Building a turkey gun.
#6877697
05/20/20 02:38 PM
05/20/20 02:38 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,912 Central, SD
Law Dog
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Have tried a lot of different types of guns, optics, barrels and chokes over the years but now I plan to build what I want just to see where it goes. I have a Remington Versa Max now that I really like but the trigger pull is that of a cheap derringer at 7-8 pounds. I added a Carlson turkey tube to the VM that throws a very tight pattern but free hand it’s tough to keep on target now with the heavy amount of trigger pull.
Just sent the trigger group to CO to get worked it sounds like they can take out the creep and cut the pounds of pull by 40-50% for $60. Briley makes a upgrade that could reduce it even more but it’s a target upgrade not sure it can take the pounding of a 3.5 turkey load over time the cost is $275.00 but they use my trigger group to do it, not wild about that. Might look into a 2nd trigger group.
Now that it shoots like a rifle almost I need better sights for it I added a Tru-Glo rear site that works well but they could be bumped when moving from set up to set up. Thinking about having a gunsmith add a screw or two to fix that issue for peace of mind.
Eyeballed a turkey barrel 22 inch to replace my 28 inch I have now but that’s $450 alone and needs to be camo dipped to match the rest of the gun so that is a $500-$600 barrel upgrade I’m to cheap for that. I cannot cut down my 28 inch barrel I’d lose the pro bore benefits of it then.
What have you guys done to your guns to make the turkey killers?
Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!
Jerry Herbst
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Re: Building a turkey gun.
[Re: Law Dog]
#6877710
05/20/20 02:51 PM
05/20/20 02:51 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 15,718 MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
Trapper7
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I have a Browning A5. I reloaded my shells with #4 shot 1 1/2oz magnum load. I've shot only 4 turkeys. But, that's the only ones I've ever shot at. The farthest was 32 yards. The closest was 23 yards. All died in their tracks.
My experience is that you don't need some of these heavy duty turkey guns they keep marketing.
The difference between animals and humans is that animals would never let the dumbest ones lead the pack.
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Re: Building a turkey gun.
[Re: Law Dog]
#6877711
05/20/20 02:56 PM
05/20/20 02:56 PM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 19,719 pa
hippie
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Bought a ten gauge.
I know, twelves will shoot as hard, but after buying a ten, my range increased 20yds I
(This was Fox hunting, but same principle)
Last edited by hippie; 05/20/20 02:58 PM.
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Re: Building a turkey gun.
[Re: jbyrd63]
#6877715
05/20/20 03:08 PM
05/20/20 03:08 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,912 Central, SD
Law Dog
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LOL Lot of money to kill a turkey!!!! Got an old single barrel H&R that was painted at the factory old military camo. $89 buck NIB killed bunch of birds. Almost bet it will shoot with that there pile of benjamins if not out shoot it.....
As for the add ons not holding up to the recoil , dang how many times you shoot in a year ? But I stopped using 31/2 inch they kill on both ends................... Pretty sure them old single shots are the original definition of “killing on both ends”. LOL I don’t drink, smoke or chase the ladies so I need a few bad habits. Building things to fit my needs and wants is just what I do, like said down the road I’ll do all over again most likely.
Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!
Jerry Herbst
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Re: Building a turkey gun.
[Re: jbyrd63]
#6877720
05/20/20 03:10 PM
05/20/20 03:10 PM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,411 east central WI
k snow
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east central WI
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LOL Lot of money to kill a turkey!!!! Got an old single barrel H&R that was painted at the factory old military camo. $89 buck NIB killed bunch of birds. Almost bet it will shoot with that there pile of benjamins if not out shoot it.....
As for the add ons not holding up to the recoil , dang how many times you shoot in a year ? But I stopped using 31/2 inch they kill on both ends................... Recoil is real. My dad ruined a red dot scope on his 3" 870. It was a cheaper scope, but after 10 years (maybe 3 shots a year), it would no longer hold zero. I turned my 870 into a killing machine by making sure I put my hind end where the birds are.
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Re: Building a turkey gun.
[Re: Law Dog]
#6877721
05/20/20 03:10 PM
05/20/20 03:10 PM
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 270 West Virginia
WV Danimal
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You should see my old Winchester Ranger that I bought used over 30 years ago! It does have screw in chokes so I added an Indian Creek choke and fiber optic sights to the rib. It's long, heavy and ugly with my custom spray camo but it's one heck of a shooter! I killed my first bird with it 32 years ago and have taken several slams with it since. My last Meriam in the Black Hills with it was in 6" snow at 52 yards. Some years ago I bought a new Winchester 1300 in realtree camo but it wouldn't pattern even close to this gun. A friend bought a "latest greatest" turkey gun a couple years ago and with his IC choke and same ammo, couldn't match my pattern out of the old club.
That being said, if you're as wrapped up in the chase as I am, it never hurts to keep looking ahead. Honestly, if I were to consider something new/modern, I would go for a semi auto w/pistol grip and fiber optics. Just better be ready to break out the wallet.
Trash your goals and plans for life. Just wing it and you'll never be let down!
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Re: Building a turkey gun.
[Re: jbyrd63]
#6877724
05/20/20 03:13 PM
05/20/20 03:13 PM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 19,719 pa
hippie
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LOL Lot of money to kill a turkey!!!! Got an old single barrel H&R that was painted at the factory old military camo. $89 buck NIB killed bunch of birds. Almost bet it will shoot with that there pile of benjamins if not out shoot it.....
