Opening Day of Turkey season

[schmijar]

The saying i was taught in muzzleloader shot load lore is "little powder, much lead, shoots far, kills dead"

 

[BeeMaa]

@Altitude sickness - yes the lower velosity shells (under 1200 fps) usually pattern tighter, some turkey loads are only 1080 fps and pattern great {and don’t knock your teeth loose!}

You might be keeping your teeth in place, but at the cost of having to get much closer than the typical 40-50 yard shot with patterns like that.

It's all trade-off's and what you value most. For @Altitude sickness, he chooses to hunt with a beautiful and very old shotgun and accepts the limitations imposed by using it.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Correct, My son in law has a dedicated Turkey gun with a Turkey choke. He can reach out 50 yards easily

 

[HankBuck]

The saying i was taught in muzzleloader shot load lore is "little powder, much lead, shoots far, kills dead"

@schmijar - very true, slower velocity results in tighter patterns and more pellets hitting the target

 

[HankBuck]

You might be keeping your teeth in place, but at the cost of having to get much closer than the typical 40-50 yard shot with patterns like that.

It's all trade-off's and what you value most. For @Altitude sickness, he chooses to hunt with a beautiful and very old shotgun and accepts the limitations imposed by using it.

@BeeMaa - regardless of choke, I’ve found patterns are usually “tighter” when velocities are below 1200fps and it’s held true with Lead, Hevi Shot, and even Steel (the worst of all pellet materials). Even at 50-55 yds a 1080 fps load Tungston or Hevi shot penetrates well and patterns “tighter” then the same load —out of the same choke - at 1250+fps. I have never used TSS but would assume it would also pattern tighter below 1200 fps and certainly penetrate well at lower velocities (will leave that pattern test up to Experts like You). I have Never shot a Gobbler over 60 yrds but have kills at 57 & 58 yds w/Hevi shot #4s and my Son has one at 58yrds with Tungston 4s moving at 1080fps. Maybe TSS extends those kills to 75+ yrds but is it because of velocity? I would think it would do as well or better @1100fps because it is so dense and penetrates better….just my assumption.

 

[BeeMaa]

The TSS load I use is closer to a rifle shot at 20 yards than a shotgun and it's leaving the barrel at 1200 fps. The Jake I took this year was at 19.5 yards and I was lucky to not miss him the pattern was so tight. However I'm also confident beyond 60 yards with this shotgun/choke/load combination. Has me reconsidering a modern O/U with different chokes & loads for different distances.

The downside is they kick worse than a mule and the shotgun isn't nearly as pretty as a mid-19th century W.C.Smith SxS 10 bore...trade-off's.

 

[Hunt anything]

@Altitude sickness , that’s not a gun but a FINE fowling piece!
Pretty good turkey as well!

 

[Altitude sickness]

BeeMaa, Your 20 yard pattern demonstrates an issue with people using a bird barrel shotgun for home defense.
We have all heard handed down for generations. “12 gauge pump for home defense”

Then many don’t have a clue that a typical 870 bird barrel at living room or hallway distance is basically one bullet. Not spread pattern. It’s very easy to miss close with a shotgun.

 

[HankBuck]

The TSS load I use is closer to a rifle shot at 20 yards than a shotgun and it's leaving the barrel at 1200 fps. The Jake I took this year was at 19.5 yards and I was lucky to not miss him the pattern was so tight. However I'm also confident beyond 60 yards with this shotgun/choke/load combination. Has me reconsidering a modern O/U with different chokes & loads for different distances.

The downside is they kick worse than a mule and the shotgun isn't nearly as pretty as a mid-19th century W.C.Smith SxS 10 bore...trade-off's.

@BeeMaa - I’ve found 1200 fps is plenty fast for Ducks, geese, even Sporting Clays - there is No meaningful difference between 1200 fps and 1300 fps in “lead required” on crossing targets (only 4” at 40 yrds per an article in Sporting Clays Magazine). Depending on how heavy the load of TSS or Lead is ie: 2oz @ 1200 fps would still pack some recoil. Agree with You that at 20 yrds thru a Turkey choke you’re gonna have a very “damaged” Gobbler regardless of what you’re shooting. You did well this Spring — got a nice Jake and that doesn’t happen every Spring - I’m always pleased when I get one, this Spring got Gobbler first 15 minutes of Opening Day, then called in another for my friend Day 2 but No shot, worked another briefly on Day 3 but again No shot and haven’t heard a gobble since !
I’m losing my optimisim, its hot now and “sweating” isn’t fun, also woods are getting are thick & green as the Amazon !

 

[BeeMaa]

If I had the time to hunt, I'd be in the woods sweating and calling for birds. Of course I'd also be covered in permethrin.

 

[HankBuck]

If I had the time to hunt, I'd be in the woods sweating and calling for birds. Of course I'd also be covered in permethrin.

@BeeMaa - I walk into the woods at 5:00am withOUT a flashlight because I wear enough Permethrin & bug repellent to “Glow in the dark”

 

[BeeMaa]

@BeeMaa - I walk into the woods at 5:00am withOUT a flashlight because I wear enough Permethrin & bug repellent to “Glow in the dark”

I spent enough time operating a nuclear reactor on a submarine to glow without it.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Someone asked me for some more details on the gun and I forgot to post. Specifically around how rare and expensive it is.

It’s neither rare or expensive. There are a fair amount of WC Scotts in the states and these can be had for $1500-$2500 in this grade and condition.

 

[Jaybuck99]

Season opened today but decided to work and get after em this evening! Turkey time is a beautiful time of the year