Anybody hunt with a glossy gun?

[mcw3734]

Hi all!  Shopping for a 20 gauge autoloader to be used as a backup gobbler gun and for general wingshooting in the fall. I'm only interested in wood and blue guns, but finding models I like in satin or matte finishes isn't easy, especially in current production.

I've always hunted with a matte gun or with camo tape back in the day. But is that really necessary? Should I rule out glossy guns? Absolutely people have done it, of course. But does anybody here REGULARLY use a glossy gun in the spring?

[ChesterCopperpot]

I hunted with a CZ920 that had a pretty high gloss barrel and receiver and a chrome bolt and bolt handle for a long time. Eventually I had the barrel and receiver cerakoted graphite and I bead blasted the gloss off the bolt. Did it make a difference? Probably not. Don't know that I ever had a bird spook or not come in on account of barrel shine. Sure have buggered up a bunch moving at the wrong time though.


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[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......

[GobbleNut]

In the list of "what's important and what's not" in turkey hunting, I think gun sheen is a ways down that list.   Now, I wouldn't sit out in the bright sunshine and wave that gun around while thinking that a gobbler is not going to notice, but using a little bit of common sense while setting up on a bird would go a long way in alleviating any problems a shiny gun might present.   

[Meleagris gallopavo]

What they said.  I simply like a matte finish or some type of protective coating so I don't have to dote over a gun that has a finish I feel I need to preserve.  I appreciate a nice glossy blue and wood finish on a gun.  But I hunt mostly with guns that are camoed or have a protective coating.


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[Cowboy]

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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[Crghss]

If I owned a 20 ga that had a glossy finish I'd most definitely use it for turkey. If I was purchasing a 20 ga for turkey I'd definitely buy a matte/dull finish.

It would just bother me sitting in the woods with a shinny gun knowing I could have purchased something different. Even thought it might not make any difference.

[crow]

camo vet wrap

[lacire]

I've never felt handicapped by using a glossy gun when I've been out hunting but I also don't have anything against a camouflaged gun, I just don't own any.

[shatcher]

If you're in the woods, that gobbler is dead by the time he sees that shine.

[crow]

years ago I was a stander on a deer drive, I saw a glare and focused on it, after awhile the glare turned into a horizontal gun that looked like it was floating thru the woods coming to me.

the driver had on total camo and at a distance was about invisible until coming closer, the gun was a T/C renegade and stuck out like a sore thumb, a gobbler sneaking in silent would of seen that glare way before me as a hunter would of seen him.

movement and glare would be the worst, I hunt with non camo guns, but don't like a shiny Rem. BDL finish on a gun for any type hunting

[Which Gun]

I love my high blued and gloss finished wood guns. Only own a few plastic and matt guns. Why chance it if it's going to be for turkey. Sure a high gloss gun will work most of the times but what about that one time the raising sun hits it just right.

[Greg Massey]

IMO.. get you a matte or camo finish gun... i prefer these for turkey hunting

[WV Flopper]

 If I spook a turkey I am hunting down the problem, if I didn't move. It gets in my head! Today, that gun would be the first to go for me if that is what I was carrying.

This is me, not anyone else. But, if you have had success, and start having issues, it should get in your head.

[bobk]

My turkey gun was a glossy finished Remington 870 which I hunted for nearly 40 years.  I never had a problem with this gun giving me away.