Recommendation for a new and maybe lighter turkey gun?
 

Hi all,

As I get older the weight of my turkey equipment is starting to be noticeable both from an energy perspective as well as knee issues. I'm starting to think about paring down what I carry. A 1/4lb here, a 1/2lb there, it all adds up. I have a Benelli Super Nova with pistol grip that has served me fairly well. It's got a 26" barrel and according to specs weighs around 8lbs. My 16 year old son has outgrown his youth model 20g and wants to go to a 12g. I'm thinking it's time to hand mine down and get something new for me. My wishes, which may not all be aligned - 12g, shorter, lighter, maybe a semi-auto, and if it isn't contrary to the weight goal still have a pistol grip of some sort.

Any thoughts and recommendations?

I definitely feel your pain brother!!

I don't own one of these, but I know a couple of guys who do and love them for turkey with the TSS shotshells.

I liked the 301 till I seen it was made in China.

I think its hard to beat a single shot for light weight turkey gun's these days if weight is your biggest issue's

I personally went to smaller overall sized shotguns yrs ago for turkey hunting, my current turkey gun is a 11/87 3 inch mag, custom 18-1/2 inch barrel, extra full choke, and I get very nice patterns out to 50 yards, and much tighter one's at 40 and under,, personally don;t shoot at them past 35-40 yards , so, NO need for extremes or extra barrel length to carry!
have a light weight scope on it, keeps me [pretty accurate!

and very comfortable sling

not sure how much it weights, never weighed it, but being so short, is just easier for me to manage taking it n long walks and days in the woods!

I think far too many folks get caught up in trying to make a shotgun a LONG range tool, like all the crazy in long range rifles and huge scopes and long barrels on them, when most shots are close , no where near where folks PREPARE for!

If I were to consider a single shot, it would be a nice muzzleloader. You can stay at 12 ga. and load the powder charge as desired. You then have the frame for a multitude of other barrels.

I like mrbb's suggestion. The firearm's steel is the best way to drop weight. An 11-87 is a sweet gun and will reduce felt recoil because semi-auto. You have two back up shots just in case....

Think my 24 inch SBE empty weighs around 6 pounds. Pretty easy to carry.

That does look like it could be nice. Might be over my budget however.

Today I discovered the Weatherby SA-459 Turkey. It seems to fit the bill and isn't over my budget. I don't have any experience with Weatherby guns. Any feedback on the brand or more specifically this model?

there decent shotguns
have you looked at charles daly shotguns?
there decent guns as well and price point is lower too

something like this, is a nice turkey set up
but again, please go handle guns before getting your heart set on any and pick what fits you better, you'll be alot happier in the end!


https://www.charlesdaly.com/product.php?id=541

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/109152

I cant speak for how good the Charles Daly shotguns are, but I did buy one of their muzzleloaders.
Worst freakin gun I ever bought. Constant delays when fired. If the gun so much as heard on the weather that it might rain
it would instantly start to rust both inside the barrel and on the outside of the barrel . I couldn't get rid of it fast enough .

there are BAD guns of all name brands, , this is a fact, just like vehicles
some love a Chevy and some hate em and have nothing but bad luck

guns are this way too, I sold enough of them to see this first hand, I sent back new guns costing thousands as well as some costing under a 100 bucks.

bad one's slip pout the doors on all brands!
but overall, there decent guns for the price point!
and this is also why higher costing guns many times cost MORE< they have some better components that make them higher costing, more durable!,
but if you look back at guns made in the 1800's still about, metals today and bluing process is still better now than then, so, care again matters
as well as , again, NOT getting a lemon in the first place,
there warranty's life time to original owner too, and serive dept is not bad! NOW< is pretty decent, way better now than a decade ago or more
Charles Daly, have come up in standards over some gens back IMO!

I agree that a bad one of anything and everything slips out now and then. But in my case there were 4 of us that bought one of these muzzle loaders at the same time from the same place. All of them were junk and had the same problems. Bad lot maybe since they all came from the same place ?
And to your statement about Charles Daly is better now than years ago, Yes we bought these guns close to 20 years ago. This did not happen yesterday.

I also read that CD weapons are crap.

I bought my son a youth SA-08 in black synthetic. These are well-made guns out of Turkey. The same plant is now producing many guns for several makers including Weatherby, Winchester and Mossberg.

I topped it with a Bushnell trophy red dot, and that little SA-08 20ga semiauto throws a decent pattern, easily a 45yd gun. There’s relatively almost no recoil even with 3” rounds, which was the main reason I bought if for my son a few years ago (he turns 15 this year).

The best combination I found so far was the Longbeard choke and XR ammo. I just ordered an Indian Creek with a smaller constriction, hoping it will tighten the pattern even more.

If you liked the Weatherby, then you may want to look at the Franchi Affinity guns. I think these are a step up from the Weatherby and very well priced. This is on my wife’s want list due to the weight and handling.

I personally went with the Weatherby because it was my sons first gun and I can upgrade to an adult stock for almost nothing ($60) direct from Weatherby, and for more $$ you can swap out the synthetic for wood. I anticipate getting him a 12ga in a year or so and then converting the Weatherby into a trap gun...

I have also read online where someone has had a issue with about every brand name gun maker there is
so, this proves NOTHIING again

they are not bad guns, they came a long ways from what they were when they first started selling

I owned a few of there 28 gauges and were flawless guns!
anyone that has a problem with "X brand or model anymore seems to blow up the internet with claims there ALL junk or terrible
and its just not true!

some folks but a lower priced gun and expect it to be a HIGH priced gun in performance or fit and all, and that's where many complains come from, they bought something that isn;t up to THERE standards thinking it should be, when its a price point deal

will cheaper guns be more picky on ammo, , YUP many are, its par for the course!
will the finish not fit as well, or coating son metal be as great, YUP< again, this is why they cost less than others!

your getting what you paid for
do many cheaper guns work 100% reliable when fed right ammo
YES< many work great and many end up being to there powers GREAT deals and guns!

will there be bad one's or owners NOT happy, YES there will, you will find this also on higher costing guns as well! however!
bashing a brand, due to just something YOU read , is not the bed way to pass on info, over hand on experience!
as who know who wrote or why they wrote what your READ about "X" item!

get a new longer stock for the 20 and trade him, the 20's with the right choke and load are impressive.
RR