Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Best turkey shotgun for the money ?

What say you???

I'm sure you'll get varying opinions, but hard to beat the 870 Express Super Mag. Easy to get excellent patterns with today's shot choices and a multitude of quality aftermarket choke options in various constrictions are available. Hunt with lots of guys with both the 26" and 23" barreled versions and have used one in the past myself. Wish I still had it.

Really, it is up to you. What do you personally prefer? Autoloader? Pump? Double Barrel? Single Shot? All will work. One of the turkey killin'est SOB's I've ever seen uses and old Stevens single shot 16ga.

Pick the action type you want, then go handle different models at the gun shops and see what fits you best. Remember that you will be shooting off your azz for the most part, and often will be contorted in an awkward position. Too long a length of pull will cause you problems getting on your sights and steadying the gun, too short and you will be eating your thumb. A gun that fits you, and meets your weight requirements (lighter is better if you are very mobile) is what is most important. After market chokes and the multitude of turkey loads on the market can turn just about any shotgun into a 40yd turkey killer.

for the money, an 870 is hard to beat.
your milage may vary...

ALL around, the Remington 870 (WITHOUT a doubt)

Anyone who is anybody in the Turkey Shotgun Accesory business makes something for the Remington 870 (and it's generally cheaper than comparable items for other shotgun mfg. brands)

I have owned or do own a number of customized turkey guns. But when all bets are down, the 870 is the one that can be tricked out easier than the rest.

Here's my current line up; (from 20 to 10 ga.)

I can't and won't argue with the 870 as the most economical solid performing shotgun choice. I like the Wingmaster versions, but am no fan of the Express Model. Regarding the quote, "tricking one out" is a choice and not a necessity. It isn�t necessary to hang gee-gaws and gadgets on the gun to make it a turkey killer. A good choke and load that patterns well combined with woodsmanship and decent calling skills is what kills gobblers consistently. Anything else is a �just because I want to� scenario. I�m sure D2D appreciates this also. But not knowing the experience of the original poster asking the question I wouldn�t want to leave the impression you have to immediately drop a ton of money on unnecessary do-dads in order to be successful.

Good post. Buddy of mine has three "tricked out" turkey guns but his go to is an old beat up blued/ wood Win model 12. I've seem him roll many past 40. It just shots well!!

@ Mog-
Good post... I completely agree...

This Mossberg has a 20" barrel, XXfull choke, fiber optic sights and camo. You don't have to have any of these things to kill a turkey, but they all make hunting turkeys a little easier. MSRP about $360.

@ Natman-
Unless something has drastically changed, the bore of a mossberg is pretty rough and "does generally" require some polishing to unlock it's true patterning ability.

Well, here's my 2 cents worth. I have the 870 Super Mag. GREAT gun. I have an H&R 10 ga single with a 36" fixed choke (full). Bought is as a ha ha ha when my sone bought HIS super mag. He bought his before I bought mine. A period of time passed and I bought this NEF 10 ga. This is my go to gun. You'd think at 65 years old, I'd be smarter!!!!

Haven't had any problems with the bores, although they certainly don't approach the polished perfection of a Perazzi. I do find that Mossbergs benefit from half an hour spent cleaning the internals and lightly polishing any burrs.

But the question was best turkey shotgun for the money. That said, it's pretty hard to beat a Mossberg. Anything cheaper is likely to have some serious quality issues and anything better is going to cost a lot more.

go with the 870

Longbeardking - HAPPY 65th BIRTHDAY!

I'd go with the 870

Best Bang for the Buck-- Similar to Longbeardking's 10 ga. I have a NEF Single shot 12ga. plus 2 Moss. 500. My NEF cost less than $140-- You can beat that gun into the ground and it will still come up shooting. Nothing fancy , just a good working tool -- Web

I guess it depends on how hard you have to work to hunt them and at what ranges you're going to have to shoot them. We have had such an explosion in the turkey population in this area the last decade that they're everywhere. I have them all over my woods; 6 are actually coming to the wife's bird feeders in the front yard 3 times a day looking for a free meal. I haven't had to use anything more than an old sears 20 guage the last couple years.
I have a Mossberg 500 and an 870, both are great shotguns and pattern well for turkey hunting.

My first thought is the Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag but the Remington 870 Express super mag is also hard to beat for the price.................547.

My preference is Benelli's Supernova, definately takes the sting
outa recoil. My 870 wingmaster 3" chamber puts more hurt on me than my Benelli. 12g 3.5" Spernova's run $550



http://www.benelliusa.com/shotguns/benelli_supernova.php

I don't know about that either. I polished my 835 barrel myself, and I believe it definately helped the numbers ina 10" at 40yds.

But reloader7Mag on here shot this reload of his using a 3.5 shell of 2 and 1/4oz #7 Hevi-Shot at 40yds and that's a 10" circle. He hasn't ever polished his barrel. Polished barrel or not, that would be hard to beat. And not many shotguns I know of other than a 835 or maybe a 10GA would come close to doing that same type pattern. but it would take one of his reloads to do it more than likely.