hitting power of our shells

[northern wind]

I'm about to test my shell (I use heavy13 #6) to see up to how far it still has enough power to kill a turkey.
The idea is that I don't see any point of having tight patterns up to a determined distance if the pellets don't have enough energy left  for a clean kill.

SO my question is what do you think that would compare to a turkey to do the tests: a 1/4" piece of press wood ? Maybe a bit thick. I feel that an empty pop can would not be accurate, pretty thin walls.
Any suggestion

Philippe

[allaboutshooting]

I'm about to test my shell (I use heavy13 #6) to see up to how far it still has enough power to kill a turkey.
The idea is that I don't see any point of having tight patterns up to a determined distance if the pellets don't have enough energy left  for a clean kill.

SO my question is what do you think that would compare to a turkey to do the tests: a 1/4" piece of press wood ? Maybe a bit thick. I feel that an empty pop can would not be accurate, pretty thin walls.
Any suggestion

Philippe

I use microcrystalline  wax for penetration tests. The "Turkey Test Tube" is made from that and it's reusable an infinite number of times. You could use some pine boards as well.

I ran a series of tests for a shotshell company a few years ago, using all of the tungsten-based shot shells with #6 shot. I found that the shot would bury itself in the pine boards at distances way beyond what anyone should be shooting at a turkey but that patterns rapidly degrade after 40 or so yards.

Your chances of wounding a turkey at ranges beyond 40 yards with any commercially loaded tungsten-based shot and any turkey choke are just too great.

As you know of course, the real fun is in the hunt itself and not just the kill.

Thanks,
Clark

[wmahunter]

I have used strips that I cut from luan sheets.  I cut them about 12" wide and use about 3 layers of it to see how much penetration I get. 
The Fed HW 7's will pass through 2 layers at 40 yds and my TSS 9 loads will pass about half the pellets through 2 layers and all pass through 1 layer.

[stinkpickle]

Do your neighbors have any chickens?   

[bird]

 I like to use a pickle.  Preferably a stinky one!

[stinkpickle]

I like to use a pickle.  Preferably a stinky one!

Be careful.  They splatter.

[HogBiologist]

Go to a local supermarket and buy some turkey necks.  Get some ballistic gel and make a small tube (a paper towel tube cut down to a smaller diameter).  Put the neck in the tube and fill with gel.  Solidify and shoot.  Nothing better than the real thing to shoot at.

If the necks are meaty, just shoot the necks.

[ghillie]

I'm about to test my shell (I use heavy13 #6) to see up to how far it still has enough power to kill a turkey.
The idea is that I don't see any point of having tight patterns up to a determined distance if the pellets don't have enough energy left  for a clean kill.

SO my question is what do you think that would compare to a turkey to do the tests: a 1/4" piece of press wood ? Maybe a bit thick. I feel that an empty pop can would not be accurate, pretty thin walls.
Any suggestion

Philippe

How heavy?  2oz or 2 1/2?  Last year had a 35 yrd shot and had pass through's with #7 in 2 1/2..just get em up close and there won't be an issue...