Side question... as I keep contemplating a new shotgun...
Have you ever had to do a second shot on a turkey because you whiffed it?
I've switched over to auto's and OU or SXS for so long that I don't even think about pumping anymore.
Ive whiffed one turey once and the second shot attempt didn t work. Im sure I was busted pumping.
So having a stealthy second shot is worth just staying with my semi-auto?
If by “whiffed it” we include failing to pattern the gun and load, yeah.
In 2018 I called in a tom on opening morning, took a shot at about 30 yards, and watched in amazement as he took to the skies. Jumped up and threw a couple more at him with the gun not properly mounted and bruised the f**k outa my upper arm. No sign of a hit. Next day, I called one in again to the same spot, maybe the same bird, and killed it, but it took two shots, and he still needed a finisher to the head up close. The reason I suspect it was the same bird is that while he followed the same route into my setup, when he got close he snuck around a bush and took a good peek before he stepped out.
The load? The “legendary” Activ #5 nickel-plated. Very popular around here, even long after they went out of business. I advertised some 3” one time and had people calling long after they were gone. Later, I patterned the 2 3/4” ones I killed the tom with and they were simply awful. Little wonder I had trouble.
At the time of the kerfluffle, I didn’t have access to a patterning range, but I had managed to kill one with those from another gun, so I figgered they were okay.
Anyway, one of my turkey guns is a .410 single shot, which throws deadly patterns with Apex TSS. I have enough practice with it shooting clays, and reloading quickly that I don’t fret much about a second shot.