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Turkey Guns.
- Thread starter coastie24
- Start date
Not sure how much accuracy is really sacrificed, but I do think most folks would find it easier to navigate the woods with a 20 or 21" barrel than with a 30". That said, I like my side-by-side with 26" barrels just fine. Sure, a shorter barrel would be easier to swing in the woods, but I'm used to this one and don't feel handicapped by it.
Personal preference, I guess.
Personal preference, I guess.
You don't lose accuracy with a shorter barrel.
It's a shotgun. (A shorter barrel doesn't cause you to lose accuracy in a rifle either, but that's another story.) Accuracy is not exactly what you are looking for. The pattern is what matters with a shotgun and most shotguns have choke tubes these days and between the tubes and trying different types of ammo you can get just about any pattern you want out of any length barrel.
The shorter barrel is for handiness and maneuverability.
That gun is probably about the same length as a typical pump or auto with a 21" barrel, especially if the shotgun is designed for 3.5" shells. The action on a 3.5" pump or auto is VERY long.
It's a shotgun. (A shorter barrel doesn't cause you to lose accuracy in a rifle either, but that's another story.) Accuracy is not exactly what you are looking for. The pattern is what matters with a shotgun and most shotguns have choke tubes these days and between the tubes and trying different types of ammo you can get just about any pattern you want out of any length barrel.
The shorter barrel is for handiness and maneuverability.
I like my side-by-side with 26" barrels just fine.
That gun is probably about the same length as a typical pump or auto with a 21" barrel, especially if the shotgun is designed for 3.5" shells. The action on a 3.5" pump or auto is VERY long.
"I like my side-by-side with 26" barrels just fine."
That gun is probably about the same length as a typical pump or auto with a 21" barrel, especially if the shotgun is designed for 3.5" shells. The action on a 3.5" pump or auto is VERY long.
Very true. Now that I that I think of it, my Winchester 1300 Slug Hunter with 22" barrel is maybe 1/4" longer than my Stoeger side-by-side with the 26" barrels. Both work quite well on turkeys, and are easy to navigate with.
Adventurer 2
New member
Just my opinion - Turkey Shotguns have sites on them - Hunting a turkey does not require swinging the shotgun for a quick shot like you would for pheasant, quail, rabbit. A longer barrel is easier to shoot better when you are swinging a barrel - Sitting up against a tree you get time to take a very accurate shot on that Turkey - the longer barrel isn't needed.
Honestly, I like fancy guns, but a turkey gun is low on my to-buy list. I think there's a pretty high ratio of marketing hype to realized benefit, even for guns. Sure, weight can be a factor sitting still for long periods of time, and a short barrel might catch a few less twigs stomping through the woods. But if you're inattentive, careless or noisy you're still going to make a mess of things. I'd just always prefer versatility.
More, some of these turkey shotguns are just looking silly these days. Good for the people that like them, but I just think the AR parts some of these manufacturers are Frankensteining onto their turkey guns are downright hideous. I can't think of a time I've ever said "Darn, I wish I'd put a telescoping stock/pistol grip/target aperture on this 12 gage." And if you need an Eotech using shot at 30 or so yards, the bead sight wasn't the problem. I don't mean to sound so critical - there are a lot of cool, fast cars that are butt ugly also. But I've been fine all along with a decidedly "un-turktical" Mossberg: long chamber, 28" barrel, dirt cheap.
More, some of these turkey shotguns are just looking silly these days. Good for the people that like them, but I just think the AR parts some of these manufacturers are Frankensteining onto their turkey guns are downright hideous. I can't think of a time I've ever said "Darn, I wish I'd put a telescoping stock/pistol grip/target aperture on this 12 gage." And if you need an Eotech using shot at 30 or so yards, the bead sight wasn't the problem. I don't mean to sound so critical - there are a lot of cool, fast cars that are butt ugly also. But I've been fine all along with a decidedly "un-turktical" Mossberg: long chamber, 28" barrel, dirt cheap.