February 13, 2023
By Dale Evans
With the National Wild Turkey Federation convention on the horizon and seeing all the new scatter guns available at the recent SHOT Show, I’m dreaming of my first turkey hunt of the year. Although snow is melting, we’re still more than a month away from turkey season here in my home state. But don’t let that get you down, because now is the time to find your next gobbler getter. Here are the best turkey guns on the market for this spring.
Semiauto Shotguns Benelli M2 Turkey This new M2 is going to quickly be giving the SBE3 a run for its money when it comes to performance in the turkey woods. This shotgun comes from the Benelli Performance Shop with enhancements by the famed Rob Roberts, renowned for his development of shot patterns. Pre-fitted with a Burris FastFire II optic that’s been tested with Federal Premium ammo, this 20-gauge comes in a turkey hunting favorite, Mossy Oak Bottomland.
MSRP: $2,999 | benelliusa.com
Mossberg International SA-28 – Tactical Turkey If you’re in the market for a sub-gauge shotgun, this is the one. The new SA-28 is lightweight and nimble, perfect for women and kids, or the guy that’s just plain tired of lugging around that 12-gauge. Featuring a 22-inch barrel topped with a fiber-optic sight, it also comes equipped with a Picatinny rail to mount your preferred optic. Available in the Mossy Oak Greenleaf pattern, it’s sure to be a hit with the traditionalist that enjoys yelping one up close.
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MSRP: $902 | mossberg.com
Weatherby Element Turkey After several seasons of success with their Element series of shotguns, Weatherby has built a turkey-specific version of this smooth operator. Available in either 12 or 20-gauge, the Element Turkey is equipped directly from the factory with an extended full choke tube, but also includes three standard flush chokes. This gun can run either 2¾- or 3-inch shotshells, has a great fiber-optic front sight, a full set of shims to customize the fit for a wide variety of shooters and comes dipped in the tried and true Mossy Oak Bottomland pattern.
MSRP: $799 | weatherby.com
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Franchi Affinity 3 Turkey Elite Franchi’s Affinity line of shotguns are just fun to shoot, and the Turkey Elite series comes loaded with helpful features for any avid turkey hunter. Available in 12 or 20 gauge and chambered to accept a 3-inch shotshell, it’s ergonomic feel is sure to feel at home when you shoulder it. It comes in the Bottomland pattern, but is also available in Optifade Subalpine with a beautiful bronze Cerakote finish. The scattergun is topped off with a hooded front sight, Picatinny rail so it’s optic-ready, and a Rhino extended choke tube. You’ll just need to ensure your favorite pot call is sanded and ready when he gobbles on the limb.
MSRP: $1,349 | franchiusa.com
Pump Shotguns Winchester SXP OD Green Long Beard To commemorate the National Wild Turkey Federation’s 50th Anniversary, Winchester has released the new SXP Long Beard, with a portion of each sale being directly donated to NWTF. This sharp looking pump shotgun comes decked out in an OD Green Perma-Cote on the receiver and barrel, plus a Bottomland camo finish on the composite stock and pistol grip. Available in either 12- or 20-gauge variety, chambered in 3 ½- and 3-inch, respectively.It’s also drilled and tapped for optics. The two interchangeable combs and height adjust spacers will help ensure you have the best sight alignment when barreling down on that tom this spring. To top it off, they’re including an Extra-Full Turkey choke, designed to be shot with Winchester’s gobble-stopping Longbeard XR ammo.
MSRP: $590 | winchesterguns.com
Retay GPS & GPS-XL A somewhat newcomer to the scene over the past few years, Retay has quickly made their mark, and the GPS (Geometric Pump System) series is a force to be reckoned with. This turkey gun is available in Realtree Timber and Mossy Oak Bottomland, as well as with or without a pistol grip. The GPS is a standard 12-gauge with a 3-inch chamber, while the GPS-XL allows up to 3 ½-inch shells. A floating-forearm, dual slide rail, and dual latch action ensures extremely fast cycling for a follow-up shot, if needed. They also offer a fully drilled barrel that helps with improved pattern density for your shot.
MSRP: $539 | retayusa.com
Specialty Guns Browning Synergy Ultimate Turkey I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve never hunted with an over and under for turkeys, but this Browning Synergy makes me question why I haven’t. Designed with the ideology for being able to tackle both short and long-range shots, the double-barrel design gives you the opportunity to quickly switch from an extra-full choke to a more open choke with a flick of the barrel selector. Topped with a Marble Arms Bullseye rear sight and fiber-optic front, it ensures a nice tight bead as that bird struts into your setup. Available in 12-gauge, finished in Mossy Oak Bottomland, and fully stocked with five chokes, this Cynergy brings the turkey hunting energy.
MSRP: $2,650 | browning.com
Stevens 301 Turkey XP Want to introduce someone to turkey hunting this year? Grab them one of these 301s and they’ll be comfortable in no time. A single-shot can be one of the best ways to introduce a kid or first-timer to the sport. With the new TSS turkey loads, this break-action, available in either a .410 or 20-gauge, is a turkey killing machine. Plus, it comes equipped with a one-piece rail and red dot, with a stock dipped in either Bottomland or Obsession camo patterns.
MSRP: $268 | savagearms.com
CZ Reaper Magnum The CZ Reaper Magnum can do everything a single-barrel turkey gun cannot. With the over/under style, it allows the hunter to be readily equipped with two different choke tubes. Chambered for 3 ½-inch shells, with 26-inch barrels and a Picatinny-style rail; there’s no question the Reaper Magnum will deliver the knockout punch straight to the face of an ‘ol gobbler.
MSRP: $1,099 | cz-usa.com
