For the past two weeks I've been worried to death that my new 870 20 gauge is not patterning good enough. I've polished the barrel (using techinques provided on this site). I drove over 100 miles RT to buy one box of Remington Hevishot in size 6 to try. Bought no less then four choke tubes and as I reckon I now have 7 boxes of different 20 gauge ammo now in my collection.

This morning I shot 28 rounds of turkey ammo in about 20 different configurations (chokes, loads etc) trying to find "THE LOAD"

Finally settled on the 100 Mile RT box of Remington Hevishot in size 6 with the factory turkey tube as being good enough (125 hits in a 10" circle at 35 yards) and could feel the pressure start to go down.

Just sat down a few minutes ago and reviewed my targets. I have deligently counted holes while reviewing each choke load combination.

Finally the better half walked by and gave me that look

You know that "all men are crazy look" (course she was watching QVC at the time )

I went back and started looking at the various targets (HS strutt targets over a kraft paper background. Realized pretty quickly that at least half of what I had crossed off as not being good enough would have anchored a turkey at 30 yards. I mean splattered.

Have come to the conclusion that all this internet stuff has turned me (and many others) into fanatics. Heck 15 years ago I had a Remington 1100 SP (the ones that had the parkerized wood stocks). It was my duck, goose, turkey, groundhog, crow and everything else gun. Back then not knowing any better I actually bought a box of whatever 3" shells Walmart had and goodness forbid my target was a old beer can I stuck up in a tree limb. Stepped off about forty yards and fired. The can flew and I walked up and counted 4 or 5 holes and said good enough.

As I recall I killed two turkeys (this was down in Texas mind you) that year and my buddy (Vagrousehunter) flew down and he killed his first Rio with the same gun.

Never once patterned that gun on a paper target. Never even thought about it. Figured out if it could hit a beer can at 40 yards that was good enough.

Of course I sold that gun a few years ago. Had to have a better gun. Needed all the camo and better patterns etc. Now have three dedicated turkey guns. All Camo of course. Even have a red dot sight and a new Pentax lightseeker with the turkey reticle to try out. Just ordered a saddle mount to go on that new 870 20 gauge.

Anyway folks. I'm thinking we (including me) have turned this into the "Quest for the Holy Grail", or at least the turkey hunting version. Everybody is bragging about how many hits, Nitro's, Hevi-13, etc etc. If you can't get 200 hits at 40 yards with your 12 gauge your nothing and you may be a "girly man" to boot.

Think I'm going to sit back and bit and let all of this pass on by and just concentrate on being a better hunter and trying to get them good an close. Dead is dead whether it is being hit in the head by 5 pellets or 30 pellets. Anyway, that is my motto for this coming season.

PS. I leave for Kansas for my Rio hunt there in about three weeks. Think I'll be carrying by Remington 1187 Super-Mag with Hevi-13's (the old white shell) which will provide those 200 hits at 40 yards.

Maybe. But I like to look at it this way; we owe it to the game we hunt to make sure the loads and chokes we're using will make a quick and humane kill.
Everyone should know what their gun/choke/shell combo will do at various yardages just out of respect for this bird that gives us so much enjoyment.

barry

No , some have just gotten in their heads that tighter is better.

A turkey gun must deliver an even pattern ( no holes) w/ enough density to put at least 8+ pellets in the head neck of a turkey (or about 10-12 in a 3 1/2 circle) at the ranges you are going to shoot at said turkey. And do it every time. That said my gun will do this at <44yds . I will shoot at a gobbler at 40 yds or less . So my combination gives me a little insurance at 40 should I miss judge a little and still give me a good ( ie big enough) pattern at 25-30 yds where most of my ts are taken. So I think you should want the BIGGEST , evenest, pttern w/ enough density at the ranges you shoot + a few Extra yds. Win Hv 6s do it for me. Tighter is n't always better. Imho

My gobblers were taken at 10 ,18, 22 yds last spring I don't want a bullet at that range if i don't need it.

Birddog makes a good point, if your like me and get the shakes something awful when the old bird comes in it can be pretty hard to hit em up close, i can say, not so proudly just read on, that i have never missed a turkey passed 25 yards, not once. Unfortunately i have missed more than i am willing to admit truthfully inside of 25, think i might learn to shoot em when they hit 30 yards, but not me its always closer, closer, closer booom, flap flap flap, i sure love seeing a gobbler spittin and drummin at 10 yards, what a sight, unfortunately all too often i've seen em flying away shortly after, or had to take em with that pride saving 2nd shot. Most all turkeys i've killed or shot at have been inside 20 yards, i have actually thought about getting a friend to load a 3.5 inch with 7 1/2's for me to put in the chamber for that first shot, and whenever i hunt with a friend i carry my old ithaca pump with a modified choke, but yes i've missed with that too up close.

I don't think so. If you take the time to pattern your gun and get to know it, how it shoots, build the muscle memory you will be a better shooter and more confident.

I also don't think you can shoot too much with your deer rifle or any other weapon. It's a good thing to know where your shot is going when you pull the trigger.

As to super tight patterns, if that's what you want and you know how it shoots from 10 yards to 40 yards go for it. I see it like alot of rifle shooters who try to make the smallist groups possible. Is it neccesary to shoot a deer at 50 yards? Not really, Minute Of Deer, will kill them, but it sure is fun to see a .5 MOA

I think the only time getting hung up on pattern might be a problem is if you're trying to make a gun do something it shouldn't being doing anyway....like get an extra 10 yards.

Probably more than a few birds running around with a little lead because guns were adequately patterned when a shot was taken in suitable range......so it's always good to make adjustments in preparation for the season.

Yes and no, if I hadn't been concerned about my new Stoeger's pattern, I would not have known that it shoots low and left (see Stoeger Model 2000? post) and probaly needs some factory type work. BUT, I think we do get caught up in the more perfect gun/pattern/etc., the holy grain of turkey guns that may not be attainable. I don't really care though what people do as long as they're having fun doing it!

We are all saying certainly pattern your gun before you hit the woods, you must know what it will do . but your gun doesn't have to shoot as tight as the next guys, just make it shoot the best it can for your hunting purposes.

Ditto!

if you can put 15 or more pellets in a 3.5 inch circle at 40 yards with any load (except maybe 7.5 shot) you have a load to go hunt with...as i've said many times before you can only kill them so dead. dead is dead...

Diablo, have your min requirements gone up?
(Diablo Jan. 11,2005)

my bad BD...10 is the magic number...

If it was indeed 15, I'm afraid I don't have any turkey guns worth a darn. Now with 10 hits I'm relieved, I've got at least two guns which will do that at 40 yards.

i hear ya man!!.. i know one thing about all that shootin you have done.. i bet your shoulder and cheek hurt like crazy!.. i just shot my remington 870 12 gauge.. just 3 shots! and my shoulder still hurts like crazy... and my cheek has a heck of a bruise on it!... granted! i know what works now! =)

I definitely think we can get obsessed with patterns to a fault. But if you're still having fun with it, it's cool! After all, this whole hunting thing is really something we do just for the pleasure of it--we don't hunt to live anymore. If patterning shotguns until you can put all your shot inside 5 inches at 100 yards is what you love to do, have fun!! But, if it's becoming a stress-fest, just leave well enough alone.