Looking for a new turkey gun...

[rkm456]

Ok guys, looking for some input. I've got a Mossberg Flex 500, and I like it. It came with a 28 inch barrel, but this spring I got a 20 inch barrel for it which made carrying it a lot more comfortable in the woods this spring. A 20 inch barrel however being that much closer to the shooter made it ridiculously loud to use as the shooter. The rig also lacks a proper optic. That's a long winded way of saying that I want to get myself a dedicated turkey gun, lol.

I don't quite understand the logic here. You have a 20 inch barrel and a 28. One's  handier the other is not as loud. Pick which one  you like better. Personally, I'd go for the 20 and wear electronic muffs for hearing protection, which you should be doing with either barrel anyway.

The Mossberg flex is D&Ted for scope mounts, get a red dot or mount fiber optic sights on the rib.

Unless of course you just want to buy a new gun, in which case logic goes out the window anyway. 

1) Of course I'm looking for an excuse to get a new gun, lol.
2) I also enjoy upland hunting, so to a degree it behooves me to have a second shotgun.

At this point I'm seriously considering turning the 500 into a dedicated turkey rig and then getting a 20 gauge for upland.

[Spurcollecta]

Ok guys, looking for some input. I've got a Mossberg Flex 500, and I like it. It came with a 28 inch barrel, but this spring I got a 20 inch barrel for it which made carrying it a lot more comfortable in the woods this spring. A 20 inch barrel however being that much closer to the shooter made it ridiculously loud to use as the shooter. The rig also lacks a proper optic. That's a long winded way of saying that I want to get myself a dedicated turkey gun, lol.

I don't quite understand the logic here. You have a 20 inch barrel and a 28. One's  handier the other is not as loud. Pick which one  you like better. Personally, I'd go for the 20 and wear electronic muffs for hearing protection, which you should be doing with either barrel anyway.

The Mossberg flex is D&Ted for scope mounts, get a red dot or mount fiber optic sights on the rib.

Unless of course you just want to buy a new gun, in which case logic goes out the window anyway. 

Wear electronic muffs while turkey hunting?

[PALongspur]

SBEII! 

[natman]

Ok guys, looking for some input. I've got a Mossberg Flex 500, and I like it. It came with a 28 inch barrel, but this spring I got a 20 inch barrel for it which made carrying it a lot more comfortable in the woods this spring. A 20 inch barrel however being that much closer to the shooter made it ridiculously loud to use as the shooter. The rig also lacks a proper optic. That's a long winded way of saying that I want to get myself a dedicated turkey gun, lol.

I don't quite understand the logic here. You have a 20 inch barrel and a 28. One's  handier the other is not as loud. Pick which one  you like better. Personally, I'd go for the 20 and wear electronic muffs for hearing protection, which you should be doing with either barrel anyway.

The Mossberg flex is D&Ted for scope mounts, get a red dot or mount fiber optic sights on the rib.

Unless of course you just want to buy a new gun, in which case logic goes out the window anyway. 

Wear electronic muffs while turkey hunting?

I wear electronic muffs for ALL hunting. I've done so for the last 20 years and have hundreds of hour of experience with them. If you adjust them correctly you can tell where a sound is coming from as well as without them. It's really nice when they turn a shotgun's BOOM into a faraway, muted boom.

[natman]

A 20 inch barrel however being that much closer to the shooter made it ridiculously loud to use as the shooter. The rig also lacks a proper optic. That's a long winded way of saying that I want to get myself a dedicated turkey gun, lol.

A 20 inch barrel is even louder than a 28 inch barrel which is plenty loud enough to damage your hearing as it is. Get some electronic muffs and protect your hearing. I've used Peltor 6s for years. There's something wonderful about the way they reduce a shotguns BOOM to a faraway boom.

[rkm456]

 Just to provide an update to those who might curious, my turkey gun search has been temporarily put on hold because I bought a Browning BLR in .243. I've wanted a lever gun for years, so I finally pulled the trigger 

[outdoors]

Just to provide an update to those who might curious, my turkey gun search has been temporarily put on hold because I bought a Browning BLR in .243. I've wanted a lever gun for years, so I finally pulled the trigger 
[/quote]

CAN'T SAY I BLAME U .. THATS A REAL NICE GUN TO HAVE , It'll LAST YA FOR YEARS TO COME

[Tail Feathers]

While you were pondering and buying a rifle, I bought a 20 gauge SX3.

[SKFOOTER]

While you were pondering and buying a rifle, I bought a 20 gauge SX3.

I also purchased the 20 gauge SX3 with the cantilever barrel.  Keep me posted on what choke/shell combination you decide on.  I'm gonna top it off with a FastFire III and try a Sumtoy/Federal Heavyweight #7 combo and see how it patterns.  I'd be interested in information from others using this setup.

[Tail Feathers]

I will.  Please do the same.
I read up on them and found a guy who really liked the flush mount Carlson's with HW 7's out of his.  The choke was less than $22 to my door so I will start with that one.  I like the idea of not extending the barrel any longer if I don't have to.
If that doesn't work for me, I'm calling Sumtoy chokes.  I expect it will be at least a couple of weeks before I hve time to pattern.  I just got word the gun is at my local gun store.
Hopefully we'll get some of that pleasant Texas weather in the 60's pretty soon and I can get some powder burned thru that Carlson's.  I only have two or three HW7's left tho.  Have some on order but they were backordered.  I will post pics.
Oh yeh, I got the universal hunter.  26" barrel that comes drilled and tapped.

[rkm456]

Sorry to have abandoned the thread over the winter folks, but I thought I'd come give you awesome guys and update after heading out to the range last weekend. I might not have been on here; I've been spending the off season preparing, but I digress...

Unfortunately my geographical location doesn't lend itself to extensive firearm and firearm accessory selection. So, in some instance I have to take what I can get.

I invested in a Patternmaster Anaconda choke, and some electronic ear muffs (under the advice of natman). I took it out to the range last weekend and had a pattern I was pretty happy with at 40 yards, about 50 pellets in the 10 inch circle, and about 15 directly in the head and neck area. I'll likely continue to pattern with a couple other types of ammo to see if I can get something even tighter as I'd like to have a more dense pattern in the 10 inch circle. I'll likely give longbeard xr's a try and see if they're all they're advertised to be. If anyone's got any suggestions I'm all ears. Also added a couple Avian X decoys to the collection 

Finally got the BLR out too. The actions even smoother than I thought it would be. some user error was a factor, but 2 inch groups at about 50 yards freehand shooting through the factory irons. Very happy with it.

Hope you guys are all doing awesome OG'ers.

[rkm456]

Another update, lol. I was able to grab a box of Longbeard XR's for about 12 bucks today so i grabbed them. I'll let you guys know how they pattern when I get the opportunity.

[Oconeeguy]

Holy smoke. 50 in 10 inches is awful. Remember to draw your circle around the core of your pattern AFTER you shoot.

[rkm456]

Holy smoke. 50 in 10 inches is awful. Remember to draw your circle around the core of your pattern AFTER you shoot.

I'd have to pull the paper out and recount after doing that. It's entirely possible the pattern is better than I thought. The wind at the range was a lot worse than we expected which effected the quality of shooting.

[rkm456]

Holy smoke. 50 in 10 inches is awful. Remember to draw your circle around the core of your pattern AFTER you shoot.

Wow, thanks for the advice. After moving the circle, it's just shy of 100 inside 10 inches. Looks like POI is a little left of POA at 40 yards, rookie move by me. Even with that, I'm still not thrilled with the consistency of the pattern. More range time needed.