http://www.remington.com/product-families/ammunition/shotgun-families/turkey-loads.aspxhttp://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2013/11/daniel-zimmerman/ammo-review-winchester-long-beard-xr-turkey-loads/YEARS BEFORE Old Gobbler existed & folks obsessed about shotguns, chokes, and ammo ONLINE, a few gobblers each year managed to lose their lives to hunters in the woods... Now I know a few of you might find that hard to believe, but ... they did!
I was reminded about the "simplistic days" of turkey hunting by a colleague that STILL, to this day, hunts with his grand-father's old Browning shotgun, NO TURKEY CHOKE, and shoots heavy dove loads -- and kills turkeys regularly!!
If you've got a bunch of thoughts & doubts swirling in your head about your gun (which one?), the choke tube (which to get?), patterning, etc... I'd recommend -- just take a deep breath, go out & buy some Remington Nitro's and/or Winchester Longbeards (why? they're the cheapest ammo out there!!) and run 'em both through your gun w/the factory Extra-Full turkey choke tube & see which shell patterns the best.
How far to setup, shoot & pattern your gun? This might surprise y'all, but RARELY have I ever patterned my gun past 30 yards, only every now & then will I shoot/pattern @ 40 yards. Why?? Cause a longer shot is FAR FAR FAR less effective... I've probably had 50/50 results from shooting past 30 yards at a gobbler; just being honest with you... My experiences in the woods have told me, if he's willing to come 40 yards, *UNLESS YOU MOVE AND/OR DO SOMETHING DUMB*, he's gonna come 30 yards into your setup.... WAIT, let him get to 30 yards, and blast him.... [Editor's Note: Sometimes I'm STONE COLD SILENT during the wait, sometimes I issue a little "yelp yelp" during the wait -- ALL ABOUT THE BIRD & what he's wanting to do; usually if he STOPS, I'll give him a little bit; if he's steadily on the move, SHUT UP!]
PATIENCE is one of THE HARDEST skills you will ever develop, but in the turkey woods, NOT FREAKIN' OUT & hanging tough in there & letting the bird "work" his way on into your setup, is a skill you MUST develop... & it's developed, unfortunately, through "experience" -- sometimes GOOD, sometimes BAD...
Back to patterning -- *IF* you can find a gun shop that sells you shells individually, that's another very cost-effective way to pattern your gun, with different types of ammo. But, if you're wondering what to use, try those 2 ammo's above & see what happens. This method won't break the bank, and you might be REAL surprised to learn that your gun LOVES cheap ammo w/the stock choke tube.
