Need Turkey gun advice PLEASE!!!!!

[Handsome Rob]

I have a Tri-Star, O/U 12ga & I'm going turkey hunting this coming weekend. I've never hunted Turkey before & I'm really confused as to what choke/shell/shot size I should be looking for.

My gun is chambered for 2¾" & 3" shells & it takes Beretta/Bennelli thread chokes.

I'm told to expect a shot at no more than 40yds.

I've screwed in my Full & IM chokes & tried a couple of shots with the shells I have available (High brass, 2¾" #5s & 3" #4s)

At 40yds my pattern is spread over roughly a 26" circle at best with the 3" & a little tighter with the 2¾"

Is this adequate?

Should I be looking to buy a couple of extra full chokes?

Are 2¾" 5s good enough?

Do I really need to spend $5 a shot for Hevi-shot?

SO CONFUSED!!!

What am I aiming to get pattern wise & shot size wise?

[ShaunM]

I can tell you what I use. I have a kicks choke shooting Winchester high velocity #6's. At least give the 3 inch Winchesters a try. Make sure they are the high velocity. I have tried a bunch of shells and these are the best out of my gun and they are priced great. Just remember that each gun patterns different. Oh my choke diameter is .675

[TLRMADE]

Kicks are the best! I've got an xfull for waterfowl! Bass Pro has a ton of them in stock!

[ShaunM]

Buy you some turkey targets and pattern your gun with them. I use the shoot n see turkey targets. That way I can count and compare shot loads. @ 20 yards Im putting over 120 pellets in the kill area, @ 30 yards putting around 100 or so, @ 40 yards im easily getting over 85 pellets in the kill area. I'm happy with my choke and shot size. When I say kill area im talking about the number of pellets thats going to hit the turkey's head.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Hunting101

[R_Bert]

And to really screw things up,..

I use an old hand-me-down beater 870 with a Comp-N-Choke 3X Full.

It just happens to be what is on the gun. I have seen Dad over 30 years use 4 different guns and any number of chokes trying to find the "right" combo.

He asked me the other day what I used to kill the bird I got. "2-3/4" high-brass #6, regular Winchester". The old man just shook his head. All that training gone to waste (I used a "light load" because it was what I was used to and knew what the gun does, could get off a second shot without rattling my brain).

So, Practice shooting your gun. Aim right, hit what you aim at.

Worry about optimum loads & chokes some other time. You ain't gonna solve it this week anyway. Enjoy the experience, learn to hunt (quiet, unseen). The gun will work itself out over time.

B.

[ls-vtec]

heavy shot magnum blend . the best shells on the market IMO . my choke is marked .650 . its xtra full . this will take em out to 50 yards . and like was just stated shoot your gun so you will be on target . most of the shots i have had over the years were no more than 25 yards so thats my 2 cents . oh also the shells i mentioned in 12 ga 3.5 had over 200 pellets inside a 10 inch circle at 30 yards . hope this helps ! and good luck taking a bird .

[ShaunM]

As you can see every gun patterns different. Its going to be trial and error at first. Keep practicing, shooting and experiment with different loads. Oh and more power to you guys that shoot 3.5 inch. I will be a wimp and stick with 3 inch lol.

[broylz]

i have a mossberg 535 20" that can shoot 3.5"s but i think 3" are enough for my shoulder. i shoot winchester 3" magnum #4 turkey loads with my xx-full mossberg factory ported choke. dad has a mossberg 500 with a 20" ventrib barrel and uses the same ammo and choke.

my first kill was with a 2 3/4" #4 shotshell from a 28" modified fixed choke barrel.

[Guest ochretoe]

I use a mix of 4 and 6 shot with cream of wheat for a filler. I use an 80 gr. measure for powder and shot and a 1/4 cut shot tube. Just thought I would throw that out there to confuse you even more. By the way that load is for my .62 cal smooth bore muzzleloader. It holds about 45 to 50 pellets in the head area.

[whiskey]

If all I had was a over/under 12ga I would get 1 extra full choke and use my full choke in the other barrel. I would buy Hevi Shot #7s and pattern my gun to know how high/low, left/right I was hitting with my bead sights. Use the barrel with the full choke under 25 yards, use the extra full out to 40 (maybe 50) depending on my patterns.

Most turkey hunters use a 10" circle and count the pellets within the circle to gauge how well their guns are performing. I have seen pellet counts as high as 200 #7 pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yards. 100 to 150 at 40 yards is more realistic for a decent turkey gun shooting Hevi #7's.

You asked if the expensive Hevi shot is worth it. For me, only if you buy #7s. The Hevi shot is heavier than lead and you can down size your shot size and increase your pellets per shot. I wouldn't use lead #7's on turkeys, I would stick with #5's or maybe #6's. However, I have killed a couple birds with the #7's now and I am a believer in the Hevi shot now. I killed one last year right at 50 yards with them. My daughter killed one this year at 40 yards with Hevi 7's out of a 20ga. They are killing shells and help marginal guns get denser patterns. Lead will kill them just as dead though, you just may have to work a little harder to make sure your find the right shell/choke combo.

[whiskey]

A couple more tips...

Get some gift wrapping paper at the Dollar Tree and use the white side to pattern your gun.

Don't just shoot at 40 yards. Shoot at 15, 25, 40 and 50 to know what you have. My gun has a softball sized pattern at 20 yards. I have to be careful to aim carefully when they are close. The beauty of a double is using one barrel for close shots and one for long shots.

[10-Ring]

This hasn't been said yet, but since Rob is going turkey hunting for the first time I thought I would throw this out there. Don't aim for the head, aim for the neck. If you aim for the head half of your shot will be going over the bird. This is where spending some time patterning the gun will really pay off, so you know just how far down the neck to hold. besides that, if you make a good shot to the neck and no shot happens to make it to the head you will still have a dead bird.

[ShaunM]

Good point 10-Ring. I usually aim just above the neck.

[gregintenn]

Killed with 20 guage 870 Remington, full choke, #6 2 3/4" high brass.

Killed with 37 Ithaca, 12 guage, mod choke, #5 High brass 2 3/4", Both were killed at 40 plus yards. Turkeys aren't as tough as elephants or water buffalo. Shoot what ya got.

[Fourtyfive]

Remington SP-10 , love mine.....