What is the definition for you of a good hunting load? If your not a pellet hound, what would consider good numbers in a 10" circle turkey target at 40 yards?
I mainly look for a good overall even pattern, don't have to have 200 pellets in "the circle" to take a bird.
Some of my favorite loads don't put but 80-90 pellets in the 10" circle (20ga.), but the turkeys never know the difference.
X2 I have a choke shell combo that can put over 200 in a 10 inch. But my favorite combo gives me between 90 and 110 and almost perfectly even.
Well a long time ago I was using #4's and considered 90-100 evenly distributed was phenomenal. The numbers game is fun, but honestly how many folks harvest birds beyond 25 yards? I've learned to scale back when hunting thick timber with lots of overgrowth. That's when the ole LB 4's and StarDot comes back out.
Quote from: Philippe on March 28, 2017, 01:31:49 PM
Well a long time ago I was using #4's and considered 90-100 evenly distributed was phenomenal. The numbers game is fun, but honestly how many folks harvest birds beyond 25 yards? I've learned to scale back when hunting thick timber with lots of overgrowth. That's when the ole LB 4's and StarDot comes back out.
so you would recommend #4's hunting in thick timber at close yardage?
If you aren't hunting past 30 yards it makes very little difference what you use. But if you are going to pattern your gun most guns are capable of 100-180 pellets in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards with the right choke and load, many are capable of much more. Obviously 4's will have harder hitting capability but fewer pellets, 6's are the opposite, lots of pellets less energy but more than adequate. Heavier than Lead almost always patterns better than standard lead shot but the LongBeard XR has really changed the game there, with great patterns and much less expensive, but they are also so tight that you better be certain of your aim and point of impact at 10, 15, 20 yards cause you wont' get much spread at all. Good luck to you.... :z-guntootsmiley:
Quote from: tha bugman on March 28, 2017, 02:18:26 PM
Quote from: Philippe on March 28, 2017, 01:31:49 PM
Well a long time ago I was using #4's and considered 90-100 evenly distributed was phenomenal. The numbers game is fun, but honestly how many folks harvest birds beyond 25 yards? I've learned to scale back when hunting thick timber with lots of overgrowth. That's when the ole LB 4's and StarDot comes back out.
so you would recommend #4's hunting in thick timber at close yardage?
I would, but that just a personal preference.
Good middle ground between 4's and 6's
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/noxbigbuck2008/IMG_0030_zpswvbwuefo.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/noxbigbuck2008/media/IMG_0030_zpswvbwuefo.jpg.html)
My go to standard. Kills roosters...
Any load that puts 100 hits of size 5 in a 10" circle at 40 yards is good all day long. Before the days of HTL ammo. Winchester Supreme was go to load for sure. Slayed many a Turkey with that load. Now I shoot a 20 gauge wand Heavyweight 7s
Personally, I look at the 20" pattern at 40 to see the coverage. Lots of things can happen at the time the trigger is pulled. Awkward shooting positions and the occasional bird doing the jelly neck head bob.
My favourite loads put up between 110 to 130 hits in 10 evenly distributed with a good 20 inch spread
Consistently. This has just the right amount of wiggle room, workable close range patterns and If you do your part every bird you point and pull on is done.
Not a numbers guy, I look beyond the 10" circle out to 20" and I look for evenness of the pattern. I'm lucky to get 85-90 in the 10 with what I shoot but it's what is to the left and right that's important to me. What are they gonna walk into if they step left or right when I squeeze the trigger?
Before I joined this forum I don't think I've ever counted holes in my life. I'd pattern guns by looking at the pattern and judging if it was suitable or not. I did though count fatal strikes in a turkey target. Think about something. 6-7" off can be a complete miss w some of today's loads yet it'd still be in a 10" circle.
Get the density on your target which is the actual turkey. Leave no large holes for escape and decent density on side of it for error and decide the load's effective range.
When I was first learning "turkey hunting" I was told all about patterning, loads, choke and I shot a lot of shells doing all this... As I learned about turkey hunting and things changed, I decided to build a dedicated turkey gun and had a lot of work done to it, the gun does pattern great and will easily kill a bird at the 40 yard mark. I have changed shells as I was shooting Federal HV 5's but since their introduction of the flight stopper wad it totally screwed up my pattern, I now shoot Winchester HV 5's, always liked the 5's as a load. For quite some time my hunts have changed and no longer play the long range game, don't even think of squeezing the trigger until his under 20 and closing in on 15... Biggest thing here is having a scope on my gun and sighted in Dead-On at 15 yards, all I need anymore.
Funny thing, most will talk about how far away they can shoot at a turkey, I talk about how close I kill them.
MK M GOBL
I like an even pattern. Don't count holes in circles. I pattern my shotgun for the most even pattern I can get at 25 and 35 yards. Then shoot out to 60 for effect. I am currently using LB 4's they reach out well. LB 5's are a good middle ground and the LB 6's for closer shots but they will easily kill at 40 and beyond. I am currently trying some Federal 6's in an attempt to open my patterns. I sometimes use factory chokes in close. I shoot a 26' barrel.
