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Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 22 Location: NE Tennessee

What load should I be looking for to be using form a Model 37 while turkey hunting. Also anyone out there with advice on a choke tube. I realize from my 12 gauge guns that each gun/choke/load combination is different. I would just like a foundation of where to start. Thanks

No. 4 shot 1 1/8 oz, Win 209 primer, 26.8 gr Longshot, Rem SP16 wad in Fed'l Hulls ....this is for 16ga, mind you, for 1295 fps, 8600psi pressure.

They say (Hodgdon) you can go to 27.9 gr Longshot for 1350 fps and 10,200 psi pressure.....this came off their website, so I trust it in good, shootable guns like your Model 37..... I will try this myself on beady headed jakes this spring.....

good luck, other powders like Blue Dot will work too, and I have learned that the paper base Federals can load hotter than AA or Rem shells, but get recipes from the manufactures for components you either have or can get...

britgun

Gentlemen:

I have a couple of boxes of older 16 ga ammo that I have earmarked for longbeards (hopefully in the coming season Very Happy

):

1st - a box with 24 shells factory 1 1/4 oz remington peters 4s (in the clear blue hulls)

2nd - fifteen shells factory 1 1/4 oz remington power-piston 2s (in the clear green hulls)

I figure the 4s for the top sissytori barrel with IM briley extended choke and 2s in the bottom barrel with FULL briley extended choke (after checking at pattern board - of course Wink

)

I even have an invite to spot-stalk some RIOS in Kansas - just gotta find the time Confused

good point, Dr 16, but most of us don't have vintage mag 4's lying around, we have to "roll our own"....but if you can find old mag factory's, indeed, I agree, it would be best....

b'gun

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

I don't hunt turkeys but if I were going to do it and do it with a 16ga. I would use the Fiocchi Golden Pheasant loads in 5's or something like the Remington, Winchester or Federal in 4's. Of course a couple trips to the pattern board would be in order but choke tubes in the IM or Full config would be my first try. Wink

Federal still loads 1 1/4 oz #4. Well I think I bought 3 box's a couple years ago just to have them.

Member Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 1257 Location: Nebraska

I'd start with any load of 6's or larger in 1 1/8oz or more, and you're right about the gun/choke/load combination part in my view. If you're calling in a bird it might not take too much. A friend of mine used to use a 20ga with heavy field loads although most traditional turkey hunters seem to arm themselves for worst case scenarios.

I shot my first turkey just this past year. I don't hunt them on purpose in the spring, and this was an incidental find in the Fall season. I carry 4 or 5 Fiocchi 1 1/8oz of 4's (3 1/8dram) shells whose pellets measure pretty close to 3's, and only had .003 of choke in my gun at the time but it worked on a flying, crossing bird. Several shot in the neck, one through the body, a couple in the head and it came down dead. I was wishing I'd had my choke-tubed gun at the time, but it turned out not to matter after all.

I've patterned a particular load of #5's through several chokes in my Citori and found that extended chokes weren't demonstrably better than the flush-fit chokes of the same constriction. Maybe it's more important for smaller shot, but not for that shell.

kgb

My caution to Bustingclays,

2nd - fifteen shells factory 1 1/4 oz remington power-piston 2s (in the clear green hulls)

Ill & Ia DNR have a #4 shot restriction, that being the largest size to use. No need to pay them for the oversight.
Good luck in the spring, I think its coming?
Charlie Wink

hi, for me, it's No. 4's and a Modified choke 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 ozs. shot....I have a few old shells like some of these other guys, but I'm thinking these PMC shells a lot of us just got wiould work great.... I usually use the top of the old boy's head as the target, best pattern, not much gets in the meat.... but the head and neck get creamed.... if he's super close, I shoot midway between head and bod...

b'gun

Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 46 Location: Illinois

Remington still makes 1 1/4 loads in 4,5,and 6. I have some of the old federal 1 1/4 left in 4 and 5 shot. IMO they are the best duck and goose load ever made for the 16ga. For turkey I would pattern 1 1/4 5 and 6 in a extra full choke tube.

