NEF pardner turkey 22"

[Lukas929]

I have an eye on a pardner turkey pump model at gander mtn with a 22" barrel fiber optics sights. It looks like a decent gun for 299$. I am curious if anyone has experience with this exact gun, I know other pardner pumps are good for the price. Any opinions are greatly appreciated.

[allaboutshooting]

Doris had a 20 gauge for a while. It had a very good bore, was a little heavy especially for its size and had the customary challenges of any shotgun with a short barrel. Nothing at all wrong with the gun but we replaced it with a compact Remington 11-87 which also came with a 22" barrel. We put a 26" barrel on it this year and patterns are much better and the cheek slap went away.

Thanks,
Clark

[Lukas929]

Thank you for the reply, what are some customary challenges with a short barrel? I've researched a lot about short barrels an everything I've found says for the most part are equal?

[jordanz7935]

They are good guns. Basically a copy of the 870. They are pretty heavy though and im pretty sure they're made in china.For $300 i would think you could find a lightly used Remington 870, Mossberg 500/535, or a Winchester 1300. Heck a new 870 or 500 shouldn't be much more than $340 new. Also, those guns that i mentioned would have a higher resale value compared to a pardner pump.

[allaboutshooting]

Thank you for the reply, what are some customary challenges with a short barrel? I've researched a lot about short barrels an everything I've found says for the most part are equal?

There is no question that you can kill turkeys with short barrelled shotguns. Many hunters do that every year all over the U.S. The "challenge" can arise when folks take those guns to the range and expect to see the types of patterns that are sometimes posted on sites like O.G. and others.

There are some short barrelled guns that will deliver good to excellent patterns on the range when using the proper shells and choke as well.

It is however much easier to get those good patterns with a gun that has a barrel of 26" or longer. Over the last 20+ years, answering inquires from my readers, the largest percentage of folks who are unhappy with their patterns are those with short barrelled guns.

You also give up some initial muzzle velocity and consequently retained energy at the target. Many studies have been done over the years on this subject and all things being equal, temperature, humidity, pressure, etc. many consider the loss inconsequential. It can become important however when you're hunting in cold weather, since that reduces the effectiveness of all turkey loads.

You can make up for the loss of velocity and increase your pattern density by using the proper choke with the best internal geometry for your gun. The proper shells also help greatly.

Thanks,
Clark

[Lukas929]

 I feel like I should be paying you for this info lol, much appreciated. Currently I am shooting a 26" 870 express with undertaker choke an some federal turkey thug "6s. I tried 6 boxes of different lead shot an these were producing the best, most consistent patterns. My problem is I want a gun strictly for turkey hunting, I never hunt from a blind I am always running an gunning so a shorter barrel would suit me better. I shot a tom at 30 yards last Friday in some real thick pines an my barrel was getting hung up on every branch trying to follow its head for a clearer shot.

Question for you, your talking about longer barrels producing "better patterns" but do you mean more evenly distributed shot patterns or do you mean tighter patterns?  I don't understand all the hype of super tight patterns that will take a turkeys head off at 60 yards with denser then lead yada yada etc. etc. when nobody on this forum will admit to knowingly shooting a turkey past 40 yards. My current setup shoots just average patterns at 30 yards an I have cleanly killed at 35 yards with it. I'm not looking for a gun that competes with the top 10% of best patterned Turkey guns, I'm looking for a budget minded ($500 max) shotgun that I will only use a couple weeks at most out of the year, is reliable, that can effectively kill at <45 yards an that I won't feel bad running around the woods with. The pardner pump turkey comes with nice fiber optics sights, comes drilled and tapped, sling swivels, and a turkey choke (although I would for sure buy another one to test with. I have been keeping an eye out for another 870 used for a decent price but I am having a hard time. I also don't like how cheap mossbergs feel in my hand and I don't believe in semi autos for hunting use so I'm very limited lol.

