turkey shot placement with rifles?

I

idek

New member
My state allows use of rifles (with muzzle energy greater than 700 ft. lbs.) for turkey hunting. I'm considering using a .357 carbine with iron sights. Probably wouldn't shoot much beyond shotgun ranges anyway, but the lighter gun, lighter recoil, and cheaper ammo make it more appealing than my shotguns.

Anyway, my question is about shot placement. With shotguns, the head/neck tends to be the target. Does the same hold true for rifles, or do some people prefer torso shots since it presents a bigger target?
 
"I'm considering using a .357 carbine with iron sights."

Better just plan to aim at the "black lump in the distance".
 
Ive always wanted to try my 22mag out on a turkey. Id probably aim right at the base of the neck where it meets the body. So not to ruin the precious breast meat. :) In my state that will never happen im sure :rolleyes:
 
other

We had a "rifle for turkeys" thread running not to long ago.

The common advice as I've always heard it, from old timers in a state where turkey hunting with rifles (fall season) was legal, was to aim for the "butt of the wings", ie, where the wings join the body. A solid hit there will be behind the breast meat, which you want (to eat), destroy the lungs, and likely clip the spine as well. I'd estimate the vital area there about the size of a softball, maybe a tad smaller. If you break the neck where it joins the body, you certainly will have a dead turkey, but the vital area there, for a rifle bullet, is much smaller, say golf ball size, maybe a tad bigger (racquet ball?)

Never thought about a .357 carbine for turkeys, but loaded right, it may well be a fair choice. My own opinion would be for a mid range (1100 fps or so from the muzzle of the CARBINE) lead, SWC design. I'd choose a heavy slug, 158-160, and avoid high velocity HP's, as to destructive for a target that won't weigh more than about 20 lbs. The equation above may well translate into some type of reload. A hot .38spl, SWC from the carbine, may do as well. I shot quite a few groundhogs with a Marlin lever, , and or a 6" revolver, & .38's back in the day, using factory 158 SWC.

Much as I don't really like the look on a lever carbine , a low powered scope would be an asset, duly recognized now that my own eyes have slippped a bit. I'd give some thought as to what range to zero. "On" at 100, may well put the slug higher at 50 than is practical. Maybe "on" at 75, and hold a tad high at 100?

Good luck.
 
A picture is worth 1K words.


ryan_kirby_illustration_ata_shot_angles.jpg
 
pics

I'd bet those pics are from aiming points for a bow? The pic in the upper left shows the aiming point a bit more rearward than what I'd suggest, and I'd really not try a head shot, as the head is always darting about, but close in, it could be done.

I'd not shoot one in the butt with a rifle, as the slug will likely exit through the breast, and cause more damage than an arrow. You can eat up to the hole with an arrow wound. Head on, the top of the beard is usually a aiming point for a bow, but again, a rifle slug, especially an expanding one, will damage the breast more than I'd like.

Head shots with a bow and the model airplane propeller point are another matter. With the wide point, the margin of error approaches 4" plus.
 
Good points - yeah, I believe those are arrow aiming points. Agree all the way around (farther forward on the first one; don't do butt shot with rifle to save breast).
 
I shoot for the back just behind the drumsticks. If done right you can roast the breast up and they still look pretty.

But heck ive just started breasting them
 
I believe the upper left hand body pic is good for a rifle or a bow. You want to aim where the leg joins his body. A hit there will break his thigh and possibly a wing; which will prevent him from running or flying off.

A head shot is risky with a rifle...for you just might shoot his beak off, and that will condemn the turkey to starvation.
 
Turkey's are one of those targets that rarely pose long enough for a good rifle shot. Their head is almost in constant motion. I've killed dozens with a shotgun and two with a rifle. One was shot with a .22mag and one with a .243 (many years ago with the .243). Cross the .243 off your list of calibers to use. I ended up with two wings and a neck on that one. The .22mag was a bit different. I called the gobbler in to around 25yds and shot for the center of the body broadside.....don't shoot there. The bird actually ran and took off and flew after the shot. He didn't even look hit when he left the ground. About three hours later and 600yds further away I came across a dead turkey laying on a logging road. I never for a minute though it was the bird I shot over a quarter mile away and up on top of the mountain while I found this one at the bottom. I examined the bird and found it to be still very warm. After looking it over, I saw that it had a bullet hole exactly where I aimed. These things are amazingly tough. I ended up with the bird but it was just dumb luck. If it were me, I'd aim at the wing butt as suggested or where the neck meets the body. Even if the bird moves a bit you'll probably hit pretty close to that area and get the bird. Good luck.
 
Yeah, they're tough. I've had friends who had turkeys fly off with one of their arrows through them, never to be found again. Sounds like .22 hornet or .17 hornet might be about right to save most meat but anchor them... ?
 
I talked with a couple guys at the range years ago that were sighting in .22 Hornet Handi-rifles (scoped) for an upcoming turkey hunt.

They were using 35 grain V-max, and 36 grain (I think) Varmit Grenades.

Said they were tired of shotguns (too easy) and wanted a little more challenge. They only took head shots, as they both already had a couple mounts and were only after the meat.

They said it could get really frustrating trying to get a good shot, but there was no meat loss, no wounded birds, and loading ammo for the Hornet was much cheaper than what they had been paying for their turkey shotgun ammo.
 
Hornet

The Hornet was one of the classic standards for a turkey rifle when I was a kid, where it was legal. Usually in a Savage 34, , and a few Win 43's.
The Bee was another. The .22 mag was borderline.

I lost a very good gobbler bowhunting spring turkeys one year, and it bothered me a great deal, so much so that I have never tried it again. You can usually track a bowshot deer all night, or longer, and be pretty successful if your stubborn. But when a wounded gobbler sets his wings and sails off into a massive hollow, there is just not much to work with.

This was before the advent of the expanding broadhead, and the speciality "propeller head". Were I to try it again, I'd set a bow up for the head shot propeller.......all or nothing.

Off post, but since we got on the bow discussion, thought I'd offer that.
 
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