[DiveCoach]

Witdog, a couple of things, according to the news tonight, Remington is schedule to call back 200 employees and start up production. Not sure where they are going to start, rifle, shotgun, or pistol, so you may have to wait for a while. I use an 11-87 for turkey and love it. I have a short barrel which I really enjoy in the blind and with other hunters. Some suggestions if you haven't tried this already. Not sure what ammo you are using but you might want to try some different brands. Best one I have used is Winchester XR extended range. Not a fan of the Remington Nitros-they didn't pattern well at all. Another suggestion, try some different chokes. See if your hunting buddies will let you try there chokes before going out and buying several. Lastly, I have found using a shooting stick very helpful. I use one with all my first time hunters, helps them stay on target and focus better. I hope this suggestions help and I can save you money by not having to buy a new barrel. Good luck and good hunting.

 

[391 shooter]

The 1187 is the only shotgun I hunt Turkeys with, has a tight pattern at 50 yards. I put a 24", smooth bore rifle sited barrel on it and use a Remington Turkey Extra Full extended choke, with Hevi Shot.

I try to hold my shots to 35 to 40 yards but sometimes you have to reach a little further, this ammo gets it done, a little pricey, but hay, what ain't pricey Turkey Hunting.

All my other shooting sports I use Beretta 391's but, I started Turkey Hunting with this Premier 1187 years ago and why put down a proven meat and trophy provider. The 24" barrel makes it a breeze to walk through tight cabbage hammocks without the barrel getting hung up on sh*t when you have it slung over your shoulder.

PS: I have a cloth CAMO sheath I put over the shotgun before I head out to the woods.

 

[witdog2020]

She perty! I found another Turkey 1187 with the short barrel. I’m going to pattern it in comparison with mine as soon as it gets here. I’ll probably let mine go.

The old laws here in Indiana would not allow you to use shells with 2 different size pellets. I believe the law has changed now so I can try those.

 

[DiveCoach]

Witdog, a couple of things, according to the news tonight, Remington is schedule to call back 200 employees and start up production. Not sure where they are going to start, rifle, shotgun, or pistol, so you may have to wait for a while. I use an 11-87 for turkey and love it. I have a short barrel which I really enjoy in the blind and with other hunters. Some suggestions if you haven't tried this already. Not sure what ammo you are using but you might want to try some different brands. Best one I have used is Winchester XR extended range. Not a fan of the Remington Nitros-they didn't pattern well at all. Another suggestion, try some different chokes. See if your hunting buddies will let you try there chokes before going out and buying several. Lastly, I have found using a shooting stick very helpful. I use one with all my first time hunters, helps them stay on target and focus better. I hope this suggestions help and I can save you money by not having to buy a new barrel. Good luck and good hunting.

 

[Joe Hunter]

witdog -- Barrel length has little if anything to do with pattern performance. For lead loads, get an extended choke with about .065-inch constriction, like the Remington Turkey Super Full Extended choke, and go pattern your favorite turkey load.

Here are a few of my lead shot turkey load patterns numbers to give you an idea of how they performed in my gun/choke.

The 12-gauge 3-inch loads were shot through a Remington 870 Special Purpose shotgun with a 26-inch barrel and the 12-gauge 3 ½-inch loads were shot through a Remington 870 Super Magnum shotgun with a 28” barrel. A Remington Turkey Super Full Extended choke (.063-inch constriction from bore gauge) was used for all lead loads tested.

Pattern testing was accomplished by using 48-inch x 48-inch pattern paper with a turkey head-and-neck target placed in the center of each pattern sheet prior to the patterning shot; yardages were measure with a tape from muzzle to target; and pattern counts, pattern percentages and Skull/Cervical Vertebrae (S/CV) hits were the average from five patterns.

In-shell pellet count averages were the result of cutting open and counting the pellets from five shells out of the same box/lot as the pattern loads. These in-shell pellet counts allowed for true pattern percentage calculations.

Remember, an effective turkey gun/load/choke combo needs to have enough pellets to provide sufficient pattern density and possess pellets with adequate penetrating energy to reliably penetrate a turkeys skull and/or cervical vertebra at the yardage used!

