Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting What direction to go…

Been thinking about this the last couple years. I get wound up (even on a Jake) and lift my cheek off the butt of my Winchester sx3. Bought some cheap snap on(the vent rib) tru glo style sights. They move and are easily bumped. Looked at saddle mount, Burris speed bead, drilling and tapping, and tried finding sx3 long beard cantilever barrel.

So I’m asking what route to go to get a turkey gun that I can run a red dot on and kill birds at 50ish?

Do I really need to just assume I need to be shooting 3.5” turkey loads?


What do you think is best?

Have sx3 drilled and tapped (not recommended but anyone done it?)

Buy an 870 super mag And drill/tap?

Shoot mossberg 500 3” I’ve already got and drill/tap it?

Go with an encore barrel?

I’m just not sure what direction to go and would really value input from guys here!

Thanks!

I use Williams Universal Slugger sights. They work on any vent rib and are fully adjustable.


https://www.opticsplanet.com/willia...st-ring-vent-rib-shotguns-universal.html


A little blue lock-tite on the base screws and they’re set. Mine have been on my youth 870 for 7 years and haven’t moved.

Killing birds at 50 is like shooting deer at 500, some have the ability and equipment to do it others don’t. I think if you lasered all the “50 yard kills” you’ll find it’s not 50. That said and more to your question imo you need an optic and an auto loader. W/O some kind of optic getting an accurate point of aim to determine choke/load pattern is dam hard. It’s also hard to do with a pump and 3 inch loads, they are just a handful and I don’t care who you are your getting your ass beat if your shot it a lot and then that opens a whole other door with flinching and all the good stuff that goes with that.

So, imo find an auto that’s drilled and tapped, get a decent red dot, several chokes and have at it.

Look at Indian Creed and the new Federal TSS. This combo in my gun will shoot great patterns at 40, have not patterned past that. BUT, it’s stupid tight at 10-15 and could easily cause a Miss due to tiny pattern, another trade off to shoot long distance with shotguns.

Dont just count pellets in a 10 inch circle, that does not necessarily make the best HUNTING load

YMMV

I met to talk 3.5 inch loads....

My findings, in 11-87 and 870, with red dot and multiple chokes and loads the 3.5 showed no gain over the 3 inch. Plus they beat you so bad accurate shooting is difficult at best.

I tend to go through this every year as what you will read says 3.5 is often times better, my range findings say it’s not in MY guns. Plus they just kick too dam much.

I wiffed a couple birds because I think I lifted my head on my browning BPS and I added williams slugger sights with the peep and that solved the problem, but...
You read stuff and want the next big thing...

It starts with a good trigger.

I have a basic franchi affinity that the trigger was almost rifle like and its not heavy so I bought a new Franchi affinity 3 that was drilled and tapped and I put a Burris Fast fire 3 & sumtoy mount for a dedicated turkey gun.

I love my Franchi, but if my house burned and I had to replace my guns...

I would look at a bolt action savage 220 or 212 turkey gun that lets you adjust the stock in and it has the good trigger or...
look at a over under and have the choice of chokes and a shorter length if you sit in a blind.

I have trukey chokes for my browning 725 and it patterns incredible, but I grab my plastic stocked franchi for mud duty.

Good luck.

Williams Sluggers or the ghost ring rear.

Don't worry about killing 50 yard birds. Once you start long range hunting turkeys it is no longer turkey hunting.

Set up correctly and get em into 25-30 yards. A regular full choke and a good load of #5 or #6 will kill every bird you shoot at out to about 45 yards.

This is the way to go. This is my current SX3 and it is also for sale. I went the 20 ga route.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2iHWjS

To quote Paris Hilton:


Thats Hawt...

Your 500 with a good choke, TSS, and a red dot like a Burris FF3 would do that very easily. Cheaper than buying a new gun

Or have a FF3 put on your sx3

Call sumtoy to buy the Burris ff3 mount he makes. I have 2 and they are very well made. Gets sight picture low as it can get

With TSS 3.5” shells aren’t really necessary at all.

My 20g with #7 or #9 tss will flat lay them out to 44 yards( farthest confirmed) On paper should be good to 50. Never tried it on paper farther than that but wouldn’t surprise me if it would go farther at all

The SBE2 with 3.5” tss #9 is easily a 65-70 yard gun on paper with a Indian creek choke. Funny thing is have only killed turkeys to 37 yards with it. It will splatter there head into mush at 20! I typically run 3” shells though and the factory full choke as it gives very nice pattern from 15-45 yards which is what I’m looking for

TSS really tests how far one wants to shoot turkey ethically if your into that. I normally strive to get them within 40 yards before it’s even time to think about any shooting. Prefer them in the 30 yard range

Goats,

What rail did you use? Thats ideal but isn’t it true it isn’t recommended to drill/tap the sx3 receiver? Any issues from doing it? That looks like my most ideal option. Shoot me a pm with the details on yours.

Thanks Kevin. I’ll try sumtoy tomorrow.

The sumtoy mount would require drilling and tapping holes if they aren’t already there, I assumed your 500 would already have been but I’m no mossberg expert. If they are already there sumtoy most likely has a mount that would fit.

The Burris 336 mount would also work if your having the gun drilled and tapped, but may require modification if holes do not line up

These are the best options for getting the red dot down as low as possible. If your going to buy a choke sumtoy makes some very nice ones as that. He is a custom shotgun shop. So he should be able to guide you better than most others including myself

Thanks.

My 500 isn’t already tapped. Checked it in hopes it was.

Looked at his website and he may even have advice on my sx3. Thanks again for the direction

I use the Burris SpeeBead/ FastFire combo, this mount keeps the red dot low for excellent cheek weld to the stock. Really helps keep my head down and not lift it up. No need to D/T the receiver either as it mounts between the stock and the receiver.

Me like.

Thanks dean. Sweet rig!
I looked at speed bead but poor reviews for sx3.

Think I’m gonna try the Williams for the sx3 for this year and maybe look for a used 870 super mag after season. Throw a speed bead on there and I’ll be good. Perfect excuse to buy a new gun!

Thanks for the help guys