** Looking For Some Turkey Gun Advice

[thinhorn_AK]

Ive got Merriams, rio grands and easterns with a cheap Weatherby PA08 that I got for under 300 bucks.

 

[Jimss]

I've used and abused my 870 with long barrel, full choke, and 3" mag turkey loads. Mine shoots Winchester Longbeard XR 6's very well at relatively long range.

 

[bruinpoint01]

A 12ga Browning Gold Hunter has done really well for me. It likes Winchester Longbeard #6 and dumps gobblers from 7 to 40+ yards handily.

Find me on Instagram @970outdoors

 

[Orbis]

Other than more difficult maneuverability when moving around, are there any other issues using a full choked 28” vented barrel for turkey?

 

[Gbuilder]

Use whatever you got, I killed my first with an NEF single shot 12 and fixed mod barrel. After several years I built the for me ideal turkey gun - a mossberg 835 with 22" barrel, 12.5" lop hogue stock, and burris fast fire. I am 5'9", but prefer short LOP on my turkey guns - esp with a red dot as cheek weld and head position becomes less important. I shoot winchester 3.5" 5s but they aren't much fun to shoot though lol

Eventually, id like to build one off a mossberg bantam sa-28. They are synthetic, 24" barrel, 12.5" lop and weigh sub 5.5lbs. With tss loadings are probably equivalent of 3" lead or better.

 

[Wassid82]

I have an older Mossberg 500 12 gauge with a 30" barrel and a newer 870 with an 18" barrel. How important are things like the camo finish or fiber optic sights?

you can by gun cloth sleeves if you think camo is a must. I think its important but I wouldn't go painting a gun

 

[RS3579]

Remington SP10. It’s worked many times for me. 10 gauge

 

[hntr]

I agree with most people in this thread. Turkey hunting gun is the simplest shotgun out there. Get a reliable pump with a 26" or 28" barrell. Camo is nice, but not necessary. You don't need a fancy $80 choke unless you are buying high priced mixed shot loads. My dad shoots an old ithaca 12 ga with a fixed full choke barrell that can only shoot 2 3/4" shells. Most years he shoots his birds 35-40 yards. Don't get caught up in spending a lot of money on the gun, choke tubes and shells. Buy a simple full choke and find some decent priced 3" shells that gun patterns well. My 870 and and full choke it came with patterns remington nitro shells great, but patterned mixed shot loads like crap! Save money on the gun, choke and ammo and put you money in a nice crystal call, mouth call, turkey vest, face shield and good clothing. Also, good decoys go a long way, Avian x are expensive but I've had pissed off gobblers sprint towards their half strut jake. Start simple and go from there!!

 

[24on48hunting]

I am a first time turkey hunter and looking for recommendations for a solid reliable turkey gun. Leaning towards a semi-auto or over/under. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

I used an over under for turkey once and wasn’t crazy about it. I spent double on turkey chokes for starters. Next I had two totally different points of impact from the barrels, which forced me to do a really tight choke with TSS loads in the top barrel and a more open choke with lead #5’s for the close up work.
It worked, but I prefer my pump or semi auto.

 

[FLAK]

Be careful with the Xtra/Super Full chokes. I have missed more than
one at 15 yards because of a rifle like Pattern.
I like a regular Full choke.
My son killed his first long beard with a Sweet 16, Mod. choke and
#6 pheasant loads at 30 yards. DRT.

 

[Justinjs]

I agree with most people in this thread. Turkey hunting gun is the simplest shotgun out there. Get a reliable pump with a 26" or 28" barrell. Camo is nice, but not necessary. You don't need a fancy $80 choke unless you are buying high priced mixed shot loads. My dad shoots an old ithaca 12 ga with a fixed full choke barrell that can only shoot 2 3/4" shells. Most years he shoots his birds 35-40 yards. Don't get caught up in spending a lot of money on the gun, choke tubes and shells. Buy a simple full choke and find some decent priced 3" shells that gun patterns well. My 870 and and full choke it came with patterns remington nitro shells great, but patterned mixed shot loads like crap! Save money on the gun, choke and ammo and put you money in a nice crystal call, mouth call, turkey vest, face shield and good clothing. Also, good decoys go a long way, Avian x are expensive but I've had pissed off gobblers sprint towards their half strut jake. Start simple and go from there!!

+1 on the good decoys. If you don't have good decoys, don't even use them.
I had a few of the $20/3 decoy specials, every bird saw them and would just get hung up 50yds out in thick brush. We tried calling/not calling. Ultimate we figured out it was the new cheap decoys. Could have been our set up I guess.
They were taken down before the afternoon hunt and all of a sudden birds were coming into range.

 

[RealtreeJB]

I've been turkey hunting for 25 years with a Remington 870 with an extra full choke and love it. I run #5's for ammo and good decoys.

 

[Clay Courington]

I personally like a pump, and I used the mossberg 500 model in 20 guage. With the TSS loads being made today, I seeno need to carry around a 12 guage unless you already have one. Ive shot turkeys out to 60 yards with my 20 guage. With the gun and red dot I added, the gun only cost me $600

 

[NY16ga]

I'm very particular about my specialized turkey gun. It has to be grandpa's 16ga single-shot exposed hammer hardware store gun with a pitted barrel and fixed full choke. Very important that it has some rust on the receiver and that the hinge pin makes a little creaking noise when I break it open. I make sure to use the oldest, cheapest leftover pheasant loads I can find in the ammo box and my 1980s tree bark pattern hat held together by electrical tape.

 

[kpshunts91]

Nothing better than shooting a turkey in the face with a shotgun! I got a Mossberg 835 with a 24 inch barrel a few years back and love the thing. Put on a vortex venom this year and looking forward to using it. I wouldn't overthink it though, pretty much any ol shotgun will work, just get out there!

 

[clwg97]

Whatever shotgun you have will work fine. Go Pattern it and make sure you have a good pattern from 20 to 30 yards. Shoot them when they hit that range.

 

[Cng]

I’ve killed every turkey I’ve ever shot at with an old Mossberg 500 with 28” blued barrel, wooden stock, and full choke. I bought it used over a decade ago for less than $200, and every year I think about getting a cool new camouflaged turkey shotgun, but I decide it’s not really going to do anything the old Mossberg doesn’t already do just fine. Maybe next year...

 

[tclipse]

Nothing better than shooting a turkey in the face with a shotgun! I got a Mossberg 835 with a 24 inch barrel a few years back and love the thing. Put on a vortex venom this year and looking forward to using it. I wouldn't overthink it though, pretty much any ol shotgun will work, just get out there!

Same. Been running a ~1980's 835 for the past 15-20 years and it never does me wrong. I have a few other options including some top line Benellis, but for turkey, I can't pick up anything other than the 835.

 

[JGross1]

I use mainly my Mossberg 935. Good cheap reliable semi auto.

Couldn't agree more. Great, reliable, budget gun.