The Best Turkey Hunting Shotguns

The Remington 870 might be the very best turkey gun ever made. It is rugged, dependable, traditionally inexpensive, and it patterns simply nearly as good—if not higher—than the costliest turkey weapons cash should buy. This is not hyperbole both. I’ve completed a number of shotgun/turkey ammo checks, and the 870, even primary fashions, often outperforms most shotguns.

For the patterning portion of the take a look at, the Remington 870 produced the very best sample with the least costly choke (Primos Tight Wad). At 40 yards, it put 407 pellets (Apex 3-inch #9s) in a 10-inch circle. That is 42 extra pellets than the following finest sample within the take a look at, and it averaged 396 pellets in a three-shot group.

It additionally averaged 217 pellet strikes in a 10-inch circle at 40 yards with a Carlson’s Lengthy Beard XR Choke and Winchester Lengthy Beard XR 3-inch #6s. It didn’t just like the Federal Heavyweight TSS/Carlsons Heavyweight TSS choke combo as a lot. Although, it nonetheless averaged lots (176) of pellet strikes at 40 yards. Nevertheless, it averaged 253 pellet strikes with the Federal Heavyweight TSS/Tight Wad. In reality, one of many turkeys I killed this 12 months with this 870 occurred with that combo, and he completely folded. The Remington 870’s patterning tallied 5 factors.

These are wonderful numbers for any turkey gun, not to mention a setup that may run you lower than $600 model new. Sure, Remington’s availability is spotty, however you’ll find used ones for a number of hundred {dollars} much less. Because of this, the Remington 870 scores a 5 in affordability.

Ergonomics smart, the 870, particularly the 12 gauge, might rating increased. It is by far the heaviest gun within the take a look at. The burden definitely helps mitigate recoil, but it surely will get heavy in case you do not run a sling or when you must sit nonetheless in a clumsy place with turkeys in vary. I do love the protection place, which requires minimal motion to interact. For these causes it scored 3.

After patterning and searching with the Beretta A300 Ultima, this is perhaps my new favourite turkey gun. It produced the second-best single sample with 363 pellet strikes at 40 yards inside a 10-inch circle (avg. 359) with a Rob Roberts RRaptor choke and Apex GT-20 3-inch no. 9. These are stellar numbers and wildly constant. No different 20 gauge within the take a look at got here near these numbers.

With Federal Heavyweight TSS, the A300’s numbers dropped to 233 common pellet strikes, however that is greater than double what you would wish to kill a turkey. These numbers halved when it got here to guide shot (Longbeard XR 3-inch no. 5) paired with Carlson’s Lengthy Beard XR choke tube. That is comprehensible although—you will have considerably fewer pellets in that shot measurement in comparison with no. 9 of the TSS. Nonetheless, the typical 104 pellet strikes at 40 yards will kill a turkey all day lengthy. In comparison with the opposite 20 gauges on this take a look at, the A300 produced the very best patterns by far, and it simply earned a 5 on this class.

The A300 would possibly simply be the very best 20-gauge turkey gun accessible.

Ergonomically, the A300 scored a 5. It is not the lightest gun, but it surely’s additionally not a brick. I discovered the comb top to be good (for me). A part of it is because I ran a Meadowcreek Mount for my Sig Romeo-X Compact, which lets you mount your pink dot on to the rail and cuts down on the general top. The protection place on the triggerguard can be straightforward to disengage with out making a ton of motion, and the medium-sized palm swell ought to really feel good for many hunters. I had no downside balancing it on my knee whereas I had a gobbler in vary and waited for him to cross my taking pictures lane.

I additionally recognize the outsized deal with on the bolt service, do you have to ever want to make use of it.

For slightly below $1,000, the Beretta A300 provides an incredible price-to-performance ratio. Contemplating that the majority semi-auto shotguns will run you properly over a grand, the A300 represents a wonderful worth on this class, one which earned it 4 factors.

The Mossberg 940 Professional Turkey carried out middle-of-the-pack in the course of the sample portion of the take a look at. It averaged 293 pellet strikes with Apex 3-inch no. 9 and 212 pellet strikes with Federal Heavyweight TSS no. 9 by means of the turkey choke that Mossberg consists of within the field. I might anticipate an upgraded choke like a JEBS Head Hunter, Indian Creek, and so forth. to extend the pellet strikes or go for the 24-inch barrel possibility (I examined the 18.5-inch). Nonetheless, these numbers are stable and greater than sufficient to kill a turkey at 40 yards.

It additionally averaged 209 pellet strikes with the Carlson’s Lengthy Beard XR/Winchester Longbeard XR 3-inch no. 6 combo. The excellent news is that you would be able to drop totally different chokes/ammo within the 940 Professional and anticipate comparable outcomes. Total, the Mossberg’s patterns earned it a 4.

