I'm an experienced deer and bird hunter just getting into turkeys. I'm questioning the value proposition for my particular case in getting a dedicated turkey gun.
I hunt with my teenage son. We have a pair of Mossberg Waterfowl shotguns. One each 930 and 935. They both have tip to tip camo patterns and they are our "go to" hunting shotguns. Other than having 28" barrels they are both great guns that in theory are well suited to Turkey hunting. I understand that a shorter barrel is "more maneuverable", but questioning how much actual, real world difference it makes in the turkey woods.
Has anyone else out there started or stayed with a longer barrel, or switched from one to the other? Was it like a revelation, or "why did I waste the money"?
I love hunting with my son, but it does require buying two of everything lol. I would be very interested in hearing any and all opinions on the subject. The 940 Pro Turkey is calling my name but trying to not spend needlessly.
You definitely do not NEED it. My 870 had a 26" barrel and I have killed a mess of birds with it. With that being said, I love my little Weatherby SA-459 20 gauge as it is so small and easy to hold up for those slow working birds. Trying a side by side 20 this year, 28" barrel but a short gun overall. There are advantages for the shorter barrels, but I did not notice much before I had them.
Most my life I used 28" barrel as I'm a duck hunter too.
However once tss came along and I used a youth model 20ga one day, I swore I'd always stay with a shortie.
The benefits are huge if you navigating thick areas (When you duck below branches your barrel don't snag.) Also, while set up you're less likely to have something in the way of swinging on a bird
However if money was a concern or what not, I'd stay 28" and have no problem
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I grew up hunting with 26" barreled 1100s and then 1187s. Then I switched to 28" barreled O/Us, which are about 1/2" shorter overall than the 26" barreled autoloaders. I have never wished for a shorter barreled gun nor do I think I will ever own one. If I am going through thick places, the gun is off my shoulder and in my hand. I do use a sling for long distance walking in open terrain. I grouse hunted for 30 years in WNC in the thickest places imaginable with 28" barreled O/Us and never wished for a shorter gun. Weight is much more important to me than having a short barrel. I would much rather carry a 6 pound O/U with 28" barrels than an 8 pound autoloader with an 18.5" barrel, YMMV.
Short barrels are fairly convenient if you hunt out of a blind or thick areas. Needed, no but it is convenient. I personally like having dedicated guns. Short barreled pumps are generally inexpensive, especially used and for the amount of shooting you do with a turkey gun it may be an option.
What I've found, a shorter barrel, good patterning shotgun is ideal for Turkey hunting in most situations.....
Thank you for all the suggestions. Very helpful!
With a teenage hunting buddy, I do tend to use blinds when I can, and we do get a fair amount of rough and bramble/branch filled terrain here.
You know, coming from a waterfowl background, I hadn't even considered pumps, but maybe I should. It's not like I am going to get the opportunity to knock down three turkeys, even with a semi.....
I may have to look into this some more. I can just show this page to my wife and blame you guys. :D
I think a lot of it boils down to personal preference, terrain, and your style of hunting.
If your doing a lot of walking, especially in brushy, more densely wooded areas, or in a tightly
confined blind, a shorter barrels benefit will become immediately apparent. If you are hunting
more open country, along field edges, then a longer barrel works fine, and actually better if you
are using only bead or iron sights due to the longer sight radius. I think if you are getting a new
gun expressly for turkey hunting, I would lean toward a barrel on the shorter end of the spectrum,
also that the gun be drilled and tapped for the option of adding a red dot or scope, and pick a weight
range your comfortable with. Like I said, it's more of a personal thing, pick a gun you love, and you
will love hunting with it.Good luck this season!
In my opinion, if you are going to have a 1 gun to do it all, I would get a 26" barrel with a full length stock. That will serve you good for just about everything.
But, if you are building a dedicated turkey gun to serve just that purpose, a shorter barrel and shorter stock are much better. To me, the short stock is much more important than the short barrel.
Save your money and hunt with what you have. In a few years make the decision whether you want a shorter barrel.
Switching to shorter barrel guns was one of the best things I've ever done. I own 2 short barreled guns, a 12 and a 20 both with 18.5 inch barrels and they are my only guns that I want to hunt with. Every now and then I will have a setup where even a 24" barrel wouldn't clear a tree or something in front of me so they do help there, but the real value is that the barrel doesn't get caught on everything that I walk under. When I'm moving, my gun is cross body slung nearly 100% of the time and nothing gets on my nerves more than ducking under something only for the barrel to grab it. Don't get me started on vines.
Understood all!
This conversation is semi theoretical at this point. We have both toe 930 and 935 patterned and ready for the April 24 spring opener. I'm not changing anything tomorrow.
My son and I normally kill the cold deep winter months rabbit hunting and building/modifying guns, so this would be a next winter project.
