Best 12 Gauge Turkey Load

[wa1sth]

All things being equal...what do you consider the best 12 guauge Turkey Load and why???  Fully understanding that how it patterns is a product of the gun and choke along with other variables.  Thanks for any input.  I have a new Stoeger 3500 and am looking for a starting point.

[mudhen]

Tough question, much depends on the gun & choke.

But, if I had to pick only one shell, it would almost certainly be 3"/3.5" Magnum Blend.

Hard hitting.  Likes a variety of chokes.  Patterns well for me.  It has been very effective for me in the field...

mudhen

[Ridge Rooster]

Nitro if price is not an option!

Ridge Rooster

[mikejd]

Oh boy. This ought to go a few pages.
I don't know if there is a best. To me that would be what combo your particular gun and choke like, as I feel most of the turkey loads today are affective providing that your gun shoots it well.
That said I like hevi 13 #6's.

[blueridgegobbler]

 NITRO!!!!! Then mag blends and hevi 13

[R AJ]

Some of the "best" haven't received complete satisfaction from all shooters(hunters).
The Federal HW's have superior shot to the H-13's (12 g/cc), for instance, but who is to say that the #6 shot or whatever is the best load in a Nitro shell. There are best shells for given situations and certainly for a specific gun and choke, yet they don't have to be the most expensive shell to accomplish the task at hand.

I'd rather pick out the prettiest pig in the litter than to try to answer this question and be able to substantiate it with proven data.

[allaboutshooting]

Consistency is what is important to me in a shotshell. If I know how the shotshell will perform I can adapt my style to get the best possible results from it and my choice of gun, barrel length and choke tube.

Achieving that consistency of performance, with the results I need or want and keeping the recoil within tolerable ranges is also quite important to me. I may need or want a second shot at a turkey or in the case of competition, I need a shell that does not deliver so much recoil over the course of a day or two of shooting that my concentration is broken.

What most still target competition shooters and I have discovered over the past decade+ is that the Hevi-13 shotshells have yielded consistent patterns while keeping recoil within acceptable limits. That has carried over into the turkey hunting woods as well.

It's really all about knowing your equipment and understanding your ability to successfully use it to your advantage. Spending enough time at the range so that you know how what you have works and keeping your shots within that limit when you go to the field.

The best is really what is best for you in your particular situation.

Thanks,
Clark

[WildSpur]

Imo you best shells are going to be Hevi 13 in 6 or 7 shot and magblends.  Relatively easy to find, lots of pellets, and proven performance.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

[pdaugherty]

My 1187 loves the 3in 2oz #7 HEVI 13 with a Rhino .660 and it likes the 3in 2oz #6 HEVI 13 with the .662 HEVI Choke. Both great combos and pattern very very well.

[hunter-b]

Consistency is what is important to me in a shotshell. If I know how the shotshell will perform I can adapt my style to get the best possible results from it and my choice of gun, barrel length and choke tube.

Achieving that consistency of performance, with the results I need or want and keeping the recoil within tolerable ranges is also quite important to me. I may need or want a second shot at a turkey or in the case of competition, I need a shell that does not deliver so much recoil over the course of a day or two of shooting that my concentration is broken.

What most still target competition shooters and I have discovered over the past decade+ is that the Hevi-13 shotshells have yielded consistent patterns while keeping recoil within acceptable limits. That has carried over into the turkey hunting woods as well.

It's really all about knowing your equipment and understanding your ability to successfully use it to your advantage. Spending enough time at the range so that you know how what you have works and keeping your shots within that limit when you go to the field.

The best is really what is best for you in your particular situation.

Thanks,
Clark

Very well said . X2 ! Oh and 

[turkeykiller22]

Yes understanding your gun, chokes, etc is very important, but if I could only shoot ONE shell there is no doubt that I would shoot Nitros.

These things blow hevi shot 13's and mag blends out of the water!! There is NO and I mean no comparison between the two. I promise you that you will be able to shoot turkeys at longer distances than with hevi shot...

Confidence is KEY to killing turkeys and these shells will give you confidence!!

Good Luck and most of all have FUN with it!!

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

Well I don't believe for one second that Nitro turkey loads blow Hevi-13 #7 loads away.  I know guys that have shot Nitro straight 7's and after seeing my Hevi-13 #7 patterns said they were going to save some money and use the rebates and make the switch. 

[FL-Boss]

HEVI #7 for 12 ga
Fed HW #7 for 20ga

[goblr77]

HEVI #7 for 12 ga
Fed HW #7 for 20ga

Agreed.

[USMC0331]

As stated above you will have to find the choke tube and shell that are consistent in your shotgun. Try and find someone who has the same shotgun and see what they are using and start from there. Different brands of shotguns shoot different choke/ammo combos . I shoot a rhino 660 in my 870. It loves the intro ammo and if I'm in a pinch I can use the HVY 13's without changing my point of aim, however the nitro has a lot more shot in the kill zone but both will work.