I love looking for the optimum load in guns so I am constantly shooting throughout the year. Sure I have patterns that will kill, but its my hobby that I love!
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/noxbigbuck2008/IMG_0128_zpsjolveja8.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/noxbigbuck2008/media/IMG_0128_zpsjolveja8.jpg.html)
Not me, I believe what my Granddad told me, if it's not broke don't fix it! But it is fun to try out different loads in a new gun, but now the shelves are bare of turkey loads, have been for a few weeks. I've not seen those turkey thugs in a few years, so I'm hanging on to what I have.
Never got into it myself. Just make sure my gun is on and go hunt. I guess I am just cheap and I like the combo I have so I don't see the point in experimenting
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Quote from: Happy on May 01, 2017, 08:52:58 PM
Never got into it myself. Just make sure my gun is on and go hunt. I guess I am just cheap and I like the combo I have so I don't see the point in experimenting
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You do more than me!
I put shells in my gun and go hunt!
Been several years since I've had a miss. Killed at 55 this year.
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I'm always testing loads, shotguns, chokes , sights and factory ammo. Will be working on a 20 guage bps soon as well as some of the new red dot optics that will be out soon.
I enjoy testing new loads and trying to improve my guns at the end of each season. I learned a lot about my guns this year by testing a few new chokes and testing some new factory loads. I do think this year I will focus on setting up a 20 gauge dedicated Turkey gun. I am definitely interested in less recoil with comparable performance!! So yea you can say I enjoy tinkering!
Found shell and choke combos for all my guns that make 'em in to solid 40 yard killers and I don't do much tinkering any more.
Perfection will never be achieved, outside Guess Who's perfect target, so why chase the impossible? :toothy12:
Some of the old timer's here may be able to pull up Guess Who's "perfect" pattern target thread.
I like to tinker with my loads. Will try a few new chokes and shell combinations. Also work on my muzzle loader. Was sub MOA but grouping expanded to 1.5. Think it is the bullet lots or powder: will tinker to find our. Will also work on a 257 Weatherby that's at 2 MOA. Killed a mule deer and antelope with it but not satisfied. Also plan on doing some longer range work with my 300 Rem ultra mag. Who has time not to tinker. New seasons will be here before you know it. Plus my 30-06 is not up to standard. Did I say I handload all my ammo but shotgun shells, so need to work up some better loads. Tinkering, its really a major overhaul. Plus I have a ton of neglected honey do chores. I am already in a panic as Fall seems to right around the corner ;D already!
As far as turkey loads, I'm done. I may test pattern once before the season opens, but that's all. Been shooting the same gun for 9 yrs and I have complete confidence in it.
Got on the tss train this year with a little 20 guage that stuff is a show stopper.. :OGturkeyhead:
Yep all the time. I keep patterning turkey shells and start extensively testing waterfowl loads before it gets to hot.
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I tinker a bit.
I like to tinker but I pretty much only tinker with lead.
I shoot the H13 7's from my 12 and the Fed 7's from my 20 gauge. In the off season I try to find them on sale so I can snag a couple boxes and put them up.
Quote from: Tom Foolery on May 02, 2017, 10:21:44 PM
I like to tinker but I pretty much only tinker with lead.
I shoot the H13 7's from my 12 and the Fed 7's from my 20 gauge. In the off season I try to find them on sale so I can snag a couple boxes and put them up.
As you can see from the boxes in my pic lead is usually what I have alot of what I have laying around! Especially since Hevishot started ;D
My guns are set up to shoot HTL. Like to shoot lead loads through those guns to see if I can find a second or third shell that will pattern well. Sometimes will hit a combination that works and keeps the gun from being a one shell gun. Also can use shells for hunting that would otherwise sit in the cabinet.
Until last spring yes. I was always trying new shells and chokes but am currently VERY happy with a .675 Indian Creek and 2.5oz of TSS.
Quote from: Longshanks on May 03, 2017, 03:37:59 PM
My guns are set up to shoot HTL. Like to shoot lead loads through those guns to see if I can find a second or third shell that will pattern well. Sometimes will hit a combination that works and keeps the gun from being a one shell gun. Also can use shells for hunting that would otherwise sit in the cabinet.
yeah finding a good backup shell is nice...especially if you see a nuisance animal and you don't want to burn the #1
Never after season is over...i'm more interested in getting food plots and my hunting ground ready for fall...Now doing the cooler summer days we do a little shooting, fishing and lot's of cold beer drinking...
That box in the middle with Winchester written on it..3" 1 3/4 6's is a turkey killer. Shoots well out of my 870 21" bbl/ Hevi 13 Choke .662. Gun shoots great with Hevi 13 3/2/7's and is a 35yd gun with the lead load. 35 yds in..it will put them down. Has more room for error with the lead. When I guide or take folks not experienced with turkey hunting I will put the Win 6's in the barrel.
Tinker is in my blood on everything, so turkey guns really fill the bill nicely. In the process of setting two up with different sighting systems and another with a different scope. May have to find a different choke or two for my Mossy 500 as well. :popcorn:
I daydream about Tinkering but it's rare I get to
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Quote from: Greg Massey on May 04, 2017, 12:59:53 PM
Never after season is over...i'm more interested in getting food plots and my hunting ground ready for fall...Now doing the cooler summer days we do a little shooting, fishing and lot's of cold beer drinking...
