Need Dedicated Turkey Gun on the Cheap!

Guys after a bad experience in the turkey woods today, I need to stop putting this off and buy a dedicated turkey shotgun. I'm a new turkey hunter and this is my third year to turkey hunt. I've been using a Mossberg 835 Field with 28" barrel that was a gift. The gun is terribly long to be packing through the woods where I hunt, and I hunt hilly, wooded ground. The gun has no sling studs so have to carry it by hand. And it also has a tendency to fail to extract, which happened to me today. So I need a dedicated turkey gun that is dead reliable. Camo finish would be nice to have. Something shorter in overall length would great also.

Right now I've been looking at the Tristar Cobra Turkey with pistol grip, rail on top, and turkey choke included. Comes with sling studs and is camo also. Price looks like $275. The other option I've been looking at is the Mossberg 500 Grand Slam which is similar to the Tristar except it doesn't have the pistol grip and is about $100 more expensive. I have no qualms with Tristar as I already have a Viper auto in 20ga for a dedicated dove gun and it's been flawless!

I'd really prefer to stay under $350 total for the gun because I'd like to buy several different boxes of ammo to see which one does best in the gun. Anyone have any recommendations?

Here is my next question. Is having the camo finish a big deal? I mean is it a big benefit while turkey hunting? If not, then I can look into all black guns as well. But both the Mossberg and Tristar come with dedicated turkey chokes, which is a bonus and not something included on regular shotguns I think.

Ok, here my next option. I can piece together a H&R Pardner with 18.5” barrel. The gun would be $160. An extended choke for $20ish and I could either put a HiViz snap-on fiber optic front sight on for another $15 or do a cheap red dot for $150. I could have a red dot shotgun for $315 out the door or a fiber optic front sight gun for $200.

mingo said:

It's all about how well it patterns. I shot a nice 24 lb turkey this morning. I have a lot of shotguns and some are deadly at 40 yards and others stay in the gun cabinet. The best I have is my old 870 magnum with a full choke 30" barrel. I've shot and own shorter barrel guns with tight turkey choke tubes....they work, but my old stand buy will out shoot all of them.
Hunting turkeys is easy if you set up right. One should have no problem with a long barrel gun without a sling.
Easy does it....I shoot at least one Tom and most years two, and then mentor others to learn the art of turkey hunting.
Arrive early...listen....then call a little...they know where you are...don't overcall.... the biggest mistake most make.... the hunt is different every time.
Back to the guns... the sling is great, I have it on some guns....my gear is in my backpack for turkey hunting, and the gun is in my hand...it's my way and works for me.

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I’ve carried this gun for 3 years now and I have to disagree about the barrel length and lack of sling. I run and gun through thick, hilly woods. Once I hear a bird, I have to hike a good way usually to get within range to start trying to work them in. Carrying that long and heavy gun through thick and hilly woods for 6 or 7 hours at a time stinks!