Hunting with non turkey specific ammo?

[Dhamilton1]

I have enough 20 gauge turkey ammo to last a couple more seasons. However, I have noticed that no stores around have 20 gauge turkey loads.

My question is this; what is a good alternative to turkey specific ammo to hunt with? I saw someone state that pheasant ammo works. Shot size and velocities look good on pheasant ammo.

What are the cons of using non turkey specific ammo?


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[crow]

If they pattern in your gun there are no cons other than you'll probably lose some distance on your max yardage

in a 20ga you probably won't get to 40yds with lead pheasant, they'll have the energy but not the pattern

I hunt with Fio golden pheasant in the right barrel of a 20ga sxs in the fall and sometimes in spring.

Turkey loads generally have bigger payloads, better wads and sometimes buffer to help with tighter patterns

[Turkeytaker203]

Your gun will tell you if non turkey ammo will work for you. A few years back I bought a case of Federal 12gauge 3" Prairie Storm #5's that was too cheap to pass up. One day I was patterning a few guns and grabbed some of the Prairie Storm. My Franchi Intensity with a Gobblin' Thunder choke tube loved it. Most of the other guns I tried it in were not that impressive. They all would kill a turkey but only the Franchi had a really great pattern. I decided to use the Prairie Storm that fall and killed two birds. I would agree that you may give up some distance but I usually hunt wooded areas and have most of my shots pretty close. I did the math and I had paid 31 cents per shell. Quite a bit cheaper than the TSS I have shot that ran almost $8.00 per shell. Having said that I would only use the Prairie Storm in a pinch. My turkey killing ammo gives me more confidence.

[TonyTurk]

The old 20 gauge my son started with has a 2 3/4 in chamber with a fixed factory choke.  There are very few if any 20 gauge turkey loads that aren't 3 inches.

Federal Prairie Storm 6s shoot great out of that gun and will flatten a Tom.  Out to about 25 yards. The pattern gets too dicey after that.   But if you shot them through a turkey choke, I imagine you could extend that range a bit.

[bbcoach]

IMO it comes down to pattern density, as others have said.  The rule of thumb is 100 pellets in a 10 inch circle at a given yardage.  With a 20 gauge and lead shot that maybe 30 yards TOPS.  With a 12 gauge, you are probably looking at 40.  Only you, your gun and choke will tell with range time.  Before the advent of Hevi shot, TSS, 3 and 3 1/2 inch guns and tight turkey chokes, when lead was KING along with only fixed full choke barrels, 2 3/4 inch #4 lead could only be relied on to a certain distance as well.  If you switch, you will need range time to see what yardage that is and then call THEM in close.

[PALongspur]

A lot of turkeys died in the days before they put turkey pictures on shotgun shell boxes.

[GobbleNut]

The REAL "con" in this discussion is that if you don't have the self-discipline not to shoot at turkeys beyond the ranges that these less-lethal loads will actually KILL gobblers at, you are going to leave wounded gobblers in the woods as predator bait.  Shooting at a gobbler at 40 yards with a load that won't kill them cleanly beyond 25 or 30 yards is a sure recipe for that, and from what I have personally seen, there are an awful lot of hunters in the woods that don't have the self-discipline to limit their shots to the range their weapon and load are capable of. 

Of course, this same logic also applies to those guys that shoot guns and loads that will kill a turkey stone-dead at 60 yards but then are willing to take the "golden BB" shot at 80. 

Bottom line is that there are few places in this country that, even with today's limited supplies of ammunition, a turkey hunter can't find a box of turkey loads of some sort to shoot.  Anybody that will not make that effort and will shoot an inadequate load because they have them sitting around, or they found them on sale at the local thrift shop, is just irresponsible, in my opinion.  Give these great game birds the respect they deserve by making the effort to use an effective weapon and load to hunt them with.  That is the least any of us can do.   

[Turkeyman]

Of course, this same logic also applies to those guys that shoot guns and loads that will kill a turkey stone-dead at 60 yards but then are willing to take the "golden BB" shot at 80. 

Bingo. A lot of guys, regardless of shell used, suffer from the "One lucky BB syndrome."

[jordanz7935]

The con of using non turkey specific loads in a 20 ga would be that you have a 30 yard gun.

[wvmntnhick]

A lot of turkeys died in the days before they put turkey pictures on shotgun shell boxes.

This right here. In the fall of the year I've killed birds with low brass #6's while squirrel hunting. Used to always carry a turkey call in my pocket in case a flock was busted up during the hunt. Had to pay attention to distance for sure but never had an issue so long as I did my part. Always enjoyed the overlap of those seasons. Gave the hunt a little something special when things worked out like that.

Oh!! Should also add that a buddy of mine used to turkey hunt in the fall only. His shotgun (only one he had) was a 20 ga with fixed modified choke. He killed as many birds as anyone I knew at that point in my life and that's still all he uses.


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[outdoorsmen]

I set up my young son to shoot 2.75" 1oz #6 remington shurshot heavy dove loads. Want to keep recoil down to as little as possible in his 1187 20ga.

[GobbleNut]

I set up my young son to shoot 2.75" 1oz #6 remington shurshot heavy dove loads. Want to keep recoil down to as little as possible in his 1187 20ga.

Lots of questions about this in my mind.  How old is your son?  Are you going to let him shoot TURKEYS with that load or is it just for target practice and then put a heavier load in his gun when actually turkey hunting? 

My thoughts are these (and I am not trying to start an argument here,...just my opinion).  If you are going to let him shoot THAT load at turkeys, they better be within twenty yards (or closer depending on the pattern of the gun).  You also better make sure he understands that he ONLY shoots at the turkeys head and neck and you should let him shoot at enough turkey targets to ensure he can do that consistently.

If you don't do the above, you are going to end up with one or more wounded gobblers running around in your woods if he uses that load to shoot at them. 

Having said the above, my sons both started turkey hunting with a .410 using high-brass number fours (decades ago where something better was not available).  I sat next to them with my 12 gauge gun (no youth seasons back then).  In case they shot at a gobbler and wounded it (which they never did), I was always ready to finish off a gobbler is necessary.  You should do the same...

[outdoorsmen]

Yes that is his hunting load and he killed his first bird at age 9. The gun had a red dot sight so aiming is easier. I started with a regular full choke to allow for more wiggle room in aiming but switched to a super full. Shots have been 25yds timber hunting.
.410 is not legal in Illinois which sucks for getting youth involved at an early age.

[Master Gobbie]

I have enough 20 gauge turkey ammo to last a couple more seasons. However, I have noticed that no stores around have 20 gauge turkey loads.

My question is this; what is a good alternative to turkey specific ammo to hunt with? I saw someone state that pheasant ammo works. Shot size and velocities look good on pheasant ammo.

What are the cons of using non turkey specific ammo?

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I'm setting aside some of my Hevi-X Tungsten #6 shot for emergency turkey loads. I've been shooting that load at waterfowl for 3 seasons now, having gone through at least 4 cases. It patterns absolutely amazing and always gets a jaw dropping response from those who haven't witnessed it.

Con: PRICE!!!

[surehuntsalot]

If you turkey hunt instead of turkey shoot, most of the 2-3/4" shells will work in a 20ga if you do your part.