need some in put on 5's

[SumToy]

Ok I see folks are all into the numbers.  Now with that most folks count 31/2 inch 7's.  You will see a few 6's.   Most HV-13.    I playing around with some stuff and shot a few winchester ex-rang 3 inch 5's.   Just looking to see if any one had did the number game with them.   This is a smoke bird but not the big numbers you think about.     

[allaboutshooting]

Ok I see folks are all into the numbers.  Now with that most folks count 31/2 inch 7's.  You will see a few 6's.   Most HV-13.    I playing around with some stuff and shot a few winchester ex-rang 3 inch 5's.   Just looking to see if any one had did the number game with them.   This is a smoke bird but not the big numbers you think about.     

You would not know it from visiting any turkey hunting forum anywhere but according to the Winchester folks, #5 shot, in their turkey loads, is and has been their top seller for many years.

I've shot shells with #5 shot from time to time but just don't see the type of patterns that make sense to me, especially when compared those with #6 shot. They are just not as even or full and many have those gaps, also seen with #4 shot.

I've always taken the position that it's the total energy transferred to the bird that counts and a "swarm" of #6 shot (or #7 for that matter) transfers more energy that just a few #5s.

I'm not as much into numbers as I am into good even patterns that would allow only a "very lucky turkey" to escape. I see those much more with #6 shot.

Thanks,
Clark

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

I have a pattern from a 3" Win XRHD #5.  143 in 13" at 40 Yards with an Indian Creek .665 choke, and an 870 with a 28" barrel.  Nice and even, but no real center density.

[Longshanks]

I agree with Clark..I've killed allot turkeys with Pb 5's but comparing patterns I can't see any significant reason to shoot 5's. The patterns with 6, 7's just have more numbers, more consistent patterns, less gaps, etc. Comparing my patterns with Hevi 13 vs Win X range 6's..the Hevi 13's just simply pattern better. The win x-range 6's couldn't touch the patterns I've gotten with Hevi 13 6's or 7's. Any patterning I have done with 5's were simply sub-par compared to 6's and 7's. I got tired of trying to get 5's to pattern in every gun/choke combo. Never hit a pattern with 5's that would make me put down the 6's and 7's.  Just my personal preference..allot of guys swear by 5's but at the patterning board the patterns always have more gaps, less numbers, etc.  5's may have a little more knockdown some say..but for me i would rather put more pellets in his head and neck. Get ready..here come the proponents of 5's.

[SumToy]

I have a pattern from a 3" Win XRHD #5.  143 in 13" at 40 Yards with an Indian Creek .665 choke, and an 870 with a 28" barrel.  Nice and even, but no real center density.

Shucker we got 125 in a 10.  With M1 cool air and it was after dark with the lights. I just wanted something to go off of.

[surehuntsalot]

#5's is all I will shoot in lead and also shoot #5's a good bit in HTL
hunting patterns is all that matter to me,really not into seeing if I can beat the other guy's #'s

[Longshanks]

Numbers=Pattern Density= Hunting Patterns=Dead Turkeys

I always try to get the best 20in circle at 40 pattern that i can for hunting.  That just happens to be the patterns that turn the best numbers inside a 10in circle at 40.  The #5 patterns that i have gotten over the years are less numbers in a 20 as well as in a 10. They have more gaps, arent as consistent, etc.  I have seen some amazing patterns of 5's on this website that i simply cannot produce out of any of my 5 turkey guns that i currently own and numerous ones that i have sold in the past.  If you can get 5's to pattern like 6's or 7's i would hunt with them. But to this date that has been impossible in my guns.

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

#5 HTL could probably kill turkeys after penetrating a small sapling.

If I could get 150 in 10" with #5 HTL, that's what I'd shoot.  Such a pattern would hold up a long way.

[SumToy]

I will play some to see.  Just did not know what would be good numbers.   This was a gun a guy come by with he picked up used and a hand full of shells.  We just go play with it. 

[Fullfan]

This was shot several years ago with #5 hevi, the old clear hull shells.
It was shot through my 11-87 sps-t with a 21" barrel and one of the very old (20 years) Mad Max chokes.

I only had one box of the #5' and I can tell you they crushed the gobblers...

[FttFttVroom!]

Yeah, before I found OG, I went out there with my Winchester HV #5's and blasted the HS Strut turkey vital targets to do my "patterning." They shot well and I got plenty of birds with that load.  Now, I just hedge my bets a little more with the 6's and like to know what my entire pattern is doing in the off chance that turkeys head doesn't present itself like the ones on the target do.

[Old Gobbler]

I shot Nitro hevi straight #5's for a spell , and they can be made to shoot real good - After shooting and hunting these loads , it is under my impression they are impractical because the energy the #5 hevi puts out, is far greater than the pattern can hold up

this was a 1240 fps 2 1/4 ounces and I was getting 180-190 in a 10 inch with a sp10 --10 gauge

as in they hit hard but with a loose pattern , best to shoot something with a higher pellet count -that have a pattern density to equal where your pellets reach terminal effectiveness 

[Javi]

I never been able to pattern good with #5.

Maybe is just me.

[mcgruff1533]

#5's are popular because it's what most of the big box stores stock for Turkey ammo.    As far as Turkey hunters are concerned, folks who are on Old Gobbler are the minority.

A majority of Turkey hunters are fudds.    They buy the first box of shells they find at the store (usually #5 lead, because that's what the store has).    They head out to the woods without pattern testing their gun and hope for the best.    They have no idea how far their pattern will hold up, or if it's even shooting POA/ POI

[agturkey]

I shoot sbe II factory full choke 3.5 xtended range.  I have several guns that collect dust now with nice aftermarket chokes and optics on them.  If it kills geese at 50 yards I thought why not turkeys after pattering on a turkey target I can tell you about 40 gobblers later I love 5 xtended range.  Come see me at NWTF convention and a buddy can back me up on an 85 yard shot.  His bird was hit bad at 25 yards and his gun was out of shells.  The bird was held by two feet upside down and packed out.  I really think 5 is a great killing size in lead and better than lead choices.  Some guns just like certsin shells...I know 5 lead use be used with lot of 835s with lots of 60 yard kills.