20g for turkey

[bankwalker]

Anyone using a 20g for turkey? If so. What is the realistic shot range with turkey specific ammo.

[C-Money]

I'd set up a target out to 40 yards and give it a go. I'd be surprised if your pattern wasn't lethal at 40 yards using a good quality turkey load. 1 1/4oz of #5s launched from a 20ga surly will do the trick!

[birddogdad]

yes, 20 GA with 3" 1 5/8 #9 TSS good to 60 yards once you get a good pattern/ right choke and gun setup but my standard is 40yds to setup for the shot. never had one get away inside of 60.

[phildobaggins]

yes, 20 GA with 3" 1 5/8 #9 TSS good to 60 yards once you get a good pattern/ right choke and gun setup but my standard is 40yds to setup for the shot. never had one get away inside of 60.

  I've never used a 12 gauge on a turkey. I always use my 20 gauge or my bow 

[B0wman]

People get way too hung up on and rely on ‘more and bigger’. 20 will work fine with the right load, as will as other small gauges.
Same with a bow.

[phildobaggins]

People get way too hung up on and rely on ‘more and bigger’. 20 will work fine with the right load, as will as other small gauges.
Same with a bow.

Registered 10 years ago and first post finally... congrats 

[birddogdad]

yes, 20 GA with 3" 1 5/8 #9 TSS good to 60 yards once you get a good pattern/ right choke and gun setup but my standard is 40yds to setup for the shot. never had one get away inside of 60.

  I've never used a 12 gauge on a turkey. I always use my 20 gauge or my bow 

i walk a lot of mountains for turkeys, carrying a 5# 20 ga is very nice compared to a heavy 12 ga .. this was my reason to downsize with TSS for sure.. many semi's are now in that 5# class, i run a red dot, .555 tss choke tube, and specialty outdoor rubber sling is my setup.

[washingtonmuley]

I put a 20 gauge together for my kids when they were younger and that thing has killed birds out to 50 yds. we using hvy shot blend but liked heavy wt #9's when they were available. I like the performance so much that I carry the 20 often when not hunting with the kids.

[GWP]

People get way too hung up on and rely on ‘more and bigger’. 20 will work fine with the right load, as will as other small gauges.
Same with a bow.

Registered 10 years ago and first post finally... congrats 

‘Professional’ lurker for the most part. Fade to black. Again.

[salish]

I'll be hunting this year with a 20ga 3" using a tight choke of .555 and Apex TSS #9. I hope I don't regret buying that tight of a choke. Don't want to throw baseball sized patterns at 20-25 yards, but from what I've heard it's a good 40 yard combo, and longer. If it's overkill I can always use the more open factory choke. The manufacturer lists the gun as weighing 5-1/4 lbs, so it's going to nice to carry.

[GWP]

From what I have read on TSS, it is even harder than Hevi-Shot. Does the manufacturer suggest that tight of a choke? I have seen barrels hammered out from ‘hard shot’.

[bankwalker]

Awesome thanks for the replies.

[Karl Blanchard]

20 gauge?! Heck .410 and tss is scary good. I recently picked up a little rossi tuffy turkey for my son and with red dot its under 4lb. Amazing pattern out to 60 yards.

[HillHound]

20 gauge?! Heck .410 and tss is scary good. I recently picked up a little rossi tuffy turkey for my son and with red dot its under 4lb. Amazing pattern out to 60 yards.

Wow 60 yards with a 410! That’s got to be with the TSS loads and choke right? I also started my son and wife hunting turkeys with the 20 gauge and take it often myself over the 12 even if they aren’t going. As everyone will tell you it’s all about knowing your pattern and effective range. Shoot you could take a 10 gauge out and not know your pattern and Karl’s  gonna be more deadly with his 410 than your gonna be with the 10 gauge at any range

[birddogdad]

From what I have read on TSS, it is even harder than Hevi-Shot. Does the manufacturer suggest that tight of a choke? I have seen barrels hammered out from ‘hard shot’.

simply = yes, but shot size is restricted in those ultra tight tubes.. smaller ok larger not.. clear on manf. instructions... 9TSS hits like 4 lead at 40yds.. density is high and energy is maintained.. kind of like tossing a baseball and wiffleball same initial velocity.. impact energy is much higher with first..TSS is no joke and with 9shot size, you clear like 3x the number of pellets for same round which means pattern density is much higher too. still only takes a couple pellets in the kill zone even for that tiny size pellet. they will break bones out there~!