Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

I have several shotguns but none seem very suitable for turky hunting. My Benelli Montrofeltro 12 ga is a very nice gun but it is so long and cumbersome, I find it ackward to hunt with. I've used it for yrs but each yr consider getting rid of it or at the very least, getting a bettery turkey gun. This one not only has a long 28 inch barrel but the stock and receiver seems longer than other guns.

I also have a Rem wingmaster, 26 inch barrel that i love, but its not a good turkey gun either b/c it has a fixed choke, improved, and is only 2 3/4 shells. So I don't think it is a good choice though I could replace the barrel but still be limited to 2 3/4 shells.

With the Benelli, I think I am stuck, it will cost more to get a barrel for that gun than it's worth, plus, I still have a long stock and receiver and a wood grain finish to get scratched up. Do you think i should try to make the Rem wingmaster work or do I really need to get an entirely new gun? If new, suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

What would you recommend I do? I shot a friends Rem 1100. He put a rifled barrel and super full choke and it shoots nicely. Gun is heavy but put 40 pellets in 10 inch plate at 45 yrds vs. my benelli with 16 at 45 yrds.

edit: neither gun has a sling which is a hassle. Also, my 16 pellets at 45 yrds was with a factory full choke in the benelli. I've never shot at 45 yrds until this yr due to some unusual circumstances but that's another story.

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

Don't try the Wingmaster. That Bennelli will work just fine. Get you a good choke and do some patterning with it. Throw a sling on it and it will help with packing it around.

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

mossberg 835 thats all that needed to be said
at 50 yds i am getting an average of 108 pellets in a 10 inch circle

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

I have hunted the last few years with a Nova w/28" barrel and did fine. If you are set on getting a new gun look at either the Mossbergs or the Remingtons with the thumbhole....very comfy. I actually have the 535 Mossberg - I am getting 45 pellets at 40yds shooting conventional shot 3" shells(up to 3.5). The thing I didn't do and should have was look harder at the 835- It is over sized in the barrel (actually a 10g if I remember right) and that reduces the kick. JMO.

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

I HIGHLY recommend going and getting a Mossberg 835. The best turkey gun there is. Get yourself a Jellyhead and youll be shooting some great patterns.

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

Sell the Benelli and the Wingmaster and pick up a Remington 870 Express Magnum, new or used. It will have a 3 inch chamber and a threaded barrel for different choke tubes. Put a JellyHead tube in it and your buddy will be jealous of your patterns......;)

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

Ok, I am going to throw you all for a loop and say get the NEF Pardner 20ga with screw in choke tubes. Drill and tap the barrel, put on a red dot or scope, get an Indian Creek .555 or Pure Gold .555, and shoot Nitro #7's.
You should be able to get about 200 pellets in a 10" circle with that combo for around $400 total.

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

Ha..not throwing me for a loop. ;)

20 gauge Remington 870 Express,Red dot,PureGold .555and the Nitro 7's 10 inch circle at 40 yards.

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

Mossberg 835. I got one two years ago and with the factory choke and winchester supreme turkey loads I ve been four for four with it. Great gun and its a heck of alot cheaper than purchasing a beneli.

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

Very very nice!!

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

When you say the number of hits in a 10" circle at 45 yds, you say one gun had 40 and the other had 16? That isn't much, and IMO not good enough to hunt with.

But, the number of hits in a 10" circle is not really what you need to know, you should be concerned with the number of hits in the head/neck of a turkey. You want as many as you can reasonably get, but I hear 10 is about the minimum acceptable number.

I shoot a Mossberg 500, with Win. SuperX 3" #5, standard full choke, and I limit my shots to 30-35 yds. I know with an extra full chokeI could get more range, but I hunt in areas where I can't really see more than 30, so any bird I can see I can usually shoot. Very tight chokes are good for extra range, but they also make close shots harder because the pattern is very small at say 15-20 yds.

As for your choice of guns, I'd think about getting a Mossberg 500, 535, or 835. If money is an issue, you can usually find used ones in shops on on-line.

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

I agree and disagree with UncleNorby. 45 hits isn't much, but I would stick with the 10" circle. Work with different choke and load combinations until you have I'd say a minimum of 100 hits evenly distributed within the circle @ 40 yards. Those head and neck targets look pretty cool, but keep in mind that a turkey's head is constantly moving, and can be anywhere in that 10" circle by the time you pull the trigger. I'm still working on my gun, but the last time I shot at paperI put 165 pellets in a 10" circle @ 40 yards. The gun was a Mossy 835, 20" barrel and a .690 Jelly Head choke. Load was 3.5" 2.25 oz #6 Hevi-13s.

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

The circle thing is useful in determining where thedensest part of the pattern is hitting relative to the point of aim.

Shoot at a specific spot at say 30 yds. Then try to surround the greatest number of hits with a circle of whatever size. Compare the center of the circle to the spot you aimed at to determine whether your gun shoots high, low, left or right. Do a couple times to verify.

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

The Rem 870 Express Super Mag in 12 ga. with a Primos Super Full Turkey screw in choke and Win.Supreme 3 (it shoots 3 1/2 also) inch shells in #4 is a good combo.

RE: Need gun selection help, here's why.
 

Quite right, that is the exact reason you use the 10" circle as a guideline instead of a turkey head target.