Twelve-gauge pumps may nonetheless rule the turkey woods, however 20-gauge autoloaders dominate the present turkey gun pattern. Due to potent TSS hundreds and customized turkey chokes, hunters can swap heavier, shoulder-pommeling large bores for light-weight sub-gauges with out sacrificing efficient vary (in loads of instances). In case you’re out there for such a rig, you must put the Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey 20 gauge on the high of your checklist.
This spring I had the chance to check and hunt with a Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey, custom-made by Rob Roberts Gun Works. Apart from the lengthened forcing cone, you’ll discover the whole lot else internally is similar as a base mannequin A300 Ultima Turkey. After patterning, carrying, and bagging a longbeard with the A300, I may need a brand new favourite turkey gun. Right here’s a breakdown of this sub-$1000 auto-loader.
Specs
Size of Pull: 14.24 in.
Value: Some begin at $999
Patterning
Throughout my evaluation of the very best turkey searching shotguns, the A300 produced the very best sample of all of the 20 gauges and in the end produced the very best rating of the take a look at. It positioned 363 pellets inside a 10-inch circle at 40 yards with a Rob Roberts Raptor choke and Apex GT-20 no. 9 combo with a median pellet depend of 359. These could be stellar numbers from a 12 gauge however much more so from a 20.
Even with Federal Heavyweight TSS, the A300 averaged 233 pellet strikes inside a 10-inch circle at 40 yards. Once more, unbelievable numbers and greater than double what you have to kill a turkey at 40 yards.
When it got here to steer shot, the A300 Ultima Turkey averaged 104 pellets in a 10-inch circle at 40 yards with Winchester Lengthy Beard XR (3-inch no. 5) and a Carlson’s choke tailor-made for that ammo. Loads of pellets to kill a turkey at that distance, however, understandably, not as spectacular because the TSS hundreds.
You may not get those self same numbers with simply any turkey choke, and the Raptor will run you $130. You may get comparable pellet counts from an Indian Creek Black Diamond Strike or JEBS Head Hunter, however the Raptor will in all probability provide you with optimum outcomes. Both approach, in the event you go for top-of-the-line turkey chokes, you must anticipate nice patterns from this gun.
The A300’s Finest Sample with 363 Pellet Strikes at 40 Yards.
Out of the Field
The A300 Ultima contains outsized controls, just like the bolt launch and deal with. This makes reloading fast if one thing goes awry within the discipline. Although, I by no means had a problem with the A300 biking. This isn’t as large of a problem with turkey searching, because you’re capturing heavier payloads and (hopefully) not more than as soon as at a time.
The Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey comes optic prepared.
It additionally comes with a Picatinny rail for mounting a crimson dot or different optic. Nonetheless, I went with a Meadow Creek vent rib mount and topped it with a Sig Sauer Romeo-X Compact. The vent rib mount permits you to kind a greater cheek weld because it’s barely decrease than most Picatinny rails, just like the one Beretta contains. Plus, you’ll be able to carry it by the receiver in the event you choose to not run a shotgun sling.
The medium-sized palm swell ought to match most arms, and I recognize that it’s not overly rounded. This makes it snug and simple to grip if you’re ready for a shot along with your head down on the gun. The checkering on the grip additionally helps with this.
The textured checkering gives grip.
Beretta’s Kick-Off recoil discount system helps mitigate loads of the felt recoil, particularly within the 20 gauge I examined. Two shock absorbers close to the butt plate and a 3rd within the tie rod work all through the shot course of to scale back the perceived recoil. You continue to really feel loads of that recoil if you’re capturing a 1⅝ oz. payload in (Apex) TSS, but it surely’s nothing like a 12 gauge.
Within the Discipline
You get a good suggestion of how a shotgun carries if you tote it for a dozen or so miles within the spring, which is what I did. The receiver width makes it possible to hold one-handed, whereas the barrel (24 in.), general size (43.9 in.), and weight (7.2 lbs) strike an excellent dimension for the turkey woods.
This gun is simple to stability in your knee or maneuver round brush. I needed to make a number of key changes for the final turkey I killed this spring. The general dimension of the A300 made it simple to duck and transfer the barrel into capturing place whereas I waited for that gobbler to stroll by way of a gap.
The writer took this turkey with the Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey.
Final Shot
For slightly below $1000, the Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey 20 gauge represents a heck of a worth when you think about the patterns it produces in comparison with different weapons (even 12 gauges) in and above this worth vary. Take into account swapping the included rail for a vent rib mount (like I did) to get a greater cheekweld in your crimson dot. This provides you with a extra pure capturing place and mean you can maintain your head down on the inventory for round $40.
TSS is insanely costly proper now. I get it. However in the event you’re going by way of the money and energy to purchase a devoted turkey gun, go forward and improve to a customized choke and run TSS. No, you don’t must shoot TSS to kill a turkey, however there’s little question it’ll provide the most optimum patterns.
