Pattern question?

[WVHILLBILLYJLM]

Hello all, new here.  I came here to research  for a new turkey gun to replace my 17 yr old Win 1300 NWTF 12 ga.  I then came across a thread about "deep cleaning" the barrel to improve your pattern.  So I am going to try that before buying a new gun.
 
I see that alot of you pattern your guns at 40 yds at a 10" circle.  What do you consider to be a good shot count if the circle as a goal?
 
Thanks

[wisturkeyhunter]

150 makes me happy with lead, I'd want considerably more if I was shooting the high dollar heavier than lead loads.

[tracebusta32]

20-30 pellets and I'm heading out for the kill

[wisturkeyhunter]

ORIGINAL: tracebusta32

20-30 pellets and I'm heading out for the kill

Your kidding right

[tinker]

 I guess for me it would depend on the size of shot that I am using.  #6 shot, I gotta go with wisturkeyhunter.

[WVHILLBILLYJLM]

I have #4, #5 and #6 shot to try.  They are mainly Fed Premium 3" 2oz.  I have a Hastings .660 choke that is as about as old as the gun.  It does not shoot near as well as it used to so I am going to give it a good cleaning tomorrow then try it. 

[thundrchikin]

Anything over 100 reguardless of shot size should be more than suffecient IMO.

[grizzly]

i do'nt know if any of you get fur, fish and game the guy that does the shooting section has a neat test for pattern your gun. you shoot at a papper with a 16 inch circle at difffernt ranges then take a wire coat hanger and fold it in to the shape of a turkey head and neck then you hold it up to the papper and see how many pellets are in the kill zone at any given time in the circle

[Ozarks Hillbilly]

wvhillbillyjlm
 
I used to shoot the older Federal Mag Turkey loads 5's where my favorite out of the 4's,5's and 6's that I tried with my set up. 870 Remington 28" barrel and a Kicks .665 choke. When I ran out and needed to buy some more they had switched to the flight control wad and my gun didn't shoot any of them very well at all. I found my gun liked the Remington premier magnum 2oz #5's. I have not tried any of the Hevi shot type shells just can't justify the price of those shells over the pattern that I am getting now.

[WVHILLBILLYJLM]

Well I shot the gun at 40yds before cleaning it and got 48 shot in the 10" circle with #4 3" Fed Prem and after cleaning, Igot only 38 shot.  I thought that I had  #5 and #6 shot but they were 3 1/2".  When the gun was new, it prefered the Active 3" 2 1/4oz. #5 shot but they are not made anymore.  After the Actives, it shot the Feb Prem 3" #4 shot the best.  I believe that it shot much better than it is now.
 
I think I will be looking for something new.
 
Thanks guys!!