Ok let me start by saying I am from North Carolina and did a little turkey chasing when I was young. I plugged one Tom which had around a 5inch beard with a mossberg 835 and a 3 1/2 federal turkey load. I had a 28inch barrel and modified choke as it was dads and I used what I had. Anyhow I am up in Alaska now and soon headed back to the lower 48 so I am trying to decide if I use what I have or buy another barrel. Here are my choices. 1 really nice older 870 wingmaster non vent rib barrel 30 inch full choke. I beat up but perfectly fine 870 wingmaster with 28inch non vent rib barrel modified choke or my new benelli m2 with 26inch barrel and it has a improved cylinder and a modified and a full choke. The benelli can use 3 inchers but the wingmasters are 2 3/4 only. With all this said I know a full or extra full is what most use. I also am pretty good with a triple glass and diaphragm calls. I got a place where turkey are not pressured at all so they are dumb to my tricks out at my dads place since he don't hunt turkey but likes to eat them. What barrel length and choke would be ideal for eastern wooded turkey hunting

I'd roll with the Benelli but all would work

Yeah I think the benelli rains supreme as far as hunting guns go. It is fast for sure. I really like the wood and steel of the old wingmasters but the M2 is light, fast and can handle 3 inch loads.

Run the Benelli with the full choke and buy yourself a box of Hevishot 3" 2oz of #6's and go forth and slay any longbeard you choose out to 40 yds.

Good luck Roy

My Benelli has been great to me so far. I'd run the M2 and not worry about it. Folks run anything from 24" up to 28" for barrel length around here. The guys with the 28 inchers are typically using them for duck/goose guns as well.

I like a full or extra full choke when chasing the long beards. Try a couple if you can and see what produces the best pattern.

Good luck.

I've been busting beaks with a Benelli M1S90 for a long time now and wouldn't use anything else. You will be well armed with the Benelli.

I would use the Benelli. And get yourself a good aftermarket turkey choke. A good modest priced one is a Primos Jellyhead. If you don't mind spending a bit more, Indian Creek, Rhino, Pure Gold, and Hevi Shot make some excellent chokes.

For a shell I would recommend 3 inch Hevi-13 number 6's. They will out pattern any lead shell and are hot death on gobblers.

Use whichever one you are more comfortable with and can shoot the tightest pattern with out to 40yards.

It doesn't matter which 12 ga. you use but I lean towards an 870 with 3" shells in No. 6 and a 20" barrel choked extra full. It kills and patterns great to 40 yards. A 12 ga. NEF is also a good turkey gun if you want to spend little money.

I run with a rem 870 in 20ga or a Benelli SBEII. They both kill turkeys dead.

Pattern is just as important. The Benelle doesn't need an xfull choke to pattern well with turkey loads.

Jellyhead lives up to it's name.

Benelli, Indian Creek & Nitro Company Ammo = Dead Turkeys!

The Benelli with a good aftermarket choke = Dead Birds!!!

As others have said, run the Benelli with an aftermarket choke. I like the Indian Creek with my 20ga M2. However, it was a bit too tight in my 12ga Benelli Vincis and delivered patterns that were a touch ragged outside of the core for my tastes.

In my Vincis, I've had great success with a Rhino .660 and Hevi-13 12-3-2-6 or 12-3-2-7. I get 150 or so in the 10" core with the #6s and 220 in the core with the #7s. Patterns are generally even with both loads to 15" or so.

These numbers quoted are for temps in the 50-60s, which is typical turkey hunting weather for me. They'll go up in hot weather and down a bit if it's colder.

I typically run Jeb's chokes though. I like the .665 with Hevi-13 12-3-2-5 and 12-3-2-7. I produces super tight patterns with the #5s and beautiful, even patterns to 20" with #7s. The patterns with the #5s is only 12" wide or so, but #7s look great to 20".

The Jeb's .660 is my choice for 12-3-2-6. It's a very consistent performer delivering 145 in a 10" core and even patterns to 16 or so".

A word of caution, Benelli stocks tend to put patterns a few inches high for most shooters. This isn't a big deal with more open chokes and may even be desirable for birds and skeet. However, with super tight turkey chokes, it can be a big deal in the field. Just make sure you know where the pattern is centered relative to point of aim if you run the Benelli.

Benelli also has shim kits which can easily adjust point of impact as it relates to point of aim.

I run a Benelli SBE2 with an aftermarket X-full Carlson choke tube. It has a 24" barrel which I find to work well for shooting turkeys. I shoot 3.5" winchester #5s, lead.
My back-up gun is a Remington 870 with 26" barrel that I can't comment on how it works in the field because the benelli works so well.
I would use your M2 due to its barrel length, and ability to provide quick follow up shots.

Roll the Benelli, a jelly head some 3" #5's and fill arks.

This year I ran A 535 with Rhino choke and shooting extended range winchester 3.5" 5 or 6 and it works great.

First post on the Campfire. Just joined today and couldnt resist the turkey forum. I hunt birds in central NY using the exact 870 with 30" barrel other than mines got the vent rib. I have excellent results with #5 2 3/4 Winchesters. My two gripes with the gun is that its too pretty to be banging around while walking the ridges and the 30" barrel can be a little cumbersome when the silent ones sneak in from the "wrong side". Other than that its a great gun inside of 45 yds. I can't comment on the Benelli but doubt you'd go wrong with either. Pattern them at 40 yds and see how they do. Good luck.