[Snoodsniper]

If you have an 870 I don't know why you would want a different gun. I have handled a pardner pump though and it seems well built. I friend of mine has one in 12 gauge. It's a little heavy but that's good for shooting turkey loads. As far as short barrels go my bps with a 21" barrel will put as many pellets in a turkeys head at 40 yds as my buddies 870 with a 26" barrel. Personally I'd slap a saddle mount and a red dot on the 870 and go hunting.

[jordanz7935]

Well, the best patterning gun in that price range,IMO, is a mossberg 835. Properly choked, you will have a 45 yard killer easily.Especially if you're just using lead turkey loads like supremes or thugs. They are a high quality gun IMO and with the new LPA trigger, you would have an awesome turkey gun. 

[Lukas929]

My 870 I use right now I also use for rabbits, waterfowl, etc. that's why I want one strictly for turkey/coyote. I was going to send my barrel in to get it cut down an re-threaded but this is the first shotgun I've ever owned an decided to keep it stock. My main concern is wanting a shorter gun overall.

[lowoctane]

Years ago, my father n law and I discussed the 870 for a one gun that would hunt everything in our state (MO). So I bought a fully rifled cantilever barrel for mine and mounted a low power Nikon on it. I now had one gun that would and did hunt all year with by simply changing out the barrel...

[allaboutshooting]

Question for you, your talking about longer barrels producing "better patterns" but do you mean more evenly distributed shot patterns or do you mean tighter patterns? 

I am talking about more even and dense patterns. I like to see a dense core pattern with few if any holes that are more than 1.5" and a halo pattern that goes out to 14" or so that is similar.

I don't understand all the hype of super tight patterns that will take a turkeys head off at 60 yards with denser then lead yada yada etc. etc. when nobody on this forum will admit to knowingly shooting a turkey past 40 yards.

I shoot in competition at 40 yards over open ground, so after about 15 years of doing that, 40 yards is pretty clear to me and I try to limit all shots to that distance. Just like you, I have no interest in shooting off a turkey's head. I just want good killing patterns that allow for some shooter error.

My current setup shoots just average patterns at 30 yards an I have cleanly killed at 35 yards with it. I'm not looking for a gun that competes with the top 10% of best patterned Turkey guns, I'm looking for a budget minded ($500 max) shotgun that I will only use a couple weeks at most out of the year, is reliable, that can effectively kill at <45 yards an that I won't feel bad running around the woods with.

I completely understand. Properly choked, any gun should be able to deliver good to excellent killing patterns out to 40 yards. The right shell also helps greatly. There are several alternatives of course and you've already mentioned one. That H&R Pardner pump will work just fine and should meet your needs. With that gun, I'd put an SSX in it and shoot some 3" Hevi-13 shells. You could put a shorter barrel on your 870 and use it for turkey season, leaving your longer barrel for other uses.  You may also want to take a look at an 835 and see how one of those feels to you. There are some short barrelled models of those guns as well.

Lastly, I suspect your patterning situation is more of a choke problem than a gun or ammo problem. You don't have to spend a lot of money on a choke or on ammo to solve that problem.

Thanks,
Clark

[Lukas929]

Well thanks for the replies, I just found a winchester 1300 22" barrel with sling and red dot for 200 bucks in immaculate condition:) picking it up tomorrow!!

[paboxcall]

Well thanks for the replies, I just found a winchester 1300 22" barrel with sling and red dot for 200 bucks in immaculate condition:) picking it up tomorrow!!

Wow!  That's an awesome deal.  Good luck with it, I love my 1300.

[Lukas929]

Thanks the guys dad passed away an he wants it gone, I luckily caught his post ten minutes after he put it up an offered him 20 extra to hold it for me seeing as how he's 2.5 hours away. I told him I was going to hunt till dark a.k.a. try to roost birds after work then make the drive. I've never shot one before so I ran to cabelas an handled one today man that pump is smooth. I figured for 220 bucks I can always easily make my money back. Way too happy! No more lining up the front an mid bead on the ol 870:)

[allaboutshooting]

Congratulations. You should enjoy that gun.

Thanks,
Clark