Thanks Larry. The one gun in question is a redone Parker VH 30" on a Number 2 frame that tips the scales at almost 8 lbs. When the gun was redone the Smith (A fellow in Ga who is well known on the Parker site) used 2 3/4" mag Winchester loads (1 5/8 oz) as proof loads (actually sent the empty's to me). The chambers are 2 3/4" already. Anyway, I told him I was a turkey hunter and asked if I could shoot an occasional turkey load through the gun and he said yep, a few wouldn't hurt anything. Armed with that knowledge, I've probably shot 5 turkey loads through it since then.
Since I had a box of older Winchester Xtended shells (2 3/4" size 6) from my duck hunting forays, I decided to shoot a shot through the Parker at a measured 35 yards and had 130 hits within a 10" circle. Pretty amazing. I took that parker with me last year in Nebraska as a back up gun to a Benelli SBE (quite a tricked out gun). Unfortunately in the heat of battle with a Nebraska Tom, I got too close to the scope mounted on the SBE and got bit hard (blood, glasses broke etc).
Because I was now quite afraid of the SBE I dug out the backup Parker VH and proceeded to shoot the following at a measure 11 paces and frankly thought it was pretty exciting.
Now, I've killed a few turkey's and I think out west if I was paying for a guided hunt, I'd probably stick with the SBE (I moved the scope much further forward), but for around Va. where I really know the territory, and I'm not limited to a 3 day hunt and spending money etc. I'd like to carry the Parker a lot, because frankly it floats my boat.
I know I can use the lay of the land here to make the Parker work pretty well and I think a 35 yard shot is pretty obtainable. The Parker is choked mod/full btw.
PS. My other option is to go full bore native and just dig out some old paper lead loads and see what the old Parker will do. Interestingly, I've got a full box of Paper lead loads from Remington, that are honest to goodness 1 1/2 oz of number 4's which I would certainly use, but I don't want to break up a full box just to shoot a couple at turks.
PS. Decision's decisions. Thanks for the advice.
