I love 5's but 6's would be fine. I shoot fiocchi or Winchester 2 3/4 shells and rst 2 1/2 shells. Rocked one with rst 5's in a Damascus barreled greener two seasons ago at 40 yards with no problem.

6' s always pattern best in my parkers
Scott

You've gotten great responses. Just call one in close and take him...and then post to the rest of us suggestions on how it's done. I can never decide between 6s and 4s, so I shoot 5s. I kill birds when I take good shots at reasonable ranges. That's the secret to success. BUT, be sure to enjoy the hunt. It's the reason we get up early and go.

Well today was a washout. Poured all morning. Should be better tomorrow.

4's just never seemed to pattern tight enough to my liking, too many spaces, and that was thru a Rem turkey X-Full in my 870 shooting Active 1 5/8 oz of 4's. Patterning 7 1/2's was a real eye opener , nothing could get thru that.
First turkey this year went right down with 1 1/4 oz & 1/2's, and second with 1 1/8 oz 7"s thru my Parker hammer 12 30" F/F. Would keep shots under 35 yds

Since the 1980's I have used REM-Peters 12 ga 2 3/4" Duplex load short magnum. Its 1 1/2 oz loaded with both #4 & #6's. Only have 2 rounds left but I do have a box of Sears short mag #5, 1 1/2 oz ammo. 4x6 loads worked great, same rounds in 2x6 sucked(open patterns). In 16ga 2 3/4" Peters short mags with 1 1/4 oz loads have performed consistently well. Almost impossible to find today, thankfully I still have half a box left.

When they first opened the turkey season here we could use duplex loads but I believe they have banned them for turkeys now. I have no idea why, they worked great. College kids and nature conservancy people running the Division of fish and wildlife these days.

Day 2, another washout, poured all morning and they weren't moving. Back at it again in the morning, should be clear and in the middle 40's.

Keep us posted, John. My season is over, so now I can go along with you through your posts.

Day 3 was gorgeous morning. I went out and fed the horse just after daylight and could hear the toms across the road at my cousins. I figured this is the morning, I get my gear head through my back pasture knowing those toms are gonna cross the road above my place and come down into my pasture. Walking out all I hear is silence. No clue where they went. I set up in ground blind I have set up, call once in awhile hoping for a response and nothing. I decide to head east along an old stone wall calling every once in awhile and finally get a gobble back! I don't even get set up and I can see the the lead birds red head 50 yards away over the brush. I sit down against a tree, give a few soft calls and 4 jakes come in to 20 yards. I ended up letting them pass, I want to take a long beard first with the VH. It was fun having them come right in. The toms must be henned up somewhere. Will have at it again tomorrow.