As for the add ons not holding up to the recoil , dang how many times you shoot in a year ? But I stopped using 31/2 inch they kill on both ends................... Some people lease ground to hunt, money down the drain. At least the guy building a gun has something in the end.
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Re: Building a turkey gun.
[Re: hippie]
#6877725
05/20/20 03:14 PM
05/20/20 03:14 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,912 Central, SD
Law Dog
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Bought a ten gauge.
I know, twelves will shoot as hard, but after buying a ten, my range increased 20yds I
(This was Fox hunting, but same principle) Had a SP10 noticed the guys in the goose pit dropped just as many birds as I did, it seemed like the 10 threw more weight but it did so slower then a 12 did. Heck if you look at most turkey loads the 3 and 3.5 throw shot at around 1200 FPS More shot is often slower less shot faster in many cases.
Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!
Jerry Herbst
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Re: Building a turkey gun.
[Re: lestan101]
#6877727
05/20/20 03:17 PM
05/20/20 03:17 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,912 Central, SD
Law Dog
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Law Dog, Curtis Wilbanks aka gun doc does custom turkey barrels for a fair price. You can type in his name and find his site. I'm thinking about getting a new turkey gun built for next year. Thanks Looked him up looks like I might get it ported to boot and the back sight done right with him.
Last edited by Law Dog; 05/20/20 03:32 PM.
Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!
Jerry Herbst
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Re: Building a turkey gun.
[Re: Law Dog]
#6877729
05/20/20 03:17 PM
05/20/20 03:17 PM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 19,719 pa
hippie
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Bought a ten gauge.
I know, twelves will shoot as hard, but after buying a ten, my range increased 20yds I
(This was Fox hunting, but same principle) Had a SP10 noticed the guys in the goose pit dropped just as many birds as I did, it seemed like the 10 threw more weight but it did so slower then a 12 did. Heck if you look at most turkey loads the 3 and 3.5 throw shot at around 1200 FPS More shot is often slower less shot faster in many cases. Yep, slower to recycle no doubt. A ten is very close the same amount bigger than a 16 is smaller. I hunted with an older fella way back that used a 20 and 7 1/2 shot. He killed his Turkey every year and probably killed more than any member of camp. Great turkey hunter.
Last edited by hippie; 05/20/20 03:28 PM.
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Re: Building a turkey gun.
[Re: Law Dog]
#6877743
05/20/20 03:44 PM
05/20/20 03:44 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,591 NC, Orange Co.
QuietButDeadly
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I have gone from a 12 gage 11-87 semi to a pump 12 gage 870. Killed a pile of turkeys with both shooting 3 1/2" Mag Blend Hevi Shot. Had bolt on fiber optic sights on both. The POI with factory sights were way off on the 11-87. The 870 was much lighter to lug around all day for sure. I then switched to a handload 3" TSS shot in the 870 but I did not stop tinkering there.
My go to turkey gun now is a Winchester 20 gage pump with bolt on fiber optic sight shooting hand load 3" TSS. This set up is even lighter than than the 12 gage pump and does not lose any killing range. Both of my sons have switched to 20 gage semis with the red dot sight system. We all shoot the same TSS handloads but different chokes. My gun has a great pattern with a factory Extra Full choke that came with the gun. The boys have aftermarket chokes in their guns.
My youngest son actually hunted some this year with my old single barrel Stevens .410 with handload TSS and killed one with that.
There are lots of turkey loads and choke combinations out there that will get the job done in the big bores but TSS shot is a real game changer for the smaller bore guns. It is not cheap but it patterns well and has far superior downrange penetration compared to lead or Hevi Shot.
Life Member: NCTA, VTA, NTA, TTFHA, MFTI Member: FTA NRA NWTF
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Re: Building a turkey gun.
[Re: Law Dog]
#6877761
05/20/20 04:05 PM
05/20/20 04:05 PM
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,482 Ne pa
Jerry Jr.
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Had a SP10 noticed the guys in the goose pit dropped just as many birds as I did, it seemed like the 10 threw more weight but it did so slower then a 12 did. Heck if you look at most turkey loads the 3 and 3.5 throw shot at around 1200 FPS More shot is often slower less shot faster in many cases.
The 10ga will throw the same weight of shot as the 12 ga at the same speed, but, it will do so at lower pressure. Couple that with the fact that most 10 ga guns weigh more than a 12ga it will give you less recoil. My brother got me a stevens 301T in 410. Shooting #9.5 tss it patterns to kill past 40 yards. My 870 410 will do the same with #9 tss and they both weigh a good bit less than my 835. My 500 20ga with an indian creek choke puts a very tight patterns at 40 yards with #9tss but weighs almost as much at my 835. I load my own shells but that doesn't make it much cheaper.
Time is more precious than gold if you know how to spend it .... but what do I know, I'm just a dumb farmer.~My Dad NRA LIFE MEMBER, Endowment Member
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Re: Building a turkey gun.
[Re: hippie]
#6877783
05/20/20 04:35 PM
05/20/20 04:35 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,472 ohio
skippyturtle
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savage stevens 555 28 gauge ef on top f on bottom burris ff3 shooting 1-5/16 oz tss 9s. good light weight gun with decent trigger and multipke shots that does not threaten to detach your retnas when fired.
NTA OSTA
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