Pheasant loads for turkeys

[shaggy430]

Has anyone had any luck using pheasant loads for hunting turkeys, specifically in a 20 gauge? When looking at the shot size, load weight, and velocity they start to look about the same.

Federal Premium Wing Shok
20 gauge 3" 1 1/4 oz. #5 1300 fps $.80 per shell
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=485264

Federal Premium Mag-Shok Turkey
20 gauge 3" 1 5/16 #5 1185 fps $1.10 per shell
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=659931

So aside from the extra 1/16 oz of lead in the turkey shell, why wouldn't the Wing Shok be just as good or better considering it patterns well? The Wing-Shok has an extra 115 fps. Your thoughts?

 

[oneounceload]

Speed is not always your friend with shot, as it can lead to "blown" patterns with holes in the pattern - only testing these in YOUR gun at the distances you shoot at will determine that. On paper, it sure looks just fine

 

[shaggy430]

I ended up purchasing a box of 25 Remington Nitro Pheasant 3" #5 copper plated 1185 feet per second. I compared them in the store against some Reminton Nitro Turkey and statistically they are exactly the same. I plan to pattern some this weekend using my son's youth 20 gauge and I'll post results.

Has anyone else had any luck using pheasant loads on turkey?

 

[buck460XVR]

Folks had been killin' turkeys with shotguns for many years before the ammo companies started promoting "magic" turkey loads. Know your gun and how your ammo patterns with it and hunt within those limitations.

 

[heeler]

I was thinking along those same lines Buck.
Killed my first Turkey with a 20 gauge at a distance of 50 feet using a Federal high brass #4 shot about 40 years ago.

 

[DAP90]

I've killed a couple of toms with 12ga 2 3/4 #4 pheasant loads. I don't remember the exact load but they weren't super fast or anything.

I've also seen them killed with 5's.

 

[greywolf444]

I shoot them with a muzzleloading shotgun loaded with 1 1/8 oz of a mixture of 4's and 8 1/2's. Cylinder on one side and modified on the other. 72 gr 2f black and card wads. Don't for a minute believe that you need some super duper turkey load to put them down. We have also used trap reloads of 1 1/8 of 4's in modern guns for pheasants and turkeys. works better than you are lead to believe. Just not as far. no real need to shoot long on turkeys anyway. I had a 10 ga O/U that would kill turkeys out to 60 yards or so. Sold it when I realized that I was killing them at 20 yds like I always did.

 

[langenc]

Let em come in 10 yards closer and they will be dead.

As long as they are coming-WAIT..

I once called for a neighbor. The tom was coming nicely. I was closer that he. My permit was for later inthe week. I was just thinking-if this was Friday and this bird was coming to me, would I shoot BOOOOOOOOMMM.

The friend shot and the bird was still coming. He later told me "I thought I could justy get a couple into his head....."

I thought back-my answer to myself would have been to wait 5 yards more before shooting.

Five days later I missed one-maybe the same one, at 15 yards.

 

[shaggy430]

I patterned the 20 gauge Remington Nitro Pheasant loads along with some Kent #5 and Federal #6 turkey loads with an extra full choke. Of the three loads, the Kent #5's patterned the best. The Federals were a close second and the pheasant loads patterned the worst. The pheasant loads had some holes in the pattern. This is out of my son's gun, so YMMV. I think the pheasant loads would probably do better with a more open choke.

One observation, although the Federals and the Remington were both rated at 1185 fps and were 1 1/4 oz loads, the Federals kicked much worse.

 

[Hoxviii]

I've always used a #4 pheasant load in a 3" Wingmaster when specifically turkey hunting to very good results.

But I will counter that I've used a 30-30 336 to the same level of effectiveness.

Shot placement and know your arm.

 

[jbkebert]

My two boys have taken 6 Turkeys in 8 shots using Federal Wing shock 2 3/4" copper plated #6's in 20ga. Fired from a 1960's Remington Wingmaster 20 ga with a fixes modified choke. Let them come into 20-22 yards and it packs plenty of punch and patterns great from that gun. Turkeys ain't bullet proof just pick your shots.

 

[gamestalker]

I've been guiding turkey for 3 decades and have always used copper plated BB or #4 buck. I have killed turkey at distances exceeding 50 yds. and numerous occasions, no problem. I've seen to many birds wounded and never recovered because of too small of shot.

