Shot size for Turkeys

[Kpete]

I had a good time reading JW's thread on "mistake ridge" .  I have been there-same story different location.
I have used steel shot like JW on two occaisions because of restrictions on the use of lead shot.
I was wondering what shot sizes you guys use for Turkeys.  For about 10  years I lived in a place with lots of Turkeys and worked at a job that put me in the woods when turkey hunters were coming out of the timber after the morning hunt up "mistake ridge"-which is just above "mishap creek".  This area is just downwind of JW.
I talked to a lot of turkey hunters every year.  Many who complained of hitting turkeys and not killing them were shooting them in the body with large shot-as large as BB's-not legal in places.  I always favored small shot and head shots.  A turkey's head is about the size of a dove's body.  How would I try to hit a dove's body with  a shotgun?
I used 7 1/2, 6's, and even 8's on many occaisions and never had a bird do any more than flop.   I killed birds as far as 40 yds with 2 3/4 inch shells.  I patterned all my guns and knew  when the pattern began to become ragged.
I even killed a fair number of Merriams with a 28 ga that patterned very well.  Never need a grenade launcher or magnums.
What do the rest of you folks use?

[Adam]

I've had decent luck with 12 gauge 3 1/2" with size 6 shot.  I know that a 3" or 2 3/4" will do the job, but I don't get to hunt turkeys nearly as much as I'd like, so I feel like it's a little insurance.  I know I pay for it in recoil and the shells cost a little more, but I don't shoot very many of them (after patterning).

[Stiks-N-Strings]

I switched over to knight tk 2000 about 5 years ago (muzzle loading 12 guage) I always used #5 before that cause it patterned best. After switching over to the smoke pole I used a 40/60 mix of 40% #6 and 60% #5 I weigh out my loads. Makes for some bad turkey medicine.

 I haven't hunted birds for 3 years with anything but a stick bow and My goal now is to take one with a selfbow and a stone head.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I killed a pile with 4,5 and 6 shot back in my gun days. It never seemed to make a huge diff what round I used. Aim for the head within 40 yards and take a turkey home!

[J. DEMPLER]

I like #6 shot real well. I made a choke tube a few years back for my 870 and it seams to pattern 6 better than 4 or 5. No matter the size of the shot, it only takes one bb to do the job!!

[PEARL DRUMS]

I seen that choke Mr Dempler. That sucka is a tight one!

[lowell]

I use an old single shot 10 gauge I traded for years ago.  I have always used #6 shot and have not had any trouble.  Shots that are too far or sometimes too close are what result in misses. IMHO

[Blacktail]

2 3/4 NO.6 shot...then you yell THUNDER CHICKEN DOWN...

[mullet]

I've got a Ray Eyes limited series White Tominator, black powder 12 gauge, shoot 6's. A Berreta, Winchester, Mossberg 835 with a 20" barrel, collapsable stock and ported choke, shoot 6's. And four more black powder shot guns, shoot 6's.

[Kpete]

Here in Wyoming it is legal to use a rifle-.22 mag or higher.  I have enjoyed using a .45 flintlock I built with a light load and a round ball.  It kills them but not a definately as a load of bird shot to the noggin'.   But it is pretty cool.   One damp morning-rare in Wyoming.  I had the pan fire and no boom 3 times.  Finally got him in again and killed him with a round ball through the back.  I actually get them close with the rifle than a mod-choke shotgun before I shoot.
I built the rifle while in Indiana with dreams of shooting snowshoe hares, cottontails, and turkeys with it.  Deer, antelope, turks, and the bunnies have been tallied.   My eyes are making the fine blade on the front a little hard to use anymore.  Guess I will have to drill and tap it for a red dot sight!  NOT.

[JW_Halverson]

They don't make shot or shotguns big enough to drop a turkey with a body shot.  Buddy of mine drilled one with his .54 capgun with a 110 grain elk load of 2F powder.  Two weeks later he shot the same bird with a load of #6's from a low brass 20 ga....headshot.  When we field dressed the bird we found the hole plumb thru the breast and a badly fractured keel that was healing nicely. 

The kicker?  He shot the bird as soon as it hit the ground flying down off the roost tree!  Tell me them birds ain't tough. 

Can't stress enough how important it is to pattern a shotgun.  Not all shells like full or extra full, or super-mega-turbo-digital-turkeytight chokes.  Try the less tight chokes and if necessary, let 'em get closer to you.  They are not charging lions in the dark depths of the Tsavo region of Africa, they prolly won't even peck you much, let'em come in closer!

[Kpete]

JW, You mentioned steel in  your thread.  I used #4 steel on a couple birds on federal land requiring it.   I shot one at 30 yds with a mod choke. 
He was strutting and had his head and neck laid along his back.  When I dressed him out I found a pellet had gone through a wing bone, through the keel and out the other side.  Seems like  steel penetrates well.
When I use one "pellet"- .45  round ball, I try to shoot them in the back between their hips to break the "syn-sacrum".  Kind of ruins their drive train.

[PepeLep]

I've never used steel shot, but my best patterns have always been with #5 shot. Never had a bird get up after I shot it with #5.

I own several shotguns, but my "go to" turkey gun has always been an old, Savage pump that my dad gave me. It shoot 2 3/4" with an adjustable choke. I prefer to hunt anything that uses a shotshell with that one, actually. I have a real nice, Mossberg 3 1/2" magnum, but that old Savage is my favorite.

[Kpete]

Pepe,
I have a Savage 99 .300 savage that has some family history.  Like you, I have other guns that are better, but iI reach for the "favorite" most of the time.
As JW said earlier, patterning is the key.   My best friend uses #5's and finds that they do pattern very well.  He also hunts where the cedars are thick and he likes the heavier 5's to get through a bit of light cover.  He dones not shoot if the head is not clear, but had done well with the 5's.

[FlintWalker]

I prefer #4's... my gun likes 5's and 6 shot better though. I have an old Mossberg 835 that has killed around a hundred gobblers with the majority of those being with #6's.  Out to about 40 yards they all work just fine, but at 50 yards or if I hit one a little low I like the extra "punch" of the 4's.   
 In the last few years I've started just killing them with whatever I have on hand (or Mullet gives me  )  Inside of 40 yards a dove load will knock 'em stupid!