Hi all, my first post here as well as my first turkey season in May. I'll be using a Model 12 in 12 gauge and I have some Winchester Mark V loaded with #4 shot. I only have a 2 3/4" chamber so I'll be keeping my shots within 30-35 yards I also have some game loads loaded with #6, and I'm wondering, would the game loads work within that range? The model 12 has a full choke as well
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The best thing to do would be to get out and actually pattern your gun to see what it's doing. You can check the turkey guns forum for plenty of information on how to do that.
Welcome to the forum and good luck this spring! Where will you be hunting? I assume your in the north somewhere with a May season, I'm waiting for May too here in NY.
Quote from: alloutdoors on February 11, 2014, 05:58:56 PM
The best thing to do would be to get out and actually pattern your gun to see what it's doing. You can check the turkey guns forum for plenty of information on how to do that.
Welcome to the forum and good luck this spring! Where will you be hunting? I assume your in the north somewhere with a May season, I'm waiting for May too here in NY.
Thanks for the welcome, I'm outside of Syracuse. Figured if I didn't get my first deer with the model 12 I should get my first turkey with it
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First: :welcomeOG:
Lots of birds have met their demise with the model 12! I agree, pattern the gun to see what it likes. Game loads will certainly kill a turkey, before "turkey loads" old timers had to use something!
But, you can still do a little homework and pick up some good quality 2 3/4 turkey loads.
http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?r=view&i=413711
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/521392/federal-premium-mag-shok-turkey-ammunition-12-gauge-2-3-4-1-1-2-oz-5-copper-plated-shot-high-velocity-box-of-10
Quote from: jblackburn on February 11, 2014, 08:42:42 PM
First: :welcomeOG:
Lots of birds have met their demise with the model 12! I agree, pattern the gun to see what it likes. Game loads will certainly kill a turkey, before "turkey loads" old timers had to use something!
But, you can still do a little homework and pick up some good quality 2 3/4 turkey loads.
http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?r=view&i=413711
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/521392/federal-premium-mag-shok-turkey-ammunition-12-gauge-2-3-4-1-1-2-oz-5-copper-plated-shot-high-velocity-box-of-10
I'll look into those, I love that model 12. I got it from a neighbor for mowing his lawn over the summer, not bad for a 17 year old eh?
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That's a pretty good trade, IMO!
Quote from: jblackburn on February 11, 2014, 11:04:29 PM
That's a pretty good trade, IMO!
I've got winchester game loads as well as some Remington mohawk(?) game loads. I also have some #5 shot as well, how many shells should I shoot to pattern my gun?
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A couple of each load will give you an idea of how your gun shoots each shell differently.
My advice, start at 20 yards, shoot at a 3 to 4 inch circle on a big piece of paper. A torn apart feed sack can work or see if the art teacher in your school will let you have a few pieces. about 3 foot by 3 foot will be plenty. Get a good rest and see how looks. You are looking to see where the center of your pattern is (hopefully it will be around the circle). Do this for a few loads to see what looks the best. Then move back to 30 yards to see how it looks.
My other advice would be to give the barrel a good cleaning and/or polishing. Here is the polishing thread:
http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,182.0.html
Clark (allaboutshooting) has a good "deep clean" method as well:
http://allaboutshooting.com/article_info.php?articles_id=282
I'm seeing buffered and copper plated turkey loads. My model 12 isn't rated for steel, would the copper plated be ok to put through it? Or should I stick to lead shot?
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Copper plated is fine, it's still lead shot. Copper helps reduce pellet deformation.
Ok thank you for clearing that up
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:welcomeOG: :wagon: :welcomeOG:
Sounds like you have yourself a turkey killing combo, just find a shell that will give you a good pattern at 30yds, sit still and call 'em in close. With todays shotshell performance, you will not have any trouble finding a shell that will perform great in a model 12 full choke. My preference would be #6 lead, very affordable, very deadly, and a good shot count for a lighter payload.
Quote from: appalachianstruttstopper on February 17, 2014, 09:42:08 AM
Sounds like you have yourself a turkey killing combo, just find a shell that will give you a good pattern at 30yds, sit still and call 'em in close. With todays shotshell performance, you will not have any trouble finding a shell that will perform great in a model 12 full choke. My preference would be #6 lead, very affordable, very deadly, and a good shot count for a lighter payload.
