Hunting Forum

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!