long beards vs. hevi

[MossyOakLandman]

I killed my first turkey in 1977 with #2 lead 3 inch shell out of a browning A5 32" full choke magnum. Over the last few years, i have shot every shell out of every gun imaginable. The Number 2 was the best. This past week I had to chase a gobbler down in Texas 3 shots ( first one 30 yards with a Nitro out of a SBE 2 with a IC choke) My personal opinion is the choke guys and the shell guys have gotten the patterns so tight ( and my gun is that way at 30 yards if you are off just a little bit, you will miss) that maybe we need to go back to the way we killed before.

 

[Uncle Jesse]

I have gone back to basics. I remember the days when nobody patterned their gun and killed turkeys. I didn't start having trouble killing turkeys until I started shooting a super tight pattern. I'm not saying not to pattern at all but rather that POI is more important than pattern density.

While I use lead 5's in the 12 gauge, I've accumulated a pile of hevi for the 20 gauge including some 7.5 duck loads. Those hevi 7.5's will get the job done.

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

A lead 7.5 will kill a turkey at 30 yards, the Hevi should have no problem at 40

 

[TheLBLman]

I remember the days when nobody patterned their gun and killed turkeys. I didn't start having trouble killing turkeys until I started shooting a super tight pattern. I'm not saying not to pattern at all but rather that POI is more important than pattern density.

Good points.
And never mind that most "called up" turkeys are being killed, probably under 30 yards. Today's outright "misses" may be causing more hunters to come home empty-handed, than yesterday's more open chokes.

People used to just hunt with what they had, get the bird within range, and kill him. Now some seem more interested in just getting some footage on U-Tube, as if to say, "Look, Look at me."

 

[TLRanger]

Ahhhh, the days of the #2 shot. I almost cried when they made them illegal.

 

[REN]

But for the 20 gauge turkey hunter, the Federal HW's top everything else out there that's commercially available.
Fed packs 1 1/2 oz of HW shot in a 3" 20 gauge hull.
By using #7 HW shot, I'm not only approaching 12 gauge performance with a 20 ga, but it's superior to most 12 gauge set-ups using lead loads.

I like the 20 gauge simply because it's so light & easy to carry.

It is amazing what good 20 gauge loads will do these days. I'm really not sure why Federal doesn't make an #8 shot shell, especially in the 20. A #8 in 15g/cc would still have considerably more energy than a #7 in 12g/cc (i.e., Hevishot). I don't have a 20 yet, but it's the next gun on my list. I've made some TSS handloads for a couple buddies with M2s this year, and it is unbelievable what an 1 5/8 load will do.

agreed, a HW 8 would be awesome! Those HW7s are the cats meow in a 20 though, don't know why anyone would even bother shooting something else in that.

 

[darn2ten]

I'm thinking about setting a 20 up next year, and if I do that's exactly what I will shoot. My son shoots Hevi 6's out of his 20 and does pretty good but I think the HW 7's would be the ticket.