I've got plenty of #6. Here in NY you can't use any shot smaller than 8 or any bigger than 2, I was thinking 6 would be a good in between
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We use 20ga 7.5 high brass to kill turkeys in the fall while grouse hunting. Most turkeys you call in will be inside 30yds if you are patient enough to let them close the distance. If you are hunting the mountains or foothills of NY, use the terrain to your advantage, don't set up where the bird will be able to see your calling position out of range, in your case, you need to see the bird when he is within 30yds. Unless you are using decoys, then set them to about 15yds and double your distance for maximum shot.Do not call to a turkey that is in sight of you unless you are ready to shoot, eastern turkeys are stupid, but not dumb. Don't think of yourself as haveing a disadvantage of a 12ga 2.75 full choke. To be honest, most people would kill more birds with this setup instead of a 3.5 magnum with a golf ball size pattern @ 20yds. I can't count the birds I have missed because of a gun patterning to tight. I could probably kill every turkey I've killed with a .410 :z-twocents:
What's the difference between high brass and low brass?
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Hi brass shells are what we call high powered. A low brass 20ga has 3/4 or 7/8 oz shot. The high brass 20ga 2.75" has 1oz shot. Low brass 12ga 2.75 usually 1oz or 1 1/8, high brass 12 ga 1 1/4 oz shot.
I've got some federal multi purpose loads. They have 1 1/8 oz of 7 1/2 shot so I'll pattern those as well
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Pattern at 30 and see what you got. If I where to use 1 1/8 oz 7.5, I would wait until I could see his nostrils in his beak and blow his head off! 12 ga 2.75 turkey loads are not that expensive to buy at wal mart. The extra power the turkey loads have is worth the money. 12ga 2.75 winchester #6 turkey shells are like 8 bucks for 10 at walmart.
Quote from: appalachianstruttstopper on February 17, 2014, 11:12:48 AM
Pattern at 30 and see what you got. If I where to use 1 1/8 oz 7.5, I would wait until I could see his nostrils in his beak and blow his head off! 12 ga 2.75 turkey loads are not that expensive to buy at wal mart. The extra power the turkey loads have is worth the money. 12ga 2.75 winchester #6 turkey shells are like 8 bucks for 10 at walmart.
I'll look for them next time I'm there
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Just bought some winchester super x 2 3/4" shells loaded with #5 shot. Let's hope they pattern well
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Hi, good to see another ny er here. I live in the finger lakes area and have been hunting turkeys for a number of years. before there were fifty different types of turkey shells we found and killed many turkeys with those same winchester # 5's. i think you will find them to do just fine.. pattern them now your range and blast em... good luck this spring and lets hope its stops snowing soon
Quote from: tomatohead on March 02, 2014, 09:40:28 AM
Hi, good to see another ny er here. I live in the finger lakes area and have been hunting turkeys for a number of years. before there were fifty different types of turkey shells we found and killed many turkeys with those same winchester # 5's. i think you will find them to do just fine.. pattern them now your range and blast em... good luck this spring and lets hope its stops snowing soon
Thanks, I'm done with snow. I want it gone
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Quote from: tomatohead on March 02, 2014, 09:40:28 AM
Hi, good to see another ny er here. I live in the finger lakes area and have been hunting turkeys for a number of years. before there were fifty different types of turkey shells we found and killed many turkeys with those same winchester # 5's. i think you will find them to do just fine.. pattern them now your range and blast em... good luck this spring and lets hope its stops snowing soon
where about are you located. I live in Corning.....
Is there a certain sized area I want the pellets to go into? I have 8 and 12 inch targets
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yeah there is they use a ten inch circle to judge it by.. go to the gun pattern section and there is more info there on anything you would want to know..you can drive yourself nuts but if you get a good pattern out to fourty yards and dont shoot farther you will be good
As soon as my turkey loads get here I'm all set to pattern
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Our local wal-mart was stocked up on turkey loads when I was there on Saturday.
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Quote from: Safetyfast on March 04, 2014, 12:34:27 PM
Our local wal-mart was stocked up on turkey loads when I was there on Saturday.
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Mine did too, but they're all 3 or 3.5" and my chamber is 2.75"
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Quote from: DranDran on March 04, 2014, 12:35:59 PM
Quote from: Safetyfast on March 04, 2014, 12:34:27 PM
Our local wal-mart was stocked up on turkey loads when I was there on Saturday.
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Mine did too, but they're all 3 or 3.5" and my chamber is 2.75"
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I shoot an 1100 Remington. Lucked up and found 2 3/4 at Walmart
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My winchester Super-Xs should be here soon. 6 different loads to try
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I found a hat with netting coming down over the face. Would this work for camouflaging my face or should I get a solid non see through mask?
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:welcomeOG:
The hat and facemask combo will work just fine.
Quote from: jmasters on March 09, 2014, 10:10:44 PM
:welcomeOG:
The hat and facemask combo will work just fine.
Thanks, I dug out the box call I got for my uncle too. It needs more chalk on it is there a specific kind that I need for it?
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Box call chalk works the best. Kids sidewalk chalk and pool stick chalk works pretty good. White school chalk usually doesnt do very well because it has alot of wax in it.