16 gauge turkey load
- Thread starter rifleman8
- Start date
ligonierbill
New member
Tight choke, high brass, heavy load of #6. You're shooting for the head and neck.
bamaranger
New member
agreed
When I was younger, the 16 ga was still popular and you could find "short magnums", which I think held 1-1/4 oz of shot. Not sure about that, 40 years ago ya know. I don't know if a short mag in the 16 is marketed today or not. I certainly have never seen any "dedicated" 16 ga turkey loads as are now the rage.
In a 16 ga, I would go with #6 shot as l-bill advised. A load of 1-1/8 of #6 or maybe even 1-1/4 if you can find them, will be plenty for a turkey head/neck shot to 30-35 yds. Pattern your gun, (it is FULL choke right?) and get a sense of what 30-35 yds looks like in the woods, and you'll be fine.
To me,and any gun of mine I've shot it through, #4 shot, even in 3" 12 ga mag, produces patterns that are a bit thin to my liking. The best gun I've seen for #4 was a buddy's Browning 10ga pump. It was formidable. It also weighed a ton, and was near impossible to keep mounted for an incoming bird, or tote all morning up and down trying to catch up w/ a ridge running turkey. Sorry, got off track.
For quite a few years, I turkey hunted with an heirloom pump cause it was all I had w/ a full choke (Savage Model 1921 12 ga) and shot either 1-1/8 or 1-1/4 oz of #6 shot. It killed birds fine inside 35 yds.
BTW what county in PA are you hunting? I killed my first turkey, lo those many years ago, in Blair county, with the above mentioned Savage, on a SGL near Tyrone, about 1976. You could hunt all season and never see or hear another guy.
When I was younger, the 16 ga was still popular and you could find "short magnums", which I think held 1-1/4 oz of shot. Not sure about that, 40 years ago ya know. I don't know if a short mag in the 16 is marketed today or not. I certainly have never seen any "dedicated" 16 ga turkey loads as are now the rage.
In a 16 ga, I would go with #6 shot as l-bill advised. A load of 1-1/8 of #6 or maybe even 1-1/4 if you can find them, will be plenty for a turkey head/neck shot to 30-35 yds. Pattern your gun, (it is FULL choke right?) and get a sense of what 30-35 yds looks like in the woods, and you'll be fine.
To me,and any gun of mine I've shot it through, #4 shot, even in 3" 12 ga mag, produces patterns that are a bit thin to my liking. The best gun I've seen for #4 was a buddy's Browning 10ga pump. It was formidable. It also weighed a ton, and was near impossible to keep mounted for an incoming bird, or tote all morning up and down trying to catch up w/ a ridge running turkey. Sorry, got off track.
For quite a few years, I turkey hunted with an heirloom pump cause it was all I had w/ a full choke (Savage Model 1921 12 ga) and shot either 1-1/8 or 1-1/4 oz of #6 shot. It killed birds fine inside 35 yds.
BTW what county in PA are you hunting? I killed my first turkey, lo those many years ago, in Blair county, with the above mentioned Savage, on a SGL near Tyrone, about 1976. You could hunt all season and never see or hear another guy.
I used a 20 gauge with #6 for quite a few years, now I use #4 in that same 20 gauge. Both work equally well for me using an IM choke and 2 3/4" shells so your 16 gauge and #6 should be more than adequate. 3 1/2" Goose loads not necessary for a bird shot in the neck and under 40 yards even though most seem to think it is mandatory. They are tough but not that tough.
Jack O'Conner
New member
I hunt 'em with an antique single barrel Iver Johnson with FULL choke. My 16 has taken many many turkeys shooting high base #7.5 shot by Remington. The pattern is very tight at 20 yards which is plenty of reach for my style of hunting. #7.5 at this distance is practically a guillotine.
Jack
Jack
bamaranger
New member
I found some.....online anyhow
Yes, I know I have pulled a thread out of the grave, but I think this is worth it.
In fiddling around w/ two 16 ga guns here during gobbler season, I found online what could be 3 very good 16 ga loads for turkey.
-Hevishot marketed a 16 ga shell with 1-1/4 Oz of hevi #6 or #4 and called
the load, Hevishot duck. EXPENSIVE, but there are some still out there
at just over $40.00 a 10/box
-the "Nitro Ammunition Co" sells a 1-1/4 oz 16 ga load with hevi-shot,
oddly, the web site does not show shot size.....but I'll bet it's hevi #6.
At $60.00 a 10 box, they're out of my league
-Federal sells a Wing-Shok buffered lead load in 16 ga, in #6 and #4, or at least they used to, it seems seasonal, Midway had it around $20.00 a box
Yes, I know I have pulled a thread out of the grave, but I think this is worth it.
In fiddling around w/ two 16 ga guns here during gobbler season, I found online what could be 3 very good 16 ga loads for turkey.
