Flying Ferris

Most ten gauges, ie not single shot ones kick less because they're nearly double the weight of a 12 guage.

Californiadoctor

I agree with Flying Ferris on the recoil issue. I have a Remington SP-10 Magnum semi-automatic 10 guage and do not think its felt recoil is any worse than most 12 guage guns. When loaded it weighs about 12 pounds which is probably one reason the recoil is more tame than you might think. I really I am not bothered by the weight; I just look at it as getting more exercise when I go hunting. It was expensive, $1,200 new, and the ammunition is expensive and often hard to find. However, I love the solid feel of the SP-10, better patterns, if not significantly more range, than a 12 guage and it is the last gun in my gun safe that I would be willing to part with.

Caldoc

Slamfire

Come on Doc, you know a fixed breech is a whole different animal in the recoil game than your gas operated automagic. 10s are and ought to be built heavier than the 12s, or at least they were before 3.5" chambers were invented.

Californiadoctor

Slamfire, you are right. Autoloaders will always have less recoil than equivalently chambered fixed breach guns. I honestly do not know whether this is due primarily to the energy used to cycle the action or the greater mass of autoloaders. With the SP-10 I get the advantage of both effects.

Caldoc

Little Bow Man 1

A 10ga 3 1/2" about 60 yards a 12 3" about 40 yards

Flying Ferris

The fact remains that my buddies Browning is a full 3 lbs heavier then my 870 and he can shove more shells (ie more weight) into the gun. It kicks less. Here's an artical on 3.5 12's and 10's

http://www.ithacagun.com/experience/...ing/myth.shtml

Now I don't agree with him on the 3.5 is a worthless shell in a 12 gauge, but it does have some good recoil numbers, as well as range.

Also I didn't go with the 870 super mag for recoil machismo's sake, more for the fact that a 12 gauge super mag is a more use ful hunting gun. I know have a gun that basically can kill anything under the sun that I want, using as little or as much power as I want. I really think that even though 10's may out range the 12's by maybe 10 or so yards the 12 is so much more gun for the money, especially seeing as a 870 express super mag goes for arround $300 these days.

max the dog

The 10ga is potent medicine on turkey's as well as geese but I honestly don't think you'll see much improvement in it over the 3 1/2 12 ga. On paper they are almost identical. In the field the 10 ga is a much heavier gun. Holding up all that extra weight might test your patience when you're trying too keep absolutely still while you wait on the bird to come in just a few more yards.

If you're trying to get 5 to 10 extra yards then give different shot shells and choke tubes a try before buying a new gun. A super tight full choke tube loaded with hevi-shot could give you that extra range, it did for me. My SxS double gun patterns tight out to 45 to 50 yards with hevi-shot but only 35 to 40 yards with lead. Having a gunsmith put screw-in choke tubes in that gun was worth every penny.

bronko22000

Nuge, I would estimate more like 15 - 20 yds over the 3" but none over the 12 ga 3 1/2". Reason - all shotguns (10 ga on down) have a muzzle velocity of around 1150 - 1200 fps. So all else being equal, a #4 lead pellet shot out of say a 20 ga has the same energy as a #4 shot out of a 10 ga. Also, choke is choke - an extra full choke will put 80+ percent of its pellets into a 30" circle at 40 yds. So where does the 10 ga gets all its "power"? From the number of pellets in its load. Its obvious that you can put a lot more pellets of the same size in a 10 ga than a 20 ga.
I've hunted turkey and geese with an old Ithaca Mag 10 and a Remington SP-10 (basically the same gun). They worked but they were too heavy. My current all around turkey, duck, goose gun is a Rem. 870 Super mag. It delivers the same payload as the 10 ga. Yes with a bit more kick. But the birds dont seem to notice.
The only drawback so they say, to the 12 ga 3 1/2" over the 10 ga 3 1/2" is the length of the shot string. Personnally I think its nonsense. Especially for you shooting at a stationary target (turkey). With an identical choke in the 12 and 10 using the same load, lets say a 2 1/4 oz #4, you should have very similar pellet counts in the vital zone.
If it were me I wouldn't buy the 10 ga simply because of the weight. Now if I were to really have to buy a new gun, I would seriously look into a 12 ga 3 1/2" semi.
Oh by the way, I got a Limbsaver recoil pad for my 870 and it does help somewhat.