Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting 20ga. Turkey gun suggestions.

If you were going to purchase a 20ga pump, what would you buy.

Thanks for any suggestions. I haven't purchased a shotgun in years. I like my 12ga. 870 but looking for something lightweight.

For turkey.. tempting to find a used browing bps upland with 22 inch barrels. Alls steel classic, but not too heavy.


I have one that I'm toting with using turkey hunting with a meadowcreek red dot mount.

If you look auto.. Franch affinity has nice triggers.

Just bought a Browning BPS 20 gauge but has a 28" barrel. For a dedicated turkey gun, If you can find one with a shorter barrel, it'd be great. But there are several 28" 20 gauge BPS available on Gun Broker.

Check out the Winchester 20 gauge

Ithaca with 26" barrel and screw in chokes. Maybe the new Remington Fieldmaster if it pans out to be better than the old Express model. The BPS from Browning would be great if they shaved 1/2 pound off of it.

Several good suggestions already mentioned. The Winchester pump (the SXP I think it is) that a buddy has is a great shooter.
I have a older Remington 870 20 ga. with the 21" barrel and it tuned out nicely as well. Not the lightest but a nice turkey gun none the less

No body wants a 28" barreled turkey gun.

Depending on what you're looking for, don't overlook the Mossberg 500 with the 20" barrel and the receiver that's D&T for mounting optics. Can even get one all camoed up.

I wouldn't.

I'd pick up a nice H&R or NEF single and put a little cash into having the receiver D&T for a base and the barrel threaded. Buy a good tube....your choice of sighting and call it great.

Nobody does, but it shouldn't be a reason to eliminate a good gun. I have never, ever, ever been so cramped or in such heavy brush that a 28" was a problem. I like shorter for a turkey gun, but 28" barrel is just fine. Overall length is a consideration, too. My 26" Ithaca M37 is 4 inches shorter than my 28" Browning BPS.

By the way, MOGC's suggestion for a M37 20 gauge is a good one, especially with the 26" barrel. M37s have short receivers. My M37 12 gauge has a 26" vent rib barrel but the gun has about the same overall length as my Winchester SX4 with a 24" barrel. You get a longer sighting plane with the 26" barrel and you'll loose a little less velocity with the longer barrel. The Upper Sandusky produced guns take Invector Plus choke tubes so you'll have a wide variety of choices.

BPS. I've had an 870 and a Model 12, but I still have the BPS.

870 youth. Nice lil fairy dust spreader..

My 870 youth has been excellent.

I've looked for one but no luck!

I've got a 20 gauge BPS that I've killed a bunch of turkeys with. None of them seemed to mind it's 26" barrel and neither do I.

Have had 3 pumps…BPS in 12 ga 26”, 870 camo 12 ga 26”and my first one a Winchester 1300 in 12 ga 26”…. can’t say that one was better than the other, but liked the 870 the best. Why…you would need to throw them up to your shoulder one right behind the other…shuck it…swing it…and then you will know which one to go kill a turkey with. With that being said I now use a Stevens 301 20 and never looked back…pick one of them up and throw one up to your shoulder and pull your money out.

Those Stevens 301s are pretty nice. I got to handle a 20g and a .410 at a gun show and was pretty impressed. They "look right" and feel very good. Thats the first time I realized people were seriously using .410s for turkey.

You ever hear the saying mOnkey see monkey do ?

If you didn't lead such a sheltered life you'd realize there are a lot of dumb azz people in this world and a lot of them think they are turkey men.

2 inches is a lot when it comes to turkey guns....2 inches is a lot when it comes to lots of things.

A buddy of mine just posted this. There are 22" barrels for this out there too, they're just pretty hard to find right now...

https://www.lake-link.com/classifieds/x-bps-20-gauge/93570/

I've killed even more with 28" barreled guns. The turkeys never seemed to mind and neither did I.

Steve already sold it...

Both of these suggested guns would make a fine turkey gun.

The 20 ga affinitys can be pretty finicky with target loads, but you shouldnt have any issues with turkey loads. My sons affinity shoots straight, unlike my benelli m1 20 that I had to get quite creative with the cast and drop shims to get it to shoot straight. But I've had that issue with every benelli I've owned. My youngest shoots a 1187 compact 20.

I agree, I shoot a xtrema 2 with 26in barrel. I guess with that magnum length receiver you can consider it a 28in gun. I certainly wouldnt want it any longer, except for maybe in a duck blind, but I've lost count how many turkeys I've killed with it.

One of the best patterns I’ve ever seen any gun throw for hunting was out of a browning bps youth with the short barrel in 20 gauge.

My brother has one that will do a 40 yard 300 pellets of #9 tss in the 10” and 300 in the 20” circle. It shoot POA for center of the pattern.

This was with 2 1/8 oz of 9’s, so you better hold onto your hat when you fire it, but it was definitely a shooter.

Picked up a Stevens 301 for my daughter and still looking for something for me. Those Winchester shotguns feel good but still can't find a sxp 20 ga. turkey gun.

Buddy of mine had a SXP 20 and his shot really good groups with TSS, I think he sold it but not sure, I will ask him.