 

[rcmodel]

I am of the opinion a AA trap load of #8 shot will kill a turkey just as dead as a 3" Mag Turkey load.

If your gun patterns them tight, it will take their head off, just like it will powder a blue rock at the same distance.

 

[buck460XVR]

I am of the opinion a AA trap load of #8 shot will kill a turkey just as dead as a 3" Mag Turkey load.

If your gun patterns them tight, it will take their head off, just like it will powder a blue rock at the same distance.

+1.

Again, patterning you gun, knowing it's range limitations with the loads you are using and using it within those parameters is the key to success regardless of what loads you are using. Modern "turkey" specific loads, altho they can add range and killing power, tend to give hunters a false sense of confidence to take shots at ranges beyond their abilities. Within 35 yards, any good pheasant load will kill a turkey just as fast as "Heavi-Shot".

I've been guiding turkey for 3 decades and have always used copper plated BB or #4 buck. I have killed turkey at distances exceeding 50 yds. and numerous occasions, no problem. I've seen to many birds wounded and never recovered because of too small of shot.

Besides being illegal to use on turkeys in my state(along with many other states) BB and buckshot tend to have too many open holes in their patterns larger than the head/neck kill area. That and the fact that they will penetrate the body as opposed to bouncing off like standard turkey shot, means more wounded birds. Body shots that do not break the spine, generally do not put turkeys down. Body shots on turkeys altho mortal, tend to let them run off and die someplace where only the coyotes find them.

 

[Ole Humpback]

I used a Remington upland game load for my first turkey. I was shooting 1.125oz of 6 shot at 1300fps from my Sweet 16 at 45yds. DRT on the first shot.

 

[35 Whelen]

I patterned the 20 gauge Remington Nitro Pheasant loads along with some Kent #5 and Federal #6 turkey loads with an extra full choke.

Suggest you pattern again with a regular full choke and even a modified if you have it. You may be surprised at the results. Those extra, super-duper tight chokes are similar to "turkey" loads...not always what you need. Too, I've found many times that larger shot patterns a little better with more open chokes than it does with extremely tight chokes.
I do far more calling for others than for myself, but the last Tom I killed was with an old Savage Fox B SxS in 16 ga. I used old W-W factory loads loaded with 1 1/8 oz. of #4's. the funny thing is the chokes on that shotgun are, by measurement, skeet and improved cylinder. The Tom didn't complain about being killed with too light a load or too open of a choke.
35W

 

[Jeff F]

Suggest you pattern again with a regular full choke and even a modified if you have it. You may be surprised at the results. Those extra, super-duper tight chokes are similar to "turkey" loads...not always what you need. Too, I've found many times that larger shot patterns a little better with more open chokes than it does with extremely tight chokes.

This is good advice. I used to successfully hunt lots of turkeys when I lived in California. My favorite load was a 1 1/2 ounce load of #2 shot and a modified tube in my 870. I patterned that load with a number of chokes including extra full turkey tubes and modified gave me the tightest patterns. I have found the same to be true with some buckshot loads.

 

[FLAvalanche]

Folks had been killin' turkeys with shotguns for many years before the ammo companies started promoting "magic" turkey loads. Know your gun and how your ammo patterns with it and hunt within those limitations.

People used to herd animals and run them off cliffs but we don't do that anymore. Sometimes technology is a good thing...

 

[Sav .250]

Makes you wonder why they make different loads for different birds.
I guess, clean kill comes in play some where.

 

[35 Whelen]

People used to herd animals and run them off cliffs but we don't do that anymore. Sometimes technology is a good thing...

Technology is a good thing. But "turkey" loads are nothing more than marketing. When I was a kid, Federal loaded 20 ga. 3" magnums with 1 1/4 oz. of #4 or #6 buffered lead shot. They were simply called "3" Magnums". Nowadays, the exact same load would likely be called a "turkey" load. The cartridge companies idea is to make hunters believe they need "this" load for turkeys, and "that" load for pheasants when in reality, if it'll kill one, it'll kill the other.
35W

 

[tango2echo]

The Tom I took this Spring fell to a 12ga 2 3/4" #4 Remington Sportsman Steel duck load that was laying in the truck door pocket. 40 yards. DRT.

I've shot a 20ga with 7/8 oz of #6's before. I've killed 31 turkeys to date in 31 shots and never shot a "turkey load" to do it.

t2e

 

[hdbiker]

I like Rem Nitros,3 inch #4's for turkeys,knocks them right over.