I Need New Turkey Loads

[Lawdwaz]

OK boys & girls, I'm low/out of ammo for my turkey gun.  I'm shooting a Benelli SBE with 3.5" chamber.  Since I can, I will shoot those Roman Candles.

 

Give me some thoughts/ideas on what you're using and why. 

 

Keep in mind, I don't have ton of ambition anymore to be buying 4-5 types of loads and patterning them.  I used to really enjoy it but my interest is waning.................I'd like to be one & done but will consider a couple different loads to try.  My choke choices are limited to factory full & modified.  Currently I'm using modified because I got my best pattern with it.

 

Thanks for the opinions. 

[turkeyfeathers]

Heavi magblends. Look no further. Ain't cheap but one on paper and maybe 1 or 2 at birds so it's not that bad. Rebates sometimes on them too. Haven't heard one single person who couldn't get them to pattern nicely. My gun loves them. daughters, brothers ,and so on.

pattern density, knockdown and range. All covered with these.

Edited March 26, 2016 by turkeyfeathers

[Lawdwaz]

Heavi magblends. Look no further. Ain't cheap but one on paper and maybe 1 or 2 at birds so it's not that bad. Rebates sometimes on them too. Haven't heard one single person who couldn't get them to pattern nicely. My gun loves them. daughters, brothers ,and so on.

pattern density, knockdown and range. All covered with these.

 

This be them?

 

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/767784/hevi-shot-magnum-blend-turkey-ammunition-12-gauge-3-1-2-2-1-4-oz-5-6-and-7-hevi-shot-high-velocity-non-toxic-box-of-5

 

What size shot are you using?  7's wouldn't scare my but I'd probably roll the 6's............................

 

What choke?

Edited March 26, 2016 by Lawdwaz

[turkeyfeathers]

They're blended shot sizes. #5,6,7's Rhino .660 tube in mine , Jellyhead in daughters and not sure in brothers 10 bore. I honestly think any tube would be pretty good with these

[Lawdwaz]

They're blended shot sizes. #5,6,7's

 

"I see said the blind man"  Sometimes the simplest things get by me, sometimes it ALL gets by me.

 

OK, like the old Remington Duplex loads?  I shot them for a couple years but that was probably 25 years ago.  Lets see what others are using but these sound like a pretty good option.

[Pygmy]

How far do you want to shoot ?

If you are willing to limit your shots to 40-45 yards, any buffered, 3" or 3.5" copper plated load of #4 to #6 shot should do the trick...

If you feel the need to stretch your barrel farther, then play around with the hevi blends or the Win Longbeard XRs, to name a couple.

I don't shoot past 40 yards anymore, and just about ANY 3" 1 7/8 oz. or 2 oz. load of 4s, 5s or 6s gives me a sure kill pattern at that range with either my Kick's .665 Gobblin Thunder tube on my Rem 11-87 or the fixed full choke tube on my 35 year old Rem 1100 3" mag...

I kill most of my turkeys with Win XX copper plated turkey loads or Federal premium( lead) heavyweight loads... I used to favor # 4 shot, but have switched to #6 shot lately, and I can't see any difference in performance on game.

I have never owned a 3.5" gun..Those big long shells scare me...<<grin>>..

[ATbuckhunter]

Id suggest hevi-shot mag blends. I never had the chance to use them on a bird but they did pattern nicely. I got the reduced recoil loads because they were cheaper, hurt less and still gets the job done out to 40 yards. 

[Lawdwaz]

40-45 is a long poke for me and I don't plan on stretching it out any further.  THAT said...........when I'm all hunched up, camo mask messing with my vision, mosquitoes/black flies/no-seeums etc dive bombing me and a big 'Ol Gobbler gobbling his fool onions off sometimes I have a hard time judging distance.  That's the time when I could use a little extra gas in the tank.......

 

And THAT said............my other "issue" is when a bird comes in close, I sometimes lift my head and a super tight pattern can go whizzing right over their little white golf ball sized noggin.  Patterns a little looser at 50 yards are OK as long as I can get a handful of hard hitting pellets in the head or neck.  If I can bust a wing in the process, all the better.

 

I'd try (while swimming up stream) my modified choke first.

 

The Remington Heavy Shot (I think that's what it was called?) is what I've been using for 5-6 years and they've worked super when I did my part.  IIRC two years ago I flubbed two absolute freaking gimme's because I peaked.  (Dan, I think that PM I sent you last week referred to that fiasco?)  Man was I talking to myself then....

 

 

[Lawdwaz]

I have never owned a 3.5" gun..Those big long shells scare me...<<grin>>..

 

I could see you yanking the trigger with a 3.5" load and then you spinning around like a pin wheel. 

 

 

Lean into it or put some meat on those bones!

Edited March 26, 2016 by Lawdwaz

[turkeyfeathers]

I agree with Pygmy on Mag blends and XR's for outside 35 yards. I personally won't shoot that far either. If he's not inside 35 yards I don't completely feel as I've fooled him

Also agree with copper #6's versus #4's. I've done some work years ago when I was toting my Winny 1300. Had some holes in patterns with the #4's with lacking in pellet count. That's when I found Nitro company custom triplex loads online Our great SAFE act wouldn't allow me to order them anymore if I did want them. That's when I landed on Magblends. I did some test work with the Heavi 13's in 5's I believe and they were fair IMO.

