Todd1700

I amlocked infor what I'll be using this coming season (good thing because it starts next Monday) but I am thinking of trying to put together a new turkey gun & choke combo for next year. I currently have two shotguns but I am not completely satisfied with either.

The first is a 12 ga black synthetic stocked Beretta 390. Now it shoots pretty good patterns with an extended turkey choke in it and I have killed a lot of gobblers with it. But it is a really long barreled model better suited as a pure bird gun.

The second shotgun is one that I actually won at a NWTF banquet a while back. It is a 12 ga Mossberg 500 tactical turkey. I love everything about the features of this little gun. It's short and easy to maneuver when set up on a turkey. It's got a beautiful camo finish. It has a pistol grip whichI really like. The tactical stock adjusts to fit you, which is nice. The problem is that it just will not pattern to suit me. I've tried 4 different extended turkey chokes including the one that came with it and I cannot get it to put more than about 55 pellets in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards. And that's with Winchester extended range number 6's. It will not get 55 in a 10 inch circle with any number 4 or 5 load that I have tried. (and I've tried a lot) I did kill two birds with it last year but both were well inside 40 yards.

Now I'm not one of these guys trying to build a 60 yard turkey gun or even a 50 yard gun. But I find any gun that will not pattern at 40 yards ultimately unacceptable no matter what elseI like about it. Would love some suggestions from you guys for shotgun, choke, and shellcombos that have performed well for you.

In particular here are some thoughts I have about purchasing this new gun.

1. The little mossberg only has a 20 inch barrel and it's poor patternshave me scared of buying a turkey gun with a barrel this short. I'm thinking 24 inch minimum.

2. I'm not cheap butI cannot see paying 1200 or more dollars for a Benelli. Especially when we are talking about using it just for turkeys. Even if you limit out during turkey season here in Alabama that's a grand total of 5 shots in the field per year.

3. Would love one that comes in camo, and has an option for a pistol or thumbhole grip.

Sorry this is so long andI appreciate any and all suggestions. [/align]

Hurricanespg

12ga Mossberg 835 with a Indian Creek .675 shooting Hevi-13 3" 2oz #6's, or Hevi-13 3.5" 2.25oz #6's has been a solid consistent performer for a lot of people. Usually getting somewhere around 160-220 in a 10" circle at 40 yards.
12ga Browning BPS with the invector plus choke tubes is also quite a peformer. Indian Creek .665 shooting Hevi-13 3" 2oz #6's or Hevi-13 3.5" 2.25oz #6's.
There are quite a few good performers out there, but these two guns have bigger bores than most and tend to be a little easier to get a good pattern with.
Good luck, and have fun choosing.

hoosierHUNTER76

i have the 835 tactical and love it shot it the other day with hevi 13 and used the factory choke was very impressed i also bought the indian creek choke and the mossberg out performed the indian creek
at 50yds i had an average of 108 bb's in a 10" circle

Hurricanespg

Your Mossberg choke is not rated for heavier than lead loads. I would not recommend shooting Hevi-13 out of it since it could cause serious damage. It sounds like from your description that your gun likes a more open choke, so I would call up Indian Creek and let them know what is happening and they will more than likely (provided it was a recent purchase) let you exchange yours for a bigger size.

hoosierHUNTER76

i called mossberg and was told that the x factor choke can be used with hevi shot

bowmanaj

Mossberg 835 and Benelli Nova's are good guns

wis_rifle_hunter

any Remington 870 is a sweet turkey gun. i use a Winchester 1300 and absolutely love it!

Hurricanespg

http://mossberg.com/products/access.asp?type=chokes&section=access
Scroll down and check out the X-Factor chokes. I'm afraid someone has misinformed you. If memory serves me well they state lead only on the choke tube as well....I may be wrong on that though.
Either way if you are shooting the factory choke it is not rated for heavier than lead, so you are shooting it at your own risk.

fantail

I started using a single shot nef with a 24" barrel last year and really like it. It's not a tight shooter as it only has a fixed full choke, but what I really like about it is being able to hold it so steady because of the overall short length of it (no long receiver like a pump or auto). They do make the same gun with screw in chokes that take the same chokes as your 500 I think.

You are right on track by not wanting an auto Benelli. They are too pricey for a turkey gun and what I don't like about my sbe was that if the bolt got bumped it would only go click. It's never happened while turkey huntin, but it has happened twice in the 8 years I've owned the gun. After I got the nef, the sbe became a loaner

Bernie P.

+1 835!