You might be on to something!I’m feeling a combination mountain turkey hunt and trout fishing trip coming on!
Anybody want to go???hikingthehills @Smokejr2
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Getting ready for them turkeys!
- Thread starter sambo77
- Start date
If you end up needing somebody to call for you let me know. I enjoy putting folks on turkeys.
If the long beards XR loads are patterning that tight at 40, you are not going to want a bird to get in too close. I was using my Late Cousin’s Benelli Nova and 3.5” Longberad XR #5’s a few years ago and they were shredding the heads of any bird that got inside of 30 yards. The pattern was so tight that I couldn’t let them get too close for the fear of the shot column missing their heads. It was quite gruesome.
I hunted turkeys 10 years ago, and my shotgun's "full" choke tube (a little thing, only 1.5" long) was pretty open. I got patterns the size of a hula hoop at 30 yards. 40 was wider than the 4 x 8 ft. plywood backer for my target.
Still, I managed to shoot one. I "thought" it was 25 yards when I pulled the trigger, but after I finally killed it, I paced it off at 35 yards. After 3 shots, I only found a few pellets in that bird when I cleaned it and prepared the meat for supper and the freezer.
LAST WEEK I placed an order on Amazon.com for a TruLock turkey choke, an extended one that's more than twice as long as the factory choke tubes my Mossberg 500 came with.
I'll pattern it soon, on the next non-rainy weekend we have.
As for ammo, I'll have to test a few different brands. Except for small birdshot, upland game loads, buckshot and slugs, I've only bought one box of "turkey" or "waterfowl" loads, with big birdshot pellets. I forget what exact load they are-- something from Remington, they're 3" shells.
Still, I managed to shoot one. I "thought" it was 25 yards when I pulled the trigger, but after I finally killed it, I paced it off at 35 yards. After 3 shots, I only found a few pellets in that bird when I cleaned it and prepared the meat for supper and the freezer.
LAST WEEK I placed an order on Amazon.com for a TruLock turkey choke, an extended one that's more than twice as long as the factory choke tubes my Mossberg 500 came with.
I'll pattern it soon, on the next non-rainy weekend we have.
As for ammo, I'll have to test a few different brands. Except for small birdshot, upland game loads, buckshot and slugs, I've only bought one box of "turkey" or "waterfowl" loads, with big birdshot pellets. I forget what exact load they are-- something from Remington, they're 3" shells.
I appreciate it! A follow up question, with the patterns I'm getting is it worth it to look into a different choke? Bass pro has a truglo gobble stopper .665 and a set of sights for $30, I thought about getting it just to see but I know squat about chokes. Mine currently is .660
Make sure to test the Winchester Long Beard. I think you'll be pleased.
Heck no I wouldn't change a thing, that's the pattern that you want. I have a Mossberg 835 that I hunt with and I also shoot those XR longbeards and they will knock the snot out of a turkey. I try to shoot at 20 yards being the closest though. Much closer than that and it's like shooting a bullet. My farthest shot on a bird was 45 yards, I thought he was closer. It did the trick. 30-40 yards seems to be the sweet spot.
The current pattern you are getting with the Longbeard XR’s looks pretty darn good, but you could always give another choke a try. Grab a box of the Federal TSS loads and try them too if you are still experimenting.
Your pattern is uniform, doesn’t have any big voids or strings of shot in it. It’s gonna be hard to top that. Changing your choke’s constriction by .005 could make a huge impact or barely any at all. It’s all trial and error.
Thanks yall!
Just remember with the TSS you need a choke thats rated for it. Thats the only thing that's kept me from getting any yet. I've been thinking about getting some but those Longbeards in #5 shot are cheaper and deadly.
