Budget turkey hunting 12g ?

[JayHHI6818]

 

[cjmac]

@cjmac,

Why would you get your wife a 12 ga??

Heck, I don't even shoot a 12 ga!

Why not a .410?
Savage has a dedicated .410 turkey gun.
Lots of YouTube videos on it.

I had no idea ! Didnt think 410 would do the job

 

[cjmac]

@cjmac,

Why would you get your wife a 12 ga??

Heck, I don't even shoot a 12 ga!

Why not a .410?
Savage has a dedicated .410 turkey gun.
Lots of YouTube videos on it.

She has no problem with a 12g she was a marine and is currently a FDLE officer lol

 

[JFrank]

I had no idea ! Didnt think 410 would do the job

A big Tom is a lot tougher than you might imagine, my grandson has killed one with a 410 but I’ve also shot them with 410’s and had them just give me a dirty look and move off.
20 gauge might be min for short range.. when your hunting and kill an animal, no one remembers the recoil.

 

[CJ6]

It's the practice that gets to most people with recoil. Too many use a bench instead of actual field positions to practice/pattern their shotguns and with heavy Turkey/Goose loads can be uncomfortable with just a few shots.

 

[rdremsek]

Wife wants to get into turkey hunting. I quit after dad passed . It was our thing but it was difficult for me to go after ...
15 years later wife wants to try so she wants her own shotgun. Was thinking maby a single shot 12g ? But never seen one with x- full choke? Not wanting to spend a ton on one .
Thanks

Wife wants to get into turkey hunting. I quit after dad passed . It was our thing but it was difficult for me to go after ...
15 years later wife wants to try so she wants her own shotgun. Was thinking maby a single shot 12g ? But never seen one with x- full choke? Not wanting to spend a ton on one .
Thanks

A 410 with tss turkey loads kills turkeys dead out to 40 yards and doesn't kick the crap out of you I've killed turkeys at 40 yards with this combo also a red dot helps

 

[Fuj]

Ithaca Deer Slayer with 3" chamber. It will give her sites, and the option
to choose how much kick she can withstand. Have her practice with lighter
2 3/4 shells and move up. Truth is, she won't feel the kick covering live game.
For turkey, I load #4 shot in a 3 inch 20.....Depending on her stature, she may
like the Feather Lite but she will feel more kick. Take her out to the range.
She'll let you know.....

Note.....Don't waste your time with a single shot unless you know someone
that will do a loaner to try. Just buy a pump.

 

[cjmac]

A big Tom is a lot tougher than you might imagine, my grandson has killed one with a 410 but I’ve also shot them with 410’s and had them just give me a dirty look and move off.
20 gauge might be min for short range.. when your hunting and kill an animal, no one remembers the recoil.

Kinda my thought.

 

[cjmac]

Ithaca Deer Slayer with 3" chamber. It will give her sites, and the option
to choose how much kick she can withstand. Have her practice with lighter
2 3/4 shells and move up. Truth is, she won't feel the kick covering live game.
For turkey, I load #4 shot in a 3 inch 20.....Depending on her stature, she may
like the Feather Lite but she will feel more kick. Take her out to the range.
She'll let you know.....

Note.....Don't waste you time with a single shot unless you know someone
that will do a loaner to try. Just buy a pump.

I forgot about ithaca.. well shes shot 300win mag few times and was ok woth it lol.. I dont think a 12 is a problem. Thay regularly have to shoot them at the law enforcement range ..

 

[ebb]

She is a marine and an FDLE officer! Why would you even be involved in the decision, let her do some research and pick her own kit. If I interfered with my wife buying a new bow or archery stuff she would laugh at me. I suggested a 20 gage for my daughter for her to ride the swamp buggy with, I got "No dad they don't make very good buckshot loads for a 20 I am getting a 12, stay in your own lane."

 

[ebb]

Model 870 SPS Turkey | Remington

 

[243winxb]

currently a FDLE officer

May want to buy same type model the departmet uses, with a different barrel that takes screw in chokes.

Mossberg 500/590 series and Remington 870 ?

 

[Majday]

OP wants it for his wife

Why I suggested the 20 gauge

We all know what happens when ya pull the trigger on a 3” 12 gauge

Yeah I get that. Just saying mines a 3" chamber that I shoot 2 3/4 prairie storm pheasant loads out of. Nothing too terrible

 

[ebb]

I did a search for issue weapons for FDLE, most are not issued shotguns, only if the specific job requires one, but it said they are issued rifles.

 

[std7mag]

She has no problem with a 12g she was a marine and is currently a FDLE officer lol

She's STILL a Marine.

 

[std7mag]

I had no idea ! Didnt think 410 would do the job

I've taken numerous pheasants and 2 turkeys with a.410.

Lots of people think that the 410 is "under powered" for turkey and water fowl. Not to mention coyotes.
What they don't think about is a #4 shot pellet going 1,200fps from a 410 has the same energy as a #4 shot pellet from a 12ga.
The 410 just has fewer pellets.

But with the fewer pellets is you're pushing less weight. Hence lighter recoil.

 

[Fuj]

But with the fewer pellets is you're pushing less weight. Hence lighter recoil.

And less shot to spit out at the dinner table......LOL

Also take a look at a side by side. I have an early Fox Sterlingworth that
I did not use much for turkey but is my favored rabbit gun.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Even a cheap red dot makes centering the shot on a turkey neck/head easy. So pick something optic ready.

 

[Treerat-sniper]

Sounds like she's fine with a 12 ga, I was going to add; make sure to check your state reg if going the 410 route, not legal in some states (IA just ok'd 410 a year or two ago).

I was a pretty dedicated turkey hunter for a good 10 years, tried all the available chokes, tested multiple guns. Heavyweight TSS was in its infancy then & I couldn't see spending $7-9 a shot when I had witnessed so many turkeys killed with "high brass" 6 shot by the old timers I've hunted with. If you don't need to kill a turkey at 50-60-75+ yards you don't need HW TSS ammo. I've used the Prairie Storm out of my 20 and it works fine. I currently use the Win Longbeard XR 5 shot (lead) out of my 870 and they work just fine inside 40 yards.

 

[lawman29]

I have two of the Thompson Center Arms single shot turkey shotguns, purchased prior to the sale of the company. TC was purchased by a new company and is back producing guns. The turkey shotgun is back in production and will be available in the near future. Midway shows them coming soon.

Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter Turkey Single Shot 20 Ga Shotgun 24

Harvest your next turkey with the Thompson Center Encore Pro Hunter Turkey Single Shot Shotgun. The T/C Encore is engineered for superior performance...

www.midwayusa.com

They come with a turkey choke, sights, sling studs and mounts for a scope. They are lightweight to carry, available in multiple gauges and accurate with the right load. Mine are 12 gauge and patterned excellent with Hevi 13 #6 2 3/4". They discontinued the 2 3/4", sad it patterned better than 3" etc. but I have a good supply.