In regard to shooting close or at a distance I believe this is the hunters choice. The majority of my shots are under 35 but I have shot out to almost 60 with deadly results, especially out West. I also use open sites and have been shooting this shotgun over thirty years. Still have not got that perfect pattern. I rekon I'll just have to keep trying.
Quote from: MK M GOBL on January 27, 2018, 08:25:57 AMI talk about how close I kill them.
MK M GOBL
Like this? 7 yards. He was pissed and still coming, 2 more seconds and it would have been a knife fight! Spring 2017
New to the forum, have been turkey hunting here in Illinois for over 20 years. Just purchased a Charles Daly online, put a Remington turkey choke on her. At 25 yards, she prefers the red Winchester turkey loads, over the black shells. The pattern was much thicker on target. I quit counting after 80 plus in the head and neck at 25 yards. God Bless, be safe and have fun. AL
I also like a even 20 inch circle of shot. I was shooting Winchester supreme #5 turkey shell great pattern. Now I am having problem. The Winchester superX #5 has to many holes with no shot and longboards #5 and #6 are to tight. 225 shot in a 10 inch circle at 40 yds. I mostly shoot at 40 yards and under. Any suggestions. Thanks
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Quote from: tha bugman on March 28, 2017, 02:18:26 PM
Quote from: Philippe on March 28, 2017, 01:31:49 PM
Well a long time ago I was using #4's and considered 90-100 evenly distributed was phenomenal. The numbers game is fun, but honestly how many folks harvest birds beyond 25 yards? I've learned to scale back when hunting thick timber with lots of overgrowth. That's when the ole LB 4's and StarDot comes back out.
so you would recommend #4's hunting in thick timber at close yardage?
I shoot 4's in timber. You sacrifice some pattern density for energy but not enough to make a difference at timber ranges.
For me as far as a hunting load even patterns are more important than big numbers. 90-100 pellets in a 10 inch circle is more than sufficient.
Quote from: Kylongspur88 on January 17, 2019, 09:36:11 PM
Quote from: tha bugman on March 28, 2017, 02:18:26 PM
Quote from: Philippe on March 28, 2017, 01:31:49 PM
Well a long time ago I was using #4's and considered 90-100 evenly distributed was phenomenal. The numbers game is fun, but honestly how many folks harvest birds beyond 25 yards? I've learned to scale back when hunting thick timber with lots of overgrowth. That's when the ole LB 4's and StarDot comes back out.
so you would recommend #4's hunting in thick timber at close yardage?
I shoot 4's in timber. You sacrifice some pattern density for energy but not enough to make a difference at timber ranges.
Agree. The goal 10 years ago when folks really starting shooting patterns was to find a load that will put 100 his in a 10" circle at 40 yards. When you got that you were done done done. I had quite a few lead loads that did that, but most killed at both ends. Now lots of 20 gauge shells do that. To me its LongBeard and everything else. If you can get a 20 gauge shell to give you 100 hits in the 10" circle go hunt. Everything else is gravy.
PS. I just checked on my Long Beard Number 6's out of my 20 gauge put 201 pellets in a 15' circle at 40 yards using a factory super full. Flat out amazing.
For me as far as a hunting load even patterns are more important than big numbers. 90-100 pellets in a 10 inch circle is more than sufficient.
A few pellets in a beer can , at the range you intend to shoot. That was the old school way.
I like to see the full pattern myself.
Im not a numbers person either. I want an even pattern out to 40yds. Looking at my past targets I drew a 10" circle and its well over 100 pellets easy. Like I said earlier even pattern and 3 pellets in the head neck vertabra he,s a dead Gobbler. :firefighter:
like others said an even pattern is just as important as bb count. personally i like 100 bbs in a 10 inch at my furthest range i would shoot a bird.... with that being said before i started patterning with different chokes and finding the right load i was lucky to have 50 bbs at my longest range in a 10 inch. wish i would have tested patterns sooner in my life
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I used to obsess over my pellet counts in a ten inch circle. Now, I'm more impressed by consistency in a 20 inch circle. I believe a lot of toms have lived to see another day due to ultra tight patterns and misses, especially under 30 yards. My last bird was under ten yards and I must have barely clipped him on the first shot. Had to follow up and second shot was out about 25-30. I'd rather not see baseball sized patterns up close. I believe if you strive for a little more open but consistent 20 inch patterns at all ranges from 10- 40, you shouldn't be missing any birds.
I think I've read or always been under the impression you should have 100 pellets in your circle at your effective range. That's been my standard I've always used to compare rounds. I'm not a minimalist and don't agree with statements like "you only need 1 pellet to kill them". No I need 100 to crush them, no questions asked, stopped, dropped, and flopped. Give yourself the best odds, nothing is perfect when you pull the trigger, things can happen.
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3 in the head he,s dead flopping around thats the nerves reacting that Gobbler is history.