Red dots and optics are a whole different can of worms for me. I don't hate the idea of putting a sight on a shotgun, but the longtime hunter in me (55YO) doesn't love it either. My eyes are still holding out well enough to take clays and flying birds with a bead, but I know that won't last forever...
Maybe I look into something that will take an optic eventually. Really helpful advice here from all of you....
You should definitely show your wife...and tell her it was my idea. BTW my name is John Smith if she wants to know lol
Quote from: SDK on March 06, 2023, 08:35:02 AM
Thank you for all the suggestions. Very helpful!
With a teenage hunting buddy, I do tend to use blinds when I can, and we do get a fair amount of rough and bramble/branch filled terrain here.
You know, coming from a waterfowl background, I hadn't even considered pumps, but maybe I should. It's not like I am going to get the opportunity to knock down three turkeys, even with a semi.....
I may have to look into this some more. I can just show this page to my wife and blame you guys. :D
Quote from: PV266 on March 06, 2023, 11:10:57 AM
You should definitely show your wife...and tell her it was my idea. BTW my name is John Smith if she wants to know lol
A fake name won't save you if my wife decides your time is up :D
I rigged up a youth model 870 20 gauge with a Trulock choke and Federal HW #7. Shooting 169 in the 10" at 40 yards. Nice even patterns. Rigged it for my daughter and have never hunted it myself, but I would not hesitate to give it a go. Put sights on it and it is poison. Light as can be, short barrel and no kick.
The longer barrel will often hang up in lower hanging branches when slung. you have to be a little careful when hunting with a short barrel when hunting with another as it is easily pointed at an unintentional target, i.e., your partner. Now for the why.
Around 1980 I made an afternoon hunt. I expected the gobbler to circle around to the open terrain in front of me. Big mistake. He came from behind strutting and drumming. I was forced to make a quick move as he came into my peripheral vision ten steps to my right. My barrel caught a vine and I was unable to make the shot. "Never again" I said to myself. I had my gunsmith cut the barrel down to 20 inches and install Briley choke tubes. I never looked back.
Is a short barrel necessary? No. Nothing wrong with a 28" barrel.
Some years back I bought a Winchester 1300 pump that came in two versions - one was 22" barrel and the other was 18.5" barrel. I ordered the 22" barrel.
Once I had it, took it to the woods, couldn't stop thinking about that shorter barrel version. Hard to beat a short barrel gun when crawling around the big woods. Lighter weight, easy to swing in those odd set ups.
I stick with the longer barrels for my 4 dedicated turkey guns...covers all the terrains I hunt...hated the short barreled guns I've owner, worst was a 24" Nova pump...
You'll be fine starting out with 28" bbl. I bet alot of people on here started out that way myself included. When you get addicted you may feel the need to "upgrade". Im all for buying new guns. Clip on sights that go on the rib are a great cheap upgrade for a bead sight gun to make sure you are lined up in the heat of the moment. Hope you have a great season
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
For me the value in a dedicated turkey setup is less about barrel length and more about sights. I'd assume your waterfowl guns are beads, which is fine and will get the job done, but my argument will always be you don't aim to wingshoot but you do aim on turkeys. Lots of times they'll get you fouled up to where you're having to shoot from an unnatural position. Sights in that moment are critical. When they're up super close and you're running a tightly constricted choke throwing a baseball at 15yds, sights are critical. So for me the advantages of a turkey gun are two fold in that you want sights on the gun and you can choose a shorter barrel length for maneuverability. One thing you might look into is picking up a second barrel for the gun you have. You could choose a shorter barrel and throw a Meadow Creek rib mount and reflex on it and be done.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
:TooFunny:
Quote from: SDK on March 06, 2023, 12:52:20 PM
Quote from: PV266 on March 06, 2023, 11:10:57 AM
You should definitely show your wife...and tell her it was my idea. BTW my name is John Smith if she wants to know lol
A fake name won't save you if my wife decides your time is up :D
Thank you for the continued replies.
Thinking a set of clip on sights for one gun to try out this spring season might be smart. Then maybe pick up one short barrel turkey gun for the fall season. My son and I can share them and do a head-to-head comparison to see what we both prefer....
My dedicated turkey gun barrels run the full gamut from 20 inch to 26 inches in length. I have one 20 inch, three 24 inch and two 26 inch. 24 inch is my favorite.
It's all in how you hunt. I used a Benelli 28" for years. It was a pain at times, because my hunting style was run and gun, crawling over logs, through thicker stuff. I found the Mossberg 835 and never looked back. Shorter barrel is so much easier to carry around. Heck, just walking downstairs with it on my shoulder, and it doesn't hit the ceiling. Walking under limbs. Generally, just easier in the woods. Nothing against the Benelli, it was a killing gun. Now I have 3 Turkey guns and all have shorter barrels. Use whatever you feel comfortable with.