I have a 870 wingmaster I would like to get a turkey with this year. It has a 2 3/4 only reliever and barrel. Anybody have any favorite 2 3/4" turkey loads or is it a bad idea to go smaller that 3" for turkeys?

Winchester longbeards

There are some very good 2 3/4" loads for a 12...I know plenty of youth hunters that have killed longbeards with "pheasant 6s" out of a 20. Just find the best patterning one. I would look at the Winchester Rooster XR(unless you like 5s as there is a Longbeard XR option). It is the "lil sister" to the longbeard xr. The LBXR are the best 3" shell I've ever fired out of my gun. I use a standard Full choke & 6shot and there is an unbelievable difference at 40yrds over my previous federal premium load with the flite control wad.

federal premium 6's
js

Winchester super x pheasant 4 shot 2 3/4" high brass patterns the best in my Stoeger and it is 3" chambered. I have killed plenty of turkey stone dead at 40 yds which is all the farther I want to shoot. I have nearly done away with ones head at five yds which is almost too close. lol, LLL

Old Model 12 Winchester and results of 2 3/4" shells, I seem to like #5 shot but #6 is fine too.

3" isn't needed for turkey or even a 12 ga. for that matter. Choke and distance matter more. My GF has shot turkeys with my 12 ga. 2 3/4" pheasant gun and 6 shot.

Brad

Although I somewhat agree and disagree the most important aspect to killing turkeys is to get as many pellets in the kill zone as possible. Shoot your gun a lot and know what it will do at what range is the key. With that said I'll take my 3 1/2" over any 2 3/4" with number six longbeard XR's.
Not at all saying 2 3/4" won't and doesn't kill'em just as dead I just think people are kidding themselves at the advancement of guns and new shells and their range.

x2 Use them and they are good on turkey.

Ditto on the #6's, Fill the air with flak.

High brass 6s here. One pellet in the center of the old bean does a good job.....jk

30 yards and under and just about anything will take that tom down. I have used 7 1/2s In a 2 3/4 " gun and did the deed.

I used Winchester XX Magnum Turkey Loads in 2.75" with #6 buffered shot for close to twenty years out of my 870 because they patterned better than any 3" load I tested. I was running an X-Full RemChoke at the time. I killed eighteen Pennsylvania longbeards with the first two boxes of ten. Two loads were used for pattern testing.

You don't need 3" loads to kill turkeys.

Looking through some of the comment and I don't see a bad suggestion really. I would suggest that you cut out a couple ( at the minimum) card board turkey shapes and stake them at different distances. spend some time peppering card board so you know the best range to get them too. WAY less chance of wounding a bird that way...

Any load will roll'm if ya let'm get close enough.

First one i ever killed was with a 410.

X2 and then some.

The Winchester Longbeard loads are the most devastating turkey loads I've ever used, hands down !

Great advice.

Patterning with different loads is very important if you want to know how a particular load will perform out of your set up. That's how I found out that 3" loads had a hole in the middle out of my gun/choke combo.

I only test at forty yards, that is the maximum I will shoot at a turkey. When I find a load that has good density in the kill zone at forty yards. I am reasonably assured it will do even better at shorter ranges.

The only drawback to extensive pattern testing is the expense. Premier turkey loads ain't cheap!

I trade shells with my turkey hunting buddies to help alleviate the cost.

I am getting excited about turkey season just reading this! Not too far away!

No need for cardboard cut outs. Just shoot paper. This will tell you way more info about the gun and shot than shooting card board turkey heads. It shows if poi is off poa and shows the whole pattern. 100 hits in a 10" circle will kill every turkey you shoot at.

I have the same gun and what I used was the winchester XX magnums #6 shot. I killed them dead out to 40-45yds no problem. I never tried the newer loads as I have boxes of those 10 pack treebark boxes. I switched to a 3inch 1187 one year because it was a good deal and it is camo dipped, I just got tired of taping up the 870 or I would still use it everytime. Two years ago I used it and smashed one with it for old time sake.