What is a good shotgun for turkey hunting?
01-17-2011, 06:51 AM
#21
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pa
Posts: 4,647
Any 12 ga shotgun with at least a 21" barrel and a modified to extra full choke tube will work 90% of birds are killed at 25 yards or less anyways. Grandads old 1897 Winchester 12ga will kill em at that range. Also a 3" 20ga is a good choice for out to 30 yards. Now in my opinion a remington 870 express is as good of a turkey gun as it gets my second favorite is a Remington 1187 both those work great and won't breat the bank. Stay away from mossberg
LOL... Well your prob right... BUT... Some people might not kill gobblers every spring
and after 2 or 3 seasons of chacing them and one comes in and hangs up out there at that 40-45 yard mark, that guy might want a gun that is going to get the job done!!! I know I would...Some guys say you can get it done with a 410. I know were they hunt...
Last edited by Mr. Longbeard; 01-17-2011 at 06:54 AM.
01-17-2011, 07:58 AM
#22
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WV/OH
Posts: 270
I've got 3 870 turkey guns... All 3 shoot out to 40-50 yards...
I've known 4 people over the past 15 years that us Mossbergs... None of those shot guns shoot as good as my 870's... Two of the guys sent there guns to Mark Bransner to have sleeves put in the barrels and they still wouldn't out do my Remington... Even had one of the guys tell me that he was going to by a remington lol...
You can buy a mossberg if you want... Look at all the big names in turkey hunting... There either shooting a Remington or a Benelli... I doubt a 1000-1500 dollar shotgun will out shoot my Remington...
I've known 4 people over the past 15 years that us Mossbergs... None of those shot guns shoot as good as my 870's... Two of the guys sent there guns to Mark Bransner to have sleeves put in the barrels and they still wouldn't out do my Remington... Even had one of the guys tell me that he was going to by a remington lol...
You can buy a mossberg if you want... Look at all the big names in turkey hunting... There either shooting a Remington or a Benelli... I doubt a 1000-1500 dollar shotgun will out shoot my Remington...
Mossberg 835, .690 Primos Jellyhead choke, Nitro 4x5x7 Hevi shot.
300+ pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yards.
Maybe I need to scrap that piece of junk..... lol
01-17-2011, 06:55 PM
#23
Spike
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Chiefland, Fl
Posts: 38
I have Benelli Supernova. I love it. it's a little pricey for a pump gun but it's a stone cold killer. Last year I used a .665 tru glo choke that threw a good pattern with remington nitro's 3" #5 shot. It worked great for shots up to 35 yards. I'm gonna try a few more chokes to get a little more range in case a gobbler hangs up with me.
01-18-2011, 10:18 AM
#24
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 183
ill post the same for the same exact Q that was asked word for word today, something not right, kinda fishy 
Make lemonade out of lemons, make a turkey gun out of any shot gun.
its not about what kind or whatever, its about how you pattern, distance you can shoot, what load you are shooting, and how close you can get them to come in.
Any shot gun will work for turkey hunting, if you have a shot gun already then you more than likely can go out and find turkey loads or what ever your preferance is and be successfull, needs to have more power than regular bird shot or target load for greater distance and knockdown power but there's really no such thing as a "only turkey gun", shot guns are very versital on many types of game, so do some research on what you have already and you might be suprised on what your gun can really do with the right combinations such as, gauge, chokes, chambers, and loads.
Make lemonade out of lemons, make a turkey gun out of any shot gun.
its not about what kind or whatever, its about how you pattern, distance you can shoot, what load you are shooting, and how close you can get them to come in.
Any shot gun will work for turkey hunting, if you have a shot gun already then you more than likely can go out and find turkey loads or what ever your preferance is and be successfull, needs to have more power than regular bird shot or target load for greater distance and knockdown power but there's really no such thing as a "only turkey gun", shot guns are very versital on many types of game, so do some research on what you have already and you might be suprised on what your gun can really do with the right combinations such as, gauge, chokes, chambers, and loads.
01-18-2011, 04:24 PM
#25
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,186
Another $.02. My favorite and what I have used for decades is the 12 ga. , full choke, with high velocity #5 or #6 shot. I used a 1960's vintage Savage 12 ga., SBS FF , 30" F/F from about 1968 until about 2000. It was stolen. I went "fancy" and bought a so called "turkey gun". Mine is a fully cammo, Benelli Nova, 12 ga. with a True Gold brand, ported, .670 choke tube. Mine gives a great pattern with 3" Wichester Supreme, copper coated lead, #6. I tried many of the 3 1/2" loads and found no real advantage as far as pattern density at 40 yards. I have killed every gobbler that I have shot at with this set up. I estimate that the longest shot was abut 45 yards. Most were will inside 30.
01-20-2011, 04:22 AM
#27
Spike
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: South of the Mason Dixon Line.
Posts: 40
I have been chasing Gobblers with a passion for 25 years and have used every kind of shotgun.
Here's my thoughts:
Pumps are easy to short stroke when you get excited and you are limited to one choke. Plus they can rattle and make noise at the wrong time!
Auto's can and will jam (always at the wrong time) and they rattle too. And you are still limited to one choke. Autos are also heavy.
