243 for Turkey

[Woodbutcher]

Perhaps some of you gentlemen might share your thoughts. What bullet choice would you consider for turkey in the 243?
 Here in Pennsylvania some areas allow a rifle for the fall season. Turkeys sometimes present an opportunity from one hillside to another, when the leaves are down. Flocks travel thru the hills, sometimes making a heck of a racket, scratching and carrying on. But it's either out of season or out of range. I need to get serious about this situation!
 I've seen few articles about this, I do remember once reading something about solid copper bullets for this purpose. I've never seen anything in print like that since.
 The lite weight version NEF in 243 with a suitable scope would be nice to carry when wandering around. The accuracy is there for certain, it'll hit em as far as I'll see em. Me hittin em...requires a little range estimation and judicious consideration, I realize. Stoppin em without demolishing them is the concern! They don't leave a very good blood trail with all those feathers, if they aren't put down quickly.
                                                                  Woodbutcher

[Natman]

I don't know exactly what grain to use but I do know that I called my brother-in law in a 20 pounder this past spring when he got back from IRAQ..He shot it with a .223 and I thik 55 grain bullet..Shot it right at the base of the neck and darned near took its Whole head off..I have never used a rifle for spring gobbler but do understand the reasoning...My cure for these birds is a Mossberg 835Ulti-Mag with Winchester High Velocity 2 and a quarter ounce 5 shot..Kills on both ends if I don't get set up right and get in a weird position..Been rolled on my back a few times and had a tree I was sitting in front of give me a good whack on the back of the head

[Mohawk]

I've used the .243 on a fall gobbler while deer hunting. Used a 100gr standard Winchester soft-point. Shot high the chest and blew a exit hole a little larger than a golf ball. Works well.

[Mitch in MI]

This won't demolish them, but will it stop them reliably?
http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/714892

[oktx]

I have used sierra 60 grain hollow point with very little damage.  Just shoot them right above the beard.

[Woodbutcher]

Gentlemen, thank you!
 Nateman, here in Pa. spring gobbler is shotgun only, its those birds of Autumn that I want, and I must compliment your calling talents. If you ever heard my ..efforts...at calling, well, them birds are probably still laughing at me. Which is why I'm gettin serious! 'Sides a 243 don't kick like that monster you're talkin bout. I'd be insulted and injured!
 Mohawk and oktx, That is the info that I hoped to hear. Perhaps a standard deer load would be just what's needed.
 Mitch in MI, I went to the website you provided, and that's great, but as I read the description of the solids, I guess I got to thinking. Bone Shattering... Dangerous Game!!!?! Just what kind of turkeys you got where you're at there fella? :shock:
                                                                          Woodbutcher

[Woodbutcher]

Gentlemen, thankyou!
 Natman, spring gobbler is shotgun only here in Pa. It's those birds of Autumn that I'm after, and I must compliment you on your calling skills. If you ever heard my calling...efforts...well, those darn birds are probably still lauging at me. Which is why I'm gettin serious. 'Sides, a 243 don't kick like that monster you got! I'd be insulted and injured!
 Mohawk and oktx. I like that, standard factory load for deer, sounds good. Should stop em.
 Mitch in MI, I went to that website, saw the copper solids, looks good, but I think we gotta have a talk here. The description said BONE SHATTERING, DANGEROUS GAME!!!?!! Just what kind of turkeys you got where you're at there fella?? :shock:
                                                         Woodbutcher

[Mitch in MI]

There are two kinds of Barnes Solids, the round nose are for shooting through a water buffalo. There are also spitzers in the smaller calibers which are intended to zip through a predator without damaging the pelt. These would zip through a turkey (or 20 turkeys) without hurting the meat much. OTOH, I don't know if they'd slow the turkey down much. The alternatives seem to be shooting them in the neck with a v-max and decapitating them humanely, or accepting an exit wound the size of a golf ball with an expanding bullet from a 243.

[Woodbutcher]

Mitch, after reading the experiences of Mohawk and oktx, I guess i'd pin my hopes fer now, on the slightly expanding projectile, cause if I hit em, I want to stop em fer sure, right now!
 That big ball of feathers can make things interesting. Teeny little head and skinny neck, work for a shotgunner at calling in range, but out at rifle distance, I'd have to go for the heart/lungs. A golf ball sized exit sounds like a good idea to me now, cause like you said about the solid, "don't know if it would slow em down much". And hopefully a 243 with a "deer bullet" would offer such a controlled expansion.
 Thats why I asked in the first place, some one elses experiences are worth more than my guesses!
                                                      Thank you, Woodbutcher

[handirifle]

Anyone ever try a 22 mag to the body?  Too little gun?

[Leftoverdj]

I've seen a few turkeys shot with deer rifles, and I'd recommend against it. Hit the wing butts and you get turkey hash. Don't hit something solid and the bullet slips through and the turkey goes running through the woods.

There are strong .22 mag supporters and strong .22 Hornet supporters. Haven't seen any of the results so I can't comment. I have a .25-20 and were I to hunt turkeys on purpose with a rifle, that's what I would use, but there ain't one of those in every closet.

Something you might have, which ought work, is a .357 carbine. It'll cut a good sized hole without blowing up a lot of meat.

[Woodbutcher]

Gentlemen: It's like this, often enough to keep me hoping, I've eased up to the top of a ridge, and slowly peeked over to the area below, and out farther, and spotted birds. They seem to travel in flocks, and once in a while you can guess where they might be if some food source is available that they like. Bear in mind, this is in the Autumn, when the leaves are thinned down a bit. Let's say, sometimes, 200 yards, give or take. I think much farther would be rare, too much in between.
 This is rifle range, for a target of that size. And sometimes, there is even time to set up for a shot, you know, lean against a tree or something to stay steady.
 Now the 22 Mag, 22 hornet H-mmm, good stuff, 25/20 I've always admired! Enough? At that range? I don't know. A larger Deer caliper would be rather destructive.
The 243 is available in an accurate, lite weight walking around rifle (as well as other choices 223, 270, ect.) and two gentlemen have stated their experiences, with that cartridge. Stopped the game and no big damage. I'm happy!                                       Woodbutcher

[Mohawk]

Yes, the .243 works fine. The .243 is just heavy enough to do it right. I actually brought this subject up to my dad that used to hunt fall turkeys exclusively with his .243 Remington BDL. We used to eat them as kids and never heard him complain about them being torn up or wasting meat. He said in the '70's in was common place for Texas Hill Country hunters to use .243' on turkeys. I shot mine broadside, I think, and I remember that the exit hole was about two inches or so across. Turkey fell instantly. I can live with a 2" exit hole through the ribs without a problem. Oh, this was at 20yds. also, so it you back it up it should be a little less maybe.