OPINIONS PLEASE...GOBBLER DOWN

[sswv]

Hello All. Everyone that's ever dealt with me knows I am an 870 guy but, I'm wanting to get a single shot for next season. I'm getting pretty worn down and one area I hunt involves a LOT of walking so I thought I'd cut down on weight a bit. My choices are a brand new Stevens 301 in 12ga or, a used NEF in 12ga and cut it down to 25"s and thread it for RemChokes. Money wise it's about the same. I thought I'd throw it out there and get some opinions from the fine folks on here. Oh yeah, if I go the NEF route it'll be a wood stock & forend.

thanks in advance

[captpete]

My first thought is a 3" turkey load out of single shot 12ga. is going to hurt...it will have some very serious recoil. If your main goal is to cut the carrying weight of the gun, I would look at something is a 20ga or even a lighter weight 12ga.pump. Those 870 12ga. guns are tanks...I know mine is.

Of the 2 choices you mentioned, it really is a toss up. The Stevens you would need to buy different chokes to pattern. The cut down NEF you would have the cost of cutting & threading, but you already have the chokes to try. I guess it would probably come down to what feels the best in your hands and what is the most available.

[BandedSpur]

Agreed. In a lightweight single shot I would definitely go with a 20, not a 12, and shoot TSS.

[Greg Massey]

I'm going to give you a different opinion, i would look at buying a CZ pump in 28 gauge... or like others have said 20 gauge and TSS

[the Ward]

Used N.e.f. would be my choice of the 2. Also i would stick to a 12 gauge, much more choices in ammo
and the weight difference between the 20 and 12 in a short single shot is hardly noticeable. Nef's or H&R
made a lot of different variations, you could probably find a screw in choke 26" barrel with wood stocks with a little searching. Add a good recoil pad and cheek pad and it should be ok recoil wise for the low volume shooting involved with turkey hunting. Sounds like a fun project.

[sswv]

hey Ward.  a 26" screw in choke NEF/H&R in 12ga would make me the happiest guy in town. if anyone has a lead on one I'd sure appreciate it.

[the Ward]

I will keep an eye out for one. My son won one like that in a raffle years ago, but it had synthetic stocks
though. It was a great patterning gun from what i remember. He traded it off
a little while back. Thought I read somewhere that some company had acquired the rights to nef
after the remington bankrupcy and were going to make them again? That would be great if true!

[sswv]

thank you Ward.  I have been doing a lot of looking and reading and the #1 complaint about the 301 is they seem to shoot low when sighting off the bead. I've noticed that the plain all black 301 has the traditional front sight bead that sits directly on the barrel and it is not drilled and tapped for optics while the 301T has a ramp on the front with a bead sitting on it and is drilled and tapped and comes with a base. I'm guessing the extra height of that ramp on the 301T's are causing the guns to shoot low when sighting off the bead. If I don't come across a NEF/H&R pretty soon I can get the plain black 301 pretty cheap. I don't need one drilled and tapped and the traditional bead is fine with me. Just an observation I thought I'd share.

[rakkin6]

Yeah man, I say 20 gauge also. I was not quick to get on the 20 gauge train until a guy I know sold me a brand new in the box Stevens 301 Turkey 20 gauge with a Jebs
.565 headhunter for $250.00. To good of. A deal to pass up ( he said he sucks has a turkey hunter and is going to concentrate on Bass fishing). That little gun throws some really good patterns. I bought a red dot sight with a Bass Pro gift card and got it dialed in with some light target loads at 15 yards. I knew it would need adjusting with the TSS, but I wanted to see what it could do with several different shells. At 40 yards  I tried a hand rolled first fired 2 shots and adjusted after the first to center it up for the second, also shot Apex, Federal and Foxtrot. They all shot really good patterns. It was like carrying a Red Ryder

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[the Ward]

thank you Ward.  I have been doing a lot of looking and reading and the #1 complaint about the 301 is they seem to shoot low when sighting off the bead. I've noticed that the plain all black 301 has the traditional front sight bead that sits directly on the barrel and it is not drilled and tapped for optics while the 301T has a ramp on the front with a bead sitting on it and is drilled and tapped and comes with a base. I'm guessing the extra height of that ramp on the 301T's are causing the guns to shoot low when sighting off the bead. If I don't come across a NEF/H&R pretty soon I can get the plain black 301 pretty cheap. I don't need one drilled and tapped and the traditional bead is fine with me. Just an observation I thought I'd share.

no problem sswv

[firedup]

I also hunt the steep mountains of WV and the same reasons lead me down a path years ago to this. Set up to shoot Hevi 13 before TSS was the rage. 20 guage modified H&R. 18.5" barrel w/ screw in choke. Fiber optic adjustable sights. Collapsible stock. Pleasure to carry and kills them way dead at 40+ with Hevi 1 #6.

[sswv]

hey firedup. that is an awesome set-up. what choke is in it? and, I sure hope that water dosen't get any higher. we're getting poured on here again but no chance of any flood danger where I live.

[jerf]

My nef. It does not hurt to shoot it.

[sswv]

hey jerf.   that is an awesome turkey gun. where did you get that stock and how long is the barrel?

[jerf]

24 inch, and it's a handi stock for nef. They don't make them anymore.