Are fAiry dust swarms now called groups ?

They are called what ever you want to call them, groups, patterns, swarms, etc.
One thing is for sure, I don't have to run the birds down and beat them in the head with a fence post after they are shot.

I've heard about several TSS chases where the gobbler escaped.

I got him that's all that matters...lol

the stevens 301 is made in China

The H&R Topper / NEF Pardner is made in the USA.

No one could say China like Donald Trump....

Cccchhhhiiiiiinnnnnnaaaaa

Ps....YoderbOy has me on ignore he got mad when I questioned him about him getting "paid for two decages by the turkey hunting and choke tube industry".

Thats okay though after he acted the azz with me I'll just keep asking him until he tells.

I knew they were made in China. Still nice guns for the money.

The H&Rs WERE made in the USA. Too bad they stopped making them. I always intended to buy one and they went under before I ever did.

I have seen them on the rack at the gun stores but never picked one up. Do they have screw in chokes?

I can't understand the single shot mentality.

The H&R's and NEF's are still available on the used market EVERYWHERE, And for Stevens 301 money or less.

Stop. I don't endure gun buying temptation well.

So YoderbOy who's been paying you in the turkey hunting and choke tube industey for two decades ?

You know you want it....lol
It's just one more

Got the itch for a new one, not sure if I'll scratch that itch this year or not, but time will tell. Definitely, like all of this, it's a want, not a need. Boiled it down to 2. Both 20ga, a Benelli M2 (can't find a M1) with a 24" barrel or the Winchester SX4 (can't find a SX2) with the 24" barrel. With the Winchester, since I haven't found or handled one yet, it looks like you have to remove the cantilever mount to use the sights? Leaning more towards the M2, but wouldn't mind putting some fingerprints on a SX4. If I felt the need to really go over the top, I'd look at the M2 Turkey out of the Benelli Performance Shop! Haha! I'm finally to the point financially, that I can afford to get whatever I'd like. But, unfortunately, my body challenges my activities more and more! Lol!

I'd splurge and go for the Benelli

You don't have to "splurge" a whole lot more to get the M2 over the SX4. And I agree, the M2 is getting the nod more and more.

If you splurge and go for Benelli, don't be surprised if you get a gun that shoots 6"+ high with a 26"+ barrel, or too low with a short barrel. Been there, done that. My Benelli Super Nova sits in the safe unused. My other Benelli has a slug barrel on it and that's fine. But high POI seems to be a common complaint with Benellis across the net.



No. The rear sight is actually mounted on the cantilever. The canitlever is grooved like a Weaver base. You just remove the scope to use the sight. I'd recommend Warne QD rings with that gun. Super secure bases. I've used a lot of them on evertything from .30-30s to hard kicking .45-70s. Never had an issue. I use them on my Savage 212 slug gun.

Regarding the SX4, I have an Winchester SX4 24" gun and a Browning Maxus II 26" gun. Both 12g, 3 1/2". They are much softer shooting than my Browning A5, which is an inertia gun like the Benellis you mentioned. The SX4, Maxus and A5 are all built by Browning in the same factory.

Compared to the Maxus II, the SX4 gives up very little. They are both short stroke gas guns. The Browning is a little more refined. The Browning has a magazine cut off switch and a speed load feature the SX4 doesn't have. (Speed load is useless to me and a pain if you don't it right.) Both will cycle pretty much all manner of 12g rounds. My A5 won't cycle light loads reliably. That's an issue with intertia guns, too. The SX4 is drilled and tapped for a scope, the Maxus II is not.

If you are going to be shooting light loads, too, and if you want a soft shooting gun, go with a gas gun. I love my A5 but inertia guns are no more reliable than gas guns, and sometimes less so with light loads. And they only soak up a little recoild over a pump, and much less than a gas gun.

Very familiar with Benelli's, all of them. From Super Sports to the Nova, in both 12's and 20's. Messing with the stock shims, in conjunction with a laser bore sighter and a focal point, has always worked well for me. Having only looked at pictures of the SX4, I appreciate your insight, thank you. The 870 I put together works like a charm, but there's always that "want" factor!

Walk toward the light, Glocks !!!! Walk toward the light.................

Shimming on my Super Nova didn't help becasue it did nothing to fix the fundamental problem with the gun. The rib is just too high in the rear causing it to shoot high, and I think that's been a problem with Benellis for a long time. The only thing that helps is patterning it and knowing where it shoots. And that's fine. I know to hold low with my Benelli. The problem is is that if you shoot a lot of different guns that hit where they should, its easy to forget to hold low with the one gun you have that doesn't hit where it should. If all you shoot is high hitters, you can get used to it, I guess.

Benellis are fine guns. But many of them have this quirk.

May be more effort than you're wanting to go to........... But D&T the Nova's receiver (or is it already, from the factory ??) and install your choice of sighting system. Put your POI and POA in the same place and never have to think about which gun you're carrying and where you gotta aim, ever again.

Both my turkey guns are drilled and tapped with red dots installed. Sure makes thing simple in the heat of the battle.

Agreed, some type of aiming device will be used. That's not so much of a want anymore either...

