OT - 16 Gauge Turkey Loads

[Bruce]

I recently inherited my fathers Browning Sweet Sixteen, which I had bought him some years back. He never really hunted with it, but I plan on using it at least once this turkey season. I am and have always been a rifle hunter, but I do have a good background with shotguns also - just not the 16 gauge for turkeys. I have killed a lot of turkeys, but all but one were with a .22 LR of some sort shooting mostly Stingers. I have only been able to find Winchester #6 shot and Fiocchi #4 shot, both 2 3/4 high velocity. I know I need to pattern both rounds to see what I get, but I am interested in hearing any field reports concerning the effectiveness of the 16 gauge #4 vs. #6. BTW, here in north Florida, they are beginning to gobble fairly good and we have a great number of birds again.

Also, concerning the one turkey I shot with a shotgun. It was a 12 gauge double barrel black powder rig that I built from a kit. I know it will sound stupid (funny to some), but I shot that gobbler at about 7 steps with both heavily loaded barrels at the same time - yep I did. Don't ask why as there is no reasonable explanation that I can give - it just seemed right at the time. When the smoke cleared and I got up from the ground - there was not much left of the bird. Don't try this one at home or in the woods.

[Modoc ED]

I don't think I've ever seen a 16ga shotgun being used for turkey hunting. That's not to say they aren't used -- I've just never seen one. The 12ga rules supreme; however, in recent years the 20ga is starting to come on strong. Federal and other ammunition manufactures make a lot of 12ga specific turkey loads along with 20ga specific turkey loads too.

All that said, I'd think that if you used some #5s or #6s (higher pellet counts for each) and used a tight choke (full, maybe super full) the 16ga would make a good turkey shooter out to say, 40-yards, maybe 50-yards. I don't recall seeing any super full chokes for 16ga though.

I use 12ga myself for turkey hunting and have had good success out to 60+ yards with turkey specific ammunition (Hevi 13 and Federal Turkey).

[Slick13]

I recently inherited my fathers Browning Sweet Sixteen, which I had bought him some years back. He never really hunted with it, but I plan on using it at least once this turkey season.

First, you need to find out what your gun is choked. If it isn't Full (but is a more open choke like Improved Cylinder or Modified), you're going to have to call the turkeys in close (inside 20 yards). I've patterend my Full choke 16 ga Ithaca and 30 yards is about max range for upland birds with 1 1/8 oz of large shot (4, 5 or 6), and even then things are getting spotty. I can stretch 1 1/8 oz of #6 out of 35 yards, but the pattern is too weak with 4 and 5 shot at that distance. At 20 yards though, the pattern would take a turkeys head off with 1 oz or 1 1/8 oz of shot.

The heaviest factory load you're going to find is from Federal, and it's a magnum 1 1/4 oz load. That's heavy for a 16 ga, but is the standard shot charge for 12 ga field loads, and is 3/4 oz less shot that what many people use for turkey.

I've patterened Fiochi's 16 ga Golden Pheasant load (1 1/8 oz of #5) through my Ithaca and the patterns were horrible.

If I was going to hunt turkey with my 16, I'd use Winchester's 1 1/8 oz of #4, and be prepared to call them in around 20 to 25 yards away.

~Michael

[Pisgah]

I have cleanly killed turkeys out to 30 yards with a 20 ga.cylinder bore muzzleloader and #6 shot. Either one of the 16 ga. loads you mention should do at least as well, even if your choke is improved cylinder. Get yourself s few turkey trgets and pattern your gun. You will be able to rely on it at any range you can get 6-8 or more pe3llets into lethal areas -- brain and spine.

Just a few days ago, i violated one of my own rules and called while I was out scouting. I got an immediate gobble from no more than 150 yards away, sat down immediately under a tree, and within 3 minutes had a gobbler checking things out no more than 10 yards away. I sat still as a stone, and within a few minutes he wandered off, so hopefully I didn't educate him -- he would've gone a good 20 lbs., with a 10-inch beard, and I could've shot him several times if the season had been open.

[Monticello1957]

The best load I have used to my satisfaction is #5. Sometimes difficult to find Locally but ordering online thru Midway or Cabelas they are easy to find. I have used them in a Sweet Sixteen and an L.C. Smith and never been happier with the patterns and knockdown. One of my favorite loads, more pellets than 4's and better knockdown than 6's.

