I use a Winchester 1300 pump for turkey. It is a purpose built turkey gun, but I use gas operated autoloaders for most other things. Fit is king; find someone (other than a salesperson) who really knows shotgun fit and take them along with you. If it is a dedicated turkey gun, it is a different animal, so to speak, because you will be shooting it more like a rifle rather than for wing shooting. For a dedicated turkey gun unless you are planning on using a scope, sights are important.
The Browning Silver has a similar gas operating system to the Winchester SX3. I like the system. In your case I would suggest staying with the gas operated type of autoloaders rather than inertia/recoil as the gas operated type will have less recoil for you. Both the Browning Silver and the Winchester SX3 have some very nice purpose built NWTF turkey models.
I've been using a Thompson Center Pro Hunter the last 4 years. Had used my 870 and my bow prior to that.
The TC is crazy light which is good for hoofing it, but you don't want to spend too much time behind it just shooting turkey loads for fun. Its my only camo gun. Put a Nikon dedicated turkey scope on it and it's just plain fun. Single shot challenge and super easy to maneuver. Figure some day when I can't pull my bow anymore I'll get a muzzle loader barrel for it and give it another purpose.
I shoot a benelli sbe with a rob Roberts choke tube. He does the benelli custom shop turkey guns. He will send a choke tube and if it doesn't pattern right he will let you exchange it. This works great for turkeys and I also use this for ducks as well.
Ann, $760.00 out the door w/$740 for Camo clothes....Sit back in the shade/brush and lack of movement or slow movement is key...
Gun broker, shotgun, Remington 870 Turkey, $395.00-$550.00. 3"or 3.5" does not matter
Bass Pro Shops, Redhead Bucklick Turkey vest $99.00
Hevi-shot magnum blend $28.00 a box
Hunters Specialties gun rest $10.00
Camo rifle sling $20.00
Camo 3/4 fase mask $15.00
Pruning Shears $20.00
Most important Sawyers Premium insect repellent 24 oz. spray $18.00 for your clothes/Turkey vest.......Just an old guy rambling on..Randy..
I use a Benelli Super Nova, camo, 26 inch barrel. How many times a year does the average turkey hunter shoot??? I wouldn't worry about recoil that much. Save some $$$ on the turkey gun and put the rest toward a waterfowl set up, deer rifle, whatever else you do. I've never bought into the short-barrel craze completely for turkey, but wouldn't want to go to a 28", it would be a bit ungainly in the thick woods and swamps, but I'd want that 28 for waterfowl, pheasant, etc. (trap/skeet), so I like the idea of a dedicated turkey gun, but you really only need so much for turkey, and I have never encountered a situation where an autoloader would have given me any advantage turkey hunting.
I've decided on the Beretta A400 Xtreme K.O. in the optifade pattern. This gun felt the best of them all each time i went back. The Winchester SX3 was a close second.
Thanks for everyone's input.
I have used a bps and it did well for turkey. I’ve switched to a semi auto for quicker shots. One of the nice things about the bps is it’s a great duck blind gun too because it ejects shells out the bottom, thus not hitting hunting partners!
Benelli Nova. They come in any configuration you could want- pump action dependability; chamber up to 3.5” shells (what you want for turkey -andsecond only to 10ga. ); bomb proof; light weight (also a big plus for turkey hunting); and have the same incredible ergonomics of a super black eagle for 1/4 of the price.