Spring Turkey Loads for my Superfox

[MIGrouse]

This past spring, I went turkey hunting for the first time with my buddies in New Hampshire. I brought and patterned two guns prior to the hunt. The first was my 32" 20 gauge A grade with 3" chambers, choked extra full and extra full. The second was my 32" Superfox 12 gauge with 3' chambers also choked extra full and extra full.

In both cases, I patterned the guns with Winchester / Remington 2 3/4" game loads. 7/8 oz. for the 20 gauge and 1.0 oz. for the 12 gauge. The pattern for the 20 gauge was slightly better than the 12 gauge Superfox but in my opinion not tight enough.

I would like find some really good loads for both, particularly for the Superfox. Can anyone offer some suggestions? It would be nice if I could find something that was readily available.

[Silvers]

For the 12-gauge Super-Fox: as I'm sure you know the S-F was designed for 1-1/4 to 1-3/8 ounce heavy progressive powder loads with paper hulls, fiber wads and bare shot. Also their boring and chokes were regulated for one or the other depending on respective chamber length. It’s not really practical to duplicate period shells even by handloading. That would be 1-3/8 ounce for 3 IN. Supers - and even then the du Pont Oval and similar period slow powders were discontinued many decades ago. Then if you get into different powders and plastic shotcups in 3" paper hulls all bets are off on the factory choking for max long range efficiency (pattern percentage) for those gobblers, foxes or coyotes that hang up at the limit of humane range.

IME the best readily available modern shells for use in 12-gauge Supers while hunting turkeys and large predators are the common modern Federal, Remington and Winchester 2-3/4" "high brass" shells with 1-1/4 ounce at about 1330 speed. I have about 10 boxes of fresh shells stashed away in No 4 and No 2 shot. 4's are the largest legal lead shot for turkeys here in PA and 2's are even better where legal. But high brass 2's have been discontinued (I believe) by some and maybe all three of the makers noted. Anyone looking for 2-3/4" modern plastic high brass lead 2's might want to start scanning the tables at gun shows etc.

I'll add here that based on Physics I'm not an advocate of modern trendy whiz shot like tiny TSS in Supers, shooting for the head, etc.

frank

[Kimber06]

Frank, thanks for the advice on the turkey loads for use in a super. I was also thinking about using my super fox this spring for turkey and wondering about loads. I have patterned my gun with several versions of the BOSS bismuth shells, and although the patterns were OK at 40 yards, they were not as tight as I was used to getting from my Mossberg turkey guns. I will take your advice, though here in CT we can use smaller shot for turkey, so I will experiment with loads from 4 up to 7.5 shot to see what patterns best.

[Silvers]

Let's remember that punching holes in paper while patterning can be done with any shot, even using your old Red Ryder with steel BB's, but it's pellet energy and penetration in flesh and to break bone that count at range. Bismuth is less dense than lead and bleeds off speed and thus energy way more quickly after leaving the muzzle. This was driven home to me while doing extensive testing of lead, Kent TM and Bismuth shot using three vintage waterfowlers for a DGJ article a few years back. For our Fox techies: some day go ahead to test penetration of lead vs. bismuth at increasingly long ranges in 1/4" dry pine as the old time masters did. I had a friend plane some pine to that thickness for my testing. Very eye opening. Ya can't get around the laws of Physics. Given a legal choice between Bismuth or lead shot in a given size (diameter), it’s a no brainer to go with lead for longish ranges.

frank

[MIGrouse]

Thanks for the information Frank. I'll get my hands on some 2.75 - #4's and #5's.

[Foxnut]

Frank, thanks for your insights on loads. Steve, several years ago I purchased several boxes (10 count),of Fiochi 2 3/4” #5 high brass Turkey loads. The pattern is very even and dense from my Sterlingworth Wildfowl and 32” SPE that I use for Turkey. I’ll snap a picture of the box w/info tomorrow and post it. Have used this load with a max distance of 35 yards and have never had an issue on spring Toms! While my Wildfowl is 3” chambered my SPE is only 2 3/4” so this load was suited for both.

[vaturkey]

I have a stash of RST Pigeon loads in size 6. They have taken more then a few Tom's over the years. They are 1 1/4 oz. If you have some give them a try on the pattern board. Above said, I think the longest shot I've taken with my Fox and that load is 20 yards. Get them close enough and most anything will work. I aim for the neck where it meets the body. PS. This is the Abbygun in the pic.