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Effective Shooting Range #4127310 03/18/13 12:06 AM
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DQ Kid Offline OP
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What would be my effective range shooting 12 ga., 2 3/4" Turkey 4 Remington Magnums? 40-50 yd. shooting for heard or upper breast area? I have modified choke on my 1100..

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: DQ Kid] #4127350 03/18/13 12:33 AM
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modified choke? 20 yds would be the furthest I would shoot.

Even with a full choke I dont shoot at turkeys past 35. Pattern open up too much in my opinion. MUST hit in the head, too many breast feathers to stop the shot at anything past 30 with a modified choke.

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: Duck Buster] #4127364 03/18/13 12:40 AM
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That's surprising to hear, I know for a fact I've knocked down dove at 50 yards and quail out to 40 or so..I figured I could head shoot a turkey out to 40 or so but maybe not..May have to shoot the rifle instead.

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: DQ Kid] #4127416 03/18/13 12:56 AM
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You are gonna have to pattern it with the load you are shooting. Thats the only way to get a good idea of what your load/gun can do.

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: Tim9880] #4127532 03/18/13 01:48 AM
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If any of you guys handload..try Longshot..I've shot birds too far to talk about..but it is loud..and about like shooting a rifle..You can take Duck or Geese or Doves over 100 yds w/it..I
really worked on some West Texas Ravens one yr..but you'd best wear ear protection..DD

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: Tim9880] #4127544 03/18/13 01:51 AM
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Turkeys are much tougher than dove or quail. Like Tim said, you absolutely need to pattern your gun and see what it's doing. If you want to do it correctly, get a few pieces of poster board and draw a 10" circle in the center. Step back 30 yards and shoot it. Count how many pellets are in that circle and see where the rest of the pellets are hitting. Doing it like this gives you an idea as to what your pattern is doing at range and it'll tell you if your pattern is hitting where you're aiming as well. Obviously, the more pellets inside of that 10" circle, the better. If you have any more questions, shoot! (Pun intended)


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Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: Simp] #4127581 03/18/13 02:03 AM
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Great idea Simp, I'll give it a try..

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: DQ Kid] #4127850 03/18/13 05:18 AM
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The new hornaday loads say they pattern better out of a mod. Might run some of those and see how they pattern. Not saying you couldn't roll a Turkey are that range.... just probably not the best idea. Might end up with a fatally wounded bird and you empty handed.


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Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: SweetTea] #4128460 03/18/13 04:01 PM
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shot a turkey last spring season with Federal premium faststeel 3" Shell, #4 steel shot , 1600fps. imp mod choke. Did not want to pay extra $$ for Kent. Results were perfect.

One shot, aimed dead on, distance 54-55 yards according to laser range meter. Shot was placed 45° broadside. Some pellets penetrated thru wing feathers and broke a wing bone.

I think it was marketed as pheasant load, but still dont get it what is the big difference between turkey shots and pheasant shots. Same pellet size, same shell length, same powder load. But turkey shots cost $3-$10 more per box

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: Red D] #4129411 03/18/13 10:32 PM
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If I'm not getting 250 shots in a 10" @40 yds then I buy a new box w a different lot number (hevi 7s). Even w mid to upper 300s @ 40 yds I do not shoot at birds that far or Atleast intentionally. Get them within 30 and they are dead. Shoot them at 40-50 and sure you will prob kill a good many but will undoubtedly wound some eventually. Personally I'd rather hunt a bird a few times than wound him on a hail marry and either fatally wound him or make him most likely too educated to hunt for some time. Just my .02 but if you want to try and kill them get a rifle if you want to hunt them, get them close and personal to ensure a clean kill

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: Tim9880] #4129548 03/18/13 11:42 PM
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Originally Posted By: Tim9880
You are gonna have to pattern it with the load you are shooting. Thats the only way to get a good idea of what your load/gun can do.


Exactly, that way you learn your combination of gun and load. This gives you the limitations to stick by.


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Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: Duck Buster] #4129569 03/18/13 11:47 PM
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Originally Posted By: Duck Buster
modified choke? 20 yds would be the furthest I would shoot.

Even with a full choke I dont shoot at turkeys past 35. Pattern open up too much in my opinion. MUST hit in the head, too many breast feathers to stop the shot at anything past 30 with a modified choke.