If it's the M2, I wouldn't hesitate one second to have the receiver milled out, and tapped, for a reflex sight. Think MOS on a Glock...

Not ready to scope or reddot any of my shotguns yet. Other than shooting high, it's a fine gun. I was thinking of putting some rib-mounted adjustable TruGlos ights on it like I have on my SX4.

Why would you compare a Nova to M1....that just dumb

Because they've got the same barrel/rib configuration and same sight plain/bore axis intersection, dumb ass. That why they've got the same issues.

I don’t know what "axis" you're on but i've owned at least 8 or 10 M1s and SBEs Benellis over the years and never had an issue....I was smart enough to never own a Nova.

Bullshit-o-meter is going crazy.

X2

Can't imagine shooting enough to wear out 8-10 Benellis. Must be leaving them in the truck for people to steal.

with some of these folks on all the various forums over the years, I don't either. But for me one shot is enuff

When you shoulder the gun and look down the rib to the bead what do you see? Lots of rib, a little rib and the bead, just bead...?

Anyone that is disappointed with their old high shooting M1 20 gauges, please send me a pm….I’ll be glad to do you a favor and take it off your hands if the price is right and it’s the right setup.

Guess you never never swapped or traded guns....never said I wore one out.

Better check your inbox....it's probably running over by now.

I handled 2 very nice 20's at Whittakers yesterday. A Franchi and a Retay. Fully camo, an the Franchi came with a red dot. I really liked the feel of the Retay, but know nothing about them. Both were in the $1000 range. Pretty expensive, considering that I'd only shoot them a couple of times a year. I guess I'll stick with the 870 and 11-87 20's.

i agree with you the $1000 range is out of my budget. Wished Remington would get the 20 ga. fieldmaster out on the shelves.

We've worn out a Nova in our duck crew... not that they were really worn out, but certain parts are not replaceable and you scrap the gun.

They dried up around here and its only junk left. Better ones are priced close to an economy pump.

I suspect ruffed grouse road hunters are buying them.

Have you tried GunBroker ??

That's pretty impressive.

Just curious............. Do you have any guess as to the round count when it went to the junk heap ??

Found a NIB Remington 870 20 ga., thanks for the recommendations.

No, very little of the top of the rib. If this gun had a center bead. It would be touching the bottom of the front sight. That's how I shoot my Brownings. This hits about 4 to 6 inches higher than the Bowning Maxus and A5 at 40 yards. Both the A5 and Maxus hit a little higher than my Ithacas and BPS.

There's nothing wrong with the gun. It's just its characteristic. I may eventually put some adjustable TruGlo sites on it. I don't do much wing shooting anymore. Those sites work well on my SX4.

.

Nice Remington280! Enjoy!

Will be watching for the range report

Oh I'll let you know, thanks for your help in locating it.

not a problem, I like watching people spend money...lol

So Remington280, did your gun come in and what do you think about it?

I bought the Mossberg SA20 Turkey Thug and after a couple of years of use on a lot of different kinds of hunts and birds, I can highly recommend it.

Semi auto 3", 22" barrel with fiber optic sights and it's DT'd and optics ready.
I liked the fiber optic ( Ghost Ring ) sights so much that I didn't bother with the optics.

Camo synthetic stock ( I shortened mine with a thin recoil pad ).
Sling ready. Has stock inserts to adjust comb pitch.

It comes with a turkey choke and then I bought Mod and a IC choke to go with it.
It's super light at 5.5#, and functions very smoothly.

The trigger was pretty stiff, so I installed a McCarbo trigger spring ( 5 min job ) and it's much better.
This is the same basic platform used by Weatherby and Winchester. There's lot's of good write ups and videos on it for research.

Only a couple seasons. Just poor parts.

I didnt try gun broker.

I bought a 12 gauge 301 the other night because the sale price was less than used single shots I've seen.
Not sure if I will try a full 3 inch turkey load out of it.

Finding one right now is the trick, but I can't imagine anything better than my 870 youth. Once you get an extended turkey choke on it the barrel ends up 22" It is light and easy to carry. The stock is a little shorter than a full-size gun but is close enough for me. It did take some experimenting to find a shell that patterned tight enough for me to be comfortable with out to 35-40 yards.

My gun did come in, I bought some TSS 9 shot but I haven't patterned it yet. I plan to shoot it Sunday as I'm busy Saturday fixing my daughters car. Seems like when it starts to get warm I have too many irons in the fire.

how does the bore look where the forcing comb meets the chamber? A lot of the older ones had tool marks that needed polished out.

I'll take a look, I've had the barrel off but did not look at that as I wasn't aware of this issue.

What fiber optic ghost ring does the Mossberg come with? I'm wanting to install one on my Remington 870.

rem 20 gauge compact camo, i picked mine up at walmart last year for $375 ish if memory serves me correct. handi little shotgun

This one!
When I shoulder this shotgun my eye is naturally centered right through the peep to the front sight. I'd originally bought the Turkey Thug to mount a scope or red dot reflex sight on, but this does an outstanding job and is super simple.

Gotcha, I was just looking at those. Thanks