There are a lot of different opinions on what's the best shotgun shell for turkey. I understand that every gun shoots different and you have to pattern your gun with each shell to be able to tell what you should use BUT I just want to know what shells you guys use and how nice of a pattern you get with them.
years ago i pattern my gun with the federal 3 in 2 oz. 5 lead/copper plated without the flight control wad i still have 6 of these shells left. These shells are like gold...i also have used the winchester supreme in this same load it's a good shell.. i still have 2 boxes of the old 3 1/2 in number 6 federal without the flight control wad..My backup to the old federal 3 in. 2 oz. 5 now is the federal with the flight control wad..the closes thing i'v found to the old federal is the turkey thug 3 in. number 5 lead ..that you get from WalMart..
Winchester Longbeard 3" #6
Winchester Longbeard 3" with 1 3/4 oz of #5s
The 300325 Hevi-7's. They put up 300 plus out of my 835. The 300525 Hevi-7's shoot really well also.
3" Federal Heavyweight 7's in 20ga. I get 130 in a 10" circle when the temperature is hovering around freezing, hits go up to 170+ as the temperature rises.
Lots of great shells. Win longbeards #6 or #5, fed HW #7, Hevi #6 all make my short list. Sometimes I have to switch the choke as is the case with the Fed, but all are killers.
I'm sure they'd be pretty far down on anybody's list of best turkey loads, but I've been using Remington Express 7 1/2's for the past ten or twelve years. I used Winchester Double X magnum 6's for quite a while before that.
Bob
I like Hevi Blends but chase the first shot with Win Supreme #6's....cheaper that way if I miss!
anything that is #7 and isn't lead...
I am still using Hevi-Shot #6's 1 5/8 oz loads. Just bought some more of them from a waterfowl forum, but will not get them till the end of turkey season... Still have three left, so some Winchester 1 7/8 oz copper plated #6's will go into the vest.
It is nice to have a load that will roll a bird at 40-50 yards, but honestly, I think that the vast majority of birds I have killed, would have been killed with a modified choke, using el cheapo' Walmart pheasant loads. I have stretched a couple out to 40 yards, but most have been 30 yards or less...
My issue has not been killin' em when they are in range, my issue is gettin' em' into range. And nothing like a bird hanging up just of range to frustrate me just enough to want me to make me come back.
Fed hw 7's 12 and 20 3"
#9 tss 1-5/8 Oz 20ga. That I roll crimp. A Indian Creek. 555 out of my m2 benelli puts over 3/4 of the shot in a 20 ring and over 300 in the 10 at 40 yards. It is very tight so I have a red dot on my gun. When they are close , it's not much room for error. I have done fine with this set up.
Quote from: wvlimbhanger on March 08, 2016, 02:25:31 PM
Winchester Longbeard 3" with 1 3/4 oz of #5s
Yes sir...agree!
Hevi shot 3.5 inch #6 shot. Not to tight at 20 and 180 or so in the ten at 40. Hits like a hammer and I am happy with that. Shot a decent amount with 3.5 federals in #6 shot as well. 140 or so in the ten with them. Wasn't impressed with the energy on those shells at 40 so I went to the hevi's.
Nitro Ammunition Company 2.25 ounce 6x7 hevi-shot w a .675 Indian Creek out of my browning silver.
Hevi-13 2.25 ounce 6's w a Sumtoy .650 out of my 870 SPS.
If I had to pick one universal load it would be hevi-13 2.25 ounce 6's or mag blends.
I'll shoot anything that isn't lead.
Quote from: bbcoach on March 08, 2016, 02:39:19 PM
The 300325 Hevi-7's. They put up 300 plus out of my 835. The 300525 Hevi-7's shoot really well also.
Double Amen !!
2015 Old Gobbler contest Champions
1-5/8 oz tss #9s out of the 20 and 2oz duplexed tss 6x8 out of the 12.
Longbeards 3 1/2 inch #6.
So long as it patterns well, I don't care. Preference has been for HTL stuff but switched last year to the longbeards. Really like the 3-1/2" #5's. The 835 eats those like candy. As for the sx2, it like the hevi 6's and shell length doesn't matter. The 11-87 20 gauge prefers the #7 fed heavyweights. Plan to switch it over to the TSS next year though. No time to get everything together before the season starts.
Used winchester longbeard xr #5s for my two birds last year. Neither of them even twitched. I had always used federals with flight control wad and still will finish them up, but man, those longbeard xr pack a tight punch. I like to keep my shots under 35 yards too.
Hevishot magblends or Hevi #6
Winchester long beard #6 3.5" out of my 870 Supermag got 241 hits @ 40 yds.
#7 Nitros 20 ga in my NEF pardner single-shot. 555 Pure Gold = 215 in 10" @ 40 yards.
LB 3 1/2 #5 and Heavy 13 #7
Remington Duplex 4x6s discontinued ... Then Win Extended Range #6s discontinued ... Now TBD. I think there's a pattern here :-)
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Hevi shot 3 1/2 inch 2 1/4 ounce 7's or mag blends. They both pattern pretty dang well. Before that it was nitro's. No major shell company can compete with a nitro pattern that I've seen, they are just so expensive and a pain to get.
