New Turkey gun

When considerin a new firearms purchase, "why" should never enter into the discussion! :biggrin:

I reccomend buying all the guns your budget and marriage will allow. Just don't tell my old lady!

Oh, I fully understand the difference between "wants" and "needs". I just wanted folks to state "why" they would choose one over the other.

I am leaning towards a remington pump. I have the 20 gu version of their turkey gun and I like it plenty, I usually take my beretta al-390. I sometimes feel that it is a little longer than I want and would like to get one with a shorter barrell.

I agree with flint about the wants and needs. :thumb:

2dogs said:

I am leaning towards a remington pump.

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Man, those Remington pumps have been there, done that and proved they can do it over and over. You'll never go wrong with an 870!!

I've shot an 870 most of my life and they are fine turkey guns when combined with the right choke. One thing I must say about them though is they kick like a mule so if ya go that route I strongly suggest a sims butt pad.

I'll agree 100% 870. Can't be beat ,and yes they do kick a little,but nothing like my ol one shot two black eyes mossberg. I shot with a longer barrel on my 870 and that took some of the stomp out of it.

I bought a Stoeger 2000 semi-auto back in the spring.I like it so far.have'nt had any problems with it.I think it was like $500.00 tax and all.

10pointman said:

I bought a Stoeger 2000 semi-auto back in the spring.I like it so far.have'nt had any problems with it.I think it was like $500.00 tax and all.

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I have buddy that bought one a couple of years ago. He likes the carrying weight of it, but said it pretty much stomped the snot of of him when he bears down on a turkey.

Manybeards said:

I've shot an 870 most of my life and they are fine turkey guns when combined with the right choke. One thing I must say about them though is they kick like a mule so if ya go that route I strongly suggest a sims butt pad.

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I agree too. I've looked on their website and wondered about the one with the AR-15 stock. I'm not too much on being one to buy the first model of anything. They show some sort double spring system to help with the recoil.

They are ugly but I do like the pistol grip. I have also thought about the one with the thumbhole. I've never had anything but a regular stock on one.

Like someone once said "there isn't any reason to fix something that isn't broke". I don't know what I will do.


What kind of chokes have you had success with?

The turkey choke that came with the 870 20 gauge patterns fine out to 35 yards. After that I am not too confiident with it. I passed up a nice tom 3 years ago because I didn't think it was enough gun to reach the distance. The reason I bought it was for the carrying weight. I have killed a turkey or two with it though. The first one was about 5 steps.

In my 870 I always shot a mad max choke and was confident at 50 yards. My dads 870 shoots better with a comp in choke then the mad max. I started shooting a browning silver last year with a jellyhead choke and killed a couple turkeys out west at the 60 yard range shooting winchester extendeds

I would suggest any shotgun you are comfortable with and shoot well. Any 12 guage that patterns well will work great. And even a 20 that patterns well. If it will kill a squirrel it will kill a turkey's head.

if you have the money a 16gauge 1100 will do the trick.

I like my 870 Super Mag.
However, I have been getting the itch for a new turkey gun. I just havent prioritized it since the 870 works so well. I want a double barrel! As tight as you can choke these guns down these days, I want a 50yd barrel and a 10yd barrel.

I got my son a Mossberg 935 last year. Put a jellyhead in it.
Great pattern to 50 yds with Win Ex Range #6 3.5".
It is light and weight and the recoil isn't that bad. Price is right too.

One thing, I disagree with a lot of so called experts is barrel length. I personally like at least a 26" barrel, preferably a 28" barrel. Everyone now days says barrel length doesn't factor into the pattern since chokes have been modified, but I have yet seen a gun with a real short barrel perfom as well as a gun with a long barrel.

P.S I also like the pistol grip. It makes it real easy to keep the gun steady.

I use my 870's for just about everything (one as a dedicated slug gun).

They do kick hard so I put a Boyd's thumbhole stock on my slug gun and man what a difference. It pulls the recoil down bigtime.

By Manybeards

One thing, I disagree with a lot of so called experts is barrel length. I personally like at least a 26" barrel, preferably a 28" barrel. Everyone now days says barrel length doesn't factor into the pattern since chokes have been modified, but I have yet seen a gun with a real short barrel perfom as well as a gun with a long barrel.

Could not agrre more. I believe in velocity for maximum pattern performance. A custom loader once told me you get an extra 10 or 20 feet per second per inch of barrel up to 28" I believe. ( It has been a long time since I was toild such) Plus I like the longer sighting plane of a longer barrell.

If money wasn't that big of an issue, I'd recommend the Browning Gold 3 1/2"
. I have one with the Comp N Choke and it is a deadly combintation. Also, it has a 30" barrel that will flat fling some shot out there. I just purchased a Remington 870 Super Mag from OuachitaMan and it is a great gun also. I used a factory turkey choke and it held a great pattern, but not quite as far as the Browning would. I did take everyone's advice and replaced the standard recoil pad with a new Remington Supercell pad. Man did it make a huge difference. It took a whole lot of the "Whoop" out of the recoil. I highly recommend one. You just can't go wrong with a Remington 870! :thumb:

I've never check the specs on the Browning, but I have a few friends that shoot them and they sure seem heavy to me.

Some one here recommended the Mossberg line, do the pumps still rattle?