Card/turkey shoot tricks

[Came2ride]

I enjoy a good card/turkey shoot now and again and in my time at these I have heard all kinds of "tricks" to shoot a tighter pattern. NOTE: I DO NOT CONDONE ANY HOME MOTIFICATION OR TINKERING WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING. I've heard everything from put you choke in the freezer or cooler to put some motor oil down the barrel. So my question is what "at home tips" have you heard and is there any science behind them

 

[rcmodel]

An assortment of Turkey choke tubes and several kinds of ammo, combined with a bunch of pattern testing will do more good then anything else.

rc

 

[Came2ride]

Once again let me stress never put anything in your barrel and all make sure (after ensuring the gun is unloaded at least 3 times) the barrel is free from obstructions

 

[Came2ride]

Rcmodle, of course that's the best way. I'm not looking for things to try I'm just interested in some of the "tales" other people have heard

 

[oneounceload]

Since most turkey shoots I have been at gave you the ammo to prevent cheating, going to a tight choke is your best bet

 

[Grayrock]

Just enough powder to get the payload to the target with slow muzzle velocity, use the shortest wad you can find, maximize your payload using #12 shot and the longest shell your gun will hold and tape the fingers of the wad together... Or so I hear.

 

[Came2ride]

I haven't head the tape trick before sounds like a glazer safty slug almost. In the event you could use your own shells that seams viable

 

[Fastcast]

Huh....I've cut the petals on my wads to make 8 instead of 4 so they'd open up faster for grouse hunting but I've never taped any wads...lol

 

[Came2ride]

I know some card/turkey shoot chokes have a "wad catcher" in it so it seems this might be logical

 

[35Rem]

The ones I've been to supply the factory ammo to shoot. Tight chokes is the best most can do, these days. At least for the basic shoots. I know card shotting is a hobby/sport in some places.

The VFW in La Belle has one pretty regularly, by the way.

 

[wrzesinski]

Ive made cut slugs before:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ponZAcr7HrM

and I definitely wouldn't use it on a turkey :O

Federal makes a type of ammo that keeps a really tight grouping called black cloud:
http://www.blackcloudammo.com/

I want to do a spread test comparing that to the standard federal bulk ammo I usually use, but I haven't done it yet. [Im not sure if they make a turkey load or not]

 

[Came2ride]

35rem, la belle, fl??

 

[Came2ride]

Wrzesinski, while "cut shells" may work for you I would never recommend ever altering a shotshell. Being a 12ga reloaded myself, this seems very dangerous. I mean you have no idea what kind of SAAMI pressures are building up in the receiver. Not to mention if you had a full or extra full choke in. I respect your opinion, but I'd advise against this practice

 

[wrzesinski]

Wow I am really glad you said that. Until now I hadn't tried to put a shell down the barrel to see the fit. After doing so in my cylinder bore barrel, it doesnt even come close to fitting, I can only imagine the pressures inside my gun. I completely agree with you, cut shells are a horrible idea! I'm surprised there aren't more reports of barrels bulging because of this! I already have a slug mold kit to cast my own slugs and I am going to 100% recommend that as opposed to cut shells!

I am really glad you said that, thank you, you probably saved my life. If you are ever in Lubbock Texas, I owe you a beer


EDIT: I also put a big disclaimer on all my videos that have cut shells in them.

 

[35Rem]

@ Came2Ride - yes, LaBelle, FL, Just west of you. It's on SR 29, south of LaBelle, on the left. I grew up there. It's been 20 years since I shot there (I was 12)

http://www.turkeyshoot.net/Houses/houses.htm#FLORIDA

 

[Came2ride]

I i drive through la belle all the time I have no idea they had any shooting competitions there. Wrzesinski, that's what forums are for, if we all the little we know we'll all k ow a lit more