Turkey shotgun

[sheltowee]

I have a pump shotgun with a xx full choke tube. It doesn't pattern the best, but I have used it in the past for turkey hunting. It's a Stoeger p350. It has a 28 inch barrel and seems super long when hunting with it. I do like shooting clay pigeons with it.
My question is.....Should I try to find a better choke tube for it or just get a dedicated turkey shotgun? I would like any recommendations on either choke tubes or shotguns. On the shotgun. I would like to keep the price under 500 bucks and doesn't have to take 3.5 inch shells.
Thanks

 

[SSGSAD]

Mossberg 835 ?????

 

[phylodog]

I have a pump shotgun with a xx full choke tube. It doesn't pattern the best, but I have used it in the past for turkey hunting. It's a Stoeger p350. It has a 28 inch barrel and seems super long when hunting with it. I do like shooting clay pigeons with it.
My question is.....Should I try to find a better choke tube for it or just get a dedicated turkey shotgun? I would like any recommendations on either choke tubes or shotguns. On the shotgun. I would like to keep the price under 500 bucks and doesn't have to take 3.5 inch shells.
Thanks

How many different loads have you tried in the shotgun you already own? I'll admit that the loads on the market designed specifically for turkey aren't cheap but they are cheaper than a new gun. If you like the Stoeger it might be worth picking up a good selection of loads and seeing if you can't find one that will work better than all of the others. If you've got friends who hunt and use the same gauge maybe they'd split the cost with you to test their guns as well?

 

[Woobie]

Back when I hunted Turkeys I used a 28" barrel for my 870 with an X Full choke. Never lost a bird. I did have fiber optic sights mounted to the bent rib.

You might try a couple of different brands of shells. One might pattern better for you.

 

[sheltowee]

I kinda like the 500s better. They have a 500 turkey gun that's a 20 gauge with a 22 in barrel overall length is under 40 in. I don't mind shooting a 12 but I'm not getting any younger. Is there a big loss in advantage going from a 12 to a 20 for turkey?

 

[AGarbers]

I bought the Mossberg 935 semiautomatic with a 22" barrel as a dedicated turkey gun. It is full camo and handles 3 and 3.5" shells well. The receiver comes tapped for easy scope or red dot installation. I installed a red dot and it couldn't be better. My daughter, who never shot a shotgun before wanted to shoot it. Using the red dot at 40 yards, she blasted the turkey head target. (Yes, I was a nice dad and warned her it was going to kick... hard.) First shotgun experience ever, and it would have been a dead bird. Yes, the 935 isn't made for 2 3/4" shells, but who the heck shoots them in a turkey gun anyways? I had a 500 setup for turkey, but it was just too tight working with a 28" barrel in a blind. I also had an 835 that seemed like a howitzer, but a new shorter barrel for it almost cost as much as a new shotgun, so I sold it and went with the 935.

http://www.mossberg.com/product/935-magnum-turkey-81045/

 

[Hookeye]

Have killed toms with 30", 28", 26" and 23" bbls.
I hate blinds.
Not fond of Mossbergs either, but do think they might be a tolerable choice for folks needing a rig for right and left handed usage.
Have two turkey guns.....870 Supermag 23" and an 1100 Magnum SP 26".
If I'm going down south and hoofing a bunch, the 870 is lighter.
I still take the 1100 first day

 

[clfergus]

My first suggestion for you would be to spend some time on the oldgobbler.com forum before you do anything. There are some serious Turkey Hunters on that site including most of the turkey call makers and some custom choke makers. Introduce yourself and post your question there and you will probably find multiple guys who use your current setup and can offer advice. When I was setting up a 870 a few years back they pointed me to a used Primos Jellyhead choke in the classifieds as well as some Winchester Longbeard 3 inch loads that patterned extremely well in my gun when compared to what I had that came with the gun.

They have a whole section where guys list their setups and then post patterning pics. It was really helpful to see the results they were getting with my exact setup.

 

[alclark2]

^^^^^^ Listen to this guy..

Great resource at the OG
If you are going to use the 12 gauge I'd recommend a .665-.675" Choke tube for a starting point. The long beard ammo has brought a lot of life to poor shooting guns. If you do choose to go with a 20 gauge, you're really looking at shooting some more expensive ammo to get good knock down and pellet count. The trade off is that it's light weight, less recoil, and a joy to carry in the woods. I'll go 20 gauge on my next turkey gun most likely.

My current rig is an 835 12 ga with a .675 Indian Creek choke tube. Its almost too tight with 3" long beards. I've used the Federal Turkey Thugs to take my last few birds at closer range in the woods. The pattern actually opens up better with that ammo for close range work. I'm looking for a good even 10-12" pattern with my shot at 30-40 yards

 

[Hookeye]

Years ago a bud had at least 10 different choke tubes to fit Remchoke (aftermarket $$ stuff).
We tried them out with a variety of shells.
My Superfull Remchoke was right up there with the $$$ tubes running HV4's.
Tested last yr with Magnum blend, still does a good job.
Am content.
Problem aint the gun, choke,shells............it's getting a tom to show (hunt pubic ground-nasty spot too).
Could go 10 mins from house and kill a tom. Other place is 3 hr drive.
We go down to that spot because if you get one there you've accomplished something
Of course, after smoking a tom there I'll proly stay north/close to home...........avoid all those %$#@ ticks.

 

[diver dan]

I am a older guy, 63 yrs old, but when we had to start using steel shot for ducks/geese, I was using a single stage loader MEC 650.I had to order a special set-up to load steel in my reloader.I had to buy special wads and had to slit them manually,it was slow.I accidently forgot to slit wads on a couple of them,I shot them in gun and it was like I was shooting slugs.If you know of somebody that reloads, have him not slit the wads and pellets will be very tight.

 

[sugarcreekbrass]

I use my 870 Express with a 26" barrel. I use an Undertaker choke with Winchester HV 3" in #5s. It works well and I have never lost a bird, or had to chase one down! When I run out of my current shells I plan to try the Long Beard. If it is in your budget, you could go with a 20 ga just for a different option . I bought a TriStar 20 ga semi-auto youth model a few years ago for my wife and kids. It's not much smaller so I can shoot it comfortably.

 

[gregr]

I have a Browning, BPS, NWTF camo turkey gun, but just the shotgun is more than $500, without turkey sights, and before you ever try different loads to see which your gun "likes". I obviously haven`t priced new turkey guns for a while, and not even turkey loads, since I know what this gun shoots well. But as someone else said, try different turkey loads through the shotgun/choke combination you have to see IF something works, or, get a specialty choke, and there are plenty to choose from, but you`ll still be trying various kinds of turkey loads to see which one patterns best in that gun/choke combo. Remington and Winchester both make great hi-density turkey loads that can be absolutely devastating on the big birds, and likely Federal does too. My gun likes the Winchester Hi-Density loads in 6-shot. Stock up on whatever loads to figure out the gun likes, so you don`t have to repeat the pattering process again for some time.

 

[Leadeye]

The Remington 11-87 10 gauge, heavy, but it kills immediately.

 

[JimH]

The Remington 11-87 10 gauge, heavy, but it kills immediately.

Don't think the 11-87 was ever offered in 10 gauge, but the SP-10 was.

 

[Leadeye]

Don't think the 11-87 was ever offered in 10 gauge, but the SP-10 was.

You're right, I get those confused. It did kill two turkeys at once though, had to leave one behind.

 

[Sniper 79]

I downsized to a Benelli Nova 20 ga and love it. Should have done it years ago. Much lighter, ammo smaller, cheap, fully synthetic.

If you already have a gun I would play with some different loads and chokes. If not attached to it sell it off.