# Turkey ammo



## rwbaker (Dec 14, 2007)

I'm new to this turkey ammo. I'll be shooting 1187 remington 12gauge with a turkey choke . Now what ammo should i buy to shoot out to 40 yards ?


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## buck11pt24 (Mar 11, 2007)

I used Winchester Supreme's #5 for years with great success. Very affordable. I have switched to Hevi 13 #7's for the past 2 years. Best pattern I've ever had......but very expensive.


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## San V. Sasse (Aug 19, 2010)

Just like waterfowling or any other hunting. Need to experiment with different shot size and loads to see what gives you the best pattern to be efficient. I have tried 2's, 3's, 4's and 5's. 5's gave me the best pattern at different yardages.


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## Craig M (May 17, 2000)

40 yards COULD be spreading too thin of pattern depending on what you choose so know your pattern at what ever distance. Also, I don't think I've ever shot a bird over 20 years out so if he's coming in, let him come and go for the gimme shot.


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## Dormin (Sep 7, 2004)

Practise with several sizes. Todays turkey loads are very heavy compared to 15 yrs ago. Some of my current boxes read 1 7/8 oz of #5. My first turkey was killed with 1 1/8 of steel #4 which was chosen because it patterned so tightly. Compare large pheasant loads today with turkey loads of a few years ago, they are the same except for the picture on the box. Call them in closer than 30 yds and it won't matter much.


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## TheLionsFan (Dec 20, 2011)

Most turkey loads will do the trick, some better than others. Best thing is try a few and see what does best in your gun and choke. 

Now if you really want that extra confidence, I switched to Nitro Company a few years ago and there is NOTHING that compares to it. It's a little pricey, but in Michigan u are allowed one bird anyway, and for me and I don't plan on firing more than one shell per year especially since I don't need to pattern my gun anymore. You don't need them to kill a turkey, but if you went the absolute best in my opinion, check them out.

Heard a lot of good things about Hevi-shot also. I had good luck with Winchester Supreme Double-X mags before I made the switch.


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## iceoiler (Apr 11, 2011)

Just pattern a ton through your gun, i use hevi shot 13 #6, and the pattern i get at 35-40 yards in amazing.


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## SBE II (Jan 13, 2009)

iceoiler said:


> Just pattern a ton through your gun, i use hevi shot 13 #6, and the pattern i get at 35-40 yards in amazing.


Boom...With a full...Bird will have a serious headache...


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## Brown duck (Dec 16, 2005)

I also use Hevi 13, but #5 - with a 3" extra full, I'm confident out to 35 yds, might take a shot at 40, last bird was at 28. If I switched, I'd go to the Hevi 5,6,7 blend - heard good things.


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## woodsman52 (Apr 29, 2012)

i used nitros until i ran out.great round and you can use the argument of one and done to justify the expense,but by the time they get to my door,my 3 1/2 inchers are over 10$ a round.i have been using winchesters and still killing turkeys.


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## TrekJeff (Sep 7, 2007)

Hornady makes a turkey load that is well under the price point of many others and does a great job.. BUT if you opt for it, get rid of the turkey choke and go to your modified tube...the wad design in the load works as a turkey choke already. If you shoot it through a full/turkey etc it will throw shot all over. Shoot it through a modified and it's a dead thunder chicken.

And yep, we patterned it last year to verify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=f5SWoT3h63A


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## walleyeman2006 (Sep 12, 2006)

Im going to post this info here....i see a mention of steel shot.....above....a steel duck load or even a hevi shot duck load at.1400 fps may blow a gun up if over choked...not trying to start a fight ..or a debate but turkey loads are generally heavy and slow....once your velocity is over 1300 fps a mod choke acts more like a full when using extremely hard shot

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## TheLionsFan (Dec 20, 2011)

woodsman52 said:


> i used nitros until i ran out.great round and you can use the argument of one and done to justify the expense,but by the time they get to my door,my 3 1/2 inchers are over 10$ a round.i have been using winchesters and still killing turkeys.


