When it comes to all out tight patterns, you'll find 10 gauges at the top of the heap. And there is no question about it.

Now an all out tight pattern doesn't necessarily make a great turkey gun. If you are interested in having a gun capable of killing a bird 100% of the time at 60 yards, provided you do your part, then a 10 gauge is probably a good place to start, because while lots of people say their gun can do it, and some folks even luck into doing it, there are not that many 12 gauges around that can.

What makes a good turkey gun is a variety of things. Most turkey guns that will put 100+ pellets in a 10" circle at 60 yards, will probably put almost all of the pellets on a tea saucer at 20 yards... and you can't ask a turkey to take a few steps back so that all of him will fit in the picture... doesn't work that way. Its easy to miss inside 20 with super tight shooting guns.

The two downfalls of ten gauges (in my opinion) as compared to 12s are: 1) WEIGHT... most of them weigh in excess of 8 pounds.. and those are the light ones 2) Ammo selection and availability. You can find just about anything on the internet... but when you need it you need it, and you'll probably have to wait a few days. Most manufactures offer 10ga loads in 4, 5, 6 in 3.5" 2 1/4oz loads... and thats it. Nitro makes a hell of a shell for them in hevi-shot, and they run $8 a shell. And I'm sorry, but that is a lot of money of ammunition.

With a gun that is so heavy, and considering that they are loaded to SAAMI pressures LOWER than a 12ga 3.5", the recoil is considerably less than a 3.5" 12ga. But I wouldn't want to tote it all day.

Its a great turkey gun, and some of the best 12 gauges you'll find will only shoot with marginal or fair 10 bores at 40 yards (most of those guns are 835s... a few BPS....) Bore size has everything to do with it. Its not the number of pellets (to a point)... its how they leave the barrel that makes a great pattern, and the 10 just has it.