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best 2 3/4" turkey load #6524296
04/23/19 09:58 PM
04/23/19 09:58 PM
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,530
Fingerlakes New York
robert.d12 Offline OP
trapper
robert.d12  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,530
Fingerlakes New York
I have a Rem 870 12ga I would like to shoot a turkey with. It is a 2 3/4" only receiver with a fixed full choke. I understand that this gun may not have to range or pattern of turkey specific shotguns, but what shell would you use if you were hunting with it?


The beauty of the second amendment is it wont be needed until they try to take it. -Thomas Jefferson
Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524310
04/23/19 10:10 PM
04/23/19 10:10 PM
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 8,459
Henderson, N.Y. Jefferson Co.
W
walleyed Offline
trapper
walleyed  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 8,459
Henderson, N.Y. Jefferson Co.
Originally Posted by robert.d12
I have a Rem 870 12ga I would like to shoot a turkey with. It is a 2 3/4" only receiver with a fixed full choke. I understand that this gun may not have to range or pattern of turkey specific shotguns, but what shell would you use if you were hunting with it?



I hunt with the exact same gun with a 30" vent rib barrel chambered for 2 3/4" shells.

I would use Winchester Long-beards #5's which have a muzzle velocity of 1,300 feet per second.

That's what I use and It kills them quite dead out to 40 yards.

good luck.

w

Last edited by walleyed; 04/24/19 08:06 AM.

"Provisional/Interim" member of NYS Trappers Association
Jefferson Co. Fur Harvesters

I Support Non-Resident Trapping



Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524327
04/23/19 10:31 PM
04/23/19 10:31 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 10,787
Asheville, NC
C
charles Offline
trapper
charles  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 10,787
Asheville, NC
Call the gobbler in and you can kill it with anything from a dove load and up. Short magnum #6 would be my favorite.

Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524342
04/23/19 10:41 PM
04/23/19 10:41 PM
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,472
ohio
S
skippyturtle Offline
trapper
skippyturtle  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,472
ohio
i would use tss but winchester longbeards and hevishot would both work


NTA
OSTA
Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524398
04/24/19 01:12 AM
04/24/19 01:12 AM
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 4,951
rogers city mi.
J
jeff karsten Offline
trapper
jeff karsten  Offline
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J

Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 4,951
rogers city mi.
depends what shot patterns best I had the best patterns with 2 3/4 mag #5 shot 4's were thin and 6s were doughnuts


olden tyred
Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524442
04/24/19 06:26 AM
04/24/19 06:26 AM
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 405
Michigan
B
BullOx Offline
trapper
BullOx  Offline
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 405
Michigan
I shoot 3 inch but I have a great pattern with heavy shot #6s. They're pretty pricy though so they're not something I would buy to test the pattern on until they're onsale


Trapping is easy you say? You try getting your target animal to step in a 3 inch area of its whole territory.
Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524446
04/24/19 06:50 AM
04/24/19 06:50 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 19,930
SEPA
L
Lugnut Offline
trapper
Lugnut  Offline
trapper
L

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 19,930
SEPA
I use a Remington 870 for turkeys. After extensive pattern testing years ago I discovered that, for whatever reason, there was always a hole in the center of almost all 3” loads. The ammo that patterned consistently the best for me was 2 3/4” Winchester Double X Turkey Loads with #6 copper-plated shot.

I’d like to call my turkeys in as closest possible but I’ve killed hung up Tom’s out to 40 yards with those shells. I’ve been using them for a long time and I’ve killed 90% of the turkeys with them.

I used Remington’s X-Full turkey choke for many years but switched some years ago to another extra full choke that gave me a slightly better pattern.


Eh...wot?

Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524483
04/24/19 07:59 AM
04/24/19 07:59 AM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,028
West Cent IL
illinideer Offline
trapper
illinideer  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,028
West Cent IL
Long beards. Num 5 or 6. Im in a blind now trying to get a bird with my grandfathers old stevens 12ga double barrel. I loaded up a batch of 1 3/8 oz of nickel plated num 6 that pattern really well
J




Coyote 5 Badger 1
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USN AE2 VF-31 Tomcatters
Retired SMSGT IL ANG 183 Fighter Wing
Coyote U Class #4
Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524494
04/24/19 08:16 AM
04/24/19 08:16 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,432
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,432
Georgia
I shoot a 2 3/4 Ithaca 37. Years ago I crunched the numbers and did a summer's worth of patterning. Based on needing enough retained energy per individual pellet to ensure complete penetration/pass thru of a turkeys head plus patterns I settled on Remington #5. 4 has the best energy but not enough pellets to pattern well, 6 runs out out steam at around 30 yards but patterns well. Five retained energy to a little over 35 and patterned to forty.
This was pre hevishot but I'm told that you can drop down a shot size due to better energy numbers.


[Linked Image]
Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524619
04/24/19 12:00 PM
04/24/19 12:00 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,641
Williamsport, Pa.
J
jk Offline
trapper
jk  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,641
Williamsport, Pa.
Savage 77 E here. I just use high brass #6, works for me some at over 40 yards.......jk


Free people are not equal. Equal people are not free. What's supposed to be ain't always is. Hopper Hunter
Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524633
04/24/19 12:39 PM
04/24/19 12:39 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 15,594
MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
T
Trapper7 Offline
trapper
Trapper7  Offline
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T

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 15,594
MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
I have a Browning Semi-auto 2 3/4". I have killed several toms and don't believe you need to buy expensive turkey loads. I loaded my own shells with 1 1/2 oz of #4 shot. The longest shot I made was 36 yards, the closest was 24 yards. Killed every turkey in it's tracks.


