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Turkey loads

6.3K views 27 replies 13 participants last post by  rmc032702  
#1 ·
Well, folks, new guy here w/1st ever post. I'll apologize in advance because I haven't scrolled through a bunch of threads to see if it has been addressed. I'm not new to rifle reloading but I've run into trouble regarding my turkey load that my shotgun prefers, which are 3" 2 oz. loads of #6 from either Winchester or Federal. 1 3/4 oz and 1 7/8 oz loads seemed to have the center blown out of the pattern.

After looking at Hodgdon, Winchester, Federal,, and as many other sites that I can find that provide recipes, I can't come up with a recipe that specifies the powder charge. The closest I seem to come up is Max. Dram Eq. I'm also not sure of the shot cup I'd need for 3" 2 oz. loads.

I'm also going to have to weigh the cost of components (I've had a bag of #6 shot for years so that's covered) to see if it's better to just find a new load and purchase them. I don't own a press but am thinking about an attachment for my drill press to do a crimp roll.. I don't shoot clays, trap, skeet, waterfowl, upland game, etc. Strictly turkey hunting. At most I'd be leading for my family.

Thx.
 
#2 ·
Hodgdon shows a load for 2 oz 12 gauge in a 3 inch hull. Unfortunately the powder in question is discontinued. There are more options in 3 1/2" hulls.

That said, for the number of shells you're talking about it would probably be a whole lot easier to buy your ammo during these times of component shortages.
 
#3 ·
Just noticed my typo. "liads" Sheesh.

Thx for the reply; I think that's the recipe that doesn't list grains or even drams, just max dram equivalent.

I hadn't given much thought to component scarcity but I had thought about the wisdom of buying cups in bulk that I'd likely never use.

Your reply is helping to point me in the right direction.
 
#15 ·
There are some really great turkey loads available on the market in factory lead and heavier than lead shot. In my opinion, you can reload TSS and get factory load performance. In lead I do not see reloads approaching the performance of the Winchester Long Beard XR turkey loads. Not that everyone needs that level of performance. I found that my turkey hunting was such low volume shooting that buying turkey loads was much simpler. I reloaded some 3" 12 ga and for years I reloaded 10 ga turkey loads with a little Lee hand loader. One shell at a time, no press involved. Reloading is fun but I sold the 10 ga and just use factory 12 ga turkey loads. Everyone is looking for a load that will shoot farther, I'm looking for ways to get turkeys closer. Good luck whatever route you go.
 
#16 ·
I appreciate this response. I've shot the same factory loads for 30 years and have been reluctant to explore new loads because of the great results I've gotten. I'm hoping that my move to these TSS shells will move me into the 21st century and will last the next 30 years.

If nothing else this Alliant recipe is awfully close to factory, just 25 fps more than factory. Regarding that recipe, I'm confused in the 7/16 fiber base was and the SP12. 2 wads?
 
#18 ·
If you are trying to meet or exceed factory load patterns, then you will need buffer. It is an absolute necessity. The big issue is that it dramatically raises pressures, and you need to use data that was made for buffer. The other thing you will need is good shot. Lawrence or West Coast magnum is good stuff. Don't waste money on the copper washed shot. Precision Reloading's nickel plated shot might be worth it. You would be wasting your time with Eagle shot, or any chilled shot. The harder, the better.

As for wads, most of the heavier loads are going to call for a full plastic cup, like a steel shot wad. The most likely candidates today are going to be the Ranger Elite, BP12, LBC 50, or TPS. I would not bother with Precision Reloadings tupperware wads. While RSI's SAM1 wads are very good, I don't see any 1 7/8 oz or heavier loads listed. The big downside is there is minimal turkey loads listed at all anymore. I see what appears to be a good one in an old buckshot manual. This one looks pretty strong, and I might consider backing that off somewhat just because you don't need or want that velocity. Third I will list a load I still use to this day from the Turkey Ranger manual. I know you said no 1 3/4 oz loads, but you should try this one.

i was going to list a 2oz load here from the Advantages manual, but it appears to have a big flaw. Man, the BPI Advantages, and all new BPI manuals SUCK. They are just the worst.

12ga 3" Fiocchi
Winchester 209
34gr Bluedot (I'd try 32 gr)
BPGS + BP12
1 7/8 oz lead shot
buffer
fold crimp

12ga 3" Federal plastic basewad
Federal 209A
32gr Bluedot
Turkey Ranger (now Ranger Elite) + (2) 1/8" 20ga felt wads
1 3/4 oz lead shot
buffer
fold crimp

While you do specify a 3" shell, that picture shows a Benelli Nova, so I'm going to make this following suggestion for a 3 1/2" load I've shot with great results. Recoil is extreme.

12ga 3 1/2" Federal plastic basewad
Winchester 209
38gr Bluedot
WAA12R wad
2 1/4 oz lead shot
mix #47 buffer
16ga overshot card (I unusually use 20ga)
fold crimp
 
#20 ·
I just watched a video of a well know loader with 1.9oz nickel plated 6’s and buffer, 3” 12gauge straight wall hull, Cheddite primer, 29grain Longshot, MG42 wad. Shooting out of a Stoeger, looks like a great pattern. He mentioned 1175fps over the chrono.

Easy enough to roll crimp with a tool, or recrimp with hand tools. Resizing once fired may be difficult if you don’t have a press.
 
#21 ·
Otter -- For lead reloads, contact Tom Roster about 12ga 3" buffered lead loads.

