Hunting & Fishing Best turkey load at what range?

[phightower]

Got my most recent turkey with Federal Strut-Shok 3.5" because the opportunity presented itself with a Beretta O/U but normally I use my Rem 870 12g.

Used a bunch of loads but I've found Remington Magnum 3" #4 seems to be the best at 40 yrds. Drops'em dead.

Any a opinions on others?

 

[JDB]

Re: Best turkey load at what range?

I like 3" #4s or 5s with a full or "turkey" choke. I've reached out to 40-50 yards. I've shot Remington, Winchester, and Federal all with similar results.

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Best turkey load at what range?

#5 Hevi Shot 3.5" was my go to load the last several years...switched to the Hevi 3.5" magnum blend this year due to availability. Both are real effective. Most of my shots have been closer but I have killed a few at around 50 yards hunting fields. My kids use 20 g. #6 Hevi shot 3" and that has also been very effective to 35 yds....I won't let them shoot further than that.

 

[mb198]

Re: Best turkey load at what range?

I use 5's, but have used 6's with equally good results, 3" 12 g to 50 yrds, though I prefer to have him a little closer. My buddy still uses 6's with his 2 3/4 12 g. Usually Winchester, but like the Hevi-shot too. Don't think the shot matters if it's on him.

 

[madd0c]

Re: Best turkey load at what range?

Just got a new Benelli and was seeing which loads patterned the best for Turkey with a full choke. At 35 yards I ran through several winchester cartridges. #4, #5 and some bird shot at first just to get a feel for where it was patterning.
After testing out the low end Winchester loads, I tried out the one that was recommended to me. Winchester Supreme Elite Turkey load #5 shot.

Unbelievable. probably 80% of the pellets in the kill zone on a turkey pattern target at ~35 yards.

haven;t used the Heavy Shot, but I would assume it would be similar.

Just my experience with that cartridge. New to Turkey hunting, but will hopefully get to try it out on something other than a paper target this weekend.

madd0c

 

[WunderDog]

Re: Best turkey load at what range?

I had my turkey gun patterned this winter with a bunch of different turkey loads. I had been hunting with the 3.5" #5 Hevishot. That was working well but I just wanted to make sure I couldn't come up with something a little more lethal. The loads I was recommended for my SBE 2 were the Hevishot magnum blend and the Federal heavyweight 3.5" #7. I wasn't so sure about 7 shot for turkeys but I read a couple of articles that the 7s actually do better at the 60+range than do the larger pellets. I was surprisednthat they keep their energy well enough but supposedly they really hammer the birds.

 

[mb198]

Re: Best turkey load at what range?

You might also try a Patternmaster choke, it works well w a Benelli M1.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: Best turkey load at what range?

been using hevishot 3.5" 5s or 6s with a really good pattern out to 60 yards through a mossberg 835 and an undertaker choke.

kills everything dead, right where they stand (stood). the latest and furthest i've scored on an actual turkey with that combo:

my secnd furthest was 37 yards with the shotgun.

dead coyote choke seems to work well with the 835 and hevishot turkey loads too.