Here's my take on turkey loads...
When using a 12-gauge for turkeys... out to 30 yards "most all" turkey loads with a full choke will be 100% effective, out to 40 yards "many" turkey loads with a full or tighter choke can be 100% effective, out to 50 yards "some" turkey loads with a tight full turkey choke can be 100% effective, and out to 60 yards "very few" turkey loads with a tight full turkey choke are 100% effective.

40-YARD PATTERNS
Fed Hi-Velocity 3" 1 3/4 oz #5 lead (322 pellets) / pattern 272 (85%) / S/CV hits 3.6
Rem Hi-Velocity 3" 1 3/4 oz #5 lead (280 pellets) / pattern 225 (80%) / S/CV hits 5.8
Win Hi-Velocity 3" 1 3/4 oz #5 lead (293 pellets) / pattern 257 (88%) / S/CV hits 5.8
Win Long Beard 3" 1 3/4 oz #5 lead (305 pellets) / pattern 295 (97%) / S/CV hits 11.0
Win Super-X 3" 1 7/8 oz #5 lead (317 pellets) / pattern 276 (87%) / S/CV hits 3.4
Rem Premier 3" 2 oz #5 lead (328 pellets) / pattern 258 (79%) / S/CV hits 3.4
Win XX Mag 3" 2 oz #5 lead (336 pellets) / pattern 293 (87%) / S/CV hits 3.6

Fed Premium 3" 2 oz #4 lead (290 pellets) / pattern 213 (73%) / S/CV hits 3.2
Rem Premier 3" 2 oz #4 lead (255 pellets) / pattern 209 (82%) / S/CV hits 3.6
Win XX Mag 3" 2 oz #4 lead (258 pellets) / pattern 243 (94%) / S/CV hits 4.6
Win Long Beard 3½" 2 oz #4 lead (255 pellets) / pattern 247 (97%) / S/CV hits 11.6
Win XX Mag 3½" 2 ¼ oz #4 lead (300 pellets) / pattern 242 (81%) / S/CV hits 4.2

50-YARD PATTERNS
Win Long Beard 3" 1 3/4 oz #5 lead (305 pellets) / pattern 275 (90%) / S/CV hits 7.4

Fed Premium 3" 2 oz #4 lead (290 pellets) / pattern 163 (56%) / S/CV hits 2.6
Rem Premier 3" 2 oz #4 lead (255 pellets) / pattern 149 (58%) / S/CV hits 1.6
Win XX Mag 3" 2 oz #4 lead (258 pellets) / pattern 170 (66%) / S/CV hits 2.2
Win Long Beard 3½" 2 oz #4 lead (255 pellets) / pattern 234 (92%) / S/CV hits 7.2
Win XX Mag 3½" 2 ¼ oz #4 lead (300 pellets) / pattern 162 (54%) / S/CV hits 3.2

60-YARD PATTERNS
Win Long Beard 3½" 2 oz #4 lead (255 pellets) / pattern 206 (81%) / S/CV hits 5.4

Hope this helps, good luck!

 

[witdog2020]

Wow, that’s some good info. I’m using a Primos Tight Wad .660. I use the Winchester Super X 5shot. I’ve only compared the Remington and Winchester Factory loads and I have a few different chokes I’ve tried. I haven’t gotten out much last few years. Indiana didn’t allow the Turkey loads with different pellet sizes for awhile. Or maybe it was the Turkey loads had a pellet that wasn’t legal for Turkeys I don’t remember which. So I never really tried those. Now those are legal here. I have some work to do when the weather breaks a little.

 

[Joe Hunter]

Glad you found that info helpful. As you can see from the S/CV hits, all the loads with a tight turkey choke would kill any turkey at 40 yards, IF you can put the pattern on him. However, at 50 yards the Win. Long-beard load maintained turkey killin' pattern density and clearly out performed the others tested!

Good luck!

 

[391 shooter]

Too bad the comparison does not include the Magnum Blend Hevi Shot, because at 50 yards it has a very tight pattern.

Ultimately, just pick a good choke and anybodies Turkey load and you will harvest Turkeys, if, you can call them to you.