I'm new to turkey hunting and am using an oldie. I'm in the market to upgrade and was wondering if anybody had any suggestions on either the best turkey hunting gun or the best all around shotgun for turkey, upland and waterfowl.  I've been told the winchester 101 OU but the price is kind of intimidating.  Thanks in advance.

The one you shoot and take a bird with

Good answer, Badger!

I use a Mossberg 835 with a turkey choke... and have had pretty good luck with it. One year I knocked down a big gobbler at 56 yards with it.

so what are ya using now, besides an "oldie"?  he77 any shotgun will work if ya get the birds in close enough..that said ya wanna make sure you are within the laws and regs also....in CT we can use Shotguns, 20 gauge or larger, with #4, 5, 6, or 7 1/2 shot. Shotguns must not be capable of holding more than 3 shells....I would recommend for what you mentioned an 870, a moss 500 or even the Chas Daily auto in 12ga with the proper chokes for each type of hunting you plan to do...

right now I'm using my grandpas Remington 1100 12 gauge with a full choke barrel. I've yet toshoot it but I figure it'll do. I was looking at the moss 835 or 535 they have some pretty tempting prices and being fully camo is a plus.

Nothing wrong with that 1100, Taken a lot of Turkeys with mine, Having said that, I felt the itch for a new gun, and bought a new 870 Supermag SPS with full Camo. I don't use the 3 1/2 inch rounds, as the 2 3/4, and the 3' will do the job. One of my 1100's is a magnum and the other is a 2 3/4.

I use the 835 ultra mag w/carlson choke although it comes with 5 chokes when you buy it

Is it the type of action, the moniker on the barrel, the length of the shell, the restriction of the choke, the size of the bore or the size of the shot or is it possibly the nut that holds the trigger. Just about any shot gun will kill a turkey but only if you coax it into a range where you cannot miss vs a range where you only guess at success. To me the fun is in the fooling of a tom into thinking you are the sweetist hen in the woods. No gun can achieve the calling skills needed to be able to use the gun.

i've got 2 shotguns that both have taken turkeys.1)mossberg 600at ,30" barrel, full choke.2) stevens 311a,double barrel,full and mod choke.the stevens is a 1949,it shoot verrrrrry well.so the gun you have will work,just pattern it and hunt. good luck.

Hell, Ridge Runner, you ain't trying....why I have the slide on my BPS tuned to where I can slide it back and forth a cuppla inches and it sounds just like a hen purring......

Perazzi, it's the only gun that will kilt a turkle bird every time

There is nothing wrong with useing oldies,was using a old marlin bolt action long tom goose gun from when lead was leagel for waterfoul, it relly likes that copper plated shot, had hunters tell me I couldent hunt turky because the barell was too long , but I was the carring a bird over my shoulder, But when doing your upgrade shopping don"t rule out a Tri Star T/W, is made for turkey & waterfoul works good on pheasent to, bought mine mainly for waterfoul but is all I carry in the field when wanting to bust some feathers.

Id say any shot gun willl work just fine for Turkeys. Though I would prefer to use atleast a 12 gage with a 3" mag shell just because here in Minnesota we only get a few days to hunt so I want to make sure the one shot ill probly get counts. Being cammoed is a pluss too. I dont really understand why we cant use a .22 LR instead of a shot gun.

A good affordable pump is the Stoger P350. I have this gun in 28" barrel and it patterns nicely. Have used it for alot of waterfowl as well. Never had any problems. Another thing I like about it is it has a joined double fork on the pump so theres no difficulty for maintance. P.S. Stoger is Bennelis american division and I personaly think the Stoger is smoother in the action than the Bennili Nova.

First two turkeys I shot I used an old Winchester mod 37 single shot my bought father bought in '54 for $12.00 and used standard Rem 2-3/4" shells loaded with #4's I think the price on the box was @3.75 for 25rds it worked fine birds didn't flop or flutter just fell over dead . Still have that gun and a few shells from that box.

First two turkeys I shot I used an old Winchester mod 37 single shot my bought father bought in '54 for $12.00 and used standard Rem 2-3/4" shells loaded with #4's I think the price on the box was @3.75 for 25rds it worked fine birds didn't flop or flutter just fell over dead . Still have that gun and a few shells from that box.

Proud owner of a Beretta Extrema, which is my waterfowler gun but doubles as my turkey rig also.


For the "one gun" guy who hunts everything, it's hard to beat a good pump gun !

I use a Stoeger M-2000 max-4 cammo with a turky choke and 3" #4 shot shells.

