What's Your Minimum Acceptable 10" Circle at 40 Yards Pattern #?

[chatterbox]

I for one, have stopped chasing huge numbers.
My SumToy and Win XRHD give me an avg. of 150 very evenly spaced pellets in the 10'' circle at 40. That will kill any bird walking.

[davisd9]

If I can get an even 150 hits in the 10" circle at 40 then I am ready to hunt! 

[R AJ]

I for one, have stopped chasing huge numbers.
My SumToy and Win XRHD give me an avg. of 150 very evenly spaced pellets in the 10'' circle at 40. That will kill any bird walking.

What a refreshing statement and so true. It is actually good for me to see this .

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

I believe that posting pattern pictures showing 200-250-300-350 pellets in a 10" circle at 40 Yards with off the shelf ammo which anyone could buy, using off the shelf chokes which anyone could buy, gave rise to many people visiting this site and then deciding that there was no good reason to stop at 40 yards, which then turned the conversation from turkey hunting, to turkey shooting.

I know a guy who insists that anyone who hunts with him must agree to all of the hunters in their group shooting together at the turkey on the count of three.  And "this" guy uses nitro 4x5x7 shells and a Gobblin' Thunder choke.

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

If we're really talking about a 40 Yard combo, I think 200 at 30 Yards, 170 at 35 Yards, and 130 at 40 Yards would be on the money every time.

[paladin]

Here is the problem with "Minimum"numbers.
Once you get higher numbers it is hard to step down.
If you hunted with a 200 count pattern last year you are not gonna want to shoot a 150 count pattern this year.

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

I'm not trying to stir up trouble: I'm trying to stir up an honest conversation.

I believe that at some point, be it 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180 whatever,  there's no longer any doubt that a 10" pattern is SUPER effective at 40 Yards +/-5.  After that point, whatever it is, the push to keep increasing those 10" circle numbers is moving the goalpost out past 40 Yards.  It's just a matter of physics.

If we are going to say that 40 Yards is the ethical limit for taking shots at Turkeys, then why don't we focus more effort on increasing the total 15" or 20" circle numbers, which gives us a more forgiving pattern with room for aiming error, rather than trying to get 350 in a 10" circle, which doesn't allow for aiming error, but sure does increase the maximum effective range out past 40 yards?

I believe we need to drop the 10" circle, in favor of a larger patterning standard.  The chokes and shells have surpased what needed to be accomplished in a 10" circle, and now people have started to believe that their turkey gun is a rifle.  If we're going to stick to 40 Yards, let's evaluate patterns out to 15" or 20".  The chokes and shells will do it.