Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

What's Your Favorite Lead Shot Size for Turkeys?

Also, what are your pattern numbers at different distances?

I voted for #5 Lead, but I'm slowly coming around to #6 as well.  In areas where the shots are under 40 Yards, I may use a #6, followed by 2 #5's.   I want to attempt to find a good #4 combo too, just for the "journey".  

INV+ Indian Creek SS BDS .665 & 28" BPS Pattern Numbers at 63 Degrees

3" 1.75 Ounce Winchester Supreme HV #5 Lead = 131 in 10" at 40 Yards

3" 2 Ounce PMC Copper Plated #6 Lead = 170 in 10" at 35 Yards

3" 1.875 Ounce Handloaded 4x6x7.5 Lead = 210 in 10" at 35 Yards

All 3 Patterns were nice and even, with close enough POA/POI to use the factory bead.  This is the best "across the board" performance I've ever gotten.  Even better than the patterns I've gotten using my old style .665 Indian Creek in my 870.

I shot the two 35 Yard patterns to compare with some old patterns from last year that I shot through different guns and chokes.

Winchester 3" #5's has been my choice. Shooting a Browning "GOLD" with Kick's choke tube works for me.

I'm getting 100 in a 10" circle at 40 yards with the old fed pre-flite control lead in 3.5-2-6 with my 835 and a PG .670 choke.

I'm shooting 3" Win XX with 2 oz. of #6 out of my 1300 and a Kicks GT .655. Never counted the pellets, but it's a nice even pattern at 40 with lots of hits.

:smiley-patriotic-flagwaver-an

With both 870s

12-Winchester HV(black)3" 1 3/4 #6

20-Remington Premier 3" 1 1/4 #6

Havent really done a lot of counting either.Do know both are very adequate out to 35yds,which is probably 10 yds farther than I could shoot a turkey where I hunt now anyways

Never did any counting with it (I'll havta dig out the patterns), but the old pre-FC Federal Premium 3" #5s put up some amazing patterns out my old man's and my first 835!  Pure DEATH.

3" xx  3-2-6's  /Rem 870 / kicks .655

255 in a 10" circle @ 30
100 in a 10" circle @ 40

Bad medicine inside 30yds :icon_thumright:

My favorite Pb load, 12, 16, or 20ga; is No 4. I have been shooting turkeys w/#4Pb since 1978. The last bird I harvested (04/19/2011); a 25lb Merriams, was at 42yds. I put his beak in the dirt with Winchester® Supreme® 20ga 3" Mag #4Pb (STH2034). I shot him at the base of his neck, and, he had 19 pellets in him when I cleaned and dressed him him out.

Winn 3.5 HV #4. I get 170's at 35 yards. Definitely a 40 yard load. I had pictures up here but I think that was before the site went down a while back. Absolute hammer.

Here it is, my lead #4 pattern..

(http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss148/BLAB88/002.jpg)

I was always a fan of the Winchester HV 3.5" #6's before I switched to Hevi.  Since I have gotten a few new chokes recently, IC .660 and Pure Gold .670 for my 535, I may have to give those shoulder busters a try again and see what kind of patterns I can get with them.  It might be fun to take a bird with lead again.

12ga load is a Federal or Winchester 3.5" 2-1/4oz #5
20ga load is a Federal or Winchester 3" 1-15/16 oz #5

If I could consistently get 120 in 10" at 40 Yards with Lead #4, 5, or 6's in a 3" shell, I'd forget about HTL.

As it is, I think one of the wisest uses of Lead, is for setups that limit your range to 35 yards or less.  No use wasting HTL at 25-35 yards.  Take Lead and HTL to the woods and use the right shells for the right setup.

Quote from: 3" 870 Shell Shucker on January 03, 2012, 05:32:52 AM
If I could consistently get 120 in 10" at 40 Yards with Lead #4, 5, or 6's in a 3" shell, I'd forget about HTL.

As it is, I think one of the wisest uses of Lead, is for setups that limit your range to 35 yards or less.  No use wasting HTL at 25-35 yards.  Take Lead and HTL to the woods and use the right shells for the right setup.

This is a good idea if your rig shoots Lead and HTL POA/POI the same.
I have some lead 3.5 federal pre-flitecontrol, and if it shoots the same as my HTL load, I would save it for when I'm hunting in the woods and my known range is 40 yards and in.

Have used 5's for years and am very satisfied.

QuoteIf I could consistently get 120 in 10" at 40 Yards with Lead #4, 5, or 6's in a 3" shell, I'd forget about HTL.

As it is, I think one of the wisest uses of Lead, is for setups that limit your range to 35 yards or less.  No use wasting HTL at 25-35 yards.  Take Lead and HTL to the woods and use the right shells for the right setup.

I may now have such a setup.....but it's my pretty shiny polished gun; not my turkey gun. :TooFunny:

Another vote for #5 shot here. Winchester did testing back in the 90s and determined that the 2 and 3/4 #5 red shell outperformed everything else they had at the time, overall.

Quote from: 3" 870 Shell Shucker on January 03, 2012, 05:32:52 AM
If I could consistently get 120 in 10" at 40 Yards with Lead #4, 5, or 6's in a 3" shell, I'd forget about HTL.

As it is, I think one of the wisest uses of Lead, is for setups that limit your range to 35 yards or less.  No use wasting HTL at 25-35 yards.  Take Lead and HTL to the woods and use the right shells for the right setup.

^^This. I'll save my Hevi for the fields. I just dont need it in the woods.^^

Winchester HV #6 3.5 never counted pellets but it cosistanly kills birds at 50 yards.

I like #6 in both lead and hevi-shot.  3.5 inch Winchester HV #6 killed a ton for me

# 5 vote here

My 835 and a kicks 660/w Fed flight control 2oz 3-1/2 in i get 140+ at 40 yds

Both my browning invector and mossberg 5500 with kicks 660 w/ same shell except 3" 100+

My Browning 10 gauge with reg. feds gets about 130ish and about the same with win hv
Ive got some flight control shells for this gun and they pattern good just havent counted numbers

I like the extra weight of 5's w/o dropping to far on the pellet count of 4s.  If you judge wrong and a 5 gives you a little more hitting power, but at the end of the day I don't think at 40 yrds or less the turkey would see any difference.  Dead is Dead as we like to say.

Forgot to mention I use Win HV #5 in 3in and 3.5, setting up my new gun and unless I don't get a good pattern expect to use the same shells.

Mossy 835, factory x-ful choke - high 130s to mid 140s with Win XX 3.5, 2 1/4 oz, 6s

Quote from: 3" 870 Shell Shucker on January 03, 2012, 05:32:52 AM
If I could consistently get 120 in 10" at 40 Yards with Lead #4, 5, or 6's in a 3" shell, I'd forget about HTL.

As it is, I think one of the wisest uses of Lead, is for setups that limit your range to 35 yards or less.  No use wasting HTL at 25-35 yards.  Take Lead and HTL to the woods and use the right shells for the right setup.

Great advice.

Either 5 or 6 so far I am using 5's and am pleased so far

low 2s with win xx mag #5 with an old bansner choke in a sp 10