With a good double you can have a super full choke and a more open one for close and far shots. Here in Arkansas I mainly hunt woods and most shots are 20 yards or less. But when I hunt in Kansas I regularly take 50 yard shots. Last year was my longest kill. 65 yards and the bird was dead before it hit the ground. That was with a 3 1/2" Hevi-Shot #6 and the .670 TruLokc choke.
I use a Citori 3 1/2 inch mag with 28 inch overbored barrels. When hunting fields I use two .670 TruLock chokes. When hunting woods I put a .670 on top and a .615 Skeet 2 (in between an IC and a mod.) on the bottom barrel for up close work.
One important thing to remember when shooting a double. Do not use ported choke tubes, and make sure both tubes are the same length. Even a 1/4 mm difference in length will throw a pattern. off. Its best to use the same brand of tubes on both barrels. I prefer Trulocks, but most all after market chokes these days are good.
Here's my thoughts:
Pumps are easy to short stroke when you get excited and you are limited to one choke. Plus they can rattle and make noise at the wrong time!
Auto's can and will jam (always at the wrong time) and they rattle too. And you are still limited to one choke. Autos are also heavy.
With a good double you can have a super full choke and a more open one for close and far shots. Here in Arkansas I mainly hunt woods and most shots are 20 yards or less. But when I hunt in Kansas I regularly take 50 yard shots. Last year was my longest kill. 65 yards and the bird was dead before it hit the ground. That was with a 3 1/2" Hevi-Shot #6 and the .670 TruLokc choke.
I use a Citori 3 1/2 inch mag with 28 inch overbored barrels. When hunting fields I use two .670 TruLock chokes. When hunting woods I put a .670 on top and a .615 Skeet 2 (in between an IC and a mod.) on the bottom barrel for up close work.
One important thing to remember when shooting a double. Do not use ported choke tubes, and make sure both tubes are the same length. Even a 1/4 mm difference in length will throw a pattern. off. Its best to use the same brand of tubes on both barrels. I prefer Trulocks, but most all after market chokes these days are good.
Last edited by Bruinsden; 01-20-2011 at 04:30 AM.
01-20-2011, 05:32 AM
#28
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: WC FL
Posts: 26,323
[QUOTE=Lance_23;3759927]ill post the same for the same exact Q that was asked word for word today, something not right, kinda fishy
Make lemonade out of lemons, make a turkey gun out of any shot gun.
its not about what kind or whatever, its about how you pattern, distance you can shoot, what load you are shooting, and how close you can get them to come in.
Any shot gun will work for turkey hunting, if you have a shot gun already then you more than likely can go out and find turkey loads or what ever your preferance is and be successfull, needs to have more power than regular bird shot or target load for greater distance and knockdown power but there's really no such thing as a "only turkey gun", shot guns are very versital on many types of game, so do some research on what you have already and you might be suprised on what your gun can really do with the right combinations such as, gauge, chokes, chambers, and loads.[/QUOTE]
10-4 good buddy!
Make lemonade out of lemons, make a turkey gun out of any shot gun.
its not about what kind or whatever, its about how you pattern, distance you can shoot, what load you are shooting, and how close you can get them to come in.
Any shot gun will work for turkey hunting, if you have a shot gun already then you more than likely can go out and find turkey loads or what ever your preferance is and be successfull, needs to have more power than regular bird shot or target load for greater distance and knockdown power but there's really no such thing as a "only turkey gun", shot guns are very versital on many types of game, so do some research on what you have already and you might be suprised on what your gun can really do with the right combinations such as, gauge, chokes, chambers, and loads.[/QUOTE]
10-4 good buddy!
01-20-2011, 05:37 AM
#30
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 183
[QUOTE=Rebel Hog;3760737]
Thanks Hog thats how i feel 
ill post the same for the same exact Q that was asked word for word today, something not right, kinda fishy
Make lemonade out of lemons, make a turkey gun out of any shot gun.
its not about what kind or whatever, its about how you pattern, distance you can shoot, what load you are shooting, and how close you can get them to come in.
Any shot gun will work for turkey hunting, if you have a shot gun already then you more than likely can go out and find turkey loads or what ever your preferance is and be successfull, needs to have more power than regular bird shot or target load for greater distance and knockdown power but there's really no such thing as a "only turkey gun", shot guns are very versital on many types of game, so do some research on what you have already and you might be suprised on what your gun can really do with the right combinations such as, gauge, chokes, chambers, and loads.[/QUOTE]
10-4 good buddy!
Make lemonade out of lemons, make a turkey gun out of any shot gun.
its not about what kind or whatever, its about how you pattern, distance you can shoot, what load you are shooting, and how close you can get them to come in.
Any shot gun will work for turkey hunting, if you have a shot gun already then you more than likely can go out and find turkey loads or what ever your preferance is and be successfull, needs to have more power than regular bird shot or target load for greater distance and knockdown power but there's really no such thing as a "only turkey gun", shot guns are very versital on many types of game, so do some research on what you have already and you might be suprised on what your gun can really do with the right combinations such as, gauge, chokes, chambers, and loads.[/QUOTE]
10-4 good buddy!