What is the reasonable distance to quickly kill a turkey with a muzzleloader?

[Felonious]

I was at a gun store the other day, and the manager was showing me the shot pattern out of some of the 410 and 20 gauge tungsten out at like 75 and 80 yards, they definitely punched paper, but I was wondering if they would really carry the kinetic energy to make a kill at that distance. He was desperate to sell me a box of 4 $80 shotgun shells. I understand the advantages of tungsten, but will it really effectively double your range?

I pattern my shotgun, but I generally use old pieces of cardboard, so I don't really know the penetration power either. I can get a little bit of information with milk jugs, but I don't know if the shot just barely punched through, or went all the way to the back and stopped, so I still really don't know.

Anyway, my direct question is at what range could I reasonably expect to kill a turkey. I have an improved and modified choke double barrel. I use a variation of the sky chief load, and it patterns fantastically, but I'm wondering at what range that pattern will still be effective. At ML velocities. I use pure lead #4 shot, the largest legal in my state.

I searched in other threads and found varying answers, but not with my choke and shot size.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[JeffG]

I share your concern with long shots on turkey, when your kill zone is basically the head and neck, pattern density is critical.

I use my .54/28ga smoothbore in a flintlock Vermont rifle configuration. The two big toms I shot were within 15 yards. I use a stiff powder charge and lots of lead #6 shot. My patterns at that distance are pretty dense, and kill well. As far as kinetic energy of shot pellets, if they are penetrating 1/4 plywood, they will be sufficient, according to my non-scientific tests.

 

[SDSmlf]

Years ago learned to test hunting loads on tin cans. If pellets penetrated both sides of the can, you were good to go. Likely more ‘scientific’ methods out there, but that’s how I was taught. And remember, that tin can is larger that a turkey head, so look for multiple hits.

 

[Ricochet]

40 yards might as well be a 1/4 mile when I have my flintlock. It will test your patience to have a bird "hung up" in the wide open at 30 yards. My problem and most folks problem is the pattern, if yours shoots a tight enough pattern, them fours will knock him down

 

[Thingamajiggy]

Pellet pattern is second to energy when it come to killing efficiency at yardage. Yeah you still need pellets on target but it's the energy they carry and their ability to penetrate that will give you your answer. Not knowing anything about your load, just going by your shot size of #4, as long as you're putting pellets on target, 35yds max would be a safe bet. I agree with the can or 1/8" plywood test, the range your load will NOT shoot thru them, that's your limit. MHO

 

[ScottK]

I have never had a line of sight on a turkey beyond about 20 yards where I hunt, and would not need to take a shot beyond that.

Turkey hunting success (for me anyway) is all about scouting, patience and in the spring, good mastery of a call or two.


I would feel like I’m not doing it right if I had to take a shot beyond the 12 to 15 yard range. Especially in the spring.

It’s to the point now where you can just buy 60 to 70lbs of fresh Turkey for what a box of five shells costs. It’s crazy….

 

[user 31257]

It’s TSS and it’ll kill turkeys that far. So much for woodsmanship and calling skills.

 

[springfield art]

I never hunted them, but read a lot of "turkey huntin'" stories in magazines; seems they like to get 'em to about 30-40 yds. at most! Will be interesting to read comments here from guys that have actually done it! Seems there's lots of 'silence' and 'calling' involved! Good luck!

 

[Jack Ryan]

How far could you put 5 pellets in a golf ball?

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I know that guns I have built have killed turkeys in the 50 yard + or - range. There are many factors. Bore size, shot size and plating, how much choke, amount of powder and shot load and how much time you spend on the pattern board.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

I'm comfortable at 20 yards. I'd stretch to 25, but not an inch longer. I'm using 5 shot in a flintlock fusil.

 

[Trigger]

I would not want to take 50 or 70 yards shot and be sitting there saying it was coming in it would have got closer I probably would not have missed.

If your thinking how bad you can powder burn there head... that's turkey hunting with a muzzloader.

Allot of people make the mistake of there it is shoot.

 

[Trigger]

I'm leaning 30 to 40 yards pattern and try to take them closer...

20 yards is a good distance to take them...

closer is tuff they pin you down afraid to move etc... but if your cyl bore like my pedersoli your going to want closer

Trying for more hits at those ranges..

 

[waksupi]

Throw out a tin can, and shoot it. If the shot doesn't penetrate at least one side, you are too far.
Use fine shot, it doesn't take much to kill a turkey, just a single pellet in the head. I use #6 or 7 1/2.

 

[Trigger]

I never hunted them, but read a lot of "turkey huntin'" stories in magazines; seems they like to get 'em to about 30-40 yds. at most! Will be interesting to read comments here from guys that have actually done it! Seems there's lots of 'silence' and 'calling' involved! Good luck!

I think I got this...

Calling and silence you read enough...

When they respond to you.. you know it... fire them up with some good calling then as they respond when they sound closer... shhhh the same calling but less volume... after there fired up keep calling less and less and less volume... down to the call muffled into your clothes...

They with think your getting away and purity much run right into you

 

[Nuthatch]

Pattern-wise, 25 yards is about it for my cyl bore trade gun. I load up 1.5 oz of bismuth #6 (lead free requirement here) over about 80 gr of 2F.

I took one at about 30 yards this last spring. I won't be doing that again. It wasn't very effective at that range.

 

[Rob M.]

Usually figure 25-30 yards for my trade gun . The last turkey I knocked down ....I could not get it to come any closer .... I fired at it and I thought for sure gonna be a miss ....it was dead before it hit the ground ! They usually kick or flop a bit and I stab em ....nope , stone dead . Couldnt believe it . I stepped it off , 40 yards , no choke , 20 ga. 60 gr. 2F , 1 1/4 oz. #4 . That aint typical for me but I'm.usually in the woods and that one was in a field . Go figure . Just pattern yer gun to get a good idea of what it'll do ...

 

[kelljp]

20 years ago I was hunting in west Texas, there was a guy there from Pennsylvania who kept bragging about how if you didn't use a 10 gauge you need to go home. After about 2 days I'd heard enough. I bet him I could put shoot him at 70 yards, which he quickly accepted.
I took an old sheet of roofing tin and set at 70 yards painted a plate size circle. He took his shot and put 10 pellets on the metal, none penatrated. I shot my 12 ga ( with TSS ,he didn't know) and put 40 plus pellets on the target all of which went through the metal. That was the last he was heard from that week.
Realistically 20-40 yards is what you want, but under 20 you'll likely miss because the bird is looking at you and moving.
I'm going try black powder this fall, from what I've tested 30 yards will be my max range.

 

[Newaygo77]

In my cylinder bore 12 gauge T/C New Englander, the best I can do is about 27 yards. Beyond 25 yards patterns fall apart quickly, and a clean kill at 30 yards would probably be a matter of luck.

This makes range estimation vitally important. Being able to quickly tell the difference between 25 yards and 30 yards is the difference between putting meat on the table and crippling a bird. When hunting from an established blind I use rocks or sticks (or my decoys) as yardage markers, and I avoid the temptation to reach beyond them.

 

[Reds]

Some have seen it before but here’s mine! 1 1/2 oz #5 lead 85 grn 777 2f 1/8 nitro 1/2 fiber BP tpi wad BP buffer powder 2 overshot. TC Treehawk full choke! The little left was I. 30 yards