true effectiveness of 7 1/2 lead?

[agent eight seven O]

 I have been playing around with 1oz. high brass 7 1/2 loads lately at 30 yards. Been trying various chokes and some will give me 120 in 10" circle or better. Anyone have any thoughts on 7 1/2 lead be capable of taking turkeys at 30 yards?

[Recurve]

My grandpa hunted with a Winchester Model 12 20gauge. I remember him saying 71/2 that is a deadly shot for turkeys. I never really ask at what distance that round was lethal. I do know he was very successful each year, and that was only shot size he ever used or would use. He departed this world in 1981. My thought 30 yards on a calm day would be possible, but that would be the max! Hope this helps

[BandedSpur]

Lead 7.5s will penetrate 1.25" into ballistic gel to 35 yds. That is plenty of penetration to kill a turkey. If you can keep 100 pellets in a 10" circle to that distance, you will have a dead turkey on your hands. If you are getting 120/10 @ 30, you will smash his noggin at that distance.

[Ihuntoldschool]

7.5 lead is fine to say 35 in a 20, up to 40 in a 12 with a good  low velocity trap load and 40 plus with a 3 inch Fed 2 ounce turkey load. Bang flop with a good pattern and a head/neck shot.

[decoykrvr]

The Winchester AA Super Sport Sporting Clays, 7 1/2's at 1300 fps when choked properly are deadly at ranges <35 yards with the caveat that they are effective only on head/neck shots.

[surehuntsalot]

you get a good pattern, they will kill all day long 30-35yds

[Neill_Prater]

I read an article many years ago, don't remember where, the results of a study in which the researchers had determined the minimum foot pounds of energy required to penetrate the skull and/or vertebrae of a wild turkey. 

In those days, lead was pretty much the only option and it was determined that number #6 shot only retained the necessary energy required 100% of the time up to 39 yards. I don't recall the figures, but #5's did so at 60 yards plus. That's when I switched over to 5's.

If the assumptions made in those days was correct, then I would assume that 7.5 shot would reduce the distance a substantial amount.

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