Turkey Load

[PaulF70]

First of all, would someone like to convince me why I should use my gorgeous Pedersoli 12-guage side-by-side over my 12g Ruger Red Label for my first-ever turkey hunt in two weeks?

No problem - I want to use the BP gun cause it's cooler and I don't think it will limit me.

The left barrel is improved modified and the right modified. I've patterned it at 35 yards and with a max load of 82 grains by vol (1.25 oz) of powder & shot and #6 it looks pretty good.

My thinking is that #6 lead shot is the way to go because although larger shot holds energy better, it doesn't matter because the pattern dictates the maximum range and #6 has enough energy for head/neck penetration at 35 or even possibly 40Y.

In other words if I went to 5 or even 4 the pattern would be too thin to go farther and since it is more sparse it is worse overall.

Thoughts?

 

[Ponderosaman]

My Pedersoli SxS 12 gauge is IC M. My left barrel with my current load will be good to 20 yards and the right is good to 15 with turkey targets that I have shot. I get 5 pellets in the brain spine reliably with these yardages. I would like to work up my load to reach out farther, but I’m thinking without a lot of work, you will be 25 yards max on your IM barrel. I get to 40 with my Bennell Supernova, so while it is a worthy goal to kill a turkey with your Pedersoli, I don’t think that the difference is negligible.

 

[PaulF70]

Hard to see the hits in the head/neck here but this was at 35Y and would be a kill I think.

 

[hinamanra]

I've shot 4, 5 and 6's through my open choke 20 bore and my patterns got a little tighter going from 6's to 4's same amount of pellets in the kill zone less around the out side of the pattern. I could really tell the difference in energy on impact with the 4''s, they hit much harder. I split the difference and been using 5's. Out of the last 6 gobblers that I've killed, 5 were between 10 and 15 yards and no flopping. Number 6 was 37 yards and flopped twice. Since your barrels are choked chances are you'll get good results working a load up for any of the three shot sizes. By your discription of your load though, I'd take that any day. It only takes one pellet in the brain housing group to put a gobbler on his back. Good luck with your hunt.

 

[Ponderosaman]

Hard to see the hits in the head/neck here but this was at 35Y and would be a kill I think.View attachment 132055

Definitely dead. I think you need more than 2 pellets in the brain or spine, so your 3 would do it (just). Thing is less than 5 in any given shot could result in a 1 or 2 on an unlucky shot. I’m shooting #6 at the ranges I mentioned. My IC shots at 20 yards were 2 and 3 hits. When I shot at 15 yards, I got my 5. So maybe you are good to 30. A fellow on here killed a turkey on camera using a shot cup and tungsten shot at a modern turkey gun distance. He was using #8 tungsten in a shot cup to protect the barrel.

 

[hinamanra]

Hard to see the hits in the head/neck here but this was at 35Y and would be a kill I think.View attachment 132055
Thats a good pattern, it looks like the center of your pattern is at the base of the neck and to the left though. I think that I read once that a sxs barrels are aligned to shoot dead center at a certain distance, I'd want to know where that is, not that it matters there, that bird there is dead.

 

[sb 54 cal.]

Been using # 6 with my .54 smoothrifle about 1 1/4 ounce shoot and 60 gr. 2f have killed 2 with it. The rifle is jug choked. This year using #6 and 7 1/2 mixed. to have more shot down range. I keep my range to 25 yds. max.

 

[tradoerr]

I killed my first BP turkey in 2002 with my Pedersoli SxS water fowler 10ga. Was so much fun and very gratifying to use the BP shotgun! used 1 1/2oz #6 copper coated, 75gr of Triple 7, 1/2" cush wad, shot over wad. Used the same load for pheasant hunting.

 

[PaulF70]

I went out scouting today and jumped not one but TWO huge toms in different oak trees.

Now I am pumped.

Also torn between using my Pedersoli SBS which is choked modified/improved modified vs. my modern OU for which I have full chokes.

Anybody killing turkeys here NOT using full chokes?

 

[Ponderosaman]

I went out scouting today and jumped not one but TWO huge toms in different oak trees.

Now I am pumped.

Also torn between using my Pedersoli SBS which is choked modified/improved modified vs. my modern OU for which I have full chokes.

Anybody killing turkeys here NOT using full chokes?

