Author Topic: turkey hunting with a handgun (Read 768 times)

sprig · « **on:** November 20, 2003, 03:12:28 PM »

in alabama you can turkey hunt with a centerfire handgun as long as it has no scope on it. i just bought a thompson encore handgun in 243. have hunted turkeys with shotgun for 22 years. anyone hunt turkeys with a handgun? would like load data for 243 to shoot turkeys.
sprig

Jack Crevalle · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2003, 02:23:57 AM »

This sounds like a good question for my pard Ladobe in the T/C handgun forum.

varmit_master · « **Reply #2 on:** December 02, 2003, 08:44:35 PM »

Hi let us know how u do good luck VM

Frog123 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 07, 2003, 05:38:56 AM »

I had a .218 bee barrel that just begged to be carried turkey hunting unfortunately pistol and rifles aren't allowed here in Tn. I thought about jumping the border into Va. and giving it a whirl. I think a .22 hornet would be ideal for birds.

Branch · « **Reply #4 on:** December 16, 2003, 11:17:10 AM »

I hunt in Va. and my favorite Encore barrel for turkey is by far is my 22 Hornet. 15" bl barrel with scope, black comp grip and forend. It's a sweet combo that carries well and knocks em dead with the right shot placement. I've also used factory ammo in (243, 80 gr I think) on em and it's good too. I've shot them with my 30-06 and 209X50 also but ya got to be real careful how you go about it and I had to let alot of birds walk cause the shot just wasn't there with these two barrels. But they were what I had back then. All my barrels are 15" inc the 209X50. It's about as much fun as it gets, many a time I just had to lay on the ground a take a moment to get it together after a kill. :-D

dbuz · « **Reply #5 on:** December 30, 2003, 02:51:26 AM »

I plan on using my 14" .223 Contender this spring.

Selmer · « **Reply #6 on:** January 07, 2004, 01:58:34 PM »

I had fun over Christmas break taking out four turkeys at a buddies farm. They are wild stock, they like to let them breed and then there friends get to come shoot them. I chose to shoot mine with my Encore in .454 Casull, shot them in the neck, except for one, I shot him in the upper breast and had a little bit of meat damage. It was a "blast"!

Selmer

Hoyt · « **Reply #7 on:** January 19, 2004, 10:53:17 AM »

I killed quiet a few gobblers with .22 rifle and scope...back when it was legal in Ga. I would call them into shotgun range and only shoot in wingbutt. Doesn't take much to kill one if hit there..but takes a whole lot if shot in breast.

sprig · « **Reply #8 on:** January 28, 2004, 04:37:46 PM »

well i couldnt get the 243 to come down on the paper with iron sights. it did great with a scope. i traded it on the TC classifideds for a 22-250 barrel. anyone got any load suggestions for this to shoot turkeys.
sprig
ARISE KILL AND EAT
_________________

Hawghead · « **Reply #9 on:** January 30, 2004, 07:26:46 AM »

243 for turkeys is a little to much in my opinion. I would choose a .22 hornet.

bigbore442001 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 22, 2004, 04:20:47 AM »

Sprig:

I was thinking about this issue concerning the open sight rule for handguns on turkey in Alabama. I assume you have an Encore. I was at the Fox Ridge Custom shop last week. They make all kinds of barrels and lengths. I would look into getting a 10 or 12" .22 Hornet barrel and have the fiber optic sights on the gun. That would make for a really interesting gun for turkey.

I have a 10" .22 Hornet barrel and thought about putting on a set of fiber optic open sights for that purpose. If I ever get around to hunting turkey in a state that allows handguns for these magnificent birds.