If you started over from scratch...

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

What gun, choke, and loads would you jump straight to?

I'd definitely go to a shorter barrel.  I like the 28" barrels when I'm shooting them, but a shorter, lighter rig would be nice when I'm walking a couple of miles.

I would pattern Magnum Blend and #6 Turkey Thugs at 40 Yards, and look for an even 15"-20" pattern.  Magnum Blends for Field edges, and Thugs for the Woods.

I'd stay with 3" shells.  I'd go straight to Indian Creek chokes.  It's what I like.

Oh, and Box calls have a certain awesomeness that I have been drawn back to.  Peg and Pot calls are great too, but the yelp of a good box call is just plain sexy.

[BrowningGuy88]

With the current market on tungsten, I would start back with:

Browning A-5 in Shadowgrass
Winchester or Federal 3.5" 2.25 ounce 5's or 6's
Sumtoy or Kicks choke that put 150+ in the 10" at 40.
Quake Claw Sling


Halloran Crystal Mistress
Yingling Copper
Spring Creek Eastern Red Cedar short box
Hooks Executioner II

Ol Tom Bottomland
Ghillie Suit
Danner snake boots
Muck boots

[Tom Foolery]

Remington 870 21" Youth 20 Gauge
.570 Tightwad
3" Federal #7 HeavyWeighht
3" Hevi13 #6 and #7


With today's new factory loads this is more than enough.  I will still hunt with my 12's but not near as much.

[redleg06]

870 youth 20 gauge with a knox spec ops stock...

Remington Super Full Chock or Under taker (open as possible) and Handloaded TSS 9 shot.

Convenient Barrel length - check
Pattern- Check
Light Weight- check
Low Recoil- check
Functional/reliable gun- check

[the Ward]

Hmmm....good subject,my Son and i were just talking about this the other day.I'm with Tomfoolery on this,20 guage all the way.I think i would get a mechanically sound but cosmetically challenged browning bps,26" barrel shorten the length of pull a bit,fit it with a limbsaver pad,refinsh the stocks to a non gloss oil type and glass bead the metal and give it a satin black finish.ff3 for an optic with a sumtoy stuffed in the barrel.Just a nice clean old school type of gun with a nice understated look to it.I'm just glad daydreaming is free or i'd been in the poorhouse long ago lol!...ward

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

I bet that TSS would throw a beautiful pattern through a .040 XFull choke.

[paboxcall]

What gun, choke, and loads would you jump straight to?

20 years later and I'm right back where I started.  When I began turkey hunting all I could afford was the H&R 12 gauge single chambered for 3.5", and dipped in the original Bottomland camo.  Four shots with the 3.5" shoulder beaters, and I was black and blue and traded it soon after.

Three dedicated turkey guns and nearly twenty years later I found that same little single shot for a steal on gunbroker and bought it.  What's different?  Now I shoot 3" loads, specifically the Hevi 3-2-7, which is completely tolerable to pattern, and throws a great pattern with the JH .660.

What a joy to carry and in its original Bottomland pattern a sweet looking little shotgun.

[Philippe]

I've actually done just that! It was my sole reason for getting a brand new Rem SM 26" in bottomland, and entire outfit to match the gun and it will be shooting nothing but lead. Only thing I have added is the dead ringer beard buster sights. It will have the 835 with its HTL loving barrel riding the bench for a while unless i need to shoot open fields where I feel longer shots than 30yds will be presented.

[Longshanks]

I'm back to hunting with an 870 my dad gave me when I was 12 years old. I'm 45 now. Customized back in the early 90's. 21" barrel polished barrel, action, Hastings .665. Great patterns out to 40 yds with 3/2/6's. We shot the old federals back in the day. Ended up with an xtrema/ hevi choke/ hevi 7's turning 330's in a 10 @ 40 .I've had allot of fun setting up turkey guns in the last 30 years. As far as an effective turkey gun..could have stayed with the 870. If I could do it all over..I would do the same thing. It's been fun.

[ohiostrutter]

id go with a 870 wingmaster magnum with the turkey thugs in 6s not sure with what choke

[01Foreman400]

I'm not sure I would change anything.  This is my main turkey gun.  SBE 2 24" barrel, Rhino .670, shooting Nitro 2 7/16 oz. #7's, Docter Sight with a Burris 336 mount.  The trigger has also been worked.  I've already busted 3 birds with it in the last week. 


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[ILIKEHEVI-13]

I don't want to even think about starting over.  It reminds me of how much money I have spent over the years if I do.  Sort of like flashbacks you know form all the moeny I wasted.   

[SCDieselDawg]

21" barreled 870 .660JH throwing 3" mag blends. 

[30_06]

Ithaca 20ga, 24" barrel, with Ithaca's pistol grip recoil reducing stock, shooting Nitro #7's, with probably a FF3.....and it would be dipped in ASAT camo.....oh and probably a Pure Gold choke.

[runngun]

I would go straight to the Browning Gold lite 10 gauge with Nitro's, that I bought three years ago. I love that gun and more importantly, I have confidence in it.   
        It is sho'nuff bad medicine, for turkeys and ducks and geese!!!