Vitals for a turkey with a shotgun are the neck and head. The neck provides actually more area than the head. One #6 shot that hits to break the neck or penetrate the brain and you have a dead turkey and that #6 shot will reliably do that to 40 yards #5 lead will do it at 50# yards. Of course the more pieces of lead you put in the neck and head the better, you want to make sure the Central Nervous System is taken out.


lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true
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Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: trash2] #4130497 03/19/13 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted By: trash2
If I'm not getting 250 shots in a 10" @40 yds then I buy a new box w a different lot number (hevi 7s). Even w mid to upper 300s @ 40 yds I do not shoot at birds that far or Atleast intentionally. Get them within 30 and they are dead. Shoot them at 40-50 and sure you will prob kill a good many but will undoubtedly wound some eventually. Personally I'd rather hunt a bird a few times than wound him on a hail marry and either fatally wound him or make him most likely too educated to hunt for some time. Just my .02 but if you want to try and kill them get a rifle if you want to hunt them, get them close and personal to ensure a clean kill


You shooting 2 &3/4?


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Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: Red D] #4130509 03/19/13 12:41 PM
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Originally Posted By: Red D
I think it was marketed as pheasant load, but still dont get it what is the big difference between turkey shots and pheasant shots. Same pellet size, same shell length, same powder load. But turkey shots cost $3-$10 more per box


What was the weight of the shot? 1.75oz? 2oz? 2.25oz? That could be the difference.


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Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: Simp] #4130860 03/19/13 03:07 PM
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There are a lot of life size turkey targets you can print for free online. Print them out and use them to pattern your gun.

My shotguns like 4's the best. They have less shot, but the ones that come out tend to stay on target.

I patterned my new Winchester SX3 this past weekend in the backyard. Used winchester 3.5 inch 4's and some Federal 3.5 inch 5's and Remington 3.5 inch 6's.

The 4 shot would consistanly put more pellets in the the kill zone than the 5's and 6's.

At 60 yards I could put 5-9 pellets in the kill zone with the 4's.

On a side note, my freaking shoulder is killing me. LOL flame

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: Lipan Creep] #4131551 03/19/13 08:20 PM
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Need to Pattern as others have said. I tried 8 different loads and found that my gun liked the #5 2 3/4" best, but if you can find the duplex loads be sure to check them out. 4 x 6 are also great performers in mine, its a 835 with Extra full choke though.

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: BOLT GUY] #4131689 03/19/13 09:14 PM
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Guys, I appreciate all the feedback. Being only a weekend hunter, I may have to take a chance on the turkey magnum loads and hope for the best. I will try and limit my shots to 40 yards or less and be confident of success. Thanks.

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: Simp] #4131803 03/19/13 09:53 PM
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Originally Posted By: Simp
Originally Posted By: trash2
If I'm not getting 250 shots in a 10" @40 yds then I buy a new box w a different lot number (hevi 7s). Even w mid to upper 300s @ 40 yds I do not shoot at birds that far or Atleast intentionally. Get them within 30 and they are dead. Shoot them at 40-50 and sure you will prob kill a good many but will undoubtedly wound some eventually. Personally I'd rather hunt a bird a few times than wound him on a hail marry and either fatally wound him or make him most likely too educated to hunt for some time. Just my .02 but if you want to try and kill them get a rifle if you want to hunt them, get them close and personal to ensure a clean kill


You shooting 2 &3/4?


No I shoot 3" have tried 3.5s but my gun patterns better w the 3" have shot both hevi and heavyweights. Don't see why people spend so much money and effort and then buy cheap loads. One of the few variables you can control. Know plenty of people that kill them w whatever they have in their truck door but personally I like to know exactly what to expect out of my gun (had a 5/9 season years back and that's what made me do my homework).

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: trash2] #4131824 03/19/13 09:58 PM
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Sounds good trash, I'm shooting 2 3/4", out of my 1100 and strongly believe I will be able to put a humane drop on one out to 40 yards. Been shooting shotgun since age 7 (36 years) so I feel pretty confident.

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: DQ Kid] #4131900 03/19/13 10:22 PM
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Originally Posted By: DQ Kid
Guys, I appreciate all the feedback. Being only a weekend hunter, I may have to take a chance on the turkey magnum loads and hope for the best. I will try and limit my shots to 40 yards or less and be confident of success. Thanks.


I used these same loads this weekend with no problem out of a 12g Rem. Wingmaster. They patterned well out to 40 yards which was the max I wanted to shoot. We used the Remington 2 3/4" Copper Plated Turkey Magnum loads. We got ours at 20 yards but it barely even twitched after the shot. I think you'll be fine but I wouldn't feel comfortable with much more than that.


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Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: BuckRage] #4132277 03/20/13 01:12 AM
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Goodluck and post some pics!

Re: Effective Shooting Range [Re: trash2] #4132524 03/20/13 02:34 AM
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Originally Posted By: trash2


No I shoot 3" have tried 3.5s but my gun patterns better w the 3" have shot both hevi and heavyweights. Don't see why people spend so much money and effort and then buy cheap loads. One of the few variables you can control. Know plenty of people that kill them w whatever they have in their truck door but personally I like to know exactly what to expect out of my gun (had a 5/9 season years back and that's what made me do my homework).


I hear ya and I agree.


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