Tom Roster - Shotgun Life

For factory lead loads, don't look any farther than Winchester's Long Brear XR loads!

Here are a few of my pattern numbers to give you an idea of the kind of performance you might get from some factory lead loads.

The 12-gauge 3-inch loads were shot through a Remington 870 Special Purpose shotgun with a 26-inch barrel and the 12-gauge 3 ½-inch loads were shot through a Remington 870 Super Magnum shotgun with a 23-inch barrel, except the 3 ½-inch Winchester Long Beard loads were shot through a 28-inch barrel. A Remington Turkey Super Full Extended choke (.063-inch constriction from bore gauge) was used for all lead loads tested.

Pattern testing was accomplished by using 48-inch x 48-inch pattern paper with a turkey head-and-neck target placed in the center of each pattern sheet prior to the patterning shot; yardages were measure with a tape from muzzle to target; and pattern counts, pattern percentages and Skull/Cervical Vertebrae (S/CV) hits were the average from five patterns.

In-shell pellet count averages were the result of cutting open and counting the pellets from five shells out of the same box/lot as the pattern loads. These in-shell pellet counts allowed for true pattern percentage calculations.

Remember, an effective turkey load needs to have enough pellets to provide sufficient pattern density and possess pellets with adequate penetrating energy to reliably penetrate a turkey’s skull and/or cervical vertebra at the yardage used!

Here’s my short take on this topic…
  • out to 30 yards "most all" turkey loads with a full choke will be 100% effective
  • out to 40 yards "many" turkey loads with a full or tighter choke can be 100% effective
  • out to 50 yards "some" turkey loads with a tight full turkey choke may be 100% effective
  • out to 60 yards "very few" turkey loads with a tight full turkey choke are 100% effective
40-YARD PATTERNS
Win Super-X 3” 1 7/8 oz #6 lead (438 pellets) / pattern 363 (83%) / S/CV hits 4.6
Rem Duplex 3" 1 7/8 oz #4 x #6 lead (385 pellets) / pattern 305 (79%) / S/CV hits 4.2

Fed Hi-Velocity 3" 1 3/4 oz #5 lead (322 pellets) / pattern 272 (85%) / S/CV hits 3.6
Rem Hi-Velocity 3" 1 3/4 oz #5 lead (280 pellets) / pattern 225 (80%) / S/CV hits 5.8
Win Hi-Velocity 3" 1 3/4 oz #5 lead (293 pellets) / pattern 257 (88%) / S/CV hits 5.8
Win Long Beard 3" 1 3/4 oz #5 lead (305 pellets) / pattern 295 (97%) / S/CV hits 11.0 / 10” pattern 118
Win Super-X 3" 1 7/8 oz #5 lead (317 pellets) / pattern 276 (87%) / S/CV hits 3.4
Rem Premier 3" 2 oz #5 lead (328 pellets) / pattern 258 (79%) / S/CV hits 3.4
Win XX Mag 3" 2 oz #5 lead (336 pellets) / pattern 293 (87%) / S/CV hits 3.6

Fed Premium 3" 2 oz #4 lead (290 pellets) / pattern 213 (73%) / S/CV hits 3.2
Rem Premier 3" 2 oz #4 lead (255 pellets) / pattern 209 (82%) / S/CV hits 3.6
Win XX Mag 3" 2 oz #4 lead (258 pellets) / pattern 243 (94%) / S/CV hits 4.6
Win Long Beard 3½" 2 oz #4 lead (255 pellets) / pattern 247 (97%) / S/CV hits 11.6 / 10” pattern 126
Win XX Mag 3½" 2 ¼ oz #4 lead (300 pellets) / pattern 242 (81%) / S/CV hits 4.2

50-YARD PATTERNS
Win Long Beard 3" 1 3/4 oz #5 lead (305 pellets) / pattern 275 (90%) / S/CV hits 7.4 / 10” pattern 89

Fed Premium 3" 2 oz #4 lead (290 pellets) / pattern 163 (56%) / S/CV hits 2.6
Rem Premier 3" 2 oz #4 lead (255 pellets) / pattern 149 (58%) / S/CV hits 1.6
Win XX Mag 3" 2 oz #4 lead (258 pellets) / pattern 170 (66%) / S/CV hits 2.2
Win Long Beard 3½" 2 oz #4 lead (255 pellets) / pattern 234 (92%) / S/CV hits 7.2 / 10” pattern 86
Win XX Mag 3½" 2 ¼ oz #4 lead (300 pellets) / pattern 162 (54%) / S/CV hits 3.2

60-YARD PATTERNS
Win Long Beard 3½" 2 oz #4 lead (255 pellets) / pattern 206 (81%) / S/CV hits 5.4 / 10” pattern 54

Hope this helps, good luck!
 
#24 ·
@Joe Hunter, a lot of us consider it really pushing your luck with less than 100 pellets in a 10" circle, which has been the standard for decades. It appears to me your Longbeard is marginal at 50 yards (I'd take the shot), but in no way a 60 yard load.

While Longbeard is a very good load, most people love it, my 1 3/4 oz handload I posted above will do really close to that.
 
#25 ·
nova -- I appreciate your comments but I never said it was an effective 60-yard turkey load.

I post my patterning results so hunters can compare different load performances for themselves and hopefully make smart choices. And I urge hunters to pattern their load/choke combo at the ranges they intend to shoot so they will know how they perform at the distance they shoot.

I'm just the messenger so you can be ethe judge!

PS: I'd be interested in seeing your patterning numbers for comparison. Thanks!