Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Shortest barrel you're using in a turkey gun?

I've used a 24" for a lot of years. Was considering going with something different and saw some of the home defense barrels have adjustable sights....but were 18.5 inches.

Anyone using a barrel around 18 inches? Not sure how much velocity is lost or if the patter would open up (even with a x-full choke).

To my knowkedge all of the 18.5" barrels are fixed choke, usually cylinder, but a few are IC. I have a 21" 870 turkey barrel that takes Rem-chokes. My brother has a 20" rifle sighted 870 barrel that takes Rem-chokes. Both are pretty decent barrels for the purpose.

I'd be less concerned about the velocity loss than the lack of any choke. Our short barrels pattern just fine with the right tube in them. Some of the cylinder choked barrels I've used would probably not work well much beyond 15-20 yards.

I think winchester made some 18 inch turkey guns that took screw in chokes.

But that is the only one I can think of.

The one I am considering has rem-chokes so the choke is not a concern....mainly just thinking of velocity and how much effect the shorter barrel has on the pattern (even with x-full choke).

I think the best turkey barrel is the Rem870 20" rifle sight barrel with choke tubes. You can literally line it in with the tightest choke that you can fine, and makes actually aiming the shot easy.

I had a 870 cut back to 18"s and threaded for chokes.Installed fiber optic rifle type sights on the rib. Not sure about velocity. But it patterns better than any other barrel length and choke combo I have tried. Running heavy shot through a dead coyote choke and have take birds out to 65 yards with it.

Nice. I'm going to give the 18.5 a try. Hopefully the sights and screw in choke will work well. I'll report back after I pattern it a bit....but it may be early spring before I do. Thanks guys,

JCM

Had a gunsmith take my 870 down to 21", rethread the barrel, it takes all the rem chokes. Has a mid barrel and end bead sights, plus I put a magnetic high viz sight on the end too. That gun has shot: turkey, geese, ducks, pheasant, quail, and doves. I rolled a turkey a number of years ago, with a 3" mag, 3 shot steel, out of a improved cylinder choke. At 30 yards that bird never even heard the the gun go 'boom' it was dead so fast.

The wads on the federal steel rounds I was using were so thick, it was almost like they 'cupped' the shot for just a moment longer and produced a tighter pattern out of that I/C choke.

I have a 870 Turkey edition 21".
Like you experienced, it kills everything.
I have several shotguns.
The sling, screw in chokes, tupperware toughness, 3" if needed and fiber sites make it a gun I can't stop using.
The only bad side I know of is, it's loud for your buddies ears in a blind.

according to winchester a shot gun gets to max veloicty in 8 inches from the chamber, so you are not losing any veloicty. the longer barrel makes it eaiser to aim, if you use that method. and also cuts down on the recoil and noise..

I too, have a Remington 870 Turkey gun with the 21" barrel and extra full Rem choke for turkey. I also have mod and imp cyclinder Rem chokes for other hunting. The only drawback to the extra full choke is that it's not for steel shot which is mandatory for use on some refuges.I guess I could find a full Rem choke suitable for steel shot if the need ever arises. I like the short barrel with the two bead sights. Works well as home defense in the off season. Patterns well, and reliable as the proverbial alley apple (brick).As wageslave says, it is loud but I can't hear thunder anyhow.

I'm using a 20" barrel. I switched to it after a couple of years hunting with a 28". I find it much easier to carry around in the woods.

You'll lose about 75 fps compared to a 28" barrel. Not 75fps per inch, 75 fps total. Not worth worrying about.

A 20" barrel is louder. Not a problem if you're wearing hearing protection, which you should be regardless of how long your barrel is.

Patterns are determined by the choke. There is no published evidence that shortening a barrel opens patterns. If anyone has any, I'd love to see it.

I use a small barrel mounted box call for the final call, so any shorter than 20" is too short to mount it.

22 inch Browning BPS Stalker .

18.5" "RIOT" gun with Hevi-Shot extended choke tube screwed in it

I thought Benelli used to make an 18" barrel.

Remington did on a few "turkey guns," I had a mossberg that had an 18.5" barrel too. That is short and LOUD.

18" on a 870 youth 20ga with undertaker choke. with 3" #6 turkey loads it is deadly to 30 yards. and its like carrying a toy gun in the woods.

always remember youre guns range. the rest is up to the turkey calling

Here is my 21 inch 1187 old school camo. It shoots #5's very well out to 40 yards with a Trulock XXfull.