2 ounce turkey load?

[Darren Haverstick]

Since I've only had my flintlock 12 bore a couple of years, I'm pretty green about what shoots the best out of it. However, I am very curious why I never see anyone post about shooting 2 ounces of shot in their turkey loads. I think the highest amount I've ever seen was 1 1/2 ounces. 2 oz is a pretty common load with modern shotguns. Is there some secret reason that I don't know about for why I shouldn't pour all that shot in my barrel?

 Thanks in advance,

 Darren

[Kermit]

Tell us about the rest of your load--shot size, powder and amount of same, wads/cards/and such. There's more to it than just the weight of the shot.

[Darren Haverstick]

Kermit, I'm not trying to work up a new load. I'm just curious why I have ever seen anyone post that they use 2 ounces of shot for a turkey load. It seems like 1 1/2 ounce is the largest I've ever read about anyone using.

My turkey load last year in my 12 bore was 80 grains FFF, overpowder card, 1/4" lubed wad, 1 1/2 oz. #6 shot, and an overshot card.

Darren

[No Deer]

Well, not speaking for anyone else, but I don't want to bust my shoulder for a turkey.  
I think the biggest difference is a lot of modern shotgun shooters seem to want to be able to kill a turkey out to 50 yards or more, if you read any of the magazines.  They either can't or don't have the patience to wait for the turkeys to get in close like we have to with muzzle loaders.  I have taken several turkeys at 20 yards or less with 1 1/4 oz. #5 shot with my 20 ga. tradegun, so I don't find it necessary to use a heavy load like 2 oz.

[greyhunter]

Well, not speaking for anyone else, but I don't want to bust my shoulder for a turkey.  
I think the biggest difference is a lot of modern shotgun shooters seem to want to be able to kill a turkey out to 50 yards or more, if you read any of the magazines.  They either can't or don't have the patience to wait for the turkeys to get in close like we have to with muzzle loaders.  I have taken several turkeys at 20 yards or less with 1 1/4 oz. #5 shot with my 20 ga. tradegun, so I don't find it necessary to use a heavy load like 2 oz.

I totally agree, have shot many turkeys, none over 25 yards. Shooting a turkey at 50-60 yards loses a lot of the hunt. I have had them close enough to hear them spit and drum, and it just takes patience to wait for em.  But it's your hunt not mine so have at it!

[Captchee]

For me haverstick , the reason is that I don’t really get all that much better of a pattern with a 2 oz load  then I do from  1 ½ oz  of 7 ½  .
 I think maybe why you see 2 oz in  cartridge loads  maybe partly what the others have said , but also  realize that a lot of those so called turkey loads are also 2 and 4’s  . so you get the higher oz weight so as to give alittle more shot count in the shell .

 That however doesn’t mean you cant use 2 oz in your 12 gage  if it improves  the pattern with 6’s  in your gun .
 Now speaking again just for me , I don’t body shoot turkey  . I chose to pattern for head shots . As such I don’t have a real need for the larger size shot or magnum loads .
1 ½ oz of 7 ½ shot over 70 grains of 2F in my 20 gage  does the job real well  even at 20-30 yards . Past that  I just don’t shoot .

[prairie dog]

It's all about the pattern.  I use 2 ounce loads of #6 shot in a modern 870 and it patterns fine.  That may be because the shot is hard shot, it's copper plated, and it's loaded with buffering material.

I killed a gobbler Saturday morning with my trade gun loaded with 1 1/4 ounces of #6 shot and 80 grains of FF Goex.  That load gave me the best pattern out of the cylinder bore and it was turkey good at 30 yards.  I shot my bird at 25 yards.

I've also killed a lot of turkey with a 20 gauge load of 1 1/8 ounce of # 7/12 shot.  

To me, it isn't about how far away I can shoot a turkey, it's about what patterns best in my gun and calling the birds within range.

[Darren Haverstick]

Thanks for the responses, folks. This last weekend, I made some paper shot cups, used the turkey load I used last year (see above) and put 15 pellets in a turkey head target at 30 yards. That's good enough for me!

Darren

[Longhunter]

Thanks for the responses, folks. This last weekend, I made some paper shot cups, used the turkey load I used last year (see above) and put 15 pellets in a turkey head target at 30 yards. That's good enough for me!

That's darn good I'd say.  

[Geezer in NH]

Since I've only had my flintlock 12 bore a couple of years, I'm pretty green about what shoots the best out of it. However, I am very curious why I never see anyone post about shooting 2 ounces of shot in their turkey loads. I think the highest amount I've ever seen was 1 1/2 ounces. 2 oz is a pretty common load with modern shotguns. Is there some secret reason that I don't know about for why I shouldn't pour all that shot in my barrel?

 Thanks in advance,

 Darren

Knight rifles caused a lot of this. The idiots there thought more is better never mind trying to hunt correctly.

Branch had a hard time explaining this load but the INC made it right.

Like recoil, like chance of hurting yourself, no self of self preservation GO FOR IT. Note Knight is gone, Note EBSCO Last owner of both dumped GMRB.

I hope the new owner of GM makes a diff but I will not hold my breath.

Sorry for the rant, You do not need that amount of shot to hunt turkey.

[Smallpatch]

I've used 2oz in a 10ga. 130g FFFg . 11 kill pellets in a turkey head target @50yds. You an see the target I posted under the jug choking topic.