doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Turkey season just around the corner

Well in less than 53 days, I'll be in the KY woods putting the hurt on a couple of long beards, then doing the same in OH and NY.

Last year my Turlock .515 choke failed where the internal steps expanded making it tuff to remove. I called Turlock and they sent me a new choke. Great customer service. However, now I need to head out and re pattern the gun and several different TSS loads.

I know some of us on this board shot small bore guns at turkeys. Am curious what load and choke and gun we all use to chase old Tom.

I now am using beretta uplander, 28 gauge, Turlock 3 step .515, with Salt Creak 8x9s or 8.5x10s. I still remember my first Tom I shot back in 1972 using my dad's Browning sxs 12 gauge. Wish dad was still with us as we both lived for chasing thunder chickens.

Isn't it Trulock, as opposed to Turlock?

Yep sure is! I'll need to put my glasses back on and check myself.

Rich

Testing tungsten loads is a painful exercise @ $10+ per shot. These new tungsten loads of small shot are deadly out of a standard full choke, so patterning is really unnecessary if you know how to call a turkey to within 35 yards. Many so-called turkey hunters cannot do that so they want something they can cheat with and make a stupid 65-70 yard shot because their blood lust is so high they MUST take the shot. The biggest reward in turkey hunting is fooling the turkey, not killing him. They also need a decoy, their most important piece of equipment.
JR

John
I agree a lot of $$ to pattern TSS. An a lot of DAs out there in the turkey woods shooting at birds that are imo way out of range 50 yards or more and try to sneak up on them!

I pattern my guns every year just to ensure everything is ok. Been doing that 40 yard pattern test for over 50 years. I can count on one hand birds I shot that was between 40-50 yards. Which in my book is a poke. However. Knowing my patterns gives me the edge on knowing I can step it out if needed. To be honest ,2 were mistakes on my part thinking they were closer than they were. The other was a Gould’s that would not cross a ditch that we could step over at 52 yards.

Thank goodness we remember or recall hunts. I try not to remember the misses. Lol!

Rich

I can't afford TSS or tolerate the recoil so I try to sit very still and call them in close.

I use a 20-gauge Winchester SXP pump and 1 5/8-ounce Apex #9 TSS through a standard full (.030 Trulock extended) choke. Puts well over 100 in a 10-inch circle at 40 yards. I strive to keep shots under 40 yards, by careful choice of set-up, but have killed 2 at 45 steps when I was off with range estimate. I don't use a choke tighter than full because it makes it too easy to miss one that shows up a little closer than expected. I don't pattern before each season but I do check the point of impact using a dove load. I use a red dot sight and love it.

If you want lighter recoil, a one ounce load of tss at 1100 fps will absolutely hammer a turkey with the recoil of a dove load. I'm getting a bit recoil sensitive in my old age and am planning to use one of these in the open barrel of my SxS for most shots. I'll keep a heavier load in the other barrel for the more difficult shots, but it's been a while since I took one I considered difficult.