Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: bankwalker on May 18, 2009, 08:34:53 PM

Title: 20ga big enough?
Post by: bankwalker on May 18, 2009, 08:34:53 PM: would a 20ga be good enough for turkey? if so what distance should i limit myself to?
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: jackelope on May 18, 2009, 09:43:03 PM: pattern it.
30-35 yards based on pattern.
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: Wacenturion on May 18, 2009, 10:23:39 PM: Absolutely...as Jackelope said. A good turkey choke will also help.
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: OneHorn on May 18, 2009, 10:32:29 PM: my first 5 birds as a youngster were killed with a mossberg 20 gauge. A good choke can go a long ways.
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: bankwalker on May 18, 2009, 11:08:54 PM: this is just a single shot 20ga no choke. ive killed grouse out to 50yds with it...but thats beyond any sort of "pattern" and more of a lob shot.
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: Intruder on May 19, 2009, 10:14:06 AM: Proper choke and proper load a 20 gauge will cover about 90+% of the shots you'd ever encounter.
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: fishunt247 on May 19, 2009, 12:17:22 PM: OneHorn and I used to shoot Mossburg 20's with the HS Undertaker Choke, shooting number fives. We killed lots of birds with them. One bird I stepped off to 42 steps. Like everyone said, pattern it.
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: turkeydancer on May 19, 2009, 12:34:56 PM: As said, pattern ... NWTF recommends a minimum 6 hits in the vitals of a turkey target (I myself perfer at least a dozen). My first bird was killed at 7 steps (yards) ... most have been within 20 yards even though I can harvest one at 45 to 50 yards. But the bottom line is this: only shoot as far as your gun is effective for a clean, ethical kill .... be patient and get them close enough you won't just wound one and have it run off to die elsewhere. You will spend a fair amount of money and time in the pursuit, and it's no fun going home with an empty cooler and having to ask for someone's turkey tag soup recipe.
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: dawei on May 19, 2009, 12:59:11 PM: The evolution (improvement) of 20ga ammunition is absolutely mind boggling. HTL (heavier than lead) loads, Flitecontrol™ technology have really brought the 20ga into the big leagues as far as turkey hunting is concerned. Here are two patterns w/Pb to use as a guide from two different 20ga guns.........
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi103.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fm150%2Fdawei851%2FWinSupreme13125oz4Hastings570.jpg&hash=4c74bcea9f74ab46a1a08a027d83fba02eb18264)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi103.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fm150%2Fdawei851%2FRemNitro5Colonial570.jpg&hash=755a4e4bfea7a326e34829fd19ee97d6e2f006b3)
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: C-Money on May 19, 2009, 01:40:41 PM: Those are deadly 30 yard targets with your 20ga!
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: bankwalker on May 19, 2009, 02:05:17 PM: Quote from: dawei on May 19, 2009, 12:59:11 PM
The evolution (improvement) of 20ga ammunition is absolutely mind boggling. HTL (heavier than lead) loads, Flitecontrol™ technology have really brought the 20ga into the big leagues as far as turkey hunting is concerned. Here are two patterns w/Pb to use as a guide from two different 20ga guns.........
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi103.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fm150%2Fdawei851%2FWinSupreme13125oz4Hastings570.jpg&hash=4c74bcea9f74ab46a1a08a027d83fba02eb18264)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi103.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fm150%2Fdawei851%2FRemNitro5Colonial570.jpg&hash=755a4e4bfea7a326e34829fd19ee97d6e2f006b3)

wow that really makes me second guess buying a 12ga with those patterns at 30yds.
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: dawei on May 19, 2009, 05:02:51 PM: Quote from: bankwalker on May 19, 2009, 02:05:17 PM
wow that really makes me second guess buying a 12ga with those patterns at 30yds.
Well please understand I had to shoot a couple of hundred rounds through about 10 different chokes to get there! :o 8) :rolleyes: But what I have now are two 20ga guns, each with a super LEAD load. :) ;) :IBCOOL: With these two guns, one shooting #5's and the other #4's I have a self imposed limit of 35yds. I tried a lot of shots w/Hevi•Shot™ and then Hevi13™ and was VERY DISAPPOINTED! I'd get a beautiful pattern and then the next 4-6 shots would be terrible; then I'd get a good pattern again. The problem, for me, is Hevi•Shot™ IS NOT CONSISTENT. I have yet to try the Winchester®, Remington®, or Federal® versions of HTL. I'll start testing after the season closes.

FWIW I've got 12ga's that don't pattern as well as these two 20ga's. Clearly understand however that YMMV.
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: Mookie on May 20, 2009, 12:14:26 AM: I have a 20 with a poly choke so I cannot use steel shot. But I have found Federal 3" Mag Shot works good for me. Plenty of power and holds a good pattern.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=461548
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: strutnrut1984 on May 20, 2009, 11:07:40 AM: a 20 gauge will work fine, in the 30yd area
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: dawei on May 20, 2009, 12:33:43 PM: Quote from: strutnrut1984 on May 20, 2009, 11:07:40 AM
a 20 gauge will work fine, in the 30yd area
There are 20ga gun/load/choke combinations that are 100% 40yd turkey annihilators. (I just have not yet been able to achieve that). I've have a gun and load however that at 35yds will turn a rooster into a roaster via a Face Full of Fours!) Additionally if you wish to learn more about 20ga shotgunning for turkeys go here........

http://www.allaboutshooting.com/

http://oldgobbler.com/TheForum/index.php?PHPSESSID=f3c35540f1da7e7e673572f1ce75a058&board=2.0

http://www.nwtf.org/message_board/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=2&page=1
Title: Re: 20ga big enough?
Post by: Tom Tamer on May 20, 2009, 04:13:40 PM: Quote from: bankwalker on May 18, 2009, 11:08:54 PM
this is just a single shot 20ga no choke. ive killed grouse out to 50yds with it...but thats beyond any sort of "pattern" and more of a lob shot.

I used a 20 ga, full chokd barrel in an H&R single shot for a back up, my wife dropped a bird stone dead last year with that gun using plain old #4 federal( Not Turkey loads) As long as you can get a decent pattern and limit your distances, I won't go over 35 yards with mine.