[Gobblerforge]

Your 16 will do fine within it's limitations. Here's the one thing to remember about shotgun shooting. The shot, weather it is a #4, #5 or #6 is an independent projectile once the wad separates from the shot column. At this point it boils down to effective range of the shot. A #4 will have an effective range farther than a #6 at a given speed. Now all that matters is shot numbers. As Pisgah said, putting 6 or 10 shot pellets into a killing pattern regularly will down a bird. Now will your gun do that? Patterning will tell you. A .410 will kill just as effectively as a 10 ga. given shot placement. The shot doesn't care what it was shot out of. Only where it's going, how many friends it has with it and will it have enough energy to do the job once it gets there.
As an old timer once told me. "Turkeys are like grouse. Not hard to kill, just darned hard to hit."
Gobbler

[RIHMFIRE]

I have not yet used my 16 on turkeys.....
but once you pattern your gun at 30 yards or so...
I think what you have, will be just fine...
Just blind up good and call'em a close.......

Ya know it was just bike week here in Daytona...
and last thursday my dog started growling at the door...
so I grab a gun and went outside to investigate.....
Well, I dont live far from the Cabbage Patch, which is
a biker hang out....out in the country....surrounded
by cattle ranches and horse farms.....Well every time the
band hit a sour note..the coyotes would start howling...
then all the dogs started barking....
which got the peacock going...and they are loud...
then the turkeys would start gobbling...
and this is all happening around midnight....pretty funny
But i have not heard them in the morning yet....
anyway ...Good luck hunting...

[tman]

good hunters kill turkeys with .410's and .22's. the 16 is more than enough. don't let anybody tell you any different. range considerations and shot placement is the name of the game. pattern your gun, keep your shots under forty yards. learn to consentrate your shot pattern on the turkey's neck. good hunting!

[Hobie]

If you have a full-choke I'd just use a heavy load of #6s and shoot for the head.

[Bruce]

It will be at least tomorrow before I can pattern the two different rounds. It looks like I will be calling for a few old timers before I go off on my own. I have an uncle who used to love to turkey hunt, but can not hear very well and has limitations due to past injuries. Carried him out Sunday morning for a dry run and had a few that responded and got his blood boiling. Then the hunt club manager asked me to carry out one of our older members who lives out of state. He has cancer and would really like to get a turkey. Those will be my first priorities.

I will let you know how this Browning likes the different loads. BTW, I cleaned my uncles 1972 era 12 gauge Ithaca Model 37 pump shotgun w/ 30" or 32" (?) barrel yesterday - it really needed it bad. I shot it for a function check afterwards and that thing holds a great pattern with #6's.

[Hobie]

It will be at least tomorrow before I can pattern the two different rounds. It looks like I will be calling for a few old timers before I go off on my own. I have an uncle who used to love to turkey hunt, but can not hear very well and has limitations due to past injuries. Carried him out Sunday morning for a dry run and had a few that responded and got his blood boiling. Then the hunt club manager asked me to carry out one of our older members who lives out of state. He has cancer and would really like to get a turkey. Those will be my first priorities.

I will let you know how this Browning likes the different loads. BTW, I cleaned my uncles 1972 era 12 gauge Ithaca Model 37 pump shotgun w/ 30" or 32" (?) barrel yesterday - it really needed it bad. I shot it for a function check afterwards and that thing holds a great pattern with #6's.

Those are the best hunts.

[RIHMFIRE]

It will be at least tomorrow before I can pattern the two different rounds. It looks like I will be calling for a few old timers before I go off on my own. I have an uncle who used to love to turkey hunt, but can not hear very well and has limitations due to past injuries. Carried him out Sunday morning for a dry run and had a few that responded and got his blood boiling. Then the hunt club manager asked me to carry out one of our older members who lives out of state. He has cancer and would really like to get a turkey. Those will be my first priorities.

I will let you know how this Browning likes the different loads. BTW, I cleaned my uncles 1972 era 12 gauge Ithaca Model 37 pump shotgun w/ 30" or 32" (?) barrel yesterday - it really needed it bad. I shot it for a function check afterwards and that thing holds a great pattern with #6's.

Those are the best hunts.

YEP! he has his priorities straight!
Good man!

[Rusty]

Bruce I don't know how it is up your way but down here I've noticed a lot more Oceolas out than in years past. I'm seeing birds where I've never seen them before and where I have seen 'em before I'm seeing a lot more . I was out on the 417 east of Orlando and saw 20-25 birds all together. Too bad they were on the right of way. At least they're out there breeding.

Good luck with the old timers.