I totally agree that they are expensive and that you dont NEED a Nitro to kill a turkey. I know its a risky move when I post about using Nitro Company shells for turkeys because it almost ALWAYS starts the "You dont need that expensive shell to kill a turkey" debate. I definitely am not trying to start that nor do I think you implied that in your post. I used Winchesters for several years and had success but then I bought a box of Nitro's (because I didnt have many bills and could afford it probably), and I now cannot go back. 

Regardless if you use turkey ammo brand A or brand B, we all know the most important thing is getting them to within your comfortable shooting range and a range in which your gun/choke combo can effectively kill.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

One year I jumped on the Nitro Train in the 20.. I was stacking 230s at 40 yards in a 10 inch circle.. My friends whom were shooting the same load warned me to back off the constriction.. But Nah, man this gun patterns amazing with the 550.. 

First morning in SD I missed 4 different birds inside 25 yards by 10 am.. Back to the truck through in the H 13 6s and went and killed the next 2.. :lol: I still have 2 boxes of Nitros.. 

Nitro Ray and his wife are great people and have an amazing product.. Hevi 13 has really put the hurt on them on the forum boards with the Mag Blend and straight 7s. In most cases the Nitros will still outperform the Hevi but the price/performance tradeoff has been narrowed. 

If the Federal Heavyweight goes bu-bye I will most likely go back to Nitros but in their Mega Weight.. I truly hope they can get this shot in a straight 7 one day..


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## KalamazooKid (Jun 20, 2005)

So what if they cost $3-5 ea ........ you only need one per year!


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## swampbuck62 (Sep 11, 2006)

not into buying all the fancy mass marked turkey ammo.. I have used plain old High brass 3" #4 and #5 shot for years and have killed a truck load of turkeys.. I shoot a Mossberg 500 with the undertaker choke but have also used the Mossberg super full, both pattern well out to 40...


My advice.... Buy a few of what you like and SHOOT THEM see how they pattern in YOUR gun


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## SBE II (Jan 13, 2009)

walleyeman2006 said:


> Im going to post this info here....i see a mention of steel shot.....above....a steel duck load or even a hevi shot duck load at.1400 fps may blow a gun up if over choked...not trying to start a fight ..or a debate but turkey loads are generally heavy and slow....once your velocity is over 1300 fps a mod choke acts more like a full when using extremely hard shot
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


HUH???? umm have you seen guys loading steel at 1650+ shooting extra fulls for fowl, what do you think a pattern master is? they will shoot even steel lettered shot...Turkey load you shoot once and the payload is typically heavier...I don't know who gave you this information but they're way off, and you're also wrong about the mod comparison. That all depends on shot size, gun, shot type, and choke combination. You and I could both have the same guns and it could be completely different in pattern. Lead and hevi shot is much more dense than steel brudda, not too mention most barrels are pressure tested well above what's available to the general market.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

TrekJeff said:


> Hornady makes a turkey load that is well under the price point of many others and does a great job.. BUT if you opt for it, get rid of the turkey choke and go to your modified tube...the wad design in the load works as a turkey choke already. If you shoot it through a full/turkey etc it will throw shot all over. Shoot it through a modified and it's a dead thunder chicken.
> 
> And yep, we patterned it last year to verify.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=f5SWoT3h63A


I cannot say I have ever been so disappointed in the debut of a new turkey load.. Hornady with its resources could have stepped in the market and duked it out with Hevi and Fed but instead opted for this..


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## srconnell22 (Aug 27, 2007)

The most stone dead I've seen a turkey in the past few years was from a 3" load of 7.5 shot out of my over/under .410. 

Need to get me some Federal HW 7's ordered here shortly for the 20.


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## walleyeman2006 (Sep 12, 2006)

I got that info from a browning a 5 owners manual...It along with the choke tubes that came with the gun warm against over choking steel.....back bore 3 1/2 s are a different monster then 3 in .730 cylinder guns....people need to know the difference

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## walleyeman2006 (Sep 12, 2006)

Extra full waterfoul chokes have different sized forcing cones then a choke designed for lead....i guess browning is wrong
......
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