Turkey Rifle?

Great googly moogly! Hunt turkeys with a rifle..., #$%@&*%#$*&^%$#@... crazy &^%-$*-@#$*&&^'$... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Oh, you're not a good caller huh? Practice young man, practice... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Lest you get yourself knotted up, I'm funnin' ya. I actually think it would be interesting. Maybe a little accurate scoped .22 Hornet or .221 Fireball would do nicely. Or for fun perhaps a little Marlin peep sighted lever action in .32-20 for nostalgia. Could be fun indeed.
 
I know a few guys that use a .22 Magnum religiously when it's legal. Don't use varmint ammo with a centerfire though. You're gonna lose some meat that way.

In Colorado centerfires and rimfires are legal during the fall season as long as you use 38 grain or heavier bullets that have a mnaufacturer's energy rating of 110 ft/lbs at 100 yards.
 
Try a Savage .17. Ive taken turkeys at 100 yards before with one. They dont have much recoil and there deadly accurate.
 
.22 hornet works well with capercaillie, which is a grouse of up to and even over 11 pounds. I know that is smaller than an adult tom, but this may be of some interest anyway. Even in .22 hornet, FMJs are best for saving the meat. Round nosed FMJs are far superior to pointed FMJs for quick kills, even if that would mean they strike with somewhat lower speed at longer ranges. Some guys use soft-nosed bullets for shots much over 100 yards but I have been fine with round nosed FMJs.

I have shot a lot of capercaillie with .222 rem and 6,5x55 as well. Then it is strictly FMJs and most .222 rem loads are a bit too hot and may actually blow a bird to pieces at times, probably often due to tumbling bullets after hits in branches or bone. The 6,5 is nice but again stay away from pointed FMJs as they do not kill instantly.

A very popular option for capercaillie up to 100 yards or a little longer is the 7mmx33 Sako. It shoots a slow round nosed FMJ that will drop a big capercaillie like-and I quote my hunting buddy-"a plate of porridge". Do not ask me where he came up with that. But to me that pretty much sounds like the out-of-a-tree equivalent of "bang-flop".

This is a big issue over here as we rifle shoot a lot of these bigger grouse and do it for meat. If you hunt in cover and expect shorter ranges, maybe up to 130 yards or so, there is little doubt. Go slow, accurate and round nosed FMJ and you will kill clean and ruin little meat. Faster will give you range but starts to blow up close birds. Pointed bullets won't kill clean. Expanding bullets damage the inside-good for furbearers, bad for tasty birds.
 
I think using a rifle for turkey kinda takes the challenge out of it, although i have never done it, i enjoy using the shotgun...and am thinking about trying with my bow... i like having them Up Close and Personal, and im not sure why but i kinda like the recoil of the magnum shotgun loads(makes it feel like you have more power)
 
Well,.17 HMR does little meat damage. But now that I'm livin in NYS I'm using 3" Mag. #4 shot. Have taken them with bow too. Yep, up close and personal. Mark.
 
I take Turkeys with a Bow,it is a lot more fun for me to call them in close /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif
 
I used a .32 Caliber Dixie Mountain Rifle (muzzleloader) for turkeys one season in Texas and it was a HOOT! Very difficult to get that head shot but the .32 ball does little meat damage on a breast shot. Muzzleloader rifle turkey hunting is an enjoyable challenge.
 
Interesting stuff. In Maryland during sring season it's shotgun only. And when the big gobblers are responding to calling I wouldn't want it any other way......up close and personal.

In the fall we are allowed to use a rifle. For anyone who thinks it's not sporting, try snapping a Turkey's neck with a rifle at 90-100 yards. A body-shot will result in a ruined bird.......not for me.
 
3 turkeys with the bow in 7 years trying, longest shot was 19 yards, closes was 7feet, never gave much thought to using a rifle- but then again it's not legal here.
 
I have a Remington SPR94 12 ga/.223 which I plan on using for turkey this spring. Another option would be a Tikka 412 12 ga/.222.

This last spring I used the 12 ga on an SPR94 but did not use the rifle as it was .30-06.

Doug
 
Quote:
I think using a rifle for turkey kinda takes the challenge out of it, although i have never done it, i enjoy using the shotgun...and am thinking about trying with my bow... i like having them Up Close and Personal, and im not sure why but i kinda like the recoil of the magnum shotgun loads(makes it feel like you have more power)



My dad hunted with the 22-250. As for taking the challenge out of it, he only took head shots.
 


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