.22 Magnum for Turkey Hunting

Oh yeah - you want to use a pistol. I wouldn't do that unless the turkey was really, really close. I can shoot a turkey further out with a shotgun than with a pistol. I've had jakes that have walked right up next to me where I could just grab them with my hands (never did but I could have). A pistol would have worked there.
 
Bring an open sighted handgun or small caliber rifle next time you are in TX.
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Thanks, Bitmap, I may do that.

I've had jakes that have walked right up next to me where I could just grab them with my hands (never did but I could have)
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Can I watch? I saw a goose beat the snot out of a 120 lbs Chessie once, and saw a hen turkey pound a coyote pretty severely. If you do grab one, better be ready for the reaction!
 
I nailed a nice tom 2 years ago @ 40yds w/my 300 win mag. (deer season) I knew if I body shot him there would be turkey all over the place. I aimed right wher the neck meets the body, and didn't blow it to smitherenes...That said, another 2" lower, and the results would have been much, much, different. Contrary, we were turkey hunting the spring turkey season about 5 years ago when we came across a pack of hogs. I grabbed my 300 and We chased them a good ways before we lost them. On the way back to the truck you guessed it, 3 toms...I tried the same shot, but much further. I hit low, and the bird blew into pieces. I hate wasting game, and was able to salvage a small part of one breast, but that was it...:(
 
Hot Dang! this critter is made for pistols!

A growing group of folks here in MT swear by the use of a .32 cal percussion rifle for body shots on Gobblers. Following this line of thought, the .22 mag should do well. It is in fact a common enough Turkey *rifle* here, as is the .22 Hornet, .222 & .223.

OH MY! It just dawned on me there are so many good rounds for this:

17 M2, 17 HMR, 5MM REM, .204 Ruger .22LR, .22WMR .22WRFM, .22 hornet, .222, 222mag, .223, 32 S&W, .32 H&R, 25-20, 32-20, .30 carbine, 7.62x25 Tokarev .38S&W, 38-40 38 SPL, .38 super, 9MM, 9x18 MAK .40S&W, 10mm. . . The list goes on! Even the .32acp &
.380 acp would be great if the guns are accurate enough!



For rifles, I'll pick: .30 carbine in an M-1 carbine
9mm largo in a "Destroyer" carbine
'03 Springfield w/.32acp "Pedersen" device
.32 flintlock
.75cal Brown Bess w/.25cal "swan shot" on the fly!
(but this involves stalking turkeys so you must be ina private area)

For pistols: Ruger single-six hunter in .22mag or .32mag
Ruger blackhawk in .30 carbine
my S&W M-15 .38 spl
TT-33 Tokarev, 6'' Navy Luger, or Mauser C-96
in their 7.62 chamberings.
Hammerelli target pistol in .32 S&W
.32 flintlock
1851 colt in .36 cal
 
.22 Mag for Turkey

.22 Magnum has always been my favorite weapon here in WV for Turkey. There are also many good ammo choices for the "Magnum."
My favs.
Remington PSP 40gr
Federal 50gr HP
Winchester Supreme 34gr HP
CCI +V 30gr HP

PHOTO of Winchester Supreme 34gr taken from under the skin on the opposite thigh.
 

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They work good top of the breast & bottom of the neck,Stay away from the beard it will cut it like a knife.Ruger single six 9.5.
 
Illegal as fishin' with dynamite in TN.
From post #12..

I think this means 'it is not legal-we do it all the time. Just dont get caught.'
 
Pennsylvania- Some counties in the fall. I never used a .22 mag on turkey, but body shot coons and it knocks them backward. Find it hard to believe it is not up to turkey. Usually take out the .22 Hi-Power myself.
 
turkeys

I lived in a state that allowed rifles for fall turkey hunting. Ideal turkey rifles were thought to be the .22 Hornet, .218 Bee, the .25-20. When the 5mm Rimfire Mag made its appearance in the 70's, some guys bought it for a turkey rifle. The .22 mag was used as well, but the centerfires were more popular and better killers to hear fella's talk.

The aiming point was always the butt of the wing. The head is an elusive target. Heck, spring gobbler hunters miss turkeys heads, with shotguns, at under 30 yds, more often than some will admit. The idea is to run the bullet above and behind the breast, catch the lungs and spine.

The .22 lr was not considered a turkey rifle, but doubtless squirrel hunters potted a few. I have killed one spring gobbler that had a .22 cal bullet wound through the breast bone. Completely healed over and healthy ( super spooky) trophy tom. Migrant tree planters likely shot him on our lease a few years before (they were caught later).

If its true that a .22 mag in a handgun is the ballistic equal of a .22 lr from a rifle, ie the .22 mag looses a bunch of steam from the handgun, then I cannot endorse it as a turkey round from a revolver.

If you are good enough, and disciplined ehough to only head shoot turkeys with a revolver, and its legal, carry on. Hunting turkeys, fall or spring with an iron sighted handgun should be a heck of a challenge. I myself would not be eating much turkey.

I tried bow hunting spring turkey...once.... and got humbled really quickly.
 
Apparently you have never been to a real "Turkey shoot". Turkey tied behind a log, somebody calling, shoot what ever you brought. Shoot for the head when it pops up above the log. Some of those boys could really shoot. Don't see the shoots much anymore with the animal rights people all over the place.
 
DejaVu

How about a .38 special? I always wanted a set up for turkey with a .38 and never got around to it. Over the years it kind of got lost in the caliber shuffle when autos became king, but it is still a very good round in my opinion. Another idea I was toying with was the 7.62x25 for turkey. Never got around to that either.
 
22 MAG hits like a small grenade. Very large wound channel for such a small bore. Mine shoots dime sized groups at 75 yards every time with plain Winchester ammo.

Jack

Marlin22MAG.jpg
 
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nope

I have never been to a live turkey shoot. I saw one on the Sgt York movie.
I have shot a goodly number of wild gobblers with a shotgun, from about 50 ydes in. I have shot at and lost exactly one with a bow.

Yeah, a .38 with a lead slug would likely make an ideal woods turkey rifle. It would have a trajectory like a rock though. Out of something like a Marlin carbine, it might be ideal. When the clover was up, I use to plug a number of woodchucks with a Marlin so loaded as well as my M27, which I should have never traded.

The post was about revolvers. A .22 Mag from a rifle would make a bottom line turkey rifle in my book.
 
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