How Far Is Tooo Far?

[Mountain Goat]

I have shot several birds over 5o but not proud of it. Lucky one or two pellets in the head. Now im <35 and more patient. 

[Woodsman416]

My limit is just beyond the distance someone else tells me is the maximum distance I should ethically shoot.

[Gobblengrunt]

Whatever distance you can kill 100% of the birds you shoot at 

[Fred Flintstone]

Many Years ago,I remember  an article in Turkey + Turkey Hunting-- remember  when it was published regularly? I still have the very first issue from Spring of 1991 and put out by- Stump Sitters or Deer + Deer Hunting today- but,I digress a bit.

  Now in that old article the Author advised new Turkey Hunters that the best way to gauge that the Gobbler was in good range was when you could clearly see the Gobblers Eyes.

   Roughly 30 yards or so. But today plenty of Hunters are becoming really Gobbler Shooters  because the effective range can be up to 60 yards.  " Or More". 

 Times have changed indeed!

  TSS,Private Lands with unpressurized  Turkeys,Large Food Plot Fields, and the latest in Turkey Scopes and 60+ yards is the old 30. 

   I still like my big ol Birds fairly close- but to each their own.

[DJ0808]

Since it was a decent Saturday for once, I decided to head to the range and do some test patterning. I wanted to see how Long Beard XR compared to regular Hi-Brass shells in my gun at 25yds and 50yds.

Test gun: 12ga Benelli Nova w/ 28" vent-rib, bead sight, extended full turkey choke (it's 18yrs old and can't remember brand)

Ammo 1: Long Beard XR 3 1/2" #6

Ammo 2: Fed Game Load Hi-Brass #5

To make accuracy situation similar to hunting I shot standing, no rest, and took one shot of each shell at 25 and 50 yds. It's not like you're taking warm-up shots during hunting and wanted to keep it close to that.

First up Hi-Brass Game Load 25 then 50

 

Next Long Beard XR 25 then 50

I would've like to compare #6 XR to #6 Hi-Brass, but all I had was #5.

IMO if I'm hunting at 20-30 yds, the XR and Game Load have similar performance, but the Game Load is 1/2 price. Now out at 50yds the XR markedly out performs the Game Load, and would be superior.

Given that where I hunt turkeys are 10-30 yds I may save the XR use if I go somewhere that may present slightly longer shots.

Either way I think my max ethical shot with current setup is about 45 -50 yds.

[vdep217]

44 minutes ago, DJ0808 said:

Since it was a decent Saturday for once, I decided to head to the range and do some test patterning. I wanted to see how Long Beard XR compared to regular Hi-Brass shells in my gun at 25yds and 50yds.

Test gun: 12ga Benelli Nova w/ 28" vent-rib, bead sight, extended full turkey choke (it's 18yrs old and can't remember brand)

Ammo 1: Long Beard XR 3 1/2" #6

Ammo 2: Fed Game Load Hi-Brass #5

To make accuracy situation similar to hunting I shot standing, no rest, and took one shot of each shell at 25 and 50 yds. It's not like you're taking warm-up shots during hunting and wanted to keep it close to that.

First up Hi-Brass Game Load 25 then 50

 

Next Long Beard XR 25 then 50

I would've like to compare #6 XR to #6 Hi-Brass, but all I had was #5.

IMO if I'm hunting at 20-30 yds, the XR and Game Load have similar performance, but the Game Load is 1/2 price. Now out at 50yds the XR markedly out performs the Game Load, and would be superior.

Given that where I hunt turkeys are 10-30 yds I may save the XR use if I go somewhere that may present slightly longer shots.

Either way I think my max ethical shot with current setup is about 45 -50 yds.

Play with chokes you can do better 

[hammer4reel]

1 hour ago, DJ0808 said:

Since it was a decent Saturday for once, I decided to head to the range and do some test patterning. I wanted to see how Long Beard XR compared to regular Hi-Brass shells in my gun at 25yds and 50yds.

Test gun: 12ga Benelli Nova w/ 28" vent-rib, bead sight, extended full turkey choke (it's 18yrs old and can't remember brand)

Ammo 1: Long Beard XR 3 1/2" #6

Ammo 2: Fed Game Load Hi-Brass #5

To make accuracy situation similar to hunting I shot standing, no rest, and took one shot of each shell at 25 and 50 yds. It's not like you're taking warm-up shots during hunting and wanted to keep it close to that.

First up Hi-Brass Game Load 25 then 50

 

Next Long Beard XR 25 then 50

I would've like to compare #6 XR to #6 Hi-Brass, but all I had was #5.

IMO if I'm hunting at 20-30 yds, the XR and Game Load have similar performance, but the Game Load is 1/2 price. Now out at 50yds the XR markedly out performs the Game Load, and would be superior.

Given that where I hunt turkeys are 10-30 yds I may save the XR use if I go somewhere that may present slightly longer shots.

Either way I think my max ethical shot with current setup is about 45 -50 yds.

As VDEP said , try a few more chokes .

you should be looking for 100 pellets in a 10” circle to set an effective range .

most patterns I have seen my friends shoot with LB have even a better pellet count than that .

[DJ0808]

Thanks @vdep217 and @hammer4reel I may need to look at getting a newer choke. Like I said that one was from 18yrs ago, and if I remember right at the time it was highly touted as being able to extend your range to 30-40yds. 

I picked up a Kicks Buckshot Full choke for this gun, and it patterned nicely, so I may try one of their Goblin' Thunder chokes. Probably in .660 constriction.

 

[vdep217]

On 2/21/2022 at 2:02 PM, vdep217 said:

Stoeger 3500 long beard choke and long beard 3.5 6s 20 40 60

 

[vdep217]

14 minutes ago, DJ0808 said:

Thanks @vdep217 and @hammer4reel I may need to look at getting a newer choke. Like I said that one was from 18yrs ago, and if I remember right at the time it was highly touted as being able to extend your range to 30-40yds. 

I picked up a Kicks Buckshot Full choke for this gun, and it patterned nicely, so I may try one of their Goblin' Thunder chokes. Probably in .660 constriction.

 

In case you didnt see

[vdep217]

1 hour ago, DJ0808 said:

Thanks @vdep217 and @hammer4reel I may need to look at getting a newer choke. Like I said that one was from 18yrs ago, and if I remember right at the time it was highly touted as being able to extend your range to 30-40yds. 

I picked up a Kicks Buckshot Full choke for this gun, and it patterned nicely, so I may try one of their Goblin' Thunder chokes. Probably in .660 constriction.

 

For long beard use the long beard choke.  The traditional turkey choke works vest with non plated lead in my experience

[MPSR]

I’ve killed one bird at 58 and another one at 62. Pattern and Energy  are essential in these cases. Both these birds were killed with a Browning BPS NWTF Addition shooting Heavy Weight World Champion loads, 3 inch loads 5,6,7, With a Comp N Choke Tube. If you can find these loads they are devastating. Also the 12 Ga 3 inch leave the barrel at 1350 and 20 Ga 3 inch at 1200 respectively. That’s 30 percent more energy than Long Beard XR’s and 200 FPS faster. On the down side if you can find them your looking at 30-40 bucks for 5 rounds.