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Thread: Ready for Turkey season

  1. #1
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    Ready for Turkey season

    Texas generously allows us to use means and methods other than shotgun but I still like to call them in as close as I can. I'm thinking the 38-55 will do nicely. The load is 1cc(9.2grs) of Unique over the 379-250F Lee. I like plain paper plates for iron sight with bead targets. Center hold at 25 yards, the left target is LLA lube sized .375" with Federal LR primers. The top group on the right target is PC sized .377"; the bottom group used Rem.9-1/2M primers. Front bag only under my left hand. I'm pleased with all three but the LLA .375" are going hunting. I'm not moving the sight as it is dead on @ 100 yds with my stiffer 4198 load with the .377" PC's.

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  2. #2
    Boolit Master


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    I wish we could use a muzzleloading rifle of some small caliber for our turkey season. Instead we have to stick with shotguns. I do try to use one of my muzzleloading shotguns to bag at least one turkey each season. You have a beautiful 38-55 rifle and it looks like it will do the job. Where do you like to put the slug on a turkey at 35 to 45 yards with a rifle?
    Mark 5:34 And He said to her (Jesus speaking), "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction."

  3. #3
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    I don't turkey hunt, probably should take it up as many as there are here. Kansas only allows shotguns or archery.

    Oddly, I have been shooting my .38-55 a bunch the past few days. I got a rifle someone made on an old waffle top with a very long, heavy octagonal barrel and it came with a Marbles tang sight and globe front. I immediately had issues with it misfiring, which I attributed to the grate trigger pull the former owner put on it, but it always sets off Federal primers so all is good. Mine didn't shoot very well at first, then I got a set of the RCBS cowboy dies and groups shrank dramatically.

    I lucked into a large lot a guy was selling closing out his grandpas stuff and got several thousand commercial cast bullets and a few hundred cases. I also had a few of dad's and a lot I bought at a gun show, unsized or lubed which I believe are the Lyman 375165 which have been shooting very well unsized and lubed with LLA.

    Kind of ashamed to admit that with all I've shot it, I have only cast one pot of bullets for it, the Lee bullet you mention, and it is a good one. Probably not gonna cast anymore for a while until I shot up all the others.

    The .38-55 is a hoot. Everybody should have one. Is that a JES rebore?

  4. #4
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    Yes, it’s a 3 groove JES rebore. It shoots better than I can hold with the Lee. I really like the Redfield receiver sight- a coin fits the adjustment screws. The loads that Jessie recommended would likely pop my bony shoulder out of socket or at least checker it blue.....I guesstimate these Unique loads to go around 1100 FPS and they are a delight to shoot. I’ve always tried to hit turkeys at the base of the neck but body shots happen and cast works well without much meat damage. I killed a few Toms with this gun with the Lee C309150f back when it was a 30-30.

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    The load data I have is from my Lyman manuals from the '70s and are all on the light side, been shooting in the 8-9 grains of Unique and 700X which is close to their max loads. Marlin chambered their action for the .375 Winchester, so pretty sure I could up that load a lot, just don't see a need. These group well at 100 yards, and I think a 250+ grain bullet at 1100 FPS is all I'd need from this rifle.

    Will that load be pretty destructive on turkeys?

  6. #6
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    As long as I avoid the breast meat it should be ok. I’ve killed bunches with .222 through 8x57mm (watching placement).

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    Boolit Master RU shooter's Avatar
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    Looks like a head shooting load ya got there ! Ain't gonna ruin any meat either. Hope to see a nice bird proudly displayed in pictures when you get one .
    If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

  8. #8
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    I'm hitting the NH woods in a month when our season opens...it will be the first Turkey hunt for me in 25+ years. I've been practicing with my mouth calls...they seem to be the trickiest for me....always did. My slate pot call and box call are pretty much fool proof. I'll be using them until motion is spotted....then switch to the mouth call.

    It's shotgun only up here...and I did buy a new Turkey choke for the old Mossberg 500. (vintage 1975)....I remember the last time I turkey hunted I only had my original three chokes. IC/M/F....I've since gained a few more to fill in the gaps...but the latest is a .665" Extended Turkey. I hope to get out this Saturday to pattern it.

    I remember as a kid we could use only shotgun for Spring Gobbler in PA...but then in the Fall when turkey came back in we could use rifles as well. I'm not sure if that's changed or not.

    Let us know how you make out with the 38-55.

    I'm actually starting to get excited about this hunt. It's been so long since I've done anything but deer hunt and the occasional squirrel walk. It should be a fun.

    redhawk

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  9. #9
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    I have found that it pays to pattern your turkey gun. With my Knight TK2000, I found better patterns with just a mite less than the extra full turkey choke. I know that sounds wrong, but just give it a few shots on the pattern board and find out how yours does.
    Mark 5:34 And He said to her (Jesus speaking), "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction."

