How Much Numbers Is Too Much Numbers?

[RiverRoost]

I'll admit that I've gotten caught up some in the pellet count game but it's most definitely not to try to shoot them at longer ranges, it just the fact that I feel like for the amount of money I have in my gun and then what shells and choke cost a piece I feel like if you are going to spend the money on these higher end equipment items then you should be able to get all their performance out of them. And I know what our "ethical" range we are allowed to talk about on here is but every one of us has shot one that's either closer or farther than we judged sitting on our butts and I want all the "insurance" I can get. Having the best possible at 40 isn't a terrible issue at 20 anymore with the optics we run these days also.

[Gobble!]

Shooting 2.5oz of TSS #9s I think a even pattern with 500 in the 10 and 300 in the 20.

Was just thinking when is Gobble! going to show up?

I'm still young and dumb.

[fallhnt]

I still shoot 6 lead upland game loads. Pattern the gun and stay in my comfort zone.

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[GobbleNut]

...Was looking at one of the turkey hunting Facebook pages.  Way too many folks talking about shooting at turkeys at ranges out to 100 yards and basically just making the statement that their guns/loads will shoot that far, so it is okay.  Just the kind of thought process that I fear with folks getting too much into guns/chokes/loads that will kill (or more likely wound) turkeys at extreme ranges without having a corresponding mindset that there is still an ethical consideration about shooting turkeys at those ranges. 

My question is, where does this stop?  At what point does "turkey hunting" just become "turkey shooting"?

[surehuntsalot]

...Was looking at one of the turkey hunting Facebook pages.  Way too many folks talking about shooting at turkeys at ranges out to 100 yards and basically just making the statement that their guns/loads will shoot that far, so it is okay.  Just the kind of thought process that I fear with folks getting too much into guns/chokes/loads that will kill (or more likely wound) turkeys at extreme ranges without having a corresponding mindset that there is still an ethical consideration about shooting turkeys at those ranges. 

My question is, where does this stop?  At what point does "turkey hunting" just become "turkey shooting"?

It already has become "turkey shooting" a lot of the time and cases.
Two co workers are always arguing with me that you need to check your setup for a 60yd or longer shot "just in case" deal, they are not the first that I have had an argument with about this.

[MO_HUNTER]

Man this has been a great thread. I tinker with my chokes and shell combos until I find something I like. I have only changed 2 times in 22 years. At some point it is no longer hunting, it's a bragging competition. I listen to it every day, read about it frequently, and see it on videos monthly. Do what makes you happy and I'll reserve my judgment for the level of idiocy.

[albrubacker]

Great thread!

[ChesterCopperpot]

Right now I want a hotter core at 40yds. That's my end game. I'd love 40-50% of the load in the 10" with the rest in the 20". Trying to get as close to that as possible.


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[RiverRoost]

Right now I want a hotter core at 40yds. That's my end game. I'd love 40-50% of the load in the 10" with the rest in the 20". Trying to get as close to that as possible.


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Kinda where I'm trying to get to as well. I really like that 50%+ idea from an earlier post with the rest in the twenty.

[Gooserbat]

The percentage equation is good.  But with some loads like tss I have the option that anything over 300/10" is a waist of shot.  My gun shoots 320/10
with 2 oz of #9 and I don't want it any tighter. 

[RiverRoost]

The percentage equation is good.  But with some loads like tss I have the option that anything over 300/10" is a waist of shot.  My gun shoots 320/10
with 2 oz of #9 and I don't want it any tighter.

Never thought of tss that way especially in a 12 ga. While I tend to think tss is a waste in a 12 with your point it does give you the nice option of basically controlling your core at 40 and a pretty heavy 20.

[chatterbox]

I shoot TSS out of my turkey rigs, but it's because I think it's the best option available.
For a while I shot the Federal Heviweight, until it got discontinued, and I gave my son all I had left and I stockpiled it whenever I found some.
I shot the 3-1.25-7 hevi-13 out of my 20 with a SumToy choke and got a very even 120 in the 10" circle at 40 yards. Killed my best gobbler to date with that load.
I think chasing numbers can be a frustrating endeavor. More important that you have a very even pattern of at least 100 pellets in the aforementioned  distance.
I get 187 pellets in the 10" circle at 30 yards with Winchester Longbeard 3-1.25-6's, and that's my go to when I'm hunting logging roads or deep woods when I know shots are gonna be close and there isn't a need to deal with a field gobbler hung up at 40.
I know I loose too much in my pellet count much after 30 with the longbeards, so I will not push it with that load much beyond 30.


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[ChesterCopperpot]

I shoot TSS out of my turkey rigs, but it's because I think it's the best option available.
For a while I shot the Federal Heviweight, until it got discontinued, and I gave my son all I had left and I stockpiled it whenever I found some.
I shot the 3-1.25-7 hevi-13 out of my 20 with a SumToy choke and got a very even 120 in the 10" circle at 40 yards. Killed my best gobbler to date with that load.
I think chasing numbers can be a frustrating endeavor. More important that you have a very even pattern of at least 100 pellets in the aforementioned  distance.
I get 187 pellets in the 10" circle at 30 yards with Winchester Longbeard 3-1.25-6's, and that's my go to when I'm hunting logging roads or deep woods when I know shots are gonna be close and there isn't a need to deal with a field gobbler hung up at 40.
I know I loose too much in my pellet count much after 30 with the longbeards, so I will not push it with that load much beyond 30.


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Wild to me that your Long Beard pattern is falling apart after 30. Seems like mine's just starting to open up at that point and still honestly too tight at 40. Main reason I started fooling with mine so much is that my Hevi #7 2oz 40yd number is not as good as your 1.25oz 20ga number. It was that I knew the gun and load was capable of much much more.


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[chatterbox]

I shoot TSS out of my turkey rigs, but it's because I think it's the best option available.
For a while I shot the Federal Heviweight, until it got discontinued, and I gave my son all I had left and I stockpiled it whenever I found some.
I shot the 3-1.25-7 hevi-13 out of my 20 with a SumToy choke and got a very even 120 in the 10" circle at 40 yards. Killed my best gobbler to date with that load.
I think chasing numbers can be a frustrating endeavor. More important that you have a very even pattern of at least 100 pellets in the aforementioned  distance.
I get 187 pellets in the 10" circle at 30 yards with Winchester Longbeard 3-1.25-6's, and that's my go to when I'm hunting logging roads or deep woods when I know shots are gonna be close and there isn't a need to deal with a field gobbler hung up at 40.
I know I loose too much in my pellet count much after 30 with the longbeards, so I will not push it with that load much beyond 30.


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Wild to me that your Long Beard pattern is falling apart after 30. Seems like mine's just starting to open up at that point and still honestly too tight at 40. Main reason I started fooling with mine so much is that my Hevi #7 2oz 40yd number is not as good as your 1.25oz 20ga number. It was that I knew the gun and load was capable of much much more.


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I have only shot with a SumToy .562, but honestly, the number and distance works just fine for me with the longbeards.
I am fortunate that when I shoot the longbeards at 30, my TSS hits very close to the same POI at 40, so for me it's just about changing a shell if where I happen to be hunting changes.


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[Dtrkyman]

Have never counted a TSS pattern, basically it is just holy chit that is a good pattern!  I don't really know how you count a 40 yarder, that thing is mince meat!

I check poi and shot a few patterns at 40 just to make sure, haven't killed but one turkey at longer range since switching to TSS, most can be killed with a dove load!