Anybody hunt with a glossy gun?

[WildTigerTrout]

All of my dedicated turkey guns are camo or matte finish.  That being said I have been known to carry my 1959 vintage Winchester Model 12 from time to time.  It is highly polished and blued.  Stay out of the sunshine and sit in the shadows.

[Turkeyman]

Years ago before the advent of a "turkey gun" guys spray painted their guns. I just kept hunting with my glossy 870 for quite some time. I never encountered a turkey that spooked due to it.

That said, I now have two turkey guns w/manufacturer camo. A Moss 870 and a Moss 930. However I'd have no qualms about going out with my 870. I think the results would be the same.

[wvmntnhick]

I'll get chastised for this but...for years I hunted turkeys with a stainless steel Marlin 22 WMR. The bulk of my birds were killed well within acceptable shotgun range, especially with what guys are doing with tss these days. Never once did I have a bird flare due to the gun. My movements on the other hand...

In recent years I've switched to camo clad shotguns and can say the results have been the same.


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[Mossberg90MN]

Good question here, I think it's all related to movement. More and more turkey hunters today are using optics on their guns. All optics have lenses that will cast reflection on an incoming bird. Shiny bluing and glossy stocks might catch a birds attention through movement, but movement alone will bring a wary Tom to attention. I believe dull finishes and camo guns will eliminate a reflection possibility, but I would not hesitate to hunt with a glossy finish shotgun. My first turkey gun was a glossy finish Remington 1100 which I used for several years. It's all about movement in the turkey woods for me. Best of luck......

Glad you bring up the optics. I use a red dot and I'm not 100% sure but I think turkeys can see the reflection off it and I'm pretty sure it sticks out like a sore thumb. Maybe if your tucked in the shade good you won't have to worry about it but if the sun is hitting you at an angle or dead on I think it's probably extremely noticeable. To the bird that is.

What I've been doing this past season is when I'm sitting there and waiting for a bird or just doing some blind calling I will place my hand over the optic, to block the holographic reflection. You never now when that bird is peaking through some brush and the only thing he can see that doesn't look right is a little reflection from the optic. Then you can't see him or know he's even there and you start moving around and busted, birds never going to go that way.

I have this major paranoia that the birds are all seeing, and that they know every nook and cranny on there turf to be able to peek and inspect areas before going there. Similar to a way a buck will go downwind of a grunt call or rattle and j hook into his bed before getting there. Of course turkeys don't have the smell that deer do (thank the Lord) but they sure can use those eyes.

To relay back to the question I use a camo wrapped gun out of preference and before that I had a dull barrel. I would say if you can help it, use a dull barrel or maybe wrap what you can in camo wrap. Again this is coming from a guy that wants to use anything he can to help him against those eyes.

I'm sure in  the full shade it's probably okay until the bird gets in range and it's go time. But if the sun is hitting it right, it could be a hinderance. My opinion.


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[Chris O]

If you have any doubts about it I would probably go with a dull finish.Every gobbler that buggers you'll be thinking I should have bought a different shotgun.

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I agree!! I have noticed glares coming off of Guns walking across fields before so I think animals may notice something different at times as well.

[wchadw]

Good question here, I think it's all related to movement. More and more turkey hunters today are using optics on their guns. All optics have lenses that will cast reflection on an incoming bird. Shiny bluing and glossy stocks might catch a birds attention through movement, but movement alone will bring a wary Tom to attention. I believe dull finishes and camo guns will eliminate a reflection possibility, but I would not hesitate to hunt with a glossy finish shotgun. My first turkey gun was a glossy finish Remington 1100 which I used for several years. It's all about movement in the turkey woods for me. Best of luck......

Glad you bring up the optics. I use a red dot and I'm not 100% sure but I think turkeys can see the reflection off it and I'm pretty sure it sticks out like a sore thumb. Maybe if your tucked in the shade good you won't have to worry about it but if the sun is hitting you at an angle or dead on I think it's probably extremely noticeable. To the bird that is.

What I've been doing this past season is when I'm sitting there and waiting for a bird or just doing some blind calling I will place my hand over the optic, to block the holographic reflection. You never now when that bird is peaking through some brush and the only thing he can see that doesn't look right is a little reflection from the optic. Then you can't see him or know he's even there and you start moving around and busted, birds never going to go that way.

I have this major paranoia that the birds are all seeing, and that they know every nook and cranny on there turf to be able to peek and inspect areas before going there. Similar to a way a buck will go downwind of a grunt call or rattle and j hook into his bed before getting there. Of course turkeys don't have the smell that deer do (thank the Lord) but they sure can use those eyes.

