Small shot for turkeys ?

[air leak]

I have been saying that for years, and I couldn't agree more! I also have been calling it "Pixie Dust"!

I use a Comp-N-Choke XXX with Remington 3 inch Magnum Turkey loads. 2 oz of # 4, Copperplated shot.

I just shake my head when I read about guys counting how many pellets are in a 10 inch paper circle at 40 yards.

I don't hunt 10 inch paper circles. I hunt big, tough turkeys. My set up kills them real dead, real fast.

[bamabirdbuster13]

i have alot of people tell me they love the hevi 7s. i myself prefer a 3in 2oz load of 4s seeing as of every year before this i shot most my birds at distances over 30 yards. this year i shot all my birds at 5-10 yards. so i went to federal 3in 6s to save a dime, and we shot 4 birds with them stone dead at the 5-10 yard range. but there has been times where if id had a 3.5 load of hevi 4s the day wouldve been differnt. at close range ive done the test between 5s and 6s and inside 25 yards the 6s are savage in comparison to the 5s on a set of fresh turkey necks.but i still would rather have the for sure distance assurance of 4s.but the choke tube manufactures all insist you use a load of 6s for the best result.

[allen.riggs]

I really like the #6 HeviShot. It works out to a pretty good distance but also is great close up. I have killed many birds with it, usually stone dead on the first shot.

[SumToy]

This has been something going around that I have asked. I know with the TSS you run alot of small shot but I have asked about the over the counter stuff. Lets say with HEVI 13 5 and 7. Say 30 to 40 yards. I know the 7 will kill with the numbers and the 5 will kill with energy. Now I have asked at what point does the energy over come the numbers. I thing the 7 will put numbers on paper that say they kill a long way past the point that they will. So that is why I ask that question.

[RCTaylor]

Tried the mag- blend this year . worked fine but i chewed on some #7 pellets that were scattered in the meat. never had that when i was using #5's.

[misoiltester]

Tried the mag- blend this year . worked fine but i chewed on some #7 pellets that were scattered in the meat. never had that when i was using #5's.

I started that way also 2 years ago.. but with properly adjusted front sights this year & a new hevi shot choke tube just added, that situation will be no more

Can't believe I killed the 5 turkeys the way I did this year. 2 didn't even wiggle after being shot stone dead, and without putting more than a few shot in one birds breast. My fault though, cause I just can't force myself to "putt" and bring them out of a full strutt
UPS is bringing 3 more boxes of Hevi 13 blend today

[onpoint]

Now I have asked at what point does the energy over come the numbers. I thing the 7 will put numbers on paper that say they kill a long way past the point that they will. So that is why I ask that question.

Asked the same question myself, but I couldn't get the 5 gobs that took "dirt naps" due to #7's this year to give their opinion . I went to the load because I went from the Beretta Extrema 3 1/2 shooting #6 Winchester Elites to the 20 gauge Beretta using the Hevi 13 choke tube. I changed due the fact that I'm now older (66) and tired of totin' the 7 1 /2 pounder on my long hikes for gobs. Don't flinch and miss when anticipatin' recoil either.

[onpoint]

Ain't ready for the porch just yet. I'll just sneak a little closer or strategize (is that a word? ) a little harder

[allaboutshooting]

Ain't ready for the porch just yet. I'll just sneak a little closer or strategize (is that a word? ) a little harder

I think you really are "onpoint" with your strategy. We've probably all killed turkeys with less than state of the art shotguns. Over the years shotshells, shotguns and chokes have all gotten better but what has really improved, at least from my vantage point, is turkey hunter education.

Many of us now regularly pattern our guns before the season, just to make sure everything is still working properly. That includes the shooter behind the gun. Do those beads still work for us? Are our sights still in alignment and can we still focus on them? Do we need a "dot" type sight or a scope? Did something change with the shells we just bought and the ones we used last year? Can we use a smaller shot size and take advantage of the better patterns or does our gun shoot a larger size pellet better?

Shooting at some big paper can really educate us on how things are working.

Many of us also visit sites like this one to read what others have to say and to positively share our experiences. What works for one may not work for all but many times it provides a starting place. We're all in this together and anything we can do to help and encourage our fellow hunters is a good thing.

Lastly, learning at the range what works at what distance gives us more knowledge (almost always a good thing) and can allow us more freedom in the turkey woods. The freedom to pass on a shot that is too far for our "combination of ingredients", or the freedom to take the shot knowing that our gun will cleanly kill the turkey as long as we do our part.

If that means we develop a strategy of getting closer to the bird or allowing him to come closer to us, so much the better. Whatever works for us is what counts.

We all want to be able to continue to participate in this great sport as long as possible and pass on to others what we've learned and the enjoyment we've experienced. Sort of staying "onpoint" I guess.

Thanks,
Clark

[allen.riggs]

I agree. Yeah, you might have a friend who has a cousin that killed a Tom stone dead at 85 yards, but is that really ethical or even reasonable? I still believe that smaller shot is the right choice for me. I use Hevi-13 #6 and feel very confident out to 45 yards, as I have patterned my gun on numerous occasions and the number of strikes is very adequate to expect a kill. As far as penetration is concerned, at 45-50 yards, Hevi-13 #6 will penetrate a toms neck and head very well. I have seen it on many occasions with my own eyes. The main thing is-know your gun and your ammo, pattern it frequently and don't take risky shots.