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#952209 - 10/08/09 09:44 PM
Waterfowl loads for turkey?
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Tracker
Registered: 04/26/06
Posts: 648
Loc: Matador, TX
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Serious question here. Can I use magnum waterfowl loads for turkey. Please, I'm serious. I got to looking at the turkey loads and saw that they were 1) 3 inch shells, 2) #4 or #5 shot and 3) Lots of shot.
Then it hit me...a buddy of mine gave me boxes and boxes of waterfowl steel shot.
Serious opinions only please.
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Be kind with your words, thankful to your Creator and generous with the meat from your hunt.
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#952492 - 10/08/09 11:43 PM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: Luv2Hunt]
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Extreme Tracker
Registered: 08/31/05
Posts: 4566
Loc: North Texas
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Sure why not. Lead Turkey loads tend to be a slower fps due to not shooting at a flying bird. They are just taylored for a tight pattern. Steel shot tends to pattern tighter than lead, higher speed and get blown with a full choke, so you may want to do some pattern testing to determine what choke is best for your load. The only other issue is that the Steel will lose it's downrange energy faster than lead. But again, Turkey is generally a close range affair. Just pattern test to get the best choke combination for a tight pattern for the loads you already have and keep your range under 30 yards, it will kill turkeys IMO. Here is a Turkey pattern target you can print off to use. http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/birds/turkey/images/turk10.gif
_________________________
 "Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness" MLK Jr
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#952681 - 10/09/09 07:44 AM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: Sniper John]
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Tracker
Registered: 04/26/06
Posts: 648
Loc: Matador, TX
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Thank you very much for your ideas and the turkey pattern. I was wondering about the steel losing its downrange power. I'm going to have to ponder this. I'm going to test fire some loads against the turkey pattern you gave me to see what happens. I may get some genuine turkey loads to test against as well.
Thank you very much.
_________________________
Be kind with your words, thankful to your Creator and generous with the meat from your hunt.
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#963032 - 10/14/09 01:48 PM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: Luv2Hunt]
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Veteran Tracker
Registered: 10/06/06
Posts: 2299
Loc: hopkins co
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I wouldnt use it steel does lose alot of velocity and doesnt have the knock down power lead does but also it only takes 1 bb to kill em. JMO.
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#963085 - 10/14/09 02:12 PM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: Luv2Hunt]
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Veteran Tracker
Registered: 05/27/06
Posts: 2935
Loc: DALLAS TEXAS
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That's all I use for turkey, 2, bb, bbb, t, whatever in 3in and they work just fine for me.
_________________________
I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.
DISCLAIMER
ATTENTION: Your decision should NEVER be based SOLELY upon my advice, recomendation, or opinion.
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#974664 - 10/20/09 09:58 AM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: RICK O'SHAY]
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Outdoorsman
Registered: 04/04/07
Posts: 53
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If you shoot them very close in, dove loads, pellet guns, duck loads or anything else will kill them if you shoot them in the right spots.
But ammo manufacturers do not use steel shot used in turkey loads. And there are several very important reasons why. I would recommend against using them.
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#975448 - 10/20/09 04:06 PM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: hawglips]
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THF Trophy Hunter
Registered: 07/27/06
Posts: 6710
Loc: Corinth, TX
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Yep...they will work just fine....concentrate on your choke patterns or use a Turkey choke and BLAMO! Grilled Cutlets. When you clean the bird get out all the shot though if you can. I butterfly the breasts off the carcass and cut off the legs and thigh together. I then smoke the Legs and thighs and i chicken fry the Breast after cutting into filets and pounding out a bit.
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#1044176 - 11/17/09 07:28 PM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: Mr. Clean]
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Light Foot
Registered: 11/16/09
Posts: 20
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Do any of you turkey hunters shoot a Benelli SBE II and if so do you use a recoil reducer ??
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#1044894 - 11/18/09 12:20 AM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: RngrMac]
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Pro Tracker
Registered: 03/19/09
Posts: 1237
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I know some of those 3.5" Heavy shot TTT make great yote loads, I would get them in 5-6 shot and have at it.