  10. #10
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    only a turkey would.........
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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by smoked turkey View Post
    I have found that it pays to pattern your turkey gun. With my Knight TK2000, I found better patterns with just a mite less than the extra full turkey choke. I know that sounds wrong, but just give it a few shots on the pattern board and find out how yours does.
    Did they used to sell other chokes? I have both the original extra full, and the modified chokes, I was not aware they ever had others.

    100 grains FFg Goex, turkey ranger wad, 1 3/4 ounce #5 magnum shot, overshot card. This load will put 100 pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yards with the extra full choke.


    I always thought handgun hunting turkey might be fun, but rifle? It seems like your open sight rifle would work great at shotgun distances, but a shot over 50 yards would be tough. I think it's a good thing when you are free to do what makes you happy.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Georgia allows muzzleloaders and a couple years ago I picked up a like new Lyman Deerstalker that's a .50 flinter. I use 50-60 grains of KIK fffg and a patched .490 round ball. I put one of the then obtainable T/C aperture sights on it and it has all the accuracy I need for neck shots at 50 yards. My brother and I put a vertical strip of 2" blue masking tape on a piece of cardboard and see who can make the best shot. GF

  13. #13
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    I wish they would allow rifle in ga.much easier to head shoot with 22lr,22wmr or 17 than getting kicked so bad with high brass turkey loads,i bought my wife some of the browning tss 13/16 #9 .410 turkey loads this year for her rem 870

  14. #14
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    Calling them in close and taking them with a handgun is a pure adrenaline rush. The first time I did it was with a Ruger single six 32 Magnum using 32 Smith & Wesson long reloads with cast bullets. My self-imposed range limit is 25 yards with a handgun and 50 yards with an iron sighted rifle. I have killed a couple with a shotgun before- the heavens did not open and the angels did not sing....

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    Thomas that is a good looking, good shooting rifle. I have a Marlin 336 38/55 Jes rebore, and it is one of my favorite rifles. It has a Williams foolproof peep on it. I have been looking for a decent 94 Win to send him, but no luck yet.

  16. #16
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    if the lock down is still on I dont know that i will be going
    kids that hunt and fish dont mug old ladies

  17. #17
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    If you are in a shotgun state and your shoulder doesn't like the heavy 12ga load, move your decoy in to 20 yards and use a 28ga. They make copper shot loads in both 5 & 6 shot. 6 works just fine.
    Never trade luck for skill.

  18. #18
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    "megasupermagnum;Did they used to sell other chokes? I have both the original extra full, and the modified chokes, I was not aware they ever had others."

    It sounds like your TK2000 works great and you have a winning load. I have shot turkeys at a full 50 yards with mine. I have throttled mine back and my load now is 85 Gr. Pyrodex with 1 1/4 oz of #5 shot, and no plastic wad sleeves. Rather I use the traditional over powder wad, a 1/2" cushion wad, the shot, followed by an over shot card. My TK has only the No 11 cap capability. The choke I use most is my 0.76" at the muzzle. My extra full turkey choke measures 0.71. I am not sure what those chokes computes to be. What ever they are however the 0.76" patterns best for me at 40 yards.



    "I always thought handgun hunting turkey might be fun, but rifle? It seems like your open sight rifle would work great at shotgun distances, but a shot over 50 yards would be tough. I think it's a good thing when you are free to do what makes you happy."
    I certainly agree with that. As I said, I'd love to be able to use my .32 or .36 muzzleloader for turkey. Seems like a natural thing to do, and I'm sure they have been used for taking turkeys for a long time.
    Mark 5:34 And He said to her (Jesus speaking), "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction."

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master


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    They all have 209 primer capability. All you have to do is buy the 209 primer breech plug. I have both. Mine works 100% with either one, no real reason to switch. You do need the plastic carriers for the 209's, so the #11 caps are likely the way to go in the long run. If it were my choice, I would get rid of all restrictions on hunting arms, with the exception of special season like bow and muzzleloader of course. If one guy wants to hunt a deer with a 9mm carbine, be my guest. If another wants to hunt a turkey with a 30-06, no care at all from me. I would still use a shotgun for most things myself. The only thing different from current I wish I could do was hunt deer with buckshot.

  20. #20
    Boolit Man
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    I would love to take a turkey with either my 1894 Marlin .44 magnum, with 240 grain SWCGCHP or my 1894 Winchester AE ,.45 Colt, with 255 grain RNFP but, alas, Indiana requires shotgun only 20ga or larger, modern or muzzleloader...…...robin
    Last edited by robinsroost; 04-02-2020 at 03:03 PM.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check