Who hunts with sub 20 inch "tactical" shotgun for turkey?

[Str8shooter]

Im requesting input from turkey hunters who have used a Beretta 1301 or similar style A300, Benelli M4 or M2s, Winchester SX4 or other shorter barrel shotguns typically employed for 3 gun and for home defense. It seeems me that a smoother recoiling, gas operated shotgun with an 18.5 to 20 inch barrel would be nimble in the woods, easier carrying, and enable you to follow a bird with the barrel without as much mass movement in the final moments. How do these shorter barrel options pattern? How does the shorter barrel impact aiming precision? What kind of sights are you using? Pros/cons of the common pistol grip on a shorter platform. Is a tacticool turkey gun dumb as hell and I should compartmentalize my tool use better? Heres my top contender, a Beretta 1301 Mod 2. A blunderbuss-lookin home defense style gun that has ghost ring sights, switchable chokes, and an 18.5 barrel.

 

[Tod osier]

I think they would probably work great with a good turkey choke tube, especially if you have or really want one. Until TSS came into favor a heavy 22.5 inch gas gun was my turkey gun of choice. These days, I would not consider something larger than a 20 for a dedicated run and gun turkey gun. I do like a semi in a turkey gun - lot of doubles taken over the years. 12 gauge gas gun is way too bulky and heavy for me these days.

 

[Tod osier]

I think they would probably work great with a good turkey choke tube, especially if you have or really want one. Until TSS came into favor a heavy 22.5 inch gas gun was my turkey gun of choice. These days, I would not consider something larger than a 20 for a dedicated run and gun turkey gun. I do like a semi in a turkey gun - lot of doubles taken over the years. 12 gauge gas gun is way too bulky and heavy for me these days.

I take it back, that gun has a permanent IC choke. If it had a removable choke tube, I'd stick with what I said.

 

[TxLite]

A buddy of mine borrowed my 1301 tactical with Hornady critical defense 00 buck and smoked a deer with it at 20 yards. Worked great. No turkeys though.

 

[bnsafe]

Ive thougth alot about the ar looking ones with a 18 inch barrel. Problem with those is the mag holds more than 2. would have to figure out some way to modify it legally to only accept 2

 

[Erict]

I use a Rem 870 12-gauge, factory stock with a 20 inch barrel, fiber optic front sight and 3" #5 shells. It carries through the turkey woods much better than my 26" barrel (and I'll add that I can't imagine turkey hunting without a sling on the gun). Points and hits equally well. Daily limit here is 1 bird, so no advantage to gas guns. I keep shots in the 25-40 yard range I don't see converting to a "TSS" gun just so I can shoot maybe 3 birds a year.

 

[Str8shooter]

I take it back, that gun has a permanent IC choke. If it had a removable choke tube, I'd stick with what I said.

The 1301s now use Optima chokes and can be switched to turkey chokes! Although Ive read the TSS can pattern better in less constricted chokes...(full vs extra full)

 

[Str8shooter]

Ive thougth alot about the ar looking ones with a 18 inch barrel. Problem with those is the mag holds more than 2. would have to figure out some way to modify it legally to only accept 2

I think a simple dowel rod or #2 pencil can function as a tube limiter to ensure 2+1 as a hunting max.

 

[MattB]

Never tried hunting with it, but I have a 1301 and absolutely love that gun. Pretty cool to be able to hunt pigs and turkeys with the same gun just switching out chokes.

 

[ianpadron]

Get that new Mossberg Turkey Pro, looks so sick.

 

[DangerRanger]

I think a simple dowel rod or #2 pencil can function as a tube limiter to ensure 2+1 as a hunting max.

Obviously read your state rules but in mine as long as it works and is strong enough not to break you can use whatever you want. My auto 5 has a pencil in it

 

[kloppy]

My buddy hunts with the 18" Winchester SXP Defender. It looks ridiculous and kicks like a mule with TSS, but also kills turkeys just fine.

 

[TaperPin]

Off the subject, but every time I think of turkey calls it reminds me of the scene in predator where the predator says, “over here,” in English. lol

 

[dtrkyman]

You want a nimble gun look into the sub gauges, unless you just don't want to spend the money on TSS no way I would carry a 12ga.

 

[huntineveryday]

I think the biggest consideration is that you no longer need a 12 guage for a turkey gun. If you have one and want double use, absolutely, use it for turkeys and enjoy it! If you are buying a new gun, go 20 guage or smaller. 20 guage longbeards are good to 50 yards, tss even further. With tss, a 28 guage or .410 is a great, light, easy to carry choice. No need to carry a heavier, bulkier 12 guage.

One thing to consider is that guns with short barrels (<24") can present dangerous situations when carried on a sling with one in the chamber. Easier to get through the woods though.

 

[ianpadron]

Shorties are where it's at. 18.5" 20 gauge here, 8x32 binos for scale...tinyyy

 

[russnutt209]

I have been using a mossberg 535 with a 22" barrel for almost 20 years now. I bought it and a hevi shot branded turkey choke and thats all I have used. It came with some tru glo sights and a few years it had nothing not even a bead. But my eyes are bad and so for this season I put a swampfox optics liberty green dot sight on it.

 

[FlyGuy]

Last year I bought a Tuffy 410 for turkey and I LOVE it. So light and nimble! Soooo much lighter to carry than my 12ga! Much shorter so much easier to swing on a bird in tight spaces. It dang near feels like a toy gun. And it’s cheap. Super low investment. Pick one up and I bet you’ll never go back to a 12 or a 20.

It’s a crack barrel single shot, which I also think is a bonus. As I’ve gotten older I just don’t feel comfortable leaving a round chambered in my 12ga while I’m covering ground. It’s just too easy for that safety to get bumped from safe to fire on most shotguns, but that extra caution has cost me more than a few birds. However, with the cocking hammer on this 410, I feel extremely confident moving through brush with a chambered round. And the TSS ammo is legit. Expensive as Hell, but legit! The 410 with TSS will do anything a 12ga will.

 

[FLS]

I have a 1301 comp set up for 3 gun. It’s got a FO front and XS express rear that’s been milled into the rib mainly for shooting slugs in tactical matches. I’ve pulled the extended mag tube and hunted with it before, but it’s so light, it actually kicks harder than my 20” 870. You won’t notice shooting at a bird but you will patterning your loads. They’re easy to mount an optic on but that’s about the only advantage. They’re not worth a damn for wing shooting because of the sights. Theyre cool guns but don’t really offer any advantages , especially considering the cost IMO.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I use 870 and 1187 in 20 gauge both with 21” barrels. With my handloads I’m getting 300 pellets with my 870 and 350 pellets with my 1187 in a 10” circle at 40 yards. I have Vortex Venom 3 moa red dots on my turkey guns.