Ammunition
Copyright © 1998 -
2021
Roger W. Raisch * Nadine Adele, all rights reserved
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CUSTOM Shotgun
Chokes
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WorldChampion
Comp-N-Choke
as low as $
47.99
for
Remington, Benelli, Beretta, Mossberg,
Winchoke
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The common wisdom is
that turkey hunters need as much shot as possible in a shotgun shell to be fired at a
turkey. Also, the tighter the choke the better. Ballistics
research has shown, however, that problems occur with some magnum loads combined with very
tight chokes. Heavy shot loads in a shotshell with
mismatched powder can create a blown pattern. If too much shot is pushed by an
inadequate powder charge, uneven patterns with turkey-sized holes can develop. The
shot string can also be lengthened in this situation, resulting in less shot reaching the
target at the same time. With turkeys, even a short delay can be a problem.
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The rather recent
development of other types of shotshells adds to the confusion. Extra-heavy loads
(over 2 ounces in 3" magnum 12-gauge shells) developed for turkey hunting can pattern
impressively in some guns and perform poorly in others. These
Super-Magnum shells also carry quite a wallop when you "torch one off" and may
be more than some hunters can tolerate. Not to mention the difficulty in trying to
pattern these loads without flinching. Closing your eyes, or flinching as you pull
the trigger while shooting at a turkey is a guaranteed recipe for a miss, or worse yet, a
crippled turkey.
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The only way to
determine the best load for your gun is to pattern it with several combinations of shot
and powder charges. Performance will probably vary between
different brands of shells fired from the same gun. Any
serious turkey hunter that fails to plan a good patterning session is planning to
fail!
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Patterning has the
added advantage of helping you determine the maximum range at which your gun will
consistently kill a turkey with a given load. Any
gun/shotshell combination that always places at least 6 pellets in the head and neck of a
turkey-sized target at 40 yards is adequate. Even though I shoot a 12 gauge with
magnum loads, all but a few of the adult gobblers I have bagged with a single shot were
well inside 40 yards...probably an average of about 25 yards. Not many 12 gauge guns
will pattern consistently beyond 40 yards with any load. Some guns do not center
their pattern to the point of aim, another problem that can only be detected by patterning
tests.
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Try magnum loads in
#4, #5, and #6 shot, with various combinations of powder and ounces of shot until you have
the best load that will pattern correctly. Sometimes
fewer ounces of shot will pattern better than heavier loads. For example, in my
12-gauge a 2 ounce or 2 1/4 ounce magnum load of #5 shot won't pattern as well as a
1 5/8 ounce load. Bigger is not always better when it comes to shells.
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Duplex loads, those
consisting of two different sizes of shot, provide poor energy retention beyond the range
of the smallest shot size and will not pattern as far as a single shot-size load.
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I prefer a 3-inch magnum
load, with buffered copper-plated shot, because these loads pattern better than
non-buffered loads. #5 shot is my current favorite shot size.
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Ladies and
Gentlemen.....Pattern Your Guns! |
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Picatinny
Rail Mounting Kit™ ...
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