Whereas the general size makes it simpler to maneuver the gun round saplings or brush, it nonetheless felt top-heavy regardless of the shortened barrel. Its weight distribution additionally made it really feel heavier than all the opposite weapons, regardless of it weighing the identical because the Beretta and fewer than the 870 12 gauge.

Most “turkey” weapons are labeled such just because they sport bottomland camo. The 940 Turkey has considerate options that make it optimum for the turkey woods. For starters, the cutout on the receiver for the included Holosun means that you can get a decent cheek weld on the inventory, and you’ll nonetheless use the entrance sight ought to your pink dot malfunction.

Mossberg has a fame for unhealthy recoil. In comparison with Mossberg’s 500 and 835, the 940 Professional does an incredible job of limiting recoil, due to its gasoline system. The comb top is a bit low, which you may simply treatment by rigging your individual cheek pad, however in case you’re spending $1,200, it might be good to not fear about that. Total, the Mossberg’s ergonomics scored a 3.

Contemplating that it features a pink dot, the Mossberg’s value runs par with the competitors, even when it underwhelmed with patterning out of the field. Relating to value, the 940 Professional will get a 3.

Like its older brother, the Remington 870 20 gauge shares numerous the identical options that make the 12 gauge the most effective turkey weapons ever made. Despite the fact that the sample densities do not rival that of the 12 (understandably), it averaged 283 pellet strikes with a Carlson’s Federal Heavyweight TSS choke and Federal Heavyweight TSS 3-inch no. 9 load. These are wonderful numbers for a 20 gauge at 40 yards, which finally earned the 870 20 gauge a 4.

It additionally averaged 259 pellet strikes with an Indian Creek Black Diamond Strike choke tube and Apex GT-20 3-inch no. 9 at 40 yards. In reality, this was the combo I ran once I killed my second turkey this spring.

The creator took this longbeard with the 870 20 gauge. Adam Moore.

If the 12 gauge owns the sample class, the 20 gauge 870 sports activities higher ergonomics. No, there’s not a drastic distinction, however the slimmer receiver and inventory/forend make the 870 20 gauge simpler to hold and maneuver with out reducing an excessive amount of weight for recoil functions, that are a non-factor with this gun anyway. There’s nothing flashy about this gun, and you might be restricted on pink dot mounting choices, however I, once more, went with a vent rib mount, which provides you numerous freedom. Relating to ergonomics, the 870 20 gauge scored a 4.

The 870 is among the most inexpensive turkey shotguns you should buy…when you’ll find them new. Or, you may simply discover a used one for lots cheaper, which is what I did. There are lots lining the cabinets of outdated gun and pawn outlets on the market. Even after you purchase a Meadowcreek mount and a pink dot, you may spend lower than most different choices accessible. This budget-friendly gun with wonderful patterns for a 20 gauge earned it a 4.

The SBE3 underwhelmed in the course of the patterning portion of the take a look at. It produced stable numbers with a Trulock Pinhoti choke and Apex 12 gauge 3-inch no. 9 (253) and a Carlson’s Federal Heavyweight TSS choke with Federal Heavyweight TSS 3-inch no. 9 (234). Nevertheless, it solely averaged 83 pellet strikes with Winchester Lengthy Beard XR 3-inch no.5s by means of the Trucklock Pinhoti choke at 40 yards. Maybe a unique choke/load mixture would have produced higher numbers, however I would nonetheless anticipate extra from a $2000 shotgun. Nonetheless, it produced greater than sufficient pellets at 40 yards (with TSS) to kill a turkey, so it scored a 3 within the patterning class.

Whereas the patterning won’t present an excellent indicator of the SBE3’s value, the ergonomics definitely do. It handles and factors deftly. I do not make a behavior of swinging on turkeys, however I would really feel assured doing it with the SBE3. Even with a 28-inch barrel, the SBE3 felt extra nimble than the remainder of the weapons on this take a look at, in all probability as a result of it weighs lower than six kilos. The palm swell additionally runs a tad small, so you may type a agency grip on it. Turkey weapons sometimes have a ruggedness about them. The SBE3 brings an magnificence to the turkey woods that is typically reserved for upland shotguns. It simply earned a 5 on this class.

Not many hunters can afford to drop $2,000 (or extra) on a turkey searching shotgun. Contemplating that the Beretta patterned higher than the Benelli at half the associated fee, it makes it laborious to justify the hefty price ticket. Once more, I am not saying it is not a wonderful shotgun or {that a} totally different choke/load combo would have carried out higher, I would just anticipate extra from a shotgun on this value vary. With these elements in thoughts, I gave the Benelli a 2 in affordability.