Whether you’re new to hunting or a seasoned turkey hunter pursuing a Grand Slam, choosing the right turkey shotgun shell and load can make or break your next gobbler hunt. Spurred on by ever-evolving performance through improved shot material, shotgun shell manufacturers continue to fine-tune options available for waterfowlers, upland bird hunters, and turkey chasers. At the forefront of shotgun shell innovations has been Federal Ammunition, which has been selling ammo for the past 100 years. They help us break down the perfect loads to consider for your next successful turkey hunt. Table of Contents
As spring turkey season approaches, hunters start gearing up and preparing for the addictive thrill of a fired-up tom responding to calls. An essential part of preparation is choosing the right ammunition. While there are many effective turkey loads available, one key decision is shot size. Understanding the pros and cons of different shot sizes will help you pick the best option for your hunting setup and conditions.
Common Turkey Shot Sizes
Turkey loads generally contain lead tungsten or bismuth shot in sizes #4, #5, and #6. Lead is the traditional and most affordable option. Tungsten and bismuth are heavier and denser than lead, providing superior ballistics and energy downrange. However, they come at a higher cost. Let’s look at the key attributes of each common shot size
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#6 – The smallest shot size commonly used for turkeys. A 2 3/4″ #6 load contains around 250 pellets. The small size produces very dense patterns. However, velocity drops off at longer ranges. Best for open areas and shooting under 40 yards.
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#5 – A compromise between #4 and #6 shot Provides a good balance of pellet count and energy retention. Works well in most guns out to 45 yards. The most versatile and popular choice for turkeys.
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#4 – The largest commonly used turkey shot. #4 pellets weigh 54 grains compared to 38 grains for #5s. Excellent penetration through brush and ability to maintain knockdown power at extended ranges. Best for thick cover and long shots.
Matching Shot Size to Conditions
There is no universally perfect turkey shot size. The best option depends on your specific hunting scenario:
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In open terrain or shooting under 40 yards, a dense pattern is crucial. #5 or #6 shot excel here by putting the maximum number of pellets on target.
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For heavy brush or long shots, choose #4 or tungsten #5 shot. The larger diameter and heavier pellets are less affected by vegetation and retain energy downrange.
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In early season, foliage is minimal. #6 or #5 shot provide sufficient penetration while optimizing pattern density.
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Late season hunting benefits from #4 or #5s, which resist air resistance and penetrate dense summer foliage.
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For 20 gauge shotguns, tungsten #5s or #6s optimize pattern density, which helps compensate for fewer total pellets.
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With a tight turkey choke, #6 shot may pattern too tightly. Move up to #5s or #4s to spread the pattern.
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When using a looser choke like improved cylinder, smaller #6 shot maintains a dense core.
Patterning Your Shotgun
The key to choosing shot size is patterning your specific shotgun. Fire several rounds at 40 yards to see if #4, #5 or #6 shot provides the most even pattern density across a 30-inch circle. This ensures your gun cycles and shoots each size well. Adjust choke tightness as needed to improve patterns.
Pay attention to pellet penetration. All shot sizes should adequately penetrate turkey head and neck targets at appropriate ranges. If not, move up a size or consider heavier tungsten or bismuth loads.
Patterning will reveal the optimal shell length too. Try 2 3/4″, 3″, and 3 1/2″ shells to see which produces the best performance from your gun.
Take the Guesswork Out of Shotgun Selection
While patterning helps narrow down your options, it’s impractical to pattern test every load and choke combination. An easier approach is choosing an all-around high performance offering like Winchester Longbeard XR shells.
Winchester optimized these shells with a Shot-Lok wad to provide consistent, dense, and lethal patterns out to 60 yards, no matter your shotgun. For most hunters, Longbeard XR in #5 shot offers the best balance of pattern density, penetration, and versatility across situations. Eliminate the guesswork and go with a load engineered to kill turkeys.
Don’t Overlook Proper Shot Placement
Even with dense patterns and proper shot size, nothing replaces accuracy. Always aim for a turkey’s head and neck to anchor the bird instantly. Avoid low body shots which can lead to crippling and lost birds. Take the time to calmly and confidently align your sights and make a clean kill.
With smart shot selection, patterning, and precise shooting, you’ll be well prepared to drop that trophy tom this spring. Do your homework before opening day and your tag will be on a gobbler in no time.
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Understanding Shotguns and Shells
A shotgun is a firearm that shoots a pattern of “shot,” which are pellets made most commonly from lead, copper-plated lead, nickel-plated lead, bismuth, tungsten, or steel. The spread of these shot makes it easier to shoot moving targets (such as birds or small game); although “slugs,” which are a solid lead projectile used for big(ger) game, is another type of shotgun load but not one we’ll cover here. Shotguns come in different gauges. The gauge is a bore measurement like that of calibers for pistols or rifles. The two most common gauges used for turkey hunting, in order, are a 12-gauge and 20-gauge shotgun. A 12-gauge has a larger, wider barrel than a 20-gauge. Here’s how gauges of shotguns are classified. Imagine a round lead ball that fits perfectly inside a 12-gauge shotgun barrel (0.729″). It would take 12 lead balls of that diameter to equal one pound of lead. Since a 20-gauge shotgun barrel has a smaller diameter (0.615″) it would take 20 lead balls to make up one pound of lead. That’s the difference between the sizes of these guns. Shotguns also come in 10-gauge, 16-gauge, 28-gauge, and a .410 (the smallest bore shotgun available).
Shotgun shells are sold by their gauge, shell length, and shot size. The shotgun shell gauge should match the gauge of the shotgun. The length of the shells will range from 2 ½” for most small-bore guns up to 3.5” inches for long-distance shots from a 12-gauge. Shots are categorized with an inverse naming system, where a #1 shot is larger than a #4 shot. One can calculate the diameter of the shot by subtracting the shot-size number from 17 and then dividing that number by 100. Thereby, a #6 shot would have a diameter of .11” (17-6 = 11, divided by 100, equals .11). Just to confuse matters, however, there are larger diameter shots than #1 and they are labeled as B, BB, BBB, T, TT, and FF. The general range for shotgun shells used for bird and turkey hunting purposes, though, falls between #1 (long-range ducks) to #8 (doves, quail, and pigeons). In a moment, though, we’ll cover a #9 shot used for turkey hunting. It’s also worth noting that “buckshot” has an even larger diameter than the shot defined above. These loads are generally for home defense and medium-to-large game, including whitetail deer. Shot sizes for these loads range from #4 (.24” diameter) to #000 (.36” diameter). To visualize the differences in shell sizes based on gauge, length, and shot, a 2 ½” shell for a .410 will hold eight #4 buckshot pellets, but a 3 ½” shell for a 12-gauge will hold 41 of the same size #4 buckshot pellets.
Choosing The Right Shot Size and Choke | Turkey Hunting Tips | The Advantage
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