How's my turkey gun

Jasonlester · 03-08-2008, 11:31 AM

I have a Remington 870 Magnum SP Its camoed but not sure of the pattern...

Anyway it has a short barrel maybe 20 inches. It has a turkey tube. But its just reagular shotgun sites.

Anyone hunt with a short barrel like this? Or do you prefer a longer barrel.

When you pattern what distances do you try for? I also have another barrel for my other 870 but it is not camo but it is 28 I believe.

Obviously I'm new to turkey hunting. Been a few times but haven't figured it all out and sure haven't got a bird.

Jasonlester · 03-08-2008, 11:34 AM

Oh yeah.

Any suggested mods for my gun? better sites etc..

jepcho · 03-08-2008, 12:50 PM

For turkeys you are gonna want the shorter barrel. 20 inches is about perfect. I'd say you got the gun you are gonna want the only thing you might want to consider would be some truglo sights. They make some that clip right on the vent rib. Otherwise you are good to go.

StruttinGobbler3 · 03-08-2008, 01:00 PM

personally, i prefer a longer barrel, such asa 26 or a 28. i agree that shorter barrels are lighter and easier to manuever in tight spot but they don't seem to pattern as well as longer barrels out past thirty yards or so. as for sights i agree with jepcho tru glo makes great sights. good luck!

Rory/MO · 03-08-2008, 07:42 PM

id go with the non camo 870, the gun camo is not needed IMO, my dads killed about 40 without camo on his gun, i killed 3, until i made the switch to a 12 gauge when i was 12, it has camo.
weve never been busted because of the gun, its always motion, or noise

kingvjack · 03-08-2008, 07:59 PM

Go pattern your gun and see what your shooting at 35-40 yards.... then go from there... 20 inch barrel aint crap and is gonna open a pattern up real nice.
I shoot a 26 or 28 inch barrell at everything....
Go get the exact shells your gonna shoot and pattern up that gun...

RIStrutStopper · 03-08-2008, 08:08 PM

I've been using a 28" barrel on my 870 and its a bit long, especially with a choke tube that extends it even further. This year I'm gonna be using a short barrel Mossberg 835. If I were you, I'd stick to the shorter barrel so you don't hang up on every twig within reach.

RockyMtnGobbler · 03-08-2008, 08:12 PM

I agree with the longer barrel and no camo I shoot a Rem.870 Express 28 inch barrel and no camo, I also like the truglo sights.

I would strongly suggest you pattern your gun before you go hunting!

I set a turkey target out at 40 yards matching the right choke with the right ammo for your gun. You need to know what your gun, choke and ammo combocan do. After asking what other hunters shooting my gun use I experimented with different loads and chokes and I have a combo that works for me. I know at 40 yards I can put 64 pellets in a 4 and 3/4 inch area and so on.
You don't want to cripple a bird or miss.
Good luck!
This is a great place to meet good people and get great advise

Rory/MO · 03-08-2008, 08:25 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: RIStrutStopper

I've been using a 28" barrel on my 870 and its a bit long, especially with a choke tube that extends it even further. This year I'm gonna be using a short barrel Mossberg 835. If I were you, I'd stick to the shorter barrel so you don't hang up on every twig within reach.

ive been shooting a 28" barrel the past three years, never had this problem, hunting anything with it. it really works for me!

Jasonlester · 03-08-2008, 09:19 PM

Thanks for the info everyone.

I plan on patterning the gun ...When there is less snow on the ground. [:@]

The truglow sites sound nice. I can imagine loosing the sites in the woods.

I have the 870 and the 20 inch barrel both are camo'd if it doesn't work well out at 40 yards I'll switch barrels.
I knew the camo gun doesn't matter. But since I have it I figured I'd use it. My other 870 is setup with a slug barrel and I wont change it. But I can put the non camo barrel on this gun.