Need help : Turkey Gun Setup

[bgkyarcher]

My turkey gun is a 870.. got two of them. I added a spring recoil reduction stock new fore grip and red dot. Shoot a few chokes. Indian creek.665 and with heavy shot and tss you won’t be able to count the pellets in a turkey neck at 30 yards. I love the Remington full choke with heavy weight #7 at the closeout price I posted about.

red dot scope will put you on target without a good cheekweld . Consider the aftermarket stock it makes for a light recoil that’s fun to shoot and no bruises

Indian Creek is second to none.....

 

[Trapper Delk]

I kill all my turkeys with 2¾ 4 shot cheap tube from Walmart, I'll change when I can't kill one, to each his own nothing wrong with shooting what you want

 

[RKF11]

Hard to beat the longboard XR choke/shell combo. My 870 loves XR choke and #6’s

 

[Tom Threetoes]

Indian Creek .665 choke and Hevi 13s 2 1/4 oz. #6s. Where I hunt birds are scarce and pressured, when I get shot I aim to make the best of it.

 

[turkeymanmike]

Shotguns are a lot like people, not everyone is the same and everyone is different. You have to find which ammo is best with your 870. My benelli likes cheap ole nitro ammo, now my 20 gauge break down likes longbeard ammo. So it depends on your gun and your choke. I’ve wasted money on choke tubes and buying into the “hype” of fads but once again my benelli shoots well with the cheap undertaker choke. I’m comfortable shooting out to 50 yards. Also IMO the 3.5 is a waste of your shoulder you’re not getting much more performance from them not it’s today’s other ammo choices that won’t rock your socks off. Good luck

 

[xbokilla]

Indian Creek .665 choke and Hevi 13s 2 1/4 oz. #6s. Where I hunt birds are scarce and pressured, when I get shot I aim to make the best of it.

We must hunt a similar place. Haven’t killed one the last two Springs, struggled to even see them. Dad got one last year. When we get a shot, make it count.

 

[xbokilla]

Shotguns are a lot like people, not everyone is the same and everyone is different. You have to find which ammo is best with your 870. My benelli likes cheap ole nitro ammo, now my 20 gauge break down likes longbeard ammo. So it depends on your gun and your choke. I’ve wasted money on choke tubes and buying into the “hype” of fads but once again my benelli shoots well with the cheap undertaker choke. I’m comfortable shooting out to 50 yards. Also IMO the 3.5 is a waste of your shoulder you’re not getting much more performance from them not it’s today’s other ammo choices that won’t rock your socks off. Good luck

What kind of Benelli? I’ve just been using a plain Nova for years and it does well with a Carlson choke and 3.5s. Did use XX but switched to XRs a couple of years ago, although I see no real difference. I like the 3.5 with 2 1/8 or 2 1/4 oz shot.

 

[1badDart]

The best thing I did to my 870 SM was sell it. Then I bought a 1187 Special Purpose in 20 gauge. The 20 with Federal Heavyweight #7's has killed well past 50 yards. Also it's about two pounds lighter empty than the 870.

Full disclosure, the main reason for the 20 gauge was that I had shoulder surgery in December 2011 and knew I wouldn't be able to handle the recoil of the 870 the next spring. Being a long time fan of 20's I wish I'd made the move years ago.

 

[woodsman92]

My 870 with the factory turkey choke likes 3 inch long beard #5s. Never tried any other chokes as I know this setup kills at 52 yards. I made it my dedicated turkey gun and put a red dot on it 2 seasons ago and love it.

 

[Jay Blankenship]

The good ol debate of what works the best , who has the best and so forth ! For as long as I have hunted these birds this debate has went on snd on and I look forward to it every spring !!


To get the full affect. Attack all three.
Shell/barrel/choke tube

almost EVERYONE leaves out the barrel.

work on things like woodsmanahip, calling , getting to know the area Yiu hunt , what the birds do there , This will kill more turkeys than any amount of money you throw at a gun setup. If you can’t get close to a bird don’t matter what You shoot at em!

 

[Semp]

Longbeard XR 5's and a Carlson LB XR choke works well for me. I'd like to try the TSS shot but the cost and the fact 99% of my shots have been less than 40 yards, I can't justify it. I would like to try the TSS #2 for coyotes though.

 

[woodsman92]

3 inch Longbeard number 5s from a Remington turkey choke out of a Remington 870 with 28 inch barrel.
I set it up with a red dot and thumbhole stock just for turkeys so I got a new shotgun this year for hunting everything other than turkeys. It’s a weatherby element 12 gauge with 26 inch barrel. Now that turkey season is getting closer I’m wanting to see what it can do haha

 

[257Wmag]

Shoot an 1187 with IC tube can’t remember which one. It shoots 3.5 hevi 13 blends, 5s and 6s well. Killed out past 70 with it, didn’t realize the distance on open field. Also rolled a number of yotes with it.

last year I tried the federal 3 inch TSS in 9 shot and all I can say is oh my! I won’t be subjecting myself to the punishment of 3.5s anymore. They are wicked!

 

[Jay Blankenship]

I kill all my turkeys with 2¾ 4 shot cheap tube from Walmart, I'll change when I can't kill one, to each his own nothing wrong with shooting what you want

Great post.......puts into perpesctive what they all did prior to these modern day waves of “have to have” equipment to kill a bird To me the greatest things about the sport of turkey huntin was having them in your lap rattling the earth around ya with those thunderous roaring gobbles and infamous sounds of the spit n drum and also the rush of watching them come up into your face......I really enjoyed your post snd brought back some of the things that make turkey huntin IMO the best big game there is to pursue

 

[turkeymanmike]

What kind of Benelli? I’ve just been using a plain Nova for years and it does well with a Carlson choke and 3.5s. Did use XX but switched to XRs a couple of years ago, although I see no real difference. I like the 3.5 with 2 1/8 or 2 1/4 oz shot.

Just a nova also.