turkey shotgun choice

[blkkirk]

I am a bowhunter and am looking to purchase a starter shotgun for turkey hunting only.  I am looking for a gun which is reasonably priced (3-400$) yet very precise and effective.  Any feedback is much appreciated.

[olesmoky12]

Think about looking at a Charles Daly? I have a 12 simi auto and a 20 pump and both are very true. I have used the 12 gauge for several years and have never had trouble of any kind. The 20 gauge was just over $200 while the 12 gauge was under $400. Both guns are light to carry with a good pattern out to 50 yards. I probably wouldn't shoot the 20 over 40 yards but I have put a few red heads in the out to 60 yards with the 12 gauge.
 I'm not saying they are the best turkey gun out there, but for the price you can't go wrong.

[Guest]

If your looking to buy new a Mossberg 835 will fit in your price range they are reliable and you can get models that come with fiber optic rifle type sights and a factory turkey choke tube. The Mossberg's have a 3.5 inch chamber a overbored barrels and a tang type safety that a lot of guys really like.There are a lot of after market accessories for the 835 guns on the market too. If you looking for a used gun your options would be wide open. You can look at gun broker.com and see what different guns are going for and shop around for a deal on a good used gun.

[olesmoky12]

I agree with Brad on the 835. This another good choice for a affordable turkey gun. Another thing to keep in mind is your ammo. You should try to find the brand and load that is best for the gun you decide to purchase.
good luck!

[blkkirk]

Thank you for your help.  I am open to buying a used gun.  I am wide open to suggestions of makes and models and would appreciate your ideas and suggestions.  thank you 


Brian 

[olesmoky12]

I'm from Ohio where shotguns are used more than any other type of firearm when it comes to hunting. It really depends on what type of shotgun you like. Most of my family have used Remington so that is what I cut my teeth on. Over the years I have used the several different brands to harvest turkey and can't really say I like one more than the other.
I have always liked the Remington 1187 and the 1100. Winchester makes a affordable gun in the 1400 series while New England has a thunder stick in a single shot 10 gauge.
I called a bird through a hay field a couple years ago for a buddy but the long beard hung up about 70 yards out. I would have never taken the shot but he did and collected a very nice bird. At that moment I was a little upset that he would take a chance on wounding a turkey with a shot like that but he explained that he was shooting a 10 gauge with 3 1/2 inch mag and had practiced out to that range.
Try shooting a few different types before spend the miney on one. Find a gun that you will have the confidence in when the moment of truth is at hand. Like I said before, I use the Charles Daly 12 gauge simi auto and if I get a big tom in my range  "Smack Down!"
 
Good luck

[grunt_doc]

My vote goes to the NEF 10 ga cannon.  It's heavy and it hurts, but the range is amazing and the price is great.  If you're going to dedicate it only to turkey hunting, then I think it's the way to go!  It's simple and effective.  since there are only a few parts to it, it's nearly indestructable!
 
Doc

[allaboutshooting]

Hey Brian,

Welcome. There are so many good guns out there today. You've already had a lot of great suggestions and any/all would certainly fill the bill.

My only recommendation is that you try as many as you can. Find what fits you, feels the best and is within your budget. I do recommend 26" barrels. They work for anything and will give you excellent patterns. You don't gain much by going longer but you lose some by going shorter.

Lastly, you can tailor your shotshell choice to the gun/choke you choose and will be able to get good patterns with many combinations.

Good luck with your search and please let us know what you get. If I can be of any help, just let me know.

Thanks,
Clark

[trkyklr]

think light you carry it alot more'n you shoot it you cant go wrong with an 835 oh yeah and no offense clark but a 26" barrel on a turkey gun ? thats a little long in my opinion but who am i how far you shootin' with a 26 maybe i need to swap

[allaboutshooting]

Hey Ken,

I understand your preference for shorter barrels. With many guns, a short barrel can make it easier to maneuver in the turkey woods. I've hunted with short barreled guns (19" on my Fox SxS) and long barrels (28" on my SX3) and enjoy all of them. I, like you, prefer to hunt turkeys with light guns because we do carry them much more than we shoot them in the turkey woods.

I have found however that a 26" barrel on most guns will pattern better than a shorter barrel on a similar gun. Both will usually pattern well enough to kill turkeys at all reasonable ranges.

We now have a number of hunters/shooters who spend more time "shooting paper" than they do shooting turkeys. When they read of the patterns that some other folks are shooting and then shoot their guns, they can be terribly disappointed.

We all know that there can be many reasons for differences in how guns pattern and barrel length is only one of them. I've found that a 26" barrel allows more than enough burn time for lead/tungsten-based turkey loads and also for steel shot loads that sometimes need more barrel length to effect a complete burn.

I also test a lot of different shotshells from different manufacturers and have been a still target shooter for a few years. I've tried the 30" barrels and like them because they seem to give me more stability and less muzzle whip but I don't see any better patterns with them than with the 26" barrels.

When I drop down to 24" barrels, I notice some loss of patterning, using the same choke(s) and shells. As I drop inches, I continue to see more loss. All however can cleanly kill turkeys.

Knowing how your particular gun/choke/shell combo shoots and having confidence in it and yourself, is probably more important than any other feature of your gun.

I appreciate your comments and suggestions and certainly take no offense.

Thanks,
Clark