I'm on this train. I tinker but always before the season. There's a whole bunch more (seasons) coming up that need tinkering. By this time of year I'm shooting a bow a bunch normally in prep for fall bow seasons. I never do stop running calls though, I kinda like that
Quote from: Longshanks on May 10, 2017, 12:33:42 PM
That box in the middle with Winchester written on it..3" 1 3/4 6's is a turkey killer. Shoots well out of my 870 21" bbl/ Hevi 13 Choke .662. Gun shoots great with Hevi 13 3/2/7's and is a 35yd gun with the lead load. 35 yds in..it will put them down. Has more room for error with the lead. When I guide or take folks not experienced with turkey hunting I will put the Win 6's in the barrel.
My 870 named "Old Faithful" loves the Winchester Supreme #5's 30 yard smackdown beak breaker
Quote from: tha bugman on May 10, 2017, 06:00:53 PM
Quote from: Longshanks on May 10, 2017, 12:33:42 PM
That box in the middle with Winchester written on it..3" 1 3/4 6's is a turkey killer. Shoots well out of my 870 21" bbl/ Hevi 13 Choke .662. Gun shoots great with Hevi 13 3/2/7's and is a 35yd gun with the lead load. 35 yds in..it will put them down. Has more room for error with the lead. When I guide or take folks not experienced with turkey hunting I will put the Win 6's in the barrel.
My 870 named "Old Faithful" loves the Winchester Supreme #5's 30 yard smackdown beak breaker
That gun and shell have probably killed more turkeys than any other combination out there.
Quote from: Longshanks on May 10, 2017, 10:47:38 PM
Quote from: tha bugman on May 10, 2017, 06:00:53 PM
Quote from: Longshanks on May 10, 2017, 12:33:42 PM
That box in the middle with Winchester written on it..3" 1 3/4 6's is a turkey killer. Shoots well out of my 870 21" bbl/ Hevi 13 Choke .662. Gun shoots great with Hevi 13 3/2/7's and is a 35yd gun with the lead load. 35 yds in..it will put them down. Has more room for error with the lead. When I guide or take folks not experienced with turkey hunting I will put the Win 6's in the barrel.
My 870 named "Old Faithful" loves the Winchester Supreme #5's 30 yard smackdown beak breaker
That gun and shell have probably killed more turkeys than any other combination out there.
I woudk agree to that statement. There's been a bunch of birds due to that.
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By the way bugman, that picture looks like my yard. My blessed mother constantly throws a fit.
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Always... and this forum doesn't help lol always reading about new shells/chokes.. ordered tss #8 to try from apex... its just fun to shoot and count its a break from the honey do list.
That was me for years just kept trying and spending money. TSS put a very fast stop to that. Well not the spending money part...
Quote from: Swampchickin234 on May 10, 2017, 11:34:20 PM
By the way bugman, that picture looks like my yard. My blessed mother constantly throws a fit.
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I just mow right through them...sounds like music to my ears! :fud:
Always tinkering with something. With my Nova 12ga I found 6 different solid 40 yrd loads with 2 chokes. 11-87 20ga has 3 solid 40 yrds with 1 choke. Now working on a Win 1300 12ga.
Do you all tinker more with different shell's or chokes or gun's or all of the above?
Quote from: Ozarks Hillbilly on May 18, 2017, 01:22:09 PM
Do you all tinker more with different shell's or chokes or gun's or all of the above?
Mostly shells for me. Though I do have 5 turkey chokes for the Nova. :z-guntootsmiley:
Quote from: Ozarks Hillbilly on May 18, 2017, 01:22:09 PM
Do you all tinker more with different shell's or chokes or gun's or all of the above?
Both
Looking for some suggestions on some different things to try. I have 3 dedicated turkey guns only the last on th list sees much action anymore though. Just looking for suggestions of different choke and or shells to maybe try. Let me state that I don't count pellet holes in paper just look for good clean killing hunting patterns out to 40 yards. This is a list of gun's choke and shell combos that I found give me a hunting pattern I look for.
Remington 11-87 SPST 21" VR
Choke Rhino Gen. 1 .660
Shell Nitro H321A 3" 2oz. 6
Remington 870 SM SPST 26"
Choke Rhino Gen. 1 .670
Shell Nitro H517 3.5" 2 7/16oz. 5x6x7
Remington 870 SM SPST Max Turkey 23"RS
Choke Rhino Gen. 1 .660
Shell Nitro H321A 3" 2oz. 7
I guess you can see a pattern here LOL
I am not ready to roll my own TSS at this time. But I'm definitely open to suggestions on something that you feel might be worth trying.
I'll be tinkering with a Winchester pump when I get the barrel back. Have an old 21" smooth bore slug barrel getting threaded and choked. Need to check and rework the sights and start testing.
Doing some old school testing with a 26"bbl Remington 870 barrel on my 870/ Double beads. Has Hastings CT -2/ Tru Choke threads. Shooting Kicks .655, .660, and Hastings non-ported .665. Patterning with the Winchester standard Pb loads in 5's and 6's (HV, Super-X, XX). Barrel has been polished and the action has been cleaned up. I would imagine it will end up with .655 and 6's turning the best hunting pattern.
I tinkered with different loads & chokes for a few years until I found a great set up. There may be a better one out there, but I've got a killer combination that does exactly what I need it to every time I pull the trigger. I shoot a few rounds of different makes before the season starts just to do it. I hunt with what works best.
Jim