I use a Stoeger M-2000 max-4 cammo with a turky choke and 3" #4 shot shells. And for Back up I usually have my old Rem 870 express-mag.

Posted By ShawnN211984 on 10 Apr 2012 02:15 PM
A good affordable pump is the Stoger P350. I have this gun in 28" barrel and it patterns nicely. Have used it for alot of waterfowl as well. Never had any problems. Another thing I like about it is it has a joined double fork on the pump so theres no difficulty for maintance. P.S. Stoger is Bennelis american division and I personaly think the Stoger is smoother in the action than the Bennili Nova.

that Stoeger just feels good in the hands too!

Posted By Orionh4 on 14 Apr 2012 09:35 PM
I use a Stoeger M-2000 max-4 cammo with a turky choke and 3" #4 shot shells.

that gun is better served as a boat paddle, if that

Auto,

Not for Orion; he likes his !


14 different ways to say the same thing,; you choose the way you want to say it.................Know what I mean ??

I use a 28" barrel Remington 870 Express (2-3/4" standard or 3" magnum) with extra full (turkey) choke. I also put rifle type, adjustable sights on it that fit to the vented rib.

I shoot Winchester XX "Double X" 3" mag shells with 2 ounces of copper plated #4 turkey shot (in the camo box).

It always works! I've killed every turkey I've ever shot at with this shotgun and shells, even two birds with one shot one time.

Well Just Killed my 3rd turkey with my Stoeger M-2000 yesterday with a 3" Federal Premo Turkey 2 oz #4 shot copper plated b-bs. With a xtra full turley choke that came with my shot gun. I have yet to have one problem with it. And I got it for an out standing price. I have goten a good 6 years out of it so far. Of corse I always have my trusty 870 for a back up. Had that thing a good 17 years and I am sure it will keep shooting great well after I am dead. I could buy 3 Stoeger M-2000s for the price of 1 Benelli.

auto , where you b een ? Did you get my response?

I typically use my Benelli Nova but this year i used a gun of my dads, a mossberg bolt action 12 gauge and it did just fine putting the lights out on longbeard on the 20th. That badboy turns 30 this year and it kicks like a mule. Orion your statement is untrue, I paid $360 for my Benelli and i wouldnt trade it for 3 stoegers

I use a Remington 11-87 Super magnum

I use a Remington 11-87 Super magnum

I have been useing a Mosseberg 935 , with a 4x choke and Federal #4 and took a turkey last week at 55yds , another good choice would be a Mosseberg 835 or a Rem 870 Super mag

As they said no matter the gun if the bird doesn't come in range to shoot you could have a rock in hand and get the same outcome.

Posted By SDOWLING on 19 Apr 2012 06:27 PM
Auto,

Not for Orion; he likes his !


14 different ways to say the same thing,; you choose the way you want to say it.................Know what I mean ??

I'm just having a little fun.  Orion4 talked me into buying an M2000 years ago.  Worst gun purchase I've ever made.  Tons of problems with these guns.

Just sharing info. so others don't get decoyed...

Know what I mean

Just killed my first turkey last Saturday. I used my browning BPS 20 guage that I have used for the last 35 years. I used my full choke with Fiochi 3" #4's that were nickel plated. Stone cold dead at 30 yards. I have used this gun for quail, dove, chuckar, ducks, geese, pheseant, and now turkey and it has done just fine. I can kill anything a 12 guage can kill and with less recoill. Plus it is a very affordable gun. Good luck.

Auto What happened to your Stoeger? I have never had a problem with mine and I have had it for quite a while. Every gun manufactur has a bad one every so often. I have a friend that uses a Remington 11-87 and loves it never had a problem. My brother in- law has the same gun and has all kinds of problems with it.

870 magnum 18in barre,l extra full turkey choke, dead ringer sights and sure shot stock is what I use. My best advice is use the shotgun your most comfy with.

It isn't the gun that kills the turkey it isn't the size of the barrel either. It all boils down to the little shot that is packaged in the shell. You absolutely must pattern your shotgun and choke to get an idea of your killing distance with your choice. That being said I use a modified win 1300 black shadow with win XX #6 shot. It has been modified with a set of truglo shotgun sights, A true pistol grip stock from advanced technologies and a comp-n-choke at .655 restriction. I do not let my shotgun get so dirty that it makes turkey sounds when I work the pump. Most times when I work the action the turkey is already on the ground taking a dirt nap.

