#8 lead

[30_06]

Used #8's out of a cylinder bore 12ga this year. Effective pattern to 20 yards, worked well.

[BandedSpur]

Used #8's out of a cylinder bore 12ga this year. Effective pattern to 20 yards, worked well.

Killed one at 15 yds with lead 7.5s with a Lt Mod from my O/U this year. I can shoot anything I want, and I do. I shoot $7/shell TSS handloads in the "tight" barrel of that gun. I use whatever the best option is, and a light load of lead 7.5s is the best option in the "open" barrel of that O/U. I neither need nor want a tight patterning, hard recoiling turkey load to swat turkeys inside 30 yds.

[davisd9]

I have shot dove with lead #8 at 20 yards with feathers flying off them for them to just keep on going.  If a dove can do it then don't you think a turkey can?  I am not saying that a turkey cannot be killed with lead #8 in the right circumstances but personally I do not see it as ethical to be promoting shooting turkeys with lead #8s and see it no different that the conversation of shooting birds over 40 yards with denser than lead shot.  Can it be done yes, but is it smart to do?  A box of 2.75" lead turkey loads run around $10 bucks and if you are staying under 30 yards then they will do what you want with a lot more pop than a dove load.  You say you have shot plenty of turkeys with them and killed them, well I have driven 100 mph with no seat belt in rain, but since I lived through it was it still a smart thing to do?  Just my opinion and I will bow out here.  Thanks!

[Longshanks]

Davisd9 is right on the money. Good to see a turkey hunter focused on ethical kills. I personally am not willing to see what is the lightest load I can kill a turkey with..out of respect for the wild turkey, the sport of turkey hunting, and the message that conveys to new turkey hunters. The worst possible situation in turkey hunting is a crippled bird. I go to great lengths to avoid that. Whether its light weight dove loads or long distance shooting...neither is good for the sport. Better shooting turkey guns/shells/chokes for more ethical kills seems to be why allot of folks participate in the turkey gun section of this website. Thank you to the members of Old Gobbler for all the help with my guns.

[Old Gobbler]

The only time I use cheap dove loads is to sight in my gun , other than that I wouldnt use them on gobbler unless they were the last bird shot shells in the state-  I'm sure its been done plenty of times , but I can't see the point of avoiding magnum power shells as your go to shell  on such a tough animal like a gobbler- over and under looks like a possible scenario , but in a single barrel I would avoid it

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

I'd use 1.125 ounces of #7.5 at 1300fps in close.  The shot is hard and they pattern tight.

#8's are better on paper, but I'd use the #7.5's