Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting What gun do you use?

I am just curious as to what everyone uses for turkeys.<P>I have a Mossberg 500 that I had customized, I had the smooth bore slug barrel backbored, reamed and threaded to take screw in choke tubes, and a custom choke made for the gun.<P>And I'm still not happy, the gun is awsome at 20 yards and is ok at 30 but I'm not satisfied with my pattern past that point.<P>So what gun and what choke are you using?

Tim, I have a Win. 1300 set up with a scope and a Rem. 11-87 set-up with a fiber optic sight. I alternate between these two guns depending on the mood. I had some barrel work done to the 1300 like you did, I had the forcing cone lengthened and the barrel Pro-ported by Pro-Port. I tried the turkey choke that came with the gun but wasn't happy with the pattern using the stock factory choke tube. I then bought a NU-Line choke tube sized .675 but his didn't pattern #5's worth a hoot(My favorite size shot). I then bought a Hastings Extended Turkey choke sized .665 and this one did the trick!!<BR>I just bought a Tru-Glo strut stopper choke tube for the Remigton which is sized .665 as well. I didn't really put this gun through it's paces with this tube as yet, this spring I will try several brands of shells to see which load this Rem. combo likes. I lucked out and won the 11-87 at my local gun club's gun raffle. This was the first thing of substance that I ever had one in my life!!<BR> <p>[This message has been edited by maytom (edited January 14, 2001).]

I have the Rem 870 SPT w/MossyOak camo, 21" barrel w/cone extended spitting WinHV#5`s out of a StruttStopper .665 tube w/StruttStopper GobblerDot Optics. Average is 18 pellets in vitals at 30 yards. The gun will pattern the 2-3/4" & 3" loads well enough to mix/match depending on amount of leafout. Make`em strut!!!! <P>------------------<BR><BR>Gun Control is shooting a tight group...

Winchester 1300, no special work done, I have a Hasting's .665 dia extended tube at the end of 28 inch barrel, And adjustable fiber optic sight's. I shoot Federal #6 3,inch mag's, <P>I'd like to shorten the barrel, But it's hard to mess with a lethel gun at 40 yd's<P>------------------<BR><B>Sunrise Is Awesome!!!!!!!!</B>

I been using an old Mossberg .835 3-1/2" for the past few yrs. and finally got it shootin like I wanted last yr. when I put the Mad tube on it, but I'm going to get a new one this yr soon as they get them in stock. The Rem. Model 870 SPS-T Super Magnum 3-1/2" 23" barrel. It comes with 2 turkey chokes and hope one will pattern, if not I'm going to put a Kicks on it.

Remington 11-87SPT out of the box will put 10 to 15 #5's in the vitals at 40 yards every time.

For the last five seasons I have shot a Winchester 1300 with a factory full choke. Shooting 6's it averages 14 spine/brain hits at 35 yards. At forty this was cut in half.With this particular gun aftermarket turkey chokes actually opened the pattern up instead of helping so I always stuck with the full factory.<P>Suitable for my hunting style ( most every bird I have taken is under 25 yards)but this year I am upgrading from the old ugly gun as I call it. I plan on doing some western hunting where those ranges might need to increase a bit.Toss up between an 870 3 1/2 in mossy oak or a Beretta semi NWTF special.Whatever I choose I am looking for good consistant 30-45 yard performance.<P>John Coit

Any of Remingtons Special Purpose turkey guns will perform good out to 40 yards.

I've shot a Mossberg 835 for years with a Rhino .680 choke and Winchester Hi Velocity shells 3 1/2" 2.oz of #6 shot. The gun was great for one shot but I couldn't get rid of the spent shell so this year I'm going with a Benelli SBE just in case I need the follow up.

For a long time I have used a 20 ga. Remington 870 with a 28 inch full choke barrel. This gun patterns Federal's 1 1/8 oz. magnum load of 7 1/2's very well. Normally I get the birds inside 20 yards but I have killed several out to 30. Three years back I purchased an 870 Express Magnum in 3 inch 12 ga. My son had started to hunt turkey and took my 20 ga. I bought an extra full tube for it and patterned several different shot sizes and loads. I settled on the 2 oz. load of #6's again in the Federal 3 inch magnum load. I have been pleased with the performance of the gun and the load. The recoil is BAD but I only shoot a very few of these each season. two years ago I killed four ( the limit here ) with one shot when they stuck their heads up together. I held on the head in the center. I'll post a photo of them when I learn how to do that here. I've killed a lot of turkey with the 20 ga. I believe that it's all about finding the load and shot that patterns best in your gun and then calling them into range.<p>[This message has been edited by prairie dog shooter (edited January 26, 2001).]

