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Turkey hunting gun recommendations? #7582249
05/11/22 08:48 PM
05/11/22 08:48 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 178
Illinois
2
2zwudz Offline OP
trapper
2zwudz  Offline OP
trapper
2

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 178
Illinois
What 12 gauge shotgun and barrel/choke do you recommend for turkey hunting?

Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582250
05/11/22 08:49 PM
05/11/22 08:49 PM
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 4,925
Aliceville, Kansas 43
Yukon John Offline
trapper
Yukon John  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 4,925
Aliceville, Kansas 43
Full choke, have at it! It's not rocket science!


Act like a blank, get treated like a blank. Insert your own blank!
Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582256
05/11/22 08:51 PM
05/11/22 08:51 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,081
NW MO
T
TurkeyTime Offline
trapper
TurkeyTime  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,081
NW MO
Semi-auto whatever brand. Have needed quick follow up shots with single shots and glad I had a quick follow up shot with a semi auto. Ultra tight patterns are over rated.

Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: Yukon John] #7582258
05/11/22 08:52 PM
05/11/22 08:52 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 178
Illinois
2
2zwudz Offline OP
trapper
2zwudz  Offline OP
trapper
2

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 178
Illinois
Originally Posted by Yukon John
Full choke, have at it! It's not rocket science!

Originally Posted by Yukon John
Full choke, have at it! It's not rocket science!


Is a 30” full choke barrel better than a 24” barrel with a extended full choke?

Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582266
05/11/22 09:01 PM
05/11/22 09:01 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,425
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,425
Georgia
No, shotguns get full burn in 18-20.


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Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582276
05/11/22 09:09 PM
05/11/22 09:09 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,066
Missouri
M
mississippiposse Offline
trapper
mississippiposse  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,066
Missouri
I throw my my idea. Hunted them from 1972-2017. Went every day in spring till I was done and a lot in fall season. Full choke is fine. If you get him in at 7 yds with a extra full you could miss. If you like to shoot a longer way extra full is fine. But you are dealing with wild birds and in the spring they got only one thing on their mind. Shot one in the 70s that flew across a slough and landed at 7 yds. Only one of 2 I ever had to run down. Barrels I found 26 was perfect. Hated 24 in. Was not enough sight plane for me. I’m sure you will get a lot of other view. This is mine. Don’t know how many you harvested. But the first few are the hardest

Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582292
05/11/22 09:25 PM
05/11/22 09:25 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 989
Eastern Shore, MD
J
JoMiBru Offline
trapper
JoMiBru  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 989
Eastern Shore, MD
Remington 870 12 ga with a jelly head choke. Great combination, killed many turkeys with this gun. 3” supreme #6 , kills dead.

John

Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582296
05/11/22 09:27 PM
05/11/22 09:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,425
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,425
Georgia
The most important thing you can do before anything else. Take that scattergun outside and shoot it at known distances from 5 yards out to 60. You'll learn that it's easy to totally miss at 5 and you've got no business trying at 60. You'll find a sweet spot, and load combination, somewhere between 25 and 45 if the gun is to be a turkey gun.

Basics of a turkey gun.

12ga 3"
21"-26" barrel
Threaded for choke tubes
Irons/fiber optics possibly tapped for scope or red dot
Pump or auto
Matte or camo finish

Shot sizes 4,5 or 6 in lead. 4 being heavier offers best penetration but being larger means fewer pellets on target. 6 being smallest means more pellets on target but being lighter has less penetration. 5 splits the difference. Try difference sizes and makes of shell at various distances and select the one or two that most consistently place 12 or more pellets into the head neck region of a turkey target.
Heavier than lead such as bismuth or tungsten can drop down a size to a size and a half and retain penetration of the larger lead while increasing pellet count.

Aiming point on a turkey is the neck not the head.


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Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582305
05/11/22 09:33 PM
05/11/22 09:33 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
D
danny clifton Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
danny clifton  Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
D

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
Just buy a shotgun YOU like. Get you some cardboard and some ammo and start shooting. Once you figure out what your gun can do your in business. asking what shotgun is like asking what pickup or which trap. Have to start somewhere.


Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582315
05/11/22 09:37 PM
05/11/22 09:37 PM
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,376
Green County Wisconsin
G
GREENCOUNTYPETE Offline
trapper
GREENCOUNTYPETE  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,376
Green County Wisconsin
barrel length gives you a slight increase in velocity but after 20 inches you don't get a lot of change in a 24, 26 , 28 or 30

barrel length has nothing to do with the pattern the same choke in my 28 inch barrel patterns nearly identically from the 20 inch barrel.

I can't say I have shot a turkey with it but I have two 20 inch barrel 12ga shotguns now and have shot lots of other things with them trap , pheasants , rabbits , deer.
I am not going back to swinging a 54 inch gun in the woods the 20 inch just carries so much easier so much more handy

if your looking at buying something new I would absolutely go 20-24 inch

pattern your shells try different chokes see what works for you at different ranges

I have a thread around here someplace where we were talking 20 inch barrel 12 ga


America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: mississippiposse] #7582319
05/11/22 09:39 PM
05/11/22 09:39 PM
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 56
Indiana
J
J Harrell Offline
trapper
J Harrell  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 56
Indiana
I have used an 870 pump for the last 30 years, I like a shorter barrel myself.

If possible get you a shotgun with screw in chokes so you can experiment to find a choke that fits your needs.

