Rifles for turkey?

[Dusty Miller]

I'm not a bird shooter so this whole topic is new ground to me, BUT, I've heard of people using a rifle to turkey hunt.  Is this an sound advice?  It seems to me like a guy could just about ruin the turkey's breast and thereby lose some of the best meat.  Somebody give me the straight scoop, please.

[lil_hunter12]

some states allow use of a rifle but not many use them. i know people who say they legally use a rifle in west Virginia. i do not know for sure but they say they haven't ruined any meat yet. they shoot a .222, and another uses .22 long rifle. both go for head shots though.

[Drilling Man]

  I think a great choice for hunting turkeys in states where a rifle can be used is a combo gun...  Something like this Valmet made 12ga/222 Rem.



  Valmet made model 412's that were chambered in all kinds of combo's from .222, .223, .243 and more...  Anyone of these loaded properly would make an excelent turkey rifle, and you'd still have the shot bbl to use too...

  Mine is as accurate as a good bolt action rifle..

  DM

[huntswithdogs]

Dusty,
Turkey hunting with a rifle is legal here in Virginia. Shots to the base of the neck where it connects to the body or where the wing comes off of the body are best. I've tried to shoot one or two turkeys in the head,with a rifle, but have yet to hit one. A turkey's head never stops moving and doesn't present a very good target, in my opinion. I've seen turkeys shot with 17HMRs on up to 30/06s and the damage is usually minimal.

HWD

[lil_hunter12]

my uncle uses a gun like the one in the picture except his is 20 gauge instead of 12.

[HL]

I've taken several with a 222, 22 hornet, 6mm-223 and Rem 6MM.

As long as you make a head shot or put it at the base of the neck through the craw, you will not destroy any meat.