There probably is not a "best" turkey gun, with that said, there is a "best" turkey gun for you. The first criterion is, what can you afford? An $80,000.00 Kriegoff will kill turkeys but it certainly is out of my budget. So what gun fits your budget? I have a Beretta Extrema and a 870 Super Mag. which work well for me. Second as was suggested above, you should pattern the gun with different shells to see which one your gun likes and they will pattern different. What gun do you shoot well, this is in conjunction with the patterning. A couple of times in my life I have picked up guns and shot "lights out" with them, others I can hit anything. Lastly, although not absolutely necessary I believe a 3" shell is probably the best shell for turkeys because of the down range payload, 3 1/2 is better but I think the recoil is not worth the extra shot.

I use a remington 870 express it takes shells from 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 so it makes it easy to find exactly what I want to use whether I am turkey hunting or pheasant hunting. It lets me do anything, and the price is real reasonable.

I use an H&R breakdown .410 with 3-inch #4's....daddy gave me the gun for my 8th burffday......and I haven't been able to afford to buy another gun since then....please send cash contributions....

My first turkey I belly crawled to within a distance I would have put a paycheck on was 40 yards. Dropped the hammer and he went down no fluttering or kicking. Went to pick him up and he went nuts kicking and scratching. Had my foot on his head quick. When I paced the distance it was 60 yards. Figured it was a lucky pellet that stunned him. I always carry a range finder now to make sure of yardage. I dropped that turkey with Remington 870. I use this gun for dove, upland game, waterfowl and turkey. Just change chokes and your ready to go after the next game. I have a high belief in if it works use it.

I kilt them with my crossbow and my 870. Hell around the farm as a kid we used a 22 with cb caps. Dad Hated to chase them...LOL. I had an old H&R single that I gave my son that had a "Modified" choke that has killed alot of turkles till it went to the wall hanger status. It was My grandpa's and Daddy's before me. Now I use an OLD 870 with a turkey choke. I love it. YUP, I did replace the stock with a recoil reducing stock but it's a basic 870. Bottom line...IF you are comfortable with it, and you can hit where you aim, why spend the $$$$????? Oh and I don't have ANY camo on my guns...go figure.

Git yur butt bak to shop and make sum calls!!

I have been using a very old Savage over and under 410-22 mag. and it has yet to fail me. I love turkey hunting and so dose my wife. She also hunts with a 410 pump.Some of my freinds thik I am crazy but it works for us. Use what fits you and enjoy the hunt.

If you can hit a softball at 35 yards , what damm difference does it make???

If you want an all around shotgun, you want screw-in choke tubes and camo. You want one that can shoot 3" shells and preferably 3 1/2". My Mossberg 500 was a good deal when I bought it. The choke tubes are standard Winchoke.

Don't know how close you were to your grandpa or if you hunted turkeys with him or if he hunted turkeys with it, but there is something to be said about taking the old man's gun into the woods to hunt turkey in honor of him. I have several shotguns, but when I go upland bird hunting, I usually take the double barrel that my Dad passed down to me. I have many fond memories tromping thru the grouse woods and cornfields for pheasant with my Dad. So that’s the gun I take in his memory. Use his old deer rifle fairly often to even though I have a couple others that I bought before he died and it was passed to me.

Something to think about before running off and getting a new gun. Of course, you can never own to many guns, so if I guess one excuse is as good as another.

jack

You know, the notion of  replacable chokes in varying degrees (IC, mod, full, x full, etc...) is fairly new. At one time not too long ago, MAYBE even in TiT's time, there was 2 choices...Choked or Not Choked. The closest thing to a full choke was a Long Tom Goose Gun with a barrel around 36 inches. MOST Choked guns were Modified at best a few made it towrds full and a few not quite to Modified, but they were choked. 2 3/4 inch was THE shell size for 12 gauge. That all said, them old time hunters ALMOST wiped out the wild turkey in this country with those scatter guns that MOST hunters would not even THINK about taking to the woods.
Point is...Do you NEED 3 1/2 inch shells??? No, they'll hurt YOU and the game more but NO you don't NEED them. Do you NEED treplacable Chokes??? NOPE again...But you DO NEED to learn to hunt them right. and what about all those gadgets and thingamabobs???? NAH....not really. Think about what our forefathers hunted with and how...You MIGHT be surprised at the answers you come up with.

 

Had a model 12 (my only shotgun at time) that a dime wouldn't even hardly start in barrel, wearing a red flannel shirt, blue jeans, Roebucks boots and a John Deere cap when I kilt my first one....call was a piece of slate I picked up from creek edge and striker was a hickory limb that GrandDad whittled down......I invented fire the next day.....