Patterned some loads Pics

[valvesinmyhead]

These are at 40yds with my Mossberg 835 using 3" mags.

[valvesinmyhead]

Going with the Feds. The Winnies were not so good in Dads overunder as well. His liked the Rem Nitro 3" #5 at 1210 fps.

[dukkillr]

The Feds had more shot than the Winchesters and a lot more shot than the #4 winchesters and you're suprised it put more on paper?  It's 2 oz vs 1.75 oz.  OF COURSE it's going to shoot a more dense pattern. 

But there are two tests to a turkey load:
1) Pattern Density - You've covered that, sorta.
2) Pellet energy - You haven't covered that.  Remember that in order to kill a turkey a pellet has to hit it's target, then penetrate, particularly if you're talking about the skull.  That's why the larger payloads aren't the only product on the market.  They don't hit as hard.

It looks to me like you shot high on the third target.  Did you shoot more than one of each shell to correct for random dispersal and/or shooter error?  Are any of the loads you tested copper plated or hevi-shot?

[valvesinmyhead]

I used a bench rest to do this so I am sure of POA. As far as pellet energy 40yds is max. Decoys will be 15yds. Even at 25yds the Wins did not do well in either of our guns. I will sacrifice 150 fps for a more controlled pattern. The Feds are copper plated the Winchesters website does not say if thet are or not. Surprised at findings. Yes and no but just thought I would share.

[jeager106]

I handload 12 gauge but specialty loads only.
I don't shoot much in the way of clay birds anymore so I just buy Walmart 100 packs of #8 shot for that.
Your middle pic looks likce your best pattern, almost as tight as my handloads of #5 and #6 shot shot 1.5 oz loads.
More is NOT always better.
I beat the pants off a guy with a 10 bore magnum shooting 2.5 oz shot.
He was so humiliated he accused me of cheating.
Cheating and what and why and how escapes me.
Like I siad I manufacture NEW ammo by using new, primed hulls, everything else has to be new so I can't call them "reloads".
My #2, #3, and #4 buck pattern ultra tight.
The #2 and #3 buckshot shoot inside 20 inches at 40 yards.
Another reason why I put "ghost ring" adj. sights on that 11-87.
For many reasons I have no use for the marbles like 000 and 00 buck.
Don't use buck for deer but I'd bet a chest full of #2 buck under 40 yards should do in bambi pretty well.
My new manufactured buck might do better on for deer with #1 buck.
I'll have to try that load on paper one day.
My turkey loads are all 1.5 oz. put up in new 3 inch multihulls, sometimes Fiocchi, correctly and well buffered, M.V. is around 1100 f.p.s.
You can drive a load too fast and get poor patterns.
#4 buck will NOT pattern as tight as the #2 and #3 loads, in fact the #4's act like birdshot giving me about 95% at 40.

[buck460XVR]

Looks like a dead turkey with all rounds used. What choke were you using and did you try others? Like Dukkillr said, did you try more than one round of each to check for consistency? Do you have a scope or sights mounted on the gun or just using the bead? Even using bags, most beads are not "dead on"....one of the main reasons to pattern your gun. Did you try other ranges than just @ 40 yards? It's hard to tell if your gun shoots to POA at that range, 15 yards is better for that. At 40 yards the larger pattern compensates if your bead is a little off. I've seen more turkeys missed @ 15 yards because of POA errors than @ 40 yards.