[Joshua C]

I'm looking to get into Turkey hunting later this year, and I'm wondering, what's a good shotgun? (my state doesn't permit rifles for turkey).

[koja48]

I bought a turkey choke tube for my SBE & it worked just fine. If you have a shotgun, just buy a tube . . . much less expensive (unless you, like me, are prone to using any excuse to expand the old collection . . . ). Good luck & don't let the hens trip you up . . .

[Joshua C]

All I have is a little single shot Pardner....

[Greybeard]

I'm guessing your single shot has a modified choke. Buy a box or three of good "10-pack turkey loads", pattern them to see which is the tightest and I suspect you'll be good out to 30 or 35 yards with what you've already got. That is, if it's a 12 gauge. If a 20, you may be limited (ethically) to around 25 yards. If your Pardner is only a 410, yeah, you need to keep lookin'. ;)

[thirty-thirty]

I think the ideal turkey shotgun should have a shorter barrel, about 21", be chambered for at least 3" shells, a tight choke, not have any rattles and not have a shiny finish.

[.cheese.]

I too am looking to get into Turkey hunting, but I decided not to go the shotgun route.

Down here from what I've read you can use rimfire ammo for turkeys, so I ordered a Savage arms Mark II-FV to use for Turkey hunting. It's not optimal, but I'll tell a little story to help explain why.

About 2 years ago I was invited as a guest to Oxford University. I had lunch in some special faculty and doctorate-type dining hall. They served some kind of bird.... I don't remember.

I do remember chewing and biting down on something hard. I didn't know what it was (knew nothing about hunting at the time). I asked the lady I was with what it was and she said, "Shhhh... That's shot. Don't say anything or make a scene" (as if I cared enough to make a scene over it?)..... anyways, as I continued on, I found more and more BB's. What they were made of I don't know, but I do know it made the meal very difficult.

So I decided to try to go the single shot route for Turkey hunting.... and anything beyond .22lr seemed like overkill (I'm hunting it - not blowing it up!). So long as I get a good shot, I'm thinking it will work.

Just need to get a good scope and get fast with the rig practicing with some turkey targets at the range.

[.cheese.]

oh yeah.... and I need to get a good smoker too. That's another thread on another forum though.

[koja48]

All I have is a little single shot Pardner....

What Greybeard said . . . I've not harvested a lot of turkeys, but I've yet to shoot one more than 30/35 yards away. Be selective . . .