16 ga Grade II Ugartechea 26"
16 ga Stevens 5100; 16 ga Mossberg 500; 16 ga Sears-Roebuck Model 20 pump
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