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#1047794 - 11/19/09 07:38 AM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: Sniper John]
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Frustrated Hunter
Unregistered
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Sure why not. Lead Turkey loads tend to be a slower fps due to not shooting at a flying bird. They are just taylored for a tight pattern. Steel shot tends to pattern tighter than lead, higher speed and get blown with a full choke, so you may want to do some pattern testing to determine what choke is best for your load. The only other issue is that the Steel will lose it's downrange energy faster than lead. But again, Turkey is generally a close range affair. Just pattern test to get the best choke combination for a tight pattern for the loads you already have and keep your range under 30 yards, it will kill turkeys IMO. Here is a Turkey pattern target you can print off to use. http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/birds/turkey/images/turk10.gif Under 30 yards? are you serious? with today's modern choke tubes and the new game specific turkey loads from ammunition manufacturers most 3" chambered shot guns with for example a Briley Super Full Turkey choke, can reach out and kill a turkey at 50+ yards! I have in fact killed 3 birds in the last 2 years that hung up on me at 45yds, 49yds & 52yds. I took those shots ONLY because I spent hours at the gun range coming up with the best choke tube/ammo combination I could find for my shotgun......
Edited by Frustrated Hunter (11/19/09 07:40 AM)
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#1047871 - 11/19/09 08:25 AM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: ]
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Pro Tracker
Registered: 10/02/08
Posts: 1006
Loc: Bedford Texas
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I have shot 5 or 6 Turkeys with my Goose loads and it kilt them real good.
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Walk softly and carry a big stick !!! Theodore Roosevelt 
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#1047930 - 11/19/09 08:51 AM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: Texas Cazador]
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Outdoorsman
Registered: 04/04/07
Posts: 53
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Most folks wouldn't play football with baskeball shoes. You can, but your performance will suffer. There is a reason they are called "goose" and "duck" loads instead of "turkey" loads. with today's modern choke tubes and the new game specific turkey loads from ammunition manufacturers most 3" chambered shot guns with for example a Briley Super Full Turkey choke, can reach out and kill a turkey at 50+ yards! I have in fact killed 3 birds in the last 2 years that hung up on me at 45yds, 49yds & 52yds. I took those shots ONLY because I spent hours at the gun range coming up with the best choke tube/ammo combination I could find for my shotgun...... There is no substitute for doing your homework on turkey loads. This is one of those exercises that separates the turkey hunters from the turkey shooters.
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#1066811 - 11/28/09 06:52 AM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: hawglips]
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Bird Dog
Registered: 02/21/06
Posts: 352
Loc: Belton Tx
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I would shoot lead whenever I can .Lead will penatrate a whole lot more than steel
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#1066829 - 11/28/09 07:46 AM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: ]
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Extreme Tracker
Registered: 08/31/05
Posts: 4566
Loc: North Texas
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Frustrated,
The answer was in context of using "steel shot". I agree with you if we were talking about lead and hevi. I have taken turkeys at even farther distances than you have by using hevi shot loads and an extra full choke in my 10 GA. I pattern well with the turkey head target on the patterning board as far as 80 yards with some loads. But if he is wanted to use his leftover steel shot, he will have to stay within the limitations of the ammo due to the lighter pellets possibly not having the downrange energy to kill at the longer ranges just as sallysue was pointing out.
_________________________
"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness" MLK Jr
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#1075102 - 12/01/09 08:56 PM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: Sniper John]
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Green Horn
Registered: 09/10/08
Posts: 8
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I've killed geese weighing about 15 lbs with #4 steel duck loads, so I don't see why a 12-20 lb turkey wouldn't be humanely dispatched with a load that patterned at a reasonable range, less than 30 yards seems about right.
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#1082247 - 12/04/09 12:09 PM
Re: Waterfowl loads for turkey?
[Re: point452]
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THF Trophy Hunter
Registered: 10/30/08
Posts: 6212
Loc: Texas
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I put the smack down on a flying hen with black cloud opening day. I still chuckle thinking about it.
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