A search on Turkey turned up 3 instances of police being assaulted by turkey, and one FS in the EE, so I hope I'm covering new ground.

My dad has gotten me into turkey hunting. He's not the gun nut that I am, so I thought I'd seek answers to questions here.

Last weekend, I picked up the new 870 with thumbhole stock. I also picked up several boxes of shells so that I could pattern various loads. I discover my first mistake when I pulled the choke out. FOR LEAD USE ONLY. Great. I think maybe one of the 6 boxes of shells may have been lead. It hadn't occur to me to ask at the time I bought it. So, I bought a new rem-choke that was suitable for steel. Which brings me to my first question. Is the barrel okay for Steel shot, or does it need to be explicitely marked? I seem to remember that there were issues when steel first came out, but all of my shotgunning experience to date has been with slugs.

I know I won't be using steel shot for Turkey, and the rifle sights wouldn't be much good for wing shooting. But, this brings me to my second question. Where does copper plated shot fit in? Does it need to be treated differently, as does steel shot, or can it be used as a direct replacement for lead?

Next question, the only box of ammo I bought that didn't have a description of the pellets was the Winchester Supreme. Are they lead?
Is the purpose of the copper plated shot to make the shot harder? Is this done to improve penetration? If the target is the Head/Neck, how much of an issue is this? Is there a difference between specialty Turkey loads, and regular field loads beyond the composition of the pellets, and I see in some cases, the wad? Does it matter, or is it marketing?

Thanks in advance.

All modern shotguns are fine with steel shot. Screw in chokes are a different matter.
No special precautions are needed for copper plated shot. It is used the same way as lead shot.

There is a rumor that "Hevi-Shot" is not very kind to barrels of certain Itialian manfacture.

I can only speak to Federal turkey loads. They have a specially designed wad and  the shot is buffered. This produces a dramatic improvement in patterns.

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Quoted: Great gun! Benelli came out with this idea last year with the steady grip, only the Benelli is 600 dollars more.

Now if only they'd get with the program and do the same thing with the heavy slug bbl.
I see from the website they've dropped the SPS slug gun.

The Hevi-Shot hits hard but you will have to buy another choke tube.

I've got it. I stuck the one that came with the shotty in the box with my express field bbl. Now I've got a backup/loaner.

Between work and the weather, I still haven't gotten her out to the range.

I have an 870 and shoot winchest supremes turkey loads exclusively out of it.
I replaced the factory super full with the plain-Jane remington ported turkey choke that you can pick up at wally-world for <$20 and it really tames the 3 1/2's.

I shoot #6's as they patterened the best for me.

Quoted: I guess they change tings up from time to time. The 1100 in field guns are out and the 11-87 is in a inexpensive model. You might be able to get a fully rifled cammo barrel for your gun. Give them a call. MIKE.

They list one on their website.
Trouble is, it doesn't cost much more to buy a complete gun.

Aimless--Team Primos makes a specialty ported choke called the "Jellyhead" which I have found to work the best out of my 870 with Winchester Supreme 5 shot.

Quoted: 3 1/2's are pretty exciting out of an 870

Exciting like a root canal...

Ventilator is same choke I was talking about.
I found them at wally world.  It make a huge difference.

Not meaning to brag, but I have taken quite a few toms(well over 25) with 2 and 3/4" 12ga Winchester XXMag 1 and 5/8oz copperplated #5s - my turkey gun is an 870 Wingmaster Magnum 12ga with a 26" VR barrel, with a Remington super full turkey choke, and Firesights on the rib... This load/gun combo patterns well all the way out to 50 yards, and has taken several toms at that distance - but that's about it's limit - at 25 to 35 yards(average turkey shot), it is just plain devastating!!!! My gun also patterns well with Federal 3" #4s - but the 2 and 3/4" Winchester load I described above is my favorite - fairly mild to shoot, and has never failed me... I wouldn't recommend 20ga for turkey hunting, nor do I think that 3 and 1/2" loads are needed, either - after all, the eastern species of turkey I hunt here in NY get about as big as they come, and I've had no troubles taking them with my set-up... Another way of looking at it - for many, MANY years, good 'ol boys were taking turkeys with 2 and 3/4" shells before 3 inchers were popular - so it's not like it can't be done... Lastly, just to let you know I'm not just some wimp who doesn't want to shoot heavier loads - I also hunt deer with an 870 12ga, and ONLY use 3" sabotted slugs in it - so it's not like I have an aversion to shooting 3 inchers - it's just that the 2 and 3/4" Winchester #5s have done SO well for me that I don't see the need to use anything else...

Buy a couple of different turkey loads, and try 'em out with full, extra full, and super full chokes, and pattern 'em at 20, 35, and 50 yards - and go with what provides the best patterns - and you'll be all set... I also wouldn't recommend using shot any smaller than #5s for turkeys - I feel that #6s are too small for such tough birds - use 5s or 4s....


  - georgestrings