Dedicated turkey gun?

[jackelope]

Anybody use a dedicated turkey gun? Like a short barrel, pistol grip, etc. with a scope maybe,  equipped specifically for turkeys? Mossberg Tactical Turkey or the like?
Was considering one, just wondering if there's any input. Are they easier handling, better pattern, lighter, heavier, etc.
Thanks

[Ridgeratt]

I have used a 870 special purpose with a 21 inch barrel and a super full choke for close to 26 years and it just plain works.
I still have some of the old remington 4x6 duplex loads and it will flat mow the lawn with them. 

[Bob33]

A heavier gun has less felt recoil. Any shotgun that shoots an accurate, very dense pattern of #4, #5,or #6 shot should work. I use an 870 with a 2x scope.

[hillbilli]

I use the same pump gun I use for anything else shotgun wise.. 3" chamber, screw in EX-full choke..and it need not be a long barrel, mine's a 24".. i use to have a 3.5" magnum 870, till I patterned it against 3" hevi shot and discovered the long range results were just as good, if not better.. (yes hevi shot is exopensive, so i only ususally buy it when it's on clearance, and most turkey hunts are a one or two shell deal and done..)

[NWWA Hunter]

I have used a 870 special purpose with a 21 inch barrel and a super full choke for close to 26 years and it just plain works.
I still have some of the old remington 4x6 duplex loads and it will flat mow the lawn with them. 

He found his "special purpose". Had to say that great quote!

[BOWHUNTER45]

Check out the winchester 1300 ...thats what I use and have 3 of them ... Light - Very smooth pump action -- awesome pattern with winchester 2 oz #5s 3 in and less than $400 bucks 

[jackelope]

Thanks guys.
I have a few shotguns and 2 that I've killed turkeys with in the past. I was considering a turkey gun just because I guess.  Because a new gun is never a bad thing maybe? Anywho... Thanks for the input.

[Wacenturion]

Have a couple...main one an original NWTF edition 1300 laminated stock 12 ga. 22 inch barrel that I camoed the metal parts, added Gobbling Thunder choke, #6 lead...death.

Have two Remington SPS Turkey 870 Supermags...one 12ga. and one 20 ga.  Both new...picked them up on a whim.   Added a Gobbling Thunder on the 20, shot it three times to pattern...nice and tight.  Again 22 inch barrels.

Short barrel equate to less movement.  Camo, less shine.

As far as recoil....one shot is not going to affect anyone that much.

[Karl Blanchard]

I used my browning bps for years but it was heavy and long and the weight was to far forward and due to my shorter arms it was not pleasant to set on my knee for very long but it patterned great!  Last year I decided that I needed a turkey gun so I bought a sure shot thumbhole stock, good fiber optic sight with rear peep and a 21 inch barrel for an old 3" remington 870 I had.  Camo on the new barrel and receiver and bam!  Brand new turkey gun for under $300 bucks!  What a world of difference it makes!  So I say do it!

[WaltAlpine]

Benelli Nova. I've tried a few different shots over a few years and usually go to the Hevi Shot. Everything seems to work.

[sneakyjake]

Mossberg 845.   It's a tank, shoots 3.5" shells, I like a pump out there,  I can get it dirty as hell and not worry, shoots like a champ with the original choke

[castor gitter]

WaltAlpine, what's the best combo in your nova as far as choke and load? 4,5,6's? 3 1/2 or 3's? I picked one up last fall, haven't bought a turkey choke yet, just got what it came with.

[bradslam]

Here's my two cents.  Stick with a similar model of shotgun as the one you shoot most of the time.  For instance, 99% of my shooting is done with my Browning BPS with a tang safety and bottom loading/ejection.  For me, it wouldn't make sense to get a Model 870 turkey gun with the safety on the trigger guard, for instance.  I've killed a lot of turkeys and it isn't always a situation where the bird is strolling in and you have time to consciously think about taking the safety off or other workings of the gun.  Believe me, there are times when you have to react by instinct and I want a gun that's as close to what I normally shoot as possible, except in a camo version with a shorter barrel.

[kevinlisa06]

I use my Mossy 835 with an xtra full choke and Remington 4x6 duplex loads in 3inch I'm good out to 50 yards to smoke a big ol tom.

[mtnseth]

I'd love to have a camo-dipped autoloader with a short barrel and a 3.5" chamber.

I've killed lots of birds with my Remington 11-87, complete with scratched stock, busted fore grip, a blue-less and rusty barrel and a jellyhead choke tube.  I'm sure I've flared birds with the shiny receiver, but I just love that gun.  It has taken a tumble in the chukar hills, been buried in the salt marsh at Nisqually, spent a day underwater on the Samish, and many, many days propped on my knee in the pouring rain waiting on easterns to show up.  I just take it apart, clean it, and it works like new.  After all we've been through, it would feel a little like cheating to upgrade.

