Any turkey hunters out there?

[Dave Way]

The older I get, the lighter I seem to prefer my hunting rifles and shotguns so when my daughter decided to stop turkey hunting a few years back, I started using her shotgun. I have taken several spring birds with that short barreled Remington 11-87, 20 gauge youth model. The shotgun has a Burris Fast-Fire red dot mounted on it. This year after hearing all the "hype" about Tungsten Super Shot, I decided to test some and see what the limits of this combination were.

Tungsten is 1.5 times as dense as lead and is also more dense than "heavy shot". This density allows you to go to smaller shot sizes, normally 8 or 9 shot, giving you many more pellets in the load, with the same energy and penetration as lead shot approximately 4 sizes larger. 8's are equal to lead 4's and 9's are equal to lead 5's.

I located a company called Apex Ammunition and ordered what they call their Pattern Pack. This pack contained three different 20 gauge loads so you can test for the best performance with your gun/choke combination. I can say that the people at Apex are very knowledgeable and they provide great customer service. Now this ammo is not cheap, but it's not like you shoot a bunch of ammo hunting Spring gobblers. I purchased the .555" Indian Creek choke that Apex recommended and I was amazed with the performance of this combination. I started at 40 yards and quickly realized 50 yards would have to be tested.

The following target was shot with a 3" 20 gauge load with 1 5/8 oz. of 9 shot. The inner ring is 10" and the outer ring is 20". 333 pellets in the 10' ring. This test was at 50 yards!

I thought maybe fellow turkey hunters would be interested in my results. Thanks-Dave.

 

[Kermit in Va.]

WOW...
That thing shoots...


Kermit

 

[284winner]

The older I get, the lighter I seem to prefer my hunting rifles and shotguns so when my daughter decided to stop turkey hunting a few years back, I started using her shotgun. I have taken several spring birds with that short barreled Remington 11-87, 20 gauge youth model. The shotgun has a Burris Fast-Fire red dot mounted on it. This year after hearing all the "hype" about Tungsten Super Shot, I decided to test some and see what the limits of this combination were.

Tungsten is 1.5 times as dense as lead and is also more dense than "heavy shot". This density allows you to go to smaller shot sizes, normally 8 or 9 shot, giving you many more pellets in the load, with the same energy and penetration as lead shot approximately 4 sizes larger. 8's are equal to lead 4's and 9's are equal to lead 5's.

I located a company called Apex Ammunition and ordered what they call their Pattern Pack. This pack contained three different 20 gauge loads so you can test for the best performance with your gun/choke combination. I can say that the people at Apex are very knowledgeable and they provide great customer service. Now this ammo is not cheap, but it's not like you shoot a bunch of ammo hunting Spring gobblers. I purchased the .555" Indian Creek choke that Apex recommended and I was amazed with the performance of this combination. I started at 40 yards and quickly realized 50 yards would have to be tested.

The following target was shot with a 3" 20 gauge load with 1 5/8 oz. of 9 shot. The inner ring is 10" and the outer ring is 20". 333 pellets in the 10' ring. This test was at 50 yards!

I thought maybe fellow turkey hunters would be interested in my results. Thanks-Dave.

View attachment 1071434

One helluva choke tube to put that much shot in that tight of a pattern at 50 yards. Very impressive. Especially 9 shot. Typically I used 5-6 shot for turkeys out to 40 yards and #4 out to 50. Haven't hunted turkeys with a gun in many years. Use archery gear today so much more limited for range.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Thats one of the better patterns ive ever seen. How does it do with bigger shot?

 

[Dave Way]

Thats one of the better patterns ive ever seen. How does it do with bigger shot?

Dusty,

I have only shot #8 and #9 Tungsten shot through it. The #8 had similar results although the pattern was not quite as evenly distributed, especially in the outer ring. I would guess three things account for the pattern. The choke is an Indian Creek Black Diamond Strike Turkey tube and it has some unique features that slow the wad. I have read that since Tungsten shot is quite round and very dense, those qualities tend to help hold a tight pattern. Lastly, these loads are developed and the shells are pretty much hand-loaded one at a time by Apex. I'm sure that attention to detail contributes to the pattern as well.

Dave.

 

[josh shrum]

This post is making me want to dig out the shotgun for spring turkey again, been using my bow the last few years, but this looks really promising!

 

[pikespeakgoat]

Thanks for the info, will have to check them out as I have been wanting to get the 20 out for turkey.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I use custom made rob roberts chokes. Hes an arkansas guy. May need to try some of those shells though. I use what they call missouri loads. Duplex or triplex heavy shot in a max load 3.5” 12ga. Aint much practicing with them i think the last ones i bought were $7 or $10ea

 

[JRS]

The choke makes all the difference in the world. I have tried them all and settled on Trulock choke tubes.

