Rigging up a turkey gun can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. For a skilled shooter who only shoots from about 30 yards away, all you need is a standard 12-gauge shotgun with a full or modified choke and good turkey loads.
A rabbit and grouse gun can be turned into a turkey rig with a few simple changes if you want a gun that can handle long hikes and long shots.
On top, a cheap break-action over/under shotgun made in Italy that had $800 worth of custom work done to it to make it a shotgun for hunting turkeys. Force cones that were polished and made longer, custom chokes, soldered rifle sights, an elk-leather cheek pad, camouflage paint, and a comfortable sling were some of the changes that were made. Above it is a Winchester model 1100 pump gun with an all-weather camo finish and a TruGlo red dot scope.
Turkey chokes There are many aftermarket turkey chokes on the market. These chokes’ tight restrictions can help you get a lot farther, but remember that a tight pattern at long range means a very tight pattern at close range.
At sixty yards, a turkey choke might give you the power to pepper a bird’s head, but at ten yards, you might miss if your aim is off by just an inch or two. Still, turkey chokes are well worth the cost if your shotgun is threaded for screw-in chokes.
I’ve had excellent luck with the Haymaker choke tube from Down-N-Dirty Outdoors. Just make sure to pattern your shotgun before you hunt turkeys and keep a calm head when aiming.
Sights: If you practice a bit, you can hit turkeys very well with just the barrel of your shotgun and the front bead. Again, though, if you want to be able to shoot from farther away (50 yards or more), it might be a good idea to get a better sighting system for your shotgun.
More and more turkey hunters are using scopes and red-dot sights on their turkey guns. Use of such technologies seems excessive in this case and risks complicating something that should be very simple. It is safer to add a rifle sight system with a front and rear sight that can be attached to a standard ribbed shotgun barrel. The company TruGlo has a great line of turkey sights that’ll fit most any shotgun.
Turkey barrels: If you have the money, you can buy a turkey barrel that doesn’t have chokes or sights as an issue. There are a number of pump-action and autoloading shotgun manufacturers that make turkey barrels that are easy to switch between your shotgun’s all-purpose barrel and the turkey barrel without the need for gunsmithing services.
Turkey barrels are shorter, which makes them easier to carry and handle, and many of them come with turkey chokes.
Browning makes a turkey barrel for their great BPS pump-action shotgun that has a turkey choke and a good set of permanently attached rifle sights. A downside is cost.
A turkey barrel for a Browning BPS costs as much as an entire Remington 870 Express shotgun. Plus, a turkey barrel for the 870 will only cost half of what you paid for the shotgun.
For turkey hunting, a sling is a great thing to have on your gun because you won’t be snap shooting. It keeps your hands free for using turkey calls when you’re traveling to find birds in the middle of the morning, and it keeps your arms from getting tired from carrying your gun all day. Most types of shotguns can be upgraded with aftermarket sling kits that don’t require the gun to be changed permanently.
As long as you don’t count practice sessions, turkey hunters only fire one or two shots a season, so you don’t have to worry about your shoulder getting too sore from shooting 3” or even 3 ½” shells. If your shotgun can hold these magnum rounds, it’s a good idea to get as much knock-down power as you can from it when you’re after these big birds.
Make sure to stick with dedicated turkey loads. Some guys are proud of killing turkeys with old squirrel loads that they got from their grandfather, but you should only use turkey loads from reputable companies. Most shotshells designed for turkeys are loaded with lead pellets that have been plated in copper. High speeds are possible because the lead is heavy, and the copper coating keeps the spheres from deforming in the barrel and flying all over the place.
Also, the wads on Turkey loads will be thicker and deeper to protect the metal on tight chokes and give denser patterns at long ranges. You’ll use smaller pellets for turkey hunting than for goose hunting, even though wild turkeys are usually much bigger than geese. Shots of sizes 4, 5, and 6 work well for turkeys, as do loads that use a mix of shot sizes. Some states do not allow shot larger than #4 or smaller than #7 ½ to be used on turkeys, so as always check your local regulations before loading up.
In my opinion, the company Hevi-Shot produces one of the best turkey loads out there. This shot is very pricey but non-toxic, and I think it’s well worth the money for turkey hunting. The heaviness of the shot allows you to use smaller pellets, which means more pellets in the shell.
I have had fantastic luck with their Magnum Blend shotshells loaded with 5, 6, and 7 pellets. When I use these rounds, I get more than enough pellets into the bird’s head, and almost none of them get into the meat.
Turkey shoots are a time-honored tradition in many parts of the country. While any shotgun can be used for a turkey shoot, dedicating some time to build a specialized turkey gun can give you a leg up on the competition. I recently set out to build the ultimate DIY turkey shoot gun using tips from expert hunters and resources found online. Here’s how I did it:
Selecting the Right Shotgun
The first step is choosing the right shotgun to modify. For a turkey shoot gun, you want a 12 or 20 gauge pump-action shotgun for the versatility and reliability. The Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 are popular choices as they easy to customize and have huge aftermarket part availability. I went with a used Remington 870 Express 12 gauge as the foundation.
Add a Specialized Barrel
One of the biggest factors in turkey shoot success is the shotgun barrel. You want an extended barrel length of 26-30 inches with a super tight choke no larger than .680 inches. The longer smoother barrel and tighter choke concentration the load for denser patterns on target. I installed a custom 30-inch barrel sleeved and choked to .675 inches – throwing huge shot strings downrange.
Increase Comfort with a Custom Stock
While not a must, an adjustable stock with a thick recoil pad will make the long days of shooting more comfortable. I added a Knoxx SpecOps adjustable stock with an 80% recoil reducing system. The adjustable length-of-pull from 12.5 to 15.2 inches custom fits the gun to your frame.
Enhance Trigger Control
The heavy factory turkey gun triggers lead to “pulling” shots as you struggle through the weight. I installed a Timney trigger kit with a 3 lb pull to allow smooth triggers presses while maintaining safety. Crisp triggers make accuracy easier at the long turkey shoot ranges.
Dial-In Accuracy with a Sight
Open sights can make precision shooting at unknown ranges difficult. A mounted electronic red dot sight gives a clear sight picture and allows compensating for different yardages. I mounted a durable lightweight Trijicon MRO reflex sight – enabling fast target acquisition.
Protect the Build with a Custom Skin
Lastly, I added a Mossy Oak gun skin in Bottomlands pattern to protect the gun and give it a custom look. The vinyl wrap prevents scratches in the field and stands out at the shoots.
Range Testing for Success
After final assembly, I did extensive patterning and sighting-in at distances from 10 to 60 yards. I achieved excellent patterns on target with heavy concentrations of uniform shot strings. The gun is a tack-driver on the range and ready for turkey shoot dominance.
Building a specialized turkey shoot gun takes some effort but pays off in performance and pride With the right modifications and patterning, you’ll have a dedicated competition gobbler-dropper turkey gun that stands above the rest I’m excited to join the turkey shoots this season and put my custom creation to the test against the flock.