I don't care how nice the hand soap smells, you should never walk out of the restroom sniffing your fingers.
Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524661
04/24/19 01:30 PM
04/24/19 01:30 PM
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 912
North Carolina
DaYooper14 Offline
trapper
DaYooper14  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 912
North Carolina
Originally Posted by robert.d12
I have a Rem 870 12ga I would like to shoot a turkey with. It is a 2 3/4" only receiver with a fixed full choke. I understand that this gun may not have to range or pattern of turkey specific shotguns, but what shell would you use if you were hunting with it?


This gun is everything you need for turkey hunting. If I were picking it up and hunting with it, I'd buy the following 2-3/4" boxes of shells - 1 Winchester XR #5's, 1 Federal copper plated #6's, 1 Remington Premier #4's. 1 shot each at 10, 20, 30, 35 & 40. Best pattern wins. Each is sub $15 /box and all come in 10rd+ boxes.


-- It seems all of Greece knows what is the right thing to do, but it is only the Spartans that do anything about it. --
Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524733
04/24/19 03:57 PM
04/24/19 03:57 PM
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 706
Michigan
B
BigBlackBirds Offline
trapper
BigBlackBirds  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 706
Michigan
i found that only have two turkey shells left. anyone know of any 2 3/4" heavier than lead loads? always used 2 3/4" shells but looks like might have to get 3" shell now to get what i want. switched to heavier than lead years ago and doubt that i'm going back to lead. shells i've got are so old it was when hevi-shot was loaded by remington. don't see where remington or winchester make any heavier than lead options so looks like my only options are federal with tss or hevi-13 but seems everything is in 3" loads now.

Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524744
04/24/19 04:11 PM
04/24/19 04:11 PM
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,930
E central Il
G
Golf ball Offline
trapper
Golf ball  Offline
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G

Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,930
E central Il
I would recommend you do some reading and find the proper way to pattern a shot gun and go from there. That being said I tried some of the new heavy shot 5,6,7’s out of my 835 and had the best “turkey “ pattern I’ve ever seen out of that gun .
Good luck ,
Don

Last edited by Golf ball; 04/24/19 04:12 PM.
Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6524751
04/24/19 04:29 PM
04/24/19 04:29 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 557
WV
G
garymc Offline
trapper
garymc  Offline
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G

Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 557
WV
I have had great luck with Winchester supreme HV now the longbeard in #5 seems to work in most guns. I am intrigued by the TSS loads though. Hard hitting and phenomenal shot on target count due to the fact they are using #8 or 9 shot that has the density of much larger shot, but the advantage of the higher shot count.

Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: BigBlackBirds] #6524818
04/24/19 06:28 PM
04/24/19 06:28 PM
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,472
ohio
S
skippyturtle Offline
trapper
skippyturtle  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,472
ohio
apex, nitro company , browning(which is winchester shells) all load tss. the brownings are below par. nitro is extremely expensive. apex is a great shooter if you can find it. the new hevi-13 is not what old hevi shot was but it does pattern good.

Originally Posted by BigBlackBirds
i found that only have two turkey shells left. anyone know of any 2 3/4" heavier than lead loads? always used 2 3/4" shells but looks like might have to get 3" shell now to get what i want. switched to heavier than lead years ago and doubt that i'm going back to lead. shells i've got are so old it was when hevi-shot was loaded by remington. don't see where remington or winchester make any heavier than lead options so looks like my only options are federal with tss or hevi-13 but seems everything is in 3" loads now.


NTA
OSTA
Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: skippyturtle] #6525317
04/25/19 02:51 PM
04/25/19 02:51 PM
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 706
Michigan
B
BigBlackBirds Offline
trapper
BigBlackBirds  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 706
Michigan
Originally Posted by skippyturtle
apex, nitro company , browning(which is winchester shells) all load tss. the brownings are below par. nitro is extremely expensive. apex is a great shooter if you can find it. the new hevi-13 is not what old hevi shot was but it does pattern good.

Originally Posted by BigBlackBirds
i found that only have two turkey shells left. anyone know of any 2 3/4" heavier than lead loads? always used 2 3/4" shells but looks like might have to get 3" shell now to get what i want. switched to heavier than lead years ago and doubt that i'm going back to lead. shells i've got are so old it was when hevi-shot was loaded by remington. don't see where remington or winchester make any heavier than lead options so looks like my only options are federal with tss or hevi-13 but seems everything is in 3" loads now.



Thanks. Those Apex look like what I'm looking for.

Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6525345
04/25/19 03:32 PM
04/25/19 03:32 PM
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,716
SW Pa
W
wr otis Offline
trapper
wr otis  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,716
SW Pa
Best turkey load is?

NOT SHOOTING MORE THAN TWENTY YARDS!!!!

Killed a truckload of turkeys, all of them but one under seven paces. Most well under.

Re: best 2 3/4" turkey load [Re: robert.d12] #6525380
04/25/19 04:21 PM
04/25/19 04:21 PM
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 2,180
Priest River, Idaho USA
S
SundanceMtnMan Offline
trapper
SundanceMtnMan  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 2,180
Priest River, Idaho USA
I shoot a 70s era model 1100. I use 8 shot dove loads. I haven't had one run away yet.


"They Say Nothing is Impossible,
But, I Do Nothing Every Day."
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