The only turkeys I have killed are using modern extra full chokes in modern shotguns at distances that would not be ethical with my Pedersoli. I patterned my Pedersoli to be reliable at 20 yards for the left barrel and 15 yards for the right barrel. I brought it with me last weekend, but the gobblers were not gobbling reliably, so I only ever had my modern gun with me in case a dumb gobbler showed up at any reasonable distance. I would very much like to kill a turkey with my Pedersoli. Maybe if my pop doesn’t want to come next year, I’ll backpack in to wilderness. I’ve heard that is sure fire for western gobblers. Here’s my pop eighty years old on a 3 mile trek with me. Rugged country. Sorry it’s not traditional, but the old fella is out there getting it and I couldn’t be more proud. Maybe he’d be down for the backpack!?

 

[PaulF70]

I just love my Pedersoli but man oh man why can't they make them with insertable chokes, or at least full when you order full.

OTOH turkey shotshells online are scarce as hen's teeth now. It's unreal. Luckily I have some shells but they are 2 3/4", 1 1/16 oz #4, not exactly a magnum load.

My Pedersoli thru the left barrel (IM) patterns well enough at 35Y to kill a tom. I wish I had time to pattern it against the Ruger, and also time to buy suitable shot/loads for both.

 

[Roundball2319]

I went out scouting today and jumped not one but TWO huge toms in different oak trees.

Now I am pumped.

Also torn between using my Pedersoli SBS which is choked modified/improved modified vs. my modern OU for which I have full chokes.

Anybody killing turkeys here NOT using full chokes?

I have taken two so far with a cylinder bore muzzleloader. Here is what I did this spring.
I took this turkey with a load of 62 grains of FF, 4 cheeze-it box 5/8 round cards, 1 oz of # 6 shot, and 1 more 5/8 card.The muzzleloader I used is a .58 caliber smoothbore made out of a T/C tree hawk. I called the Tom into 18 yards using a wing bone call. The Tom had an 7 inch beard and spurs worn down to a 1/2 inch.
Patience, patience, and patience is the learned lesson here.

 

[Ponderosaman]

I have taken two so far with a cylinder bore muzzleloader. Here is what I did this spring.
I took this turkey with a load of 62 grains of FF, 4 cheeze-it box 5/8 round cards, 1 oz of # 6 shot, and 1 more 5/8 card.The muzzleloader I used is a .58 caliber smoothbore made out of a T/C tree hawk. I called the Tom into 18 yards using a wing bone call. The Tom had an 7 inch beard and spurs worn down to a 1/2 inch.
Patience, patience, and patience is the learned lesson here.

A real wingbone. Very nice, is it from a turkey you killed? Wingbone calls are in my opinion one if the deadliest.

 

[Brokennock]

Anybody killing turkeys here NOT using full chokes?

There have been many posted here.
Unfortunately you may have to dig and sift to get to them. And, worse, I think some may be unavailable due to one of our legends leaving the forum and his topics and posts now seeming to be unavailable.
What you won't find much if any of, is folks killing turkeys with cylinder bore guns at the distances the modern mindset (and the equipment that goes with it) allows for.

Pedersoli but man oh man why can't they make them with insertable chokes, or at least full when you order full

They do,,, or at least did.

 

[ezekiel]

Its great to see Ponderosamans dad out hunting . I will soon be *80 and am thankful to God that I can still go hunting! just getting out there is a true blessing!

 

[52Bore]

Because gun loaded with BP will kill them just as dead!

 

[PaulF70]

Is the Skychief load good for choked muzzleloaders? As in Improved Modified? I've often read of it as designed for open bore guns but maybe that's just because they need the most help patterning tightly.

(I don't have time to go out and pattern again before the first hunting day...)

 

[Roundball2319]

A real wingbone. Very nice, is it from a turkey you killed? Wingbone calls are in my opinion one if the deadliest.

It is. I made it from the bird I got last year. It came into a wingbone call made from my very first turkey. I love them for the tradition they are. They are not common in the woods, and they drive my wife crazy when I sit and practice.

 

[PaulF70]

I found this on another forum:

"I would never use the Skychief load in a choked gun. They usually need no special wadding to shoot
like champs & better than modern guns, per choke designation. Adjust shot and powder charges and that's
about it."

 

[Brokennock]

I found this on another forum:

"I would never use the Skychief load in a choked gun. They usually need no special wadding to shoot
like champs & better than modern guns, per choke designation. Adjust shot and powder charges and that's
about it."

Doesn't say one can't. Just that that individual wouldn't.
Doesn't site a safety reason, legitimate or not, or any other real reason.
Some folks just don't want to know about doing anything at all different.