To me the most important thing you can do to a turkey gun is install rifle sights on it so you can center up your pattern by adjusting the sights, a lot of guns don't shoot true with just a bead. And the rifle sights will get you in the habit of aiming in the heat of the moment when shooting at a turkey and help when those close shots present themselves.

My current 870 is equipped with one of the 20" slug barrel that came with rifle sights and Rem chokes, with an extended choke tube I'm pushing 22" overall.

Disclaimer....turkey hunting is very addictive! Good luck!

Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582322
05/11/22 09:43 PM
05/11/22 09:43 PM
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,376
Green County Wisconsin
G
GREENCOUNTYPETE Offline
trapper
GREENCOUNTYPETE  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,376
Green County Wisconsin
I found the tread https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/7545896/shorter-shotguns#Post7545896

as others in the thread pointed out you build one to really work for you and it can become your almost everything shotgun.

the numbers came out to something like 5-7% loss in velocity going form a 30 inch to a 20inch barrel but you loose 1/3 of the length

below 18 you start loosing velocity much faster

makes sense shotguns require a 18 inch barrel so most shells would be designed to get most of their velocity in 18 inches the most common barrel lenghts are 18 , 20 , 21, 24, 26 28 and 30 there are some old 36 inch barrels around but most guns made in the last 30 years atop at 28 for max barrel lenght with 26 and 28 being very common choked guns

a few turkey guns 20,21,22,24

and a bunch of home defense and police type at 18 and 20 inch

Last edited by GREENCOUNTYPETE; 05/11/22 09:49 PM.

America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582325
05/11/22 09:47 PM
05/11/22 09:47 PM
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 622
Swords Creek, VA
A
ABeardedTrapper Offline
trapper
ABeardedTrapper  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 622
Swords Creek, VA
Remington 870 12ga red dot scope longbeard xr choke. Eric

Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582359
05/11/22 10:15 PM
05/11/22 10:15 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,422
Akron, Ohio
bass10 Offline
trapper
bass10  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,422
Akron, Ohio
Well I’m overkill, but I shoot a beretta A350 turkey extreme, I have an Indian creek choke tube on it. I put a true glow gobble stopper
Site. I then shoot 3.5” TSS. Been hunting them for 35 years so although I’m an old timer as well as everyone that says you don’t need
All that, I love my setup. I am plenty good enough to call them in close but I just called one in for a friend and it held up at 60 yards, his
Setup the bird walked. To each their own but I spend a lot of time in the turkey woods.

Last edited by bass10; 05/11/22 10:16 PM.

"The more people I meet the more I love my dog!"
Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582371
05/11/22 10:34 PM
05/11/22 10:34 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,425
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,425
Georgia
3.5 is definitely turkey medicine but taking that step is moving up into specialization and generally heavier guns.

My list was for a basic set up.

But I still have a 2.75 gun. However I've patterned it enough that with the right load of 5 I would take a poke at 45 though 35 is more in it's wheelhouse. A briley straight rifled extra full made the difference.

If I were looking for a new one the stoeger M3500 looks like a good starting point.


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Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582379
05/11/22 10:45 PM
05/11/22 10:45 PM
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 13,057
Ky
J
jbyrd63 Offline
trapper
jbyrd63  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 13,057
Ky
[Linked Image]
Join the koolaid kids club ! Buy you a koolaid cannon 410 using those 10 dollar a pop tss shot shells. All the rage among the hip crowd

Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582383
05/11/22 10:48 PM
05/11/22 10:48 PM
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,758
Arkansas
W
Wallace Offline
trapper
Wallace  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,758
Arkansas
The shotgun I've killed the most turkeys with is an old single shot h&r with a fixed modified choke. I keep it in the truck so many times it just happens to be there when it counts. Ive killed several birds with cheap bulk packed 7.5 shot low brass(because it is what was in the truck when I heard a midday gobble).

Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: jbyrd63] #7582387
05/11/22 10:51 PM
05/11/22 10:51 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,425
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,425
Georgia
Originally Posted by jbyrd63
[Linked Image]
Join the koolaid kids club ! Buy you a koolaid cannon 410 using those 10 dollar a pop tss shot shells. All the rage among the hip crowd



Don't even get me started on the man bun stuntsters. Just because you can doesn't make it right.


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Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: 2zwudz] #7582405
05/11/22 11:05 PM
05/11/22 11:05 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,960
Northern Nevada
B
Bob Offline
trapper
Bob  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,960
Northern Nevada
I’ve killed turkey, ducks, geese, quail, Hungarian partridge, chukar, pheasant, rabbits, sharp tail grouse and dove all with the same shotgun, browning Maxus. Never understood having a different gun for each type of hunting. I hunt all my big game with the same .270 from white tails and antelope to elk, all my birds from dove to turkey with the same 12 gauge.


"I have two guns, one for each of ya."
Re: Turkey hunting gun recommendations? [Re: Bob] #7582418
05/11/22 11:19 PM
05/11/22 11:19 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,425
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 25,425
Georgia
Originally Posted by Bob
I’ve killed turkey, ducks, geese, quail, Hungarian partridge, chukar, pheasant, rabbits, sharp tail grouse and dove all with the same shotgun, browning Maxus. Never understood having a different gun for each type of hunting. I hunt all my big game with the same .270 from white tails and antelope to elk, all my birds from dove to turkey with the same 12 gauge.


That's my thinking as well. Which is why I prefer a 26" barrel and 2.75 or 3 inch chamber.


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