Checkout oldgobbler. There's pages of turkey load/ combos and what certain guns are liking. TSS #7.5s still intrigue me but again I can't order them to NYS That's a boatload of 7.5 in tungsten stuffed into a 3.5". Guys are getting rediculous pellet counts in a 10" circle at 40 yards. Like mind blowing. At closer ranges they're decapitating heads off.

[Bowguy 1]

Winchester supreme mags are great loads n seem to always do the trick, they throw nice patterns. If you want to increase performance win Longbeards can make almost any gun throw unbelievable patterns and neither load listed is $30 bucks for 5. To each his own but it seems silly many guys like cheap calls which last forever n expensive loads which are one n done.

[ants]

I have a 3 1/2" gun and I have always had good luck with old school Winchester Double X # 4 or 5. 

Look at the box tho, and get the 2 1/4 oz. load. I bought some of the new Long Beard loads last year, and they shoot tighter than hell at 20 yds. Almost too tight, out of my gun anyway, I like the Double X.

[Bowguy 1]

I have a 3 1/2" gun and I have always had good luck with old school Winchester Double X # 4 or 5.

Look at the box tho, and get the 2 1/4 oz. load. I bought some of the new Long Beard loads last year, and they shoot tighter than hell at 20 yds. Almost too tight, out of my gun anyway, I like the Double X.

You're like me, I prefer more shot to more speed n also feel generally the longbeards are almost too tight.

For the most part I shoot the supremes which is the XX heavier load of 2-1/4oz, did this year pick up an Ithaca turkey slayer that's throwing slightly bigger patterns n that gun is set w them.

[Bowguy 1]

To be clear slightly larger longbeard patterns in the Ithaca

[Pygmy]

The markings have worn off many of my turkey loads. All I know much of the time is that they are 12 gauge 3" mag #4 or #6 shot, 1 7/8 oz. or 2 oz. As long as the bird is within good range it doesn't make any difference, unless I MISS, which is nearly always the result of me choking at the last instant and jerking the trigger instead of squeezing it. Come to think of it, that's the same reason I sometimes miss deer, squirrels, aardvarks and various other critters.

[jjb4900]

I got better patterns at 40 yards out of my Benelli with the Winchester Longbeards than the Hevi Shot Mag Blends.....that's with the 3.5's, also got some discoloration in my cheek while doing so...those things aren't too pleasant to shoot as far as I'm concerned.

[reeltime]

my 835 loves the winchester extended range in either 5 or 6 shot  pretty close in pattern to the nitro shells I used to shoot. I did a lot of barrel work and choke tube matching but I finally got a great pattern matched up.  242 pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yards.  no doubt over the last 10 years the market has been flooded with the next greatest turkey killing shotshell and I am sure that matched with the right gun and choke all will do the trick.

 

i would say that some time on the bench will be needed, if for nothing else building confidence in your setup. nothing worse than setting there with a bird coming in and that little bit of doubt eating away at you if your not 100 % confident in your setup.

 

[Lawdwaz]

The markings have worn off many of my turkey loads. All I know much of the time is that they are 12 gauge 3" mag #4 or #6 shot, 1 7/8 oz. or 2 oz. As long as the bird is within good range it doesn't make any difference, unless I MISS, which is nearly always the result of me choking at the last instant and jerking the trigger instead of squeezing it. Come to think of it, that's the same reason I sometimes miss deer, squirrels, aardvarks and various other critters.

 

Yea, I have a bunch of those odd ball loads that have no more markings.  3" and 3.5", some of each................I have some old black 3.5" Winchester loads that really were lousy in my gun, I probably got them in 2000 when I got the gun.  Them, among others would probably be a hoot on clay birds........!!

 

[WNY Bowhunter]

Hevi #7's or Mag Blends!!!

[2012_taco]

Lawd, I shoot hevi-13 #5  in 3.5" they seem to patter well in my Rem 870 w/ ex-full turkey choke. You want to get together to pattern some loads I'd be up for it as i put a gobble stopper scope on my gun and need to sight it in. we can shoot at my brothers any day after work.

[Uncle Nicky]

Another vote for Hevi Shot Mag Blend, 3 1/2 shells. I know my gun will be able to throw a great pattern at 50 yards if I want to take it that far. I keep hearing great things about TSS shot, but at the time, it's only available to guys who handload (I don't).

Edited March 27, 2016 by Uncle Nicky

[maytom]

Give those new Winchester Longbeard loads a try. Think you may be pleasantly surprised.

[turkeyfeathers]

Give those new Winchester Longbeard loads a try. Think you may be pleasantly surprised.

I bought a box for ships n giggles. Still gotta put them on paper. A box of Federal Fusion blend too. Just like to tinker around

[Pygmy]

I bought some last spring and in my old fixed choke 1100 they patterned as well, but not significantly better than the Win XX and Fed Premiums I have used for years. I killed a Canadian gobbler with them. This spring I intend to run a few through my 11-87 with the Kick's .665 " choke and see how they pattern in that.

[Zag]

I never tried hevi but I love the win longbreard 3.5. Hell of a pattern at 50 yrds.