3.5" longbeard's. 2 oz shot #6's
HTL
Sent from the Strut Zone
Hevi shot #6s or #7s, 3 inch, 2 oz. patterns the best for me.
Jim
Quote from: Cut N Run on March 09, 2016, 07:53:27 AM
Hevi shot #6s or #7s, 3 inch, 2 oz. patterns the best for me.
Jim
This works best for me also.
Hevi 3.5" #6's
Federal Premium Heavyweight 7"s in both my 10 and 12 gauge.
I shot Nitro's for dang near 20 years before I found this stuff. With a Trulock choke, it like hitting them with Thor's hammer.
Gman
My all time favorite was the Remington hevi shot 3.5" #6's wicked awesome patterns
Mag Blend 3 inchers. I've got a dozen boxes in the safe which should last me 10 to 15 years. The last couple years our local Sports Authority has put them on close out for $6.99 a box at the end of the season. With a $10 a box rebate that ain't a bad deal.
HeviShot 3 1/2" Magnum Blends shoot the best with the combination of my Mossberg 835 and Indian Creek choke tube.
Longbeard XR 3.5 #5 2oz. put through a Stoeger 3500 with older style Jelly Head.
The white hevi 13 3 inch 1 3/4 oz #6, only have 2 left, they pattern nearly as good as any 3.5 inch stuff I have shot and recoil like a dove load!
I like my Federal Heavyweight #7 Shots, Hard to beat
Quote from: snapper1982 on March 08, 2016, 08:21:53 PM
1-5/8 oz tss #9s out of the 20 and 2oz duplexed tss 6x8 out of the 12.
#6s good lord. Is that incase you get attacked by a cougar? :OGturkeyhead:
TSS #9s. Shooting the 12g 2.5oz load but may switch to a .410/20g load next year.
My favorite in lead is the Federal Turkey Thugs in 5s or 6s. In htl I like both the Hevi Shot magblends and the old discontinued Winchester Xtended Range htl. I did a lot of patterning and found chokes that work really well with these shells and use them according to the terrain I'm hunting.
Hevi 3" 2oz #7 through an IC 665. I get even numbers in the 10 and 20 ( 221 / 218 ). Longbeard #6s give me a way better 10 number, but there is not much room for error.
I'm currently using H13 3/2/6's, because I have a stockpile.
12 ga. - Hevi 13 3.5" 2.25oz #6
20 ga - Federal HWT 3" #7
Hevi-13 6's for my 12 gauge, Federal Hevi 7's for the 20.
My son and I run Federal Heviweight 3-1.5-7's through our 20 gauges.
Fed HW 3-1.5-7 in a 20ga. My primary gun.
Longboards 3" 5 or 6s out of an 835. My backup gun.
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Currently its the Turkey Thugs 3.5in #5 because that's what my 870 and the Ventilator choke are loving.
That ventilator choke is the real deal. I can't believe remington stopped making it.
old Remington hevishot #6's and Federal pre FC #5's and 6's in the 20ga
Winchester XX 2-1/4oz #4, 5 and 6's and Winchester XR #5's in the 835
3.5 longbeard #5 and 3.5 heavy 7's....835 ssx choke
Hevi-13 # 6 shot
I shot Winchester Longbeard #6's in 3 1/2" and 3" last year depending on which gun I was carrying. I believe I'll be switching back to Winchester Supreme #6's this season.
:morning: Got on the Turkey Thug train and didn't get off. Shoot the 3"x 5 combo in my guns. Didn't take long to get 'em dialed in. Have enough for my lifetime. Enjoy reading about everyone's chase fer their loads, but I'm focused on the hunt. :camohat:
Federal 3" #4 lead. I love to watch that Flite-Control wad stick in their neck! It's been that load since 1996.
Quote from: Treerooster on March 10, 2016, 09:45:32 AM
Quote from: hobbes on March 10, 2016, 07:18:14 AM
I shot Winchester Longbeard #6's in 3 1/2" and 3" last year depending on which gun I was carrying. I believe I'll be switching back to Winchester Supreme #6's this season.
Curious as to why you are switching back...pattern too tight on the LB's?
Probably why I haven't switched yet. Most my shots under 40 yards.
I am a tinkerer so this year it is Magnum Blend and Triple Beard
I would have to say nitro company hevi shot 4x5x7, was mega weight but they don't have them as of now..
Talkem into given up!!!
Quote from: Big perm2 on March 11, 2016, 07:31:11 PM
I would have to say nitro company hevi shot 4x5x7, was mega weight but they don't have them as of now..
Talkem into given up!!!
That is my shell also for many years have tried many others but none better out of my 870
Hevi-13 7's in the 12 ga.
Federal Heavyweight 7's in the 20 ga.
I like the Federal Strut Shok in #6 shot.
H-13 #6's in 3.5"
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Winchester LongBeard XR 3" #6.