Hey Prairie Dog Shooter, <BR>Do you think a 20 would pattern at 40 yards with the right choke and shot combo or does it fall off to quick?? Seems to me that would make a great turkey gun if you get the right combination it would be light and easy to carry...Either I'm getin older or the hills here are getin bigger...<BR>Me..

I use a Mossberg 835 Ulti-mag with fiber optic sights, a 3 inch Federal with #5's thru an Ulti-mag extra full turkey tube. Gives an excellent pattern at 20 yards and decent at thirty-five yards. That is my maximum yardage. I've been doing this set-up successfully for ten years.

ME- My 20 ga. won't hold a good pattern at 40 yards. I feel that the copper plated # 7 1/2's would give good penetration at that distance but the pattern gets too thin. I am only shooting an ounce and an eighth of shot. Now if you were to go to a 3 inch shell and an extra full choke you MIGHT get a 20 ga. to pattern out to 40 yards. Which ever gauge and choke you decide to try be sure to pattern several shells ( loads, shot sizes, brands,) on a turkey head patterning target. I want to have six or more pellets strike a vital zone (skull and vertebrae ). 30 yards is the max for my 20 ga. Having said all that, I've only killed one turkey with my big 12 ga. that I could not have taken with the 20 ga. It was killed at nearly 50 yards. It was the second bird of a double that ran instead of flying. The load was Federals three inch magnum, 2 oz. copper plated #6 's. That is a swarm of pellets coming out of an extra full choke tube.

PDS, I think after spring season I'm going to try find that combination of choke, shot and shell for a 20ga. If you think the shot will holds enough punch at 40 yards. I know it doesn't take much but I didn't want to go through with the time and money it takes to find that combination and then not be able to reach out 40 yards with it. I haven't shot one at that range yet all have been closer but that's my self imposed max distance I'll try...

I use an Eglish stock, Browning O/U 12 gauge, shoots 3 " number 6's with Tru-glo sights.An unusal shotgun for Browning.

For turkey i only use one gun.It's my Browning BPS 10 GA. Stalker 30" barrel and a Browning extra full choke with porting.For ammo i use Remington Heavy Nitro Magnum with 2 1/4 oz #4 shot.It lays a pattern down that no bird escapes from.Thats BIG Medicine for turkeys.~~~~~tom

I use a Mossberg 835 with Remington #4 2-1/4oz loads with the Mossberg factory extended tube. I really don't like the pattern though and was thinking about going to an aftermarket choke tighter than .695 (that's what the factory choke is) any suggestions on aftermarket chokes?? thanks. -kgonzo

kgonzo,The problem of poor pattern could have more to do with the ammo(shot charge weight)than with choke.You could do some expirementing.Briley makes an excellent tube.A problem with 12 ga versus 10 ga is even thought the shot charge weight is the same(2 1/4 oz) the 10 ga performs better because of the larger bore.The 12 ga has a longer shot string and doesn't pattern as well.This patterning problem is sometimes made worse by larger shot sizes.In some cases the heavy shot charge combined with large shot size and fired through a tight choke results in a blown shot pattern.In other words the blown shot pattern has holes in the pattern etc.I would try some different loads (2 oz ??)and using different chokes.You might find the 2 1/4 oz load works better with a full or modified tube in it,or maybe winchester ammo performs better than remington.You might also find the 2 oz load works better than the 2 1/4 in your gun.<BR>~~~~~~tom

Winchester Super X2 Turkey Model, 3 1/2 mag with No 4, full choke. Sweet gun, and you got to love them TrueGlows.

Recently acquired a Rem SP-10 26" camo slightly used at a gun show but only had one choke tube, a Kick's High Flyer IC. I guess the waterfowler decided it kicked a bit too much <P>Just received in the mail yesterday a Kick's Gobblin' Thunder .690 Anyone have a similar setup? Will be heading out to the hunting club on Sunday to pattern some different loads. Any recommendations are appreciated! Thanks, Greg