I'm thinking about "going smaller"

[MossRem]

I don't hunt fields much anymore, I find myself less than 50 yards from turkeys when I see them. I'm wondering if I might be better off with more open chokes and 2 and 3/4 inch shells a lot of the time.
Or maybe I ought to just keep hunting turkeys with 3 inch shells. Haven't decided what I'm going to do this season. I just don't care for lugging around more gun than I need to. I don't make long shots on turkeys, anyway.

[fitter]

i have a buddy that uses a tc contender in a 410

[gooblnfever]

go to a 20 gauge
its lighter and still gives good killing patterns

[MossRem]

Pattern them and see how far you can get 100 in a 10".

That's...what? About the circumference of a pie plate, right? Check. Done that.
I used to use Federal turkey targets but a veteran turkey hunter said to pay more attention to the overall spread of pellets because you want even performance with no gaps rather than trying to get this tight mass right up there on the head. I found this to be true in actual hunting, too.
What I found was that the heavy payloads were devastating at 25 yards but got thin at 35. Once I put the targets at 35, I got about as many pellet strikes with the 2 and 3/4 loads as the 3 inch ones...unless I happened to pattern a load the gun and choke really liked, like the black Winchester Suprememe 3" #5.

The Federal 2 and 3/4 #5 was always a standout. Boy oh boy, did it whack the target holder! And I found out that it hits a turkey hard, too.

I don't let myself pattern out any further than 35 with any load. 35 is my limit, my range estimation is good, and I have no desire to shoot any bird further away than 35 yards. If he's out any further than that, the gobbler wins.

[MossRem]

go to a 20 gauge
its lighter and still gives good killing patterns

Believe me, I've been tempted to go to a twenty now and then...but my wife and I get along great with what I own now! I fear for my own safety,otherwise! 
Seriously, though, I have both a single-shot and a double-barrel in 12 that are light enough and handy enough. The single is an old Stevens, choked full, and the double's an old Springfield. Both have 2 and 3/4 chambers. I'm thinking that I may just use one of those with either a Federal or Winchester #5. Since they both have long barrels, I can get closer to advertised load velocity out of them, I'd think.

Thanks for the reply...have a blessed day!

[MossRem]

i have a buddy that uses a tc contender in a 410

That's interesting...I don't believe I've heard about too many people hunting turkeys like that. I don't have a contender, though, and I don't believe that it's legal in my state to hunt turkeys with a handgun in my state (Georgia), anyway.
Thanks for the reply, and take care....

[jtharpe]

contenders can be rifles/shotguns  to, just add a butt stock and barrel.