 

[farmerjohn]

Back in the previous century when I could still hear we bought shot shell components from a company called ballistics components? I think. Any way they sold over powder plastic cards with uncut wads that fit on top of the over powder card andyou cut the petals to what ever depth you wanted depending on what density and range you wanted. They had recipes also and one was called a "grease load" for turkeys. You cut the wad down halfway at 12 and 6 o'clock making just two petals, used 1&1/2 oz of nickel plated 7&1/2s. After you loaded the shell and before you crimped it you took a popsicle stick and packed wheel bearing grease into the shot, it was amazing how much grease you could pack in with out raising the level of the shot, any way when you had all you could pack in you crimped the shell. We used 2&3/4 in AAs. It was unbelievable, full choke 30in barrel would give 90% patterns at 45 and 50 yds, never figured out where the grease went, but we won ever turkey shoot we went to. Just shooting paper turkey heads you could use nickel plated 9s and get multiple hits at 60yds. Loads cronographd at around 1150. Wonder if they are still in business..... so much for the good old days.

 

[helmut in the bush]

That's a nice pattern. I bought a box of Magnum Blend and had success with it. Here's a video of the second half of this years double.

 

[Cecil S.]

Nice. Back in the day I used a Mossburg 835 and I thought that laid them out. Dang!

 

[Westhunder]

tungsten is the real deal... killed an impossible to call gobbler in Missouri on the last day of a trip at 78 yards! of course I would have never tried that shot if I didn't know that I could make it, extra full choke and 3.5' tungsten load out my super black eagle! ill never forget that story, and those hook spurs! Missouri grows some BIG eastern! that bad boy was 25 pounds +. well truthfully I murdered him after him standing me up for a week, he peaked his head around the corner to see what was up, and floppity flop

edit, it was Winchester loads, 60 bucks for 10 shells, and 5 shot, if you can find them. black box with silver writing. If they are priced lower than 60, don't buy them, trust me, they have several similar styles, if they are 60 or up, they are worth every penny!

 

[Dusty Stevens]

tungsten is the real deal... killed an impossible to call gobbler in Missouri on the last day of a trip at 78 yards! of course I would have never tried that shot if I didn't know that I could make it, extra full choke and 3.5' tungsten load out my super black eagle! ill never forget that story, and those hook spurs! Missouri grows some BIG eastern! that bad boy was 25 pounds +. well truthfully I murdered him after him standing me up for a week, he peaked his head around the corner to see what was up, and floppity flop

edit, it was Winchester loads, 60 bucks for 10 shells, and 5 shot, if you can find them. black box with silver writing. If they are priced lower than 60, don't buy them, trust me, they have several similar styles, if they are 60 or up, they are worth every penny!

Is that the longbeard XR?

 

[Blackthorn]

Back in the previous century when I could still hear we bought shot shell components from a company called ballistics components? I think. Any way they sold over powder plastic cards with uncut wads that fit on top of the over powder card andyou cut the petals to what ever depth you wanted depending on what density and range you wanted. They had recipes also and one was called a "grease load" for turkeys. You cut the wad down halfway at 12 and 6 o'clock making just two petals, used 1&1/2 oz of nickel plated 7&1/2s. After you loaded the shell and before you crimped it you took a popsicle stick and packed wheel bearing grease into the shot, it was amazing how much grease you could pack in with out raising the level of the shot, any way when you had all you could pack in you crimped the shell. We used 2&3/4 in AAs. It was unbelievable, full choke 30in barrel would give 90% patterns at 45 and 50 yds, never figured out where the grease went, but we won ever turkey shoot we went to. Just shooting paper turkey heads you could use nickel plated 9s and get multiple hits at 60yds. Loads cronographd at around 1150. Wonder if they are still in business..... so much for the good old days.

Ballistic Products is still in business. I buy my nickel plated shot from them. Great supplier.

 

[Westhunder]

Is that the longbeard XR?

Let me see if I can find them. They are like gold I know that. Almost no store orders them bc they are so expensive.

 

[Westhunder]

Is that the longbeard XR?

Those are the knock offs, that won’t compare to the “real deal” Don’t think they make them anymore. I’ll do some more research for you and find out and a comparable load if you can’t get them, think I have 3 left, last me 3 more years at least before I have to cross that bridge.

 

[kneedtospeed]

ETHAN HENRY is Thee Best Turkey hunter in the World!

 

[EthanGA]

ETHAN HENRY View attachment 1071852 is Thee Best Turkey hunter in the World!

NUFF SAID !!!!!! lol what a great weekend ... " I GOT THAT TURKEY !!!!!!"

 

[Davisduckcalls]

Bahahahaha. Ol Turkey SLAYA!