To relay back to the question I use a camo wrapped gun out of preference and before that I had a dull barrel. I would say if you can help it, use a dull barrel or maybe wrap what you can in camo wrap. Again this is coming from a guy that wants to use anything he can to help him against those eyes.

I'm sure in  the full shade it's probably okay until the bird gets in range and it's go time. But if the sun is hitting it right, it could be a hinderance. My opinion.


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Some optic makers have a see thru screen you can put on them to block glare. Might check your optic brand and see if they have one. I have a Trijicon and have the "anti reflective" cover. Don't really ever use it. Never had a bird spook that I know of from glare off optic that I can remember


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[Paulmyr]

Was sitting in the woods one late morning with my dad. His gun is factory dipped. The glare off of that gun was just as bad as anything I've seen on a glossy one.

[lacire]

This thread got me thinking, my dad hunted in some pretty foul weather back in Illinois and he told me he'd use paste wax on the outsides of his guns instead of oiling them. So I took a can of Trewax carnauba wax and applied it to a glossy barreled shotgun and let it dry. I didn't polish the wax off and I'd say it nocked about half the shine down.

Has anyone tried this or still use paste wax on there blued guns?

[mcw3734]

Appreciate everybody's feedback on this, thank you!  Much of it reenforced what I knew deep down; that I would be better off and more confident hunting with a 'dull' gun.

I ended up finding a great conditioned 20 gauge Remington 11-87 Sportsman Field, which has a matte finish stock and metal, including the bolt. Combined with what I feel is an unusually dark wood grain, I think it's going to make a nice, discrete turkey weapon.

Now on to figuring out what choke to use....

[the Ward]

Was sitting in the woods one late morning with my dad. His gun is factory dipped. The glare off of that gun was just as bad as anything I've seen on a glossy one.

I have noticed the same thing on some factory dips too. It is like they used a semi gloss clear.

[the Ward]

Up until recently i mostly hunted with blue and wood guns. Mostly used my Bps upland special, which is quite shiny. I just stayed away from setting up in direct sunlight and was careful about my movements, as other posters have said they do. I started using cheap camo cloth tape on it years ago,to cut down on reflection, but i mostly do that to protect the finish some.

[Tom007]

Good question here, I think it's all related to movement. More and more turkey hunters today are using optics on their guns. All optics have lenses that will cast reflection on an incoming bird. Shiny bluing and glossy stocks might catch a birds attention through movement, but movement alone will bring a wary Tom to attention. I believe dull finishes and camo guns will eliminate a reflection possibility, but I would not hesitate to hunt with a glossy finish shotgun. My first turkey gun was a glossy finish Remington 1100 which I used for several years. It's all about movement in the turkey woods for me. Best of luck......

Glad you bring up the optics. I use a red dot and I'm not 100% sure but I think turkeys can see the reflection off it and I'm pretty sure it sticks out like a sore thumb. Maybe if your tucked in the shade good you won't have to worry about it but if the sun is hitting you at an angle or dead on I think it's probably extremely noticeable. To the bird that is.

What I've been doing this past season is when I'm sitting there and waiting for a bird or just doing some blind calling I will place my hand over the optic, to block the holographic reflection. You never now when that bird is peaking through some brush and the only thing he can see that doesn't look right is a little reflection from the optic. Then you can't see him or know he's even there and you start moving around and busted, birds never going to go that way.

I have this major paranoia that the birds are all seeing, and that they know every nook and cranny on there turf to be able to peek and inspect areas before going there. Similar to a way a buck will go downwind of a grunt call or rattle and j hook into his bed before getting there. Of course turkeys don't have the smell that deer do (thank the Lord) but they sure can use those eyes.

To relay back to the question I use a camo wrapped gun out of preference and before that I had a dull barrel. I would say if you can help it, use a dull barrel or maybe wrap what you can in camo wrap. Again this is coming from a guy that wants to use anything he can to help him against those eyes.

I'm sure in  the full shade it's probably okay until the bird gets in range and it's go time. But if the sun is hitting it right, it could be a hinderance. My opinion.


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Some optic makers have a see thru screen you can put on them to block glare. Might check your optic brand and see if they have one. I have a Trijicon and have the "anti reflective" cover. Don't really ever use it. Never had a bird spook that I know of from glare off optic that I can remember


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Good info on the lens  covers. I can never pinpoint weather an optic lens spooked a bird, but I think it is possible. Hopefully by the time they see the small glare of a lens, it's too late...