I will clue you in to the best loading for Turkeys , it is not your #4,5,or 6's

It is the 7 1/2 size shot with 7/8 or 1oz in the 16 at 1400+ fps speed is the factor as well is pellet coverage , ( the only shot that matters is the shot that strickes the target with enought energy to do the job the other shot is money wasted and unessary recoil ) I have shared this with a great deal of hunters that I have guided over the years " I make them shoot my shells "
and having killed limits of birds for 30+ years with 12ga 1oz 7 1/2 1400-1500 fps .

This type of load will break down and KILL birds flying , so many loads cripple and are a very poor choice for large birds also try this on your pheasants I think you will be amazed .

Hello Duncan:

For many years I used the old 540 Win powder untill it was discontinued then I went to the Win Super Field

All of these loads were in 12ga for this is what I done all of my shooting with for so many years

Old style AA Hull
35gr 540 Win Powder Listed 1400fps actual 1380+ -
AA12 WAD
WIN 209 Primer

Then I went to the Super Field load

Old style AA Hull
30gr Super Field Win Powder Listed 1400fps Same as above
AA12 Wad
Win 209 Primer

Now I use BPI loading for their SUPER PIGEON LOAD
This is the ultimate long range load with lots of power to spare but it sure is not for a light upland gun ( I AM VERY RECOIL SENSITIVE , always have been back when I was shooting a case of shells a day , back in the day when a case was not a flat, I could not stand 1 1/8 oz 3dram loads . Turkey is the exception I only use one shell LOL but now in Missouri we can kill 2 the same day so I might use a couple of shells

the BPI load is as follows

Cheddite Hull
CH 209 Primer
37. gr Longshot Powder
HCD21 Wad
over the shot card
1 1/8 oz 7 1/2 Mag or Nickle Plate Shot
9,300 psi
listed 1600fps actual 1560fps

Now for the 16 ga
Win Polyformed Plastic Basewad
30gr Longshot
BP/SPTG16 WAD
Rem 209P Primer
11.300 psi
1500fps Listed and will do it
1oz Mag or Nickle Plated 7 1/2 shot

I took a guy from Colorado this past spring hunting here in Missouri on our farm, I met this guy Bowhunting for Elk and we became friends .

Well Larry was telling me of the woes of his Turkey hunting having never killed a bird while actually hunting for Turkeys LOL ( this guy is one hell of a bowhunter for elk can call em in like I do turkeys , I wanted to learn about calling bulls and he about turkeys so we made a trade LOL)

So I invited Larry to come to Missouri and I would show him the finer points of Turkey Hunting

Well Larry shot my shells after much debate about his shells LOL I called him in 9 birds total that I taught him how to call and what to do then he took 2 birds the first day , was tickled to death with this and said I will now teach you to call elk ( I had to pony up first LOL no one trust anyone now days LOL)

Four days later Larry calls me up and tells me that he , his son in law and his 10yr old grandson all killed birds in Wyoming on the same day using what I shared with him and MY SHELLS NO LESS so when I went to CO in Sept to hunt I took Him 4 boxes of what he was shooting , well needless to say I had a GREAT TRIP BOWHUNTING THIS FALL I learned a ton about Elk indeed

THis fall I am taking my Setter with me and My 16ga Marlin 90 with me and bowhunting in the morning and evenings and going to hunt BLUE GROUSE AND SAGE GROUSE during the day, Larry has got em all scoped out BOY OH BOY I CANT WAIT TILL THIS FALL SMILING

I hope this helps a bit, this is contrary to the math, but an ole man that used to be Bob Rays personal Gunsmith turned me onto the 7 1/2 size for Turkeys when I was a kid and boy was ole Mac right.

Regards Charles

Old style AA Hull
35gr 540 Win Powder Listed 1400fps actual 1380+ -
AA12 WAD
WIN 209 Primer

Then I went to the Super Field load

Old style AA Hull
30gr Super Field Win Powder Listed 1400fps Same as above
AA12 Wad
Win 209 Primer

Sorry Duncan just noticed I left out the shot and weight LOL

Both are 1 1/8 oz of you got it 7 1/2 of Mag or Nickle Plate shot