Hunting House » Turkey Hunting » Opinions on shotgun range
Opinions on shotgun range
Question:
I am seeking opinions on the maximum range you would feel comfortable with shooting a large (24 + lb.) wild turkey. I use a 12 ga. 3 inch magnum 6 shot in a full choked 20 inch barrel. I feel 30 yards would be the maximum. My daughter uses a 20 ga. 3 inch magnum 6 shot in a modified choked 24 inch barrel. I feel 20 yards would be the maximum. I value the sport of wild turkey hunting to the point that it would tear me up to wound one and not recover it. So I’m looking for a "one shot, roll ‘em over" type harvest. I do have two birds to my credit, both at less than 15 yards with my 12 ga. That really rolled the bird. Last year, we were able to call in a large tom, almost every morning, but he locked up at around 35 yards. Definitely too far for the 20 ga., but I just couldn’t pull the trigger with my 12. Should I have? Both guns have been patterned at 30 yards, and both look nice on paper. But paper and real life can produce different results. What do you think? Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
I want to thank everyone for the advice, both here and via e-mail. Turkey season is only 3 weeks away for me. If that Tom is still around, he’s going to loose this year. Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
Pattern the gun at 35 yards, and at40 and 45 as well. When the pattern starts to thin out, figure on backing in 5-10 yards as your max. You’d probably have plenty of energy left out to 50 yards, but you want multiple hits so your sure to hit a vital area. Full pattern is the "biggy" in my opinion. Ditto for your daughter’s gun, 20s usually pattern just as dense as 12s, it covers a smaller area though. — Good fishing, Matt Moore Visit Matt’s Severum World at: http://www.virtualseeds.com/matt.html Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
> Both guns have been patterned at 30 yards, and both look nice on paper. > But paper and real life can produce different results.
Check out the March issue of American Rifleman — interesting article by Bryce Towsley on turkey loads. It reports on some ammo company tests showing that you need 2.6 ft./lbs. per pellet, on impact, to reliably penetrate and break a turkey’s skull and neck bones, and at 40 yards the heavy-payload #6s don’t do that, while low-payload, high-velocity #4s do. No. 5s are right on the edge. Of course, you also need a dense enough pattern to get enough hits, and that’s where copper-plated shot, buffered loads, and tweaked propellant come in. Only way to know for sure about pattern, is to pattern your gun/choke/load combo! Personally, when my turkey barrel comes in, I’m going to try the 3" Winchester high-velocity #5s first, and stick with those if they pattern OK. — John Frazer Handgun Skills Mailing List: http://www.egroups.com/group/handgun-skills/info.html Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
> But having said that, I’ve taken a couple of kids that can’t seem to wait > that final 10 yards and > have dumped Mr. T on his can at out to 51. I know some of it was lucky to > get > enough shot in the kill zone but some times it only takes one.
A few months ago, I took a shot at a rabbit at around 50-60 yards with #6’s and a modified choke, not expecting to hit it, but it dropped. I can’t recall if I got it with one pellet or two, but that rabbit was going pretty fast, I was leading it by something like 12 feet. A 50-yard shot on a turkey that’s not moving very quickly with a nice, tight choke shouldn’t be a problem at all, I wouldn’t think Of course, I haven’t actually had a chance to hunt turkeys, so don’t take my opinions as gospel. I need to get back east and try it out…. but trying hogs in Texas might have to come first. : ) steve Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
> I am seeking opinions on the maximum range you would feel comfortable > with shooting a large (24 + lb.) wild turkey. > I use a 12 ga. 3 inch magnum 6 shot in a full choked 20 inch barrel. I > feel 30 yards would be the maximum. > My daughter uses a 20 ga. 3 inch magnum 6 shot in a modified choked 24 > inch barrel. I feel 20 yards would be the maximum.
#snip Mike – both those loads should knock the snot out of a bird at 40 yds easy. You said you have patterned at 30 – heck shoot a few more and see what it looks like at 40 and 50. I use 3" #5’s and range find a 40 yard mark – I won’t shoot past that. But having said that, I’ve taken a couple of kids that can’t seem to wait that final 10 yards and have dumped Mr. T on his can at out to 51. I know some of it was lucky to get enough shot in the kill zone but some times it only takes one. #snip > Both guns have been patterned at 30 yards, and both > > What do you think?
Try some Winchester Supremes – High Velocity – 1 3/4 oz copper plated shot moving at 1300fps. These can knock the snot out of you!!! And the birds. I shoot a Mossberg 835 with a Choate pistol grip stock and a .665 Comp-N-Choke and frankly, too close, and the margin of error for a miss is a lot greater. It just about beheads them inside 15 yards. All the Ed Curtis NRA/NWTF > Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: > http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
> I use a 12 ga. 3 inch magnum 6 shot in a full choked 20 inch barrel. I > feel 30 yards would be the maximum. > My daughter uses a 20 ga. 3 inch magnum 6 shot in a modified choked 24 > inch barrel. I feel 20 yards would be the maximum. > Both guns have been patterned at 30 yards, and both look nice > on paper. > But paper and real life can produce different results. > What do you think?
First, clear up the difference in the 12 vs 20. If they both pattern well at 30, then either is sufficient to do the job at that range. I would expect that you are looking for 5-8 pellets minimum in the brain or spinal area of a turkey, correct (I have seen some people use 3-5 pellets, but that seems low to me)? There is no difference in power between the 12 and 20, just shot count. Now, your shotgun differences, modified vs full choke, may impact the number of pellets in the kill zone for the turkey. I have heard different numbers used as a minimum for effectiveness, but I believe the 5-8 pellets is reasonable. Pattern the guns using a turkey silhouette, count the holes. If you can consistently put more than the minimum numbers of pellets in the kill zone at a given range, your gun should be effective. Move the target out (or in) 5 more yards, try again. This way you should be able to identify the maximum effective range. I would expect that you are right, with #6 lead, 30 yards – maybe out to 40, would be your range. Paper and real life can differ, but if you can consistently put pellets where they need to go to kill the bird, you should take the bird. Rob Hatcher If it weren’t for my beautiful wife, my wonderful kids, or this fabulous job, I would be hunting or fishing right now. Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
> I am seeking opinions on the maximum range you would feel comfortable > with shooting a large (24 + lb.) wild turkey.
The body size is irrelevant when shooting them in the head. > I use a 12 ga. 3 inch magnum 6 shot in a full choked 20 inch barrel. I > feel 30 yards would be the maximum. > My daughter uses a 20 ga. 3 inch magnum 6 shot in a modified choked 24 > inch barrel. I feel 20 yards would be the maximum.
You are probably greatly underestimating her effective range. The 3" 20 guage has the same 1 1/4 ounce payload as the standard 2 3/4 " 12 guage "high brass". A "premium" load should be used. "Promotional" loads will probably not pattern well at the longer ranges. Only by patterning at increasing distances can you determine your range limitation. > Last year, we were able to call in a large tom, almost every morning, > but he locked up at around 35 yards. Definitely too far for the 20 ga., > but I just couldn’t pull the trigger with my 12. Should I have?
It was probably within your daughter’s effective range. > Both guns have been patterned at 30 yards, and both look nice on paper. > But paper and real life can produce different results.
If X number of pellets are within a 3" circle at a given range, it matters not whether paper or a turkeys head are within that 3" circle and size 6 is fine at that range for adequate penetraton. > What do you think?
Do some patterning (multiple patterns) at different distances and believe the results. Irv Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/