[Dhoey07]

Here's an idea.  Say you have an 870, why don't you just buy some parts for it and switch them onto the gun as needed?  Same gun, different barrel, choke?

[Fishnfowler]

Sure, I call it old reliable

[mossy8352]

Mossberg 835, Carlson turkey choke, Mueller scope (vision problem) and HM Mag Blend 3 inch for turkeys. Step it down to 2 3/4 # 6 lead where legal for pheasants or HM Pheasant loads.l Love it, cleaned it and used a new oil in for the moving parts and it is always good to go.

[turkeyfeather]

Sure do. I got an 870 with a 21" barrel, mossy oak thumbhole stock, Primos jellyhead choke, tru-glo gobble stopper red dot sight, and a lazy leg. It's a turkey thumping machine, but not much good for any other type of hunting.

[WaltAlpine]

WaltAlpine, what's the best combo in your nova as far as choke and load? 4,5,6's? 3 1/2 or 3's? I picked one up last fall, haven't bought a turkey choke yet, just got what it came with.

I use one of the three chokes that it came with. The one that says it is OK to use steel shot with. It's printed on the choke. I cna't remember anything else specific about it. I'd have to take a look. I patterned it and have shot turkeys as close as 5 yards and as far as 30.
I use 3 1/2" with #4. Hevi-Shot.
I've used three or four others and at those ranges it doesn't seem to matter. I've never missed.

[WaltAlpine]

I'd love to have a camo-dipped autoloader with a short barrel and a 3.5" chamber.

I've killed lots of birds with my Remington 11-87, complete with scratched stock, busted fore grip, a blue-less and rusty barrel and a jellyhead choke tube.  I'm sure I've flared birds with the shiny receiver, but I just love that gun.  It has taken a tumble in the chukar hills, been buried in the salt marsh at Nisqually, spent a day underwater on the Samish, and many, many days propped on my knee in the pouring rain waiting on easterns to show up.  I just take it apart, clean it, and it works like new.  After all we've been through, it would feel a little like cheating to upgrade.

Nice! That's an excellent "if it works for me, I'm going to keep using it" story.
The first time I went turkey hunting one of our group had a similar, very thrashed, pump action. Shot turkeys during the day. Took an oil bath at night.

[castor gitter]

Thanks WaltAlpine

[Andrew]

Since I no longer use my 870 for either upland or waterfowl I use it solely for turkey.  I painted the stock and forearm camo, installed metal truglo rifle sites, and have a Remington extra full turkey tube .665 on the business end.  I've considered a shorter barel, but can almost buy a new gun for the cost of a replacement barrel....28" works just fine.  As for shot, doesn't surprise me that remington premier duplex loads patterned the best with a complete remington outfit.  Have only had one hiccup...the ejector spring steel sheared off and it turned into a single shot last year.

[wence5]

Mossberg 835, Carlson turkey choke, Mueller scope (vision problem) and HM Mag Blend 3 inch for turkeys. Step it down to 2 3/4 # 6 lead where legal for pheasants or HM Pheasant loads.l Love it, cleaned it and used a new oil in for the moving parts and it is always good to go.

  I use the same set up, minus the scope.

[Tom Tamer]

Use a Thompson Encore Turkey 12ga. Tru glo ported choke to tame it a little. Got quite a whop to it being it weighs barely 6# but with Flightcontrol 2oz of #6 or Mag blend 5,6&7 shot will leave a fist sized hole at 20yds and a Hornets nest of pain out to 50yds. All I use it for is Turkeys

[jackelope]

Use a Thompson Encore Turkey 12ga. Tru glo ported choke to tame it a little. Got quite a whop to it being it weighs barely 6# but with Flightcontrol 2oz of #6 or Mag blend 5,6&7 shot will leave a fist sized hole at 20yds and a Hornets nest of pain out to 50yds. All I use it for is Turkeys

I'd do that quick if the barrel alone wasn't $400. Even used.... $300-350. One of these days I will. Do they get bothered when you cock the hammer??

[Nosferatu]

Every *censored* here is just going to tell you what their favorite and probably only experience they have with a turkey gun. My personal favorite is my bow, after that, I use a Benelli Nova, 26", even over my Benelli SuperNova 24" pistol grip and various other shotguns. I used to have a a Benelli M1014 tactical that fragged a few turkeys, that would probably be my other choice. I've used Mossberg 590A1, 500, 535, Rem. 870, 11-87, Beretta 1201FP, Ithaca, winchester 1300, and single shot H&R shotguns. They all have produced dead birds.

Basically, it doesn't matter what freakin' shotgun you use. They are all good enough to kill a turkey. The only turkey that matters is the one behind the trigger. Are YOU good enough to get close enough to get a good shot?