Recoil is definitely a consideration with the ultimate big bore turkey guns.

Consider that the average 2-ounce, 3-inch 12-gauge load -- the most popular load sold -- shoves the butt of a 7-pound pump gun into your shoulder at 19.265 feet per second for a measured recoil of 43 foot pounds. Most readers will be able to coordinate these figures with experience and know that 3-inch turkey loads certainly get your attention at ignition. By comparison the Barnes Ballistic Program shows that the renowned hard-kicking .375 H&H magnum rifle loaded with its optimum 270-grain hunting load (used on cape buffalo) only develops 39.5 foot pounds of recoil.

Now folks, let's consider the big boys. The 3 1/2-inch turkey load in the 7-pound, 12-ounce Mossberg 835 or Remington 870 Express Magnum pump develops a whopping 60.3 foot pounds of recoil, hitting your shoulder at a speed of 22.31 feet per second. For comparison that's 6 foot pounds more than a .416 Remington Magnum with a 700-grain bullet -- the gun's suggested load for elephants!

The 10-gauge, given its roomier bore and hull and greater gun heft but identical-sized load, is far less punishing despite a 60 fps velocity advantage over the stoked-to-the-limit 3 1/2-inch 12 gauge. A 2 1/4-ounce 10-gauge load fired from my 11-pound Ithaca Mag-10 develops 48.7 foot pounds of recoil at a speed of 16.88 feet per second. That's no love pat but is considerably less formidable than the long 12.