Turkey gun for wife

[peterk123]

She is a little lady, 5'4" and goes about 115 pounds or so. What would you guys recommend we consider and would you go with 12 gauge or 20? Right now she is using an old bolt action 20g. Time for a dedicated turkey gun. Thx Pete

 

[Glendon Mullins]

If you shoot TSS, I would consider one of those single shot 410's, super light, little recoil etc. or mossberg makes a pump 410 as well

If your still flinging lead I think your thinking right going with 20 gauge, you could possibly look at 16 gauge as well

 

[Bluefish]

I went with a 410 and tss 9’s last year. Awesome setup.

 

[wesfromky]

.410 with a red dot and TSS.

 

[Weldor]

Semi auto. I have been chasing the recoil thing for awhile. A light 20 semi auto with #5 lead 2-3/4 inch is stiff for someone lightweight. A heavy 12 with a tss load probably less felt recoil. I switched over to a 12 ga. for dove last season from a light 20 and I sure could tell the difference. 12 ga was pleasant to shoot all morning. It was a good test, I missed ton of them and shot a bunch of shell's LOL. JMHO

 

[Davyalabama]

28 gauge --

However, if she's handling the 20 just fine, you may consider a youth 20. You want a dedicated turkey gun, try a mossberg turkey. 28 or 20

 

[Bluefish]

28 gauge --

However, if she's handling the 20 just fine, you may consider a youth 20. You want a dedicated turkey gun, try a mossberg turkey. 28 or 20

As someone who has several 28’s I would not get one for turkey. Either go 20 or 410. Both of those have readily available turkey loads while the 28 is not common. Also except for a few 28’s they won’t have a 3” chambers.

 

[BCD]

28 gauge --

However, if she's handling the 20 just fine, you may consider a youth 20. You want a dedicated turkey gun, try a mossberg turkey. 28 or 20

This! The Mossberg Tactictal Turkey is a fantastic gun. I love mine. I have the 20 gauge

 

[WCB]

What do you think her max range would be? I'd probably go 20 gauge in what ever flavor you want. Semi auto would take a little of the recoil out of a Turkey load.

If your talking 35-40yards absolute max and in a .410 with TSS is great. My 5year old daughter killed her first bird at 30ish yds and I killed one past that with a Rossi Poly single shot.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

She is a little lady, 5'4" and goes about 115 pounds or so. What would you guys recommend we consider and would you go with 12 gauge or 20? Right now she is using an old bolt action 20g. Time for a dedicated turkey gun. Thx Pete

The Savage 301 and Henry turkey camo models in .410 are probably your best bet. Watched someone pattern with them using the TSS loads from Fiocchi and they were unbelievable at how well they performed out to 50 yards. The Henry is probably a tad nicer, but I am sure a single shot can only be so nice. I would probably just grab the Savage for $200 and grab a red dot or 1x prism optic and call it a day. Low recoil. Optic ready. Super light weight. High performance. Good pricing. I hate the 12 gauge. Always more recoil than needed to kill the game you are after. Always extra heavy and extra long compared to 20's and .410's. Just in general not pleasant. If you just do not want to spend the money on TSS loads, I think 20 is the only good option.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

As someone who has several 28’s I would not get one for turkey. Either go 20 or 410. Both of those have readily available turkey loads while the 28 is not common. Also except for a few 28’s they won’t have a 3” chambers.

If they shoot TSS 28 would be a solid choice as well, but they didn't specify unfortunately

 

[180ls1]

.410 auto + Red Dot + TSS and you have a dream 40 yard turkey gun.

Swap to a 20g if you want to add 15-20 yards. I would stick with an auto for recoil and follow up shots.

Something like this

https://gun.deals/product/escort-ps-turkey-hunter-bottomland-410-ga-24-barrel-3-chamber-4-rounds-36999

 

[Bluefish]

If they shoot TSS 28 would be a solid choice as well, but they didn't specify unfortunately

It will work perfect, but much harder to find commercial 28g tss loads than 410 or 20. I can go into several stores in town and buy 410 or 20 ga turkey loads, but not 28’s. I have several 28 ga and still went out and bought a single shot 410 with a rail so I could run a red dot for turkeys. For the 1-3 shots per year I can buy a box of factory 410 tss and not worry about loading it.

If you want large lead loads, the 28 struggles with 2 3/4 shells. There are now some 3” chambered guns, but I have not run across much ammo. Considering you can get a Stevens or a Cva for under $400 and tss was running $40 a box, that’s a reasonable option. I have taken my single turkey at 40 ish yards with the 410. Pretty impressed by how it worked.

 

[Matt5266]

Another vote for 410 and TSS.

 

[chrisdixon1]

Just ordered a Beretta a300 Turkey in 20ga for the wife. It has the kick off which should help with recoil if the LOP isn’t too much for her. If it is, you can take the kick off out and supposedly can get to 13” LOP.

 

[peterk123]

What do you think her max range would be? I'd probably go 20 gauge in what ever flavor you want. Semi auto would take a little of the recoil out of a Turkey load.

If your talking 35-40yards absolute max and in a .410 with TSS is great. My 5year old daughter killed her first bird at 30ish yds and I killed one past that with a Rossi Poly single shot.

I'd say 40 yards max. I've never had to shoot further than that on a bird.

Sounds like I need to take a hard look at a 410.

 

[Fatcamp]

.410 and TSS.

Got a light 20 for rhe kid and it isn't any fun to shoot.

 

[180ls1]

I'd say 40 yards max. I've never had to shoot further than that on a bird.

Sounds like I need to take a hard look at a 410.

TSS is also "mandatory" IMO, especially if using a 410. It's probably as game changing as adding a scope to a rifle.

Also, it seems funny but #9 is the ticket. Those tiny pellets absolutely work.

 

[Bluefish]

I'd say 40 yards max. I've never had to shoot further than that on a bird.

Sounds like I need to take a hard look at a 410.

Use target loads to get sighted in, will save a bunch of money. 9 or 9.5 tss easily does the job. You know its main stream when all the major mfg sell 410 tss turkey loads.

 

[Matt5266]

I'd say 40 yards max. I've never had to shoot further than that on a bird.

Sounds like I need to take a hard look at a 410.

Yes, this is THE answer for you. Nice that the guns are cheap too.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/savage-301-turkey-single-shot-shotgun