April 22, 2024
By Jace Bauserman
I don't know the brand of the shotgun. My buddy, who toted the old 20-gauge each spring, didn't either. His dad left to him, and the vintage shotgun was a longbeard buster. The walnut stock was chipped, and it wiggled side-to-side when shouldered. The barrel showed years of abuse, and the single brass bead was all but worn off.
But here's the kicker. When a tom dared to cross the 40-yard barrier, my turkey-hunting buddy and his trusty 20-gauge wonder showed how effective it was, making the bird pay.
Of course, there are some exceptional turkey-specific shotguns on the market. Most of these are cloaked-in-camo semi-autos sporting all the bells and whistles. However, each added bell and new whistle drives the price point up.
Don't lose hope, though. There are plenty of shotguns out there that will make your spring dreams a reality. The to-come list includes such; the good news is that they come in field-ready for under a thousand bucks.
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Browning BPS Field Composite Browning BPS Field Composite When you see Browning branded on a gun, it's hard to imagine getting into that gun for under $1K. However, the Field Composite BPS is budget-friendly and this tough-as-nails shotgun showcases a durable composite stock and forearm. The matte-blued steel receiver and barrel reduce shine. Available in 12- and 20-gauge models, there's a BPS right for every turkey goer. The single silver front bead simplifies the aiming process, and you'll appreciate the bottom loading and ejecting design. The Inflex II Recoil Pad soaks up recoil like a sponge. Since the shotgun has a trio of Invector-Plus Flush (Full, Modified, and Improved Cylinder) chokes, you don't have to drop extra coins to convert the gun to an effective gobbler getter.
Mossberg 500 Turkey - Holoson Micro Dot Combo Mossberg 500 Turkey - Holoson Micro Dot Combo One look at Mossberg's all-new 500 Turkey - Holoson Micro Dot Combo, and you know it was created with a singular purpose: to be a turkey killer. My youngest, Brody, used a similar Mossberg model to fill his 2023 Colorado turkey tag. That 500 model, like this new build, was durable, shouldered well, and absorbed recoil, and Brody appreciated the short cycling time. This 20-gauge shooter is woods-ready via a mounted Holosun HS407K Micro-Dot, ambidextrous safety, and X-Full Extended/Vented Choke. Total weight is 6.75 pounds, and measuring just 39.75 inches long, this vent-rib, Mossy Oak Greenleaf cloaked shotgun is sure to fill the game bag in your turkey vest.
CVA Scout V2 CVA Scout V2 Hunting turkeys with a .410 is all the rage, and this handy little shotgun is as deadly as they come. The single-shot Scout is hammer-fired and features an ambidextrous, soft-touch stock and safety to accommodate left- and right-handed hunters. It also comes with spacers to adjust length of pull, making it the perfect introductory gun for young turkey hunters that will grow as they do. Durasight rail accommodates standard scope rings for mounting red dots or other optics. Comes in Realtree Timber with a blued barrel that has a JEBS XX-Full Turkey Choke threaded in place
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Winchester SXP NWTF Turkey Hunter - Camo Winchester SXP NWTF Turkey Hunter - Camo Though I haven't shouldered the shotgun, a pair of my turkey hunting compadres wouldn't trade their SXP NWTF Turkey Hunters for anything. A straightforward pump-action with an alloy, drilled-and-tapped receiver, this Winchester build comes with a back-bored barrel, a single Invector-Plus Turkey choke, and dual fiber-optic sights for enhanced accuracy and low-light performance. A drop-out trigger design ensures easy cleaning, and the rotary bolt with four lugs means maximum strength and total lockup. Available in Mossy Oak Obsession and Mossy Oak Break-Up Country, the SXP NWTF comes in 12- and 20-gauge models.
CZ 612 Magnum Turkey CZ 612 Magnum Turkey A 12-gauge, 26-inch barrel turkey shotgun with an flat vent rib and 3-1/2-inch chamber, CZ's 612 Magnum Turkey hits an excellent price point and is long on performance. The gun has a pair of chokes (Modified and Extra Full), and the pump-action design means reliability and absolute functionality. The stock is synthetic, and the stock, forearm, receiver and barrel are hydrodripped in Mossy Oak camo.
Rossi SS Poly Tuffy Green Rossi SS Poly Tuffy Green I'm a sub-gauge fanatic, and a couple of seasons back, I put Rossi's Poly Tuffy .410 to work on a hard-gobbling Colorado Merriam. The uber-light shotgun made traversing the mountain terrain a breeze, and I appreciated the single-shot break-action's simplicity. The polymer stock and forearm are bulletproof, and the stock's thumbhole/pistol-style boosted accuracy and overall shootability. The SS Poly Tuffy comes with sling attachment points, weighs 47.20 ounces, and is 31 inches long. The stock will hold several 3-inch .410 rounds, which means quick reloading. This is an excellent shotgun for any sized shooter.
Stoeger M3500 Predator/Turkey Stoeger M3500 Predator/Turkey Squeaking in under the $1,000 cutoff is Stoeger's new-for-2024 M3500 Predator/Turkey. This 3.5-inch chambered 12-page showcases a ported barrel that negates recoil, and a bright red fiber-optic front sight graces the end of the rib. The M35000 Predator/Turkey comes with two MOJO specialty chokes designed to hold patterns longer and put a smack-down of shot on target. The shotgun comes with a paracord sling, and, of course, the tried-and-true Inertia Drive system with the inertia spring and rotating locking head promise reliability. This new-for-the-year shotgun comes cloaked in Mossy Oak Overwatch, has a pistol-style grip, and the receiver is drilled and tapped.
TriStar Viper G2 Turkey TriStar Viper G2 Turkey TriStar's Viper G2 Turkey is gas-operated, features a pistol grip, and comes with a Beretta -style extended turkey choke. The 3-inch chamber semi-auto has everything you need and nothing you don't. It comes with a removable Picatinny rail for those who want to mount an optic, and those who don't are treated to a fiber-optic sight mounted at the muzzle. The price and performance of the 12- and 20-gauge models will make you smile, and the five-year warranty isn't too shabby either.
Weatherby Element Synthetic My oldest son, Hunter, told me the other day that he wouldn't trade his Element for any other shotgun. Not only has he filled limits of ducks and geese with this inertia-driven shotgun, but he has also bagged a dozen turkeys with it. A do-all gun that doubles as a longbeard getter, the Element Synthetic is as reliable as the day is long. It comes with four chokes, including full, which has proven deadly on toms inside 50 yards. The vented top rib fitted with a fiber-optic front bead ensures right-now aiming, and because the Element Synthetic is available in 12- and 20-gauge models with a Griptonite stock with a pistol grip and forend insert, you can pick your poison.
Stevens 301 Turkey Stevens 301 Turkey Stevens 301 Turkey comes in 12- and 20-gauge and a .410 model and is available in Mossy Oak Bottomland, Obsession and XP Obsession colors. This break-open, single-shot, 3-inch chamber shotgun features swivel-studs and stock and forend, and the removable one-piece rail makes adding an optic a breeze. The barrel is optimized for Federal Heavyweight TSS loads, and the gun comes with an Extra-Full choke tube. The manual hammer screams simplicity while promising safety and exact shot-to-shot functionality.