-Hevishot marketed a 16 ga shell with 1-1/4 Oz of hevi #6 or #4 and called
the load, Hevishot duck. EXPENSIVE, but there are some still out there
at just over $40.00 a 10/box
-the "Nitro Ammunition Co" sells a 1-1/4 oz 16 ga load with hevi-shot,
oddly, the web site does not show shot size.....but I'll bet it's hevi #6.
At $60.00 a 10 box, they're out of my league
-Federal sells a Wing-Shok buffered lead load in 16 ga, in #6 and #4, or at least they used to, it seems seasonal, Midway had it around $20.00 a box
My grandfather, uncle, and I have shot more then a few turkeys (among other critters) with my GFs old single barreled 16 ga using 4 or 6 shot. Head shooting as mentioned.
Years before I was born some one stuck it in the mud, spliting the end of the barrel without cleaning out the mud so it has nothing that resebles a choke.
Gun is worthless but means the world to me. Shot my first deer with it after picking up pop bottles along the highway to come up with the $.25 cents needed to buy 3 rounds of buck shot it took to kill the deer.
Years before I was born some one stuck it in the mud, spliting the end of the barrel without cleaning out the mud so it has nothing that resebles a choke.
Gun is worthless but means the world to me. Shot my first deer with it after picking up pop bottles along the highway to come up with the $.25 cents needed to buy 3 rounds of buck shot it took to kill the deer.
buck460XVR
New member
I've taken several turkeys with my Fox SxS 16, using Federal Hi-Brass #6. Know your pattern and you'll know your distance.
https://ammoseek.com/ammo/16-gauge?ss=4
Seems Aguila makes some 16 gauge turkey loads, as does Federal and Winchester
Seems Aguila makes some 16 gauge turkey loads, as does Federal and Winchester
bamaranger
New member
turkey loads
I will agree that knowing your gun and load will help you take more gobblers. I will also agree that any load, within reason, will take gobblers at reasonable distances, based on how it performs in your gun/load/choke set up. No problem. If it patterns well, the standard hi-vel loads w/ 1-1/8oz of shot in any accepted size, will definitely kill a gobbler inside 35 yds, which is ideally the range you should be taking your birds.
When I state "turkey load" in 16 ga, I am specifically referring to an enhanced performance load with 1-1/4 oz of shot and high velocity. Trying to turn the 16 ga into a 12 is not generally a good idea. If one needs 12 ga performance, get a 12.
But, if you are wanting to amp up your 16 ga,and can stand the price, and don't mind hevishot in your older shotgun ( a whole new issue) the hevi's are the way to go. I myself am watching for the buffered lead 1-1/4 oz load from Federal, as I have never, nor will I, shoot space shot for gobblers at a price of $4 to $5 dollars a shot .....ever.
I have two very specific and effective turkey shotguns. I do not need to hunt with a 16 ga. My interest in the 16 ga is purely sentimental and bit novelty driven as well. I'd like to take a gobbler with my Dad's old Savage pump, and an even older Savage 311 double. Problem is, they are both choked modified (well, the pump is fixed modified, the SXS improved cyl/modified. Far from ideal turkey tools. I will have to watch my range, and I am still searching for a load.
The Federal, 1-1/4 oz "wing shok" seems like a good place to start if I can find some.
I will agree that knowing your gun and load will help you take more gobblers. I will also agree that any load, within reason, will take gobblers at reasonable distances, based on how it performs in your gun/load/choke set up. No problem. If it patterns well, the standard hi-vel loads w/ 1-1/8oz of shot in any accepted size, will definitely kill a gobbler inside 35 yds, which is ideally the range you should be taking your birds.
When I state "turkey load" in 16 ga, I am specifically referring to an enhanced performance load with 1-1/4 oz of shot and high velocity. Trying to turn the 16 ga into a 12 is not generally a good idea. If one needs 12 ga performance, get a 12.
But, if you are wanting to amp up your 16 ga,and can stand the price, and don't mind hevishot in your older shotgun ( a whole new issue) the hevi's are the way to go. I myself am watching for the buffered lead 1-1/4 oz load from Federal, as I have never, nor will I, shoot space shot for gobblers at a price of $4 to $5 dollars a shot .....ever.
I have two very specific and effective turkey shotguns. I do not need to hunt with a 16 ga. My interest in the 16 ga is purely sentimental and bit novelty driven as well. I'd like to take a gobbler with my Dad's old Savage pump, and an even older Savage 311 double. Problem is, they are both choked modified (well, the pump is fixed modified, the SXS improved cyl/modified. Far from ideal turkey tools. I will have to watch my range, and I am still searching for a load.
The Federal, 1-1/4 oz "wing shok" seems like a good place to start if I can find some.