http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting/turkey_loads.htm

[powderfinger]

   What do you think about the retained energy data on here?  the author feels that smaller shot simply doesn't have sufficient penetration to  kill  at the yardages listed. what's your experience?

[catclr]

Link doesn't work for me??

[Izzyjoe]

I've read that few times, I have the same 870 he uses for testing, so I was curious with the results. He does claim that #6's shouldn't be used past 35yds, but we know different don't we! It's very informative, and he did a lot of testing, I just wonder what different chokes would have done, and if you'll notice there's no talk of 10" circles, just skull an central vertebrae hits.

[powderfinger]

I've read that few times, I have the same 870 he uses for testing, so I was curious with the results. He does claim that #6's shouldn't be used past 35yds, but we know different don't we! It's very informative, and he did a lot of testing, I just wonder what different chokes would have done, and if you'll notice there's no talk of 10" circles, just skull an central vertebrae hits.

>>> I agree w/ u on most points. brings up the question of which is actually more important. 10" circle or spine/brain hits? the circle count gives you probability. the S/B count can quickly show gaps in the pattern. btw, how many pellets do you feel are required in the spine/brain to have a flopper?

[Ihuntoldschool]

Pattern fails before penetration, that is my experience.  Even #7.5 lead will kill at 40 yards if the pattern is there.  Quoting energy figures or penetration in ballistic gel is great for selling articles or selling you on a particular shell or size of shot, but has little value when it comes to killing turkeys, patterns are what is important.  Foot pounds is an ancient figure that was used to measure the energy of trains years ago. It is just a meaningless stat that has no bearing when it comes to cleanly killing a turkey or any other game animal.   Pattern and penetration of vital areas is whats important, and the pattern fails first assuming you choose an appropriate size shot for the game hunted.

How many times have you heard it takes x # of foot pounds to kill a whitetail deer, whether its 500 or 800 or 1,000, depending on what rifle/bullet/caliber the writer wants to sell you on. All of it is BS, all you need is penetration thru the vitals.   

On patterns, this is another thing that people like to sell you into chasing #s.  These writers will make you believe that 200 pellets or more in a 10 inch circle is better than 100, it is not, dead is dead. Actually 80 is plenty, provided your shot is on target. If they didn't write these kind of articles and make people think they need 50 pellets in the head and neck instead of 8 or 10, people would not keep buying choke after choke and shell after shell to chase these kinds of numbers. How did they (myself included) kill them before we ever heard of a 10 inch circle?  How did they kill them so dead at 40 yards before turkey loads were invented and when the tightest choke was a fixed full ?  You have to remember turkey loads were a solution without a problem.   People never complained about how tough turkeys were to kill and that they wanted or needed specialized loads to deal with them.

[allaboutshooting]

It's all about accumulated terminal energy.

We've just adopted a 10" circle as a common way of comparing the number of hits from various shells and chokes. Hopefully, that standard has caused folks to spend some time patterning and getting to know the capability of both their guns and themselves. Maybe, along the way, we've kept some inappropriate shots from being taken.

Thanks,
Clark

[Greybeard11]

The man who taught me how to hunt turkeys, RIP, and his two sons have killed more turkeys than anyone else I know. Every single one was killed with  a Federal 3" 71/2 turkey load. I use these also and I have killed many turkeys with them. Unfortunately, Federal stopped making these shells several years ago and I only have 3 left. Eric taught all of us that 40 yards was the MAX effective range. I love this load because of the extra pellets that you get with the smaller shot and the patterns from close to 40 yards is so good. I believe that a full, even pattern and knowing your max effective range are the keys to dead turkeys. Just one man's experience and opinion.

[allaboutshooting]

The man who taught me how to hunt turkeys, RIP, and his two sons have killed more turkeys than anyone else I know. Every single one was killed with  a Federal 3" 71/2 turkey load. I use these also and I have killed many turkeys with them. Unfortunately, Federal stopped making these shells several years ago and I only have 3 left. Eric taught all of us that 40 yards was the MAX effective range. I love this load because of the extra pellets that you get with the smaller shot and the patterns from close to 40 yards is so good. I believe that a full, even pattern and knowing your max effective range are the keys to dead turkeys. Just one man's experience and opinion.

I have a friend in Vermont who used that same load for years and years very successfully. He now uses #7 Hevi-13 shells since it's no longer available.

Thanks,
Clark

[the Ward]

 So if we don't use a form of measurement, i.e. pounds feet ( the correct term, not foot pounds) how do we know if the pellet generates enough energy to sufficiently penetrate for a clean kill? Just shoot at a lot of game and if it kills some of them it  must be ok? Higher number of hits in the 10" ring = a higher % of lethal hits on the quarry.

[Greybeard11]

I'll have to try the Heavy 13's when I'm out.

I know it's not very scientific but years ago my friend shot a piece of plywood at 40 yards with the 7 1/2 shot and with a 6 shot turkey load (can't remember now which one), we then compared them. It was obvious that there was little or no difference.

Boy, that really doesn't sound very scientific nowadays!!! Back then there wasn't the plethora of information that exists now, or at least not the platforms that we have now to educate us.

[owlhoot]

Penetration in the  brain and spinal column are said to immobilize. Patterns are random and 8-16 hits from one shot may turn to 4-8 the next shot. the 10" circle makes the loads and chokes standout from each other, a bit better i think to help you make the choice of what to shoot. Actually shooting at a realistic looking and colored turkey head and neck target gives your mind what the proper sight picture looks like at 40 yards, put that on your big paper, shoot and then draw a 10 inch circle and 15 or 20" too after shooting, this will help you see if your core is off a bit and which way. Practice and patterning!
Now i have got 100+ in the 10" with a lot of loads using 4 or  5 lead ,magblends or hevi 6's and Heavy weight 7's in 12 or 20 gauges loads, lots in the 125-160 ranges . so i don't see the need for smaller lead sizes or larger Hevi or heavyweight. Myself and my hunting buddies have had excellent on game performance with these loads.