I'd go with the old standby remington 870. It's a great shotgun and they're never expensive. Scope out the used option in your area and see what you can find. The $200 range sounds about right.
My dad expressed some interest in turkey hunting. He needs a shotgun for it though. In KY you gotta use a 20, 16, 12, or 10-gauge. He has a .410 but not only is it not legal, I doubt a .410 would do much on a turkey.
Anyway, I'm wondering how inexpensive we could go for a 12-gauge for turkey. Nothing fancy, just something that will chamber 3" shells, pump action, and works. I'm thinking maybe a Mossy 500 or Remington 870...I've seen them slightly used for $200 or so.
My dad doesn't need all the ninja stuff...no tritium ghost rings, mag extension, side saddle, etc. His b-day is April 10 so I thought I might surprise him with a turkey gun.
I'd go with the old standby remington 870. It's a great shotgun and they're never expensive. Scope out the used option in your area and see what you can find. The $200 range sounds about right.
Found a guy on KYhunting that has two 870s he'll sell me for super cheap.
If they're super cheap, buy them both.
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$175 a piece...870 super magnums with 3 1/2" chambers, one with a 24" barrel, the other a 26" or 28". Both barely used.
And you haven't bought them yet? Get a move on....![]()
For turkey hunting you'll want a Full or Extra Full choke barrel, 28-30" long, and full camoflage. Turkeys have exceptionally good eyesight, and you'll need to make shots as far out as 30-40 yards.
My dad took many wild turkeys in Upstate NY with my current Rem 870 Magnum. 30" barrel with Rem-Chokes, Extra Full. It would shoot turkey loads with a 12-15" pattern out to 35yrds. Kicked like a mule, but you don't feel it when you're on a bird.
Turkey hunting may be THE hardest game hunting in the US. They are very cautious, have fantastic vision, and only come in to a very good caller. Not like whitetails... Climb a tree stand in a place where deer are and wait for one to walk out within 200yds.
You can buy barrels at MidwayUSA.com, but the right barrel will be as expensive as the gun.
JW
Just picked up one of the shotguns...24" barrel with f/o sights mounted on the barrel rail. The slide is a bit loose after being fully extended, but no biggie. Gun's in great shape. I'm not that serious about turkey hunting. I mean I'll go with Dad and sit there and let him take shots, but I'm not about to blow $200-300 on a 28" barrel.
The gun is black synthetic. I guess we could always get a few colors of duracoat and camouflage it out.
What about the f/o sights? They can be pretty flashy if they catch the sunlight right.
Rather than camo the gun(s), you might consider making a free-standing camouflage hunting blind. All you need is some camo cloth or burlap, a few pieces of non-reflective metal bar with a hole at one end for stakes, and some cable tie-wraps.
When you find a hunting spot, push the stakes into the ground in a circle around the area where you will be sitting, then unroll the camo fabric and attach the top edge to the holes at the top of the stakes. You'll end up with a little "wall" of camouflage around your position, and if you set the height correctly, all that will be visible to critters in the surrounding area is your head and shoulders. You can lay the gun(s) in your lap, sit at a 90-degree angle side-by-side or back-to-back, and watch different areas without spooking the birds with constant head movement. You can move your arms and legs below the top of the fabric without startling any nearby game, and even tap the other hunter's leg and point to alert them to birds coming from a different direction. It's easy to set up and take down; just roll it up in a bundle and stuff it in a big duffel bag when you're done.
Keep the gun below the fabric level until you're ready to shoot, then lift it up while the bird is looking in the other direction, or as it passes behind a tree/bush. Then Boom! Turkey in the oven!
Sounds like a plan. Sounds easier than being fully camo'd out, plus it sounds a hell of a lot cheaper.
I got an 870 Supermag at a Wal Mart that was going out of the firearms business 3 years ago and it cost $199 I also picked up a rebate from Remington for $50 as well but I fell into it pretty good. $175 for one in really good shape is a deal. I hunt Turkey and Ducks with mine and the 3 1/2 Mag flattens them. Good luck.