back in the day

[tha bugman]

What was considered a good pellet count when all we used was full chokes and lead shot?  I remember as a kid taking a newspaper tracing my arm and hand (turkey neck and head) and shooting that at 30 yards and saying well that looks good (evenly distributed) but never did count how many holes were in a 10" circle at 40 yards.

[Huntaholic]

You realize we are showing our age by talking about this dont you?  I remember doing exactly the same thing when I shot a mossberg 500 with a factory modified choke. The first gun I remember doing pellet counts on was a 870 wingmaster magnum with a 20"bbl, screw in chokes, monte carlo stock and factory rifle sights. Most money I had ever spent on a gun at the time and also the worst shooting gun Ive ever owned. It did good to get 80 in a 10".

[tha bugman]

Yes....I do realize that we are getting older...  

You realize we are showing our age by talking about this dont you?  I remember doing exactly the same thing when I shot a mossberg 500 with a factory modified choke. The first gun I remember doing pellet counts on was a 870 wingmaster magnum with a 20"bbl, screw in chokes, monte carlo stock and factory rifle sights. Most money I had ever spent on a gun at the time and also the worst shooting gun Ive ever owned. It did good to get 80 in a 10".

[VanHelden Game Calls]

Thats all that matters in the grand scheme.

But since we have gone global with information we needed a universal system compare. The pellet count is the best way to describe/explain the pattern we get, as technology changes we expect better and counting pellets is a non-objective way to compare technologies.

Some of us use pellet counts to describe and evaluate a pattern and others just enjoy trying to chase numbers. Nothing wrong with it, its a way to extend the journey that is turkey hunting.

[surehuntsalot]

Never did count #'s in the 10,didn't even know what the 10 was.
Used some turkey targets,if it put 5-6 pellets in the vitals,I hunted with it.

[lowoctane]

Never did count #'s in the 10,didn't even know what the 10 was.
Used some turkey targets,if it put 5-6 pellets in the vitals,I hunted with it.

Me too! 

[10gaugemag]

Never did count #'s in the 10,didn't even know what the 10 was.
Used some turkey targets,if it put 5-6 pellets in the vitals,I hunted with it.

I still use the turkey targets but I also use a 36"x36" piece of cardboard with the target taped to it. If I get 6-8 in the boney area I consider it a killing pattern as long as the cardboard shows an evenly distributed pattern with a dense core. I still shoot regular full chokes in my guns as well for my timber hunting and only use turkey chokes when hunting field edges.