Our Best Turkey Hunting Shotguns

Table of Contents :

• Turkey Hunting Shotgun Overview
• What Makes The Best Shotgun For Turkey Hunting
• Our Best Turkey Hunting Shotguns
• Turkey Hunting Shotguns Review

We all know when it comes to turkey hunting one of the most important things is staying discreet and hidden. One other important considerations is all of your gear, you can check out our full turkey hunting gear checklist to get the full breakdown, but we want to focus on arguably the most important part of your turkey hunt, your turkey hunting shotgun. There are many factors that play into the best shotgun for turkey hunting like camouflage, range, recoil, weight, and pellet spread. All these things can make a considerable difference when taking the shot on those wild turkey.

What Makes The Best Shotgun For Turkey Hunting

There are plenty of features to look for in a perfect turkey hunting shotgun. Typically, you will want a shotgun with a shorter barrel about 18 – 26 inches long. This is because you will want good mobility in your dense cover. Look for a shotgun that has an extra full or full choke on it for tighter pellet patterns and you should even consider adding an optic for more accurate shooting. These close range turkey shotguns may even come with pistol grips for easier handling when taking that perfect shot.

When looking to get a new turkey hunting shotgun keep these features in mind :

• Gauge Size
• Barrel Length
• Choke Tube
• Optics
• Ergonomics & Features
• Consistent Patterns

Turkey Hunting Shotgun Gauges

12 gauge shotguns are the most popular option among turkey hunters. This is because of their versatility and power. Additionally, the shotgun ammo options for 12 gauge shotguns is so vast you have plenty of options to choose for your setup. 20 gauge shotguns will be a lighter option with less recoil which is great for a compact setup or for youth hunters that need a light option. Finally, .410 bore is a surprising option for some, but with modern ammo like TSS it is surprisingly effective, and perfect for a lightweight and low-recoil turkey hunting shotgun setup.

Barrel Length For Turkey Hunting Shotguns

Turkey hunting shotguns most often have shorter barrels, this is due to them being easier to maneuver in dense coverage and tight woods or blinds. In a condensed setting, a shorter barrel is just easier to operate. Even with a shorter barrel you can still get an accurate shot at 40 yards or more. Typically, a short barrel turkey hunting shotgun will have a barrel as short at 18 inches and as long as 26 inches, or anywhere in between.

Choke Tubes For Turkey Hunting Shotguns

When building out your perfect turkey hunting shotgun setup you should be including choke tubes. A high-quality choke tube will help keep your patterns denser at longer rangers typically around 30-50 yards. Using a tight choke, extra-full turkey choke, or a dedicated turkey-specific choke tube will give you more range by keeping your pellet pattern tighter for longer.

Turkey Hunting Shotgun Optics

If you are trying to add accuracy to your turkey hunting shotgun, consider red dots to add range and accuracy around the 30 – 50 yard mark. The red dot sight or low-magnification scope will also help improve precision which is vital in turkey hunting due to aiming in the head and neck area, it is a tight target, so any advantage to increase precision and accuracy should be considered.

Ergonomics In Turkey Shotguns

To reiterate, turkey hunting is done in close quarters because of the hunting blinds and moving around the woods. A shotgun that is easy to move around with and not too heavy will make moving around much easier. Typically, hunters will use pistol grips for better control and stability, slings are also a great option, so you don’t have to hold the shotgun the entire time you are navigating the terrain. Turkey loads can be heavy, so many times shotguns will have a recoil pad to help improve the impact from the shot, and finally having a camouflage finish on your shotgun is crucial to help blend in with the environment.

Consistent Shot Patterns

A good turkey hunting shotgun is a consistent shotgun. In turkey hunting you are looking for a shot to land in the head and neck area to preserve the meat of the bird, so you need to have an accurate shot, and a pattern that is consistently in the same group so you can be confident when you pull the trigger that your pellets will hit the desired area.

Our Best Tukey Hunting Shotguns

Now that we have reviewed the qualities of the best turkey hunting shotguns, lets review our personal favorite shotguns for turkey hunting. We will go over affordable shotguns, camouflage shotguns, and just overall great turkey hunting shotguns.

Benelli Super Black Eagle III

The Benelli Super Black Eagle III is an excellent shotgun for turkey hunting. With a Realtree camouflage finish, 12 gauge, and a 3 round capacity this shotgun is a dream. Despite the barrel being on the longer side at 28” the comfort tech 3 stock configuration, 7lbs total weight, and semi auto action, and is capable of shooting 2-3/4”, 3”, and 3-1/2” shells make this shotgun perfect for turkey hunting.

Winchester SXP Super X Black Shadow

If you need a more affordable option, the Winchester SXP Super X Black Shadow shotgun can be a very effective turkey hunting shotgun. This pump action 12 gauge shotgun comes built in with an invector plus choke tube, an overall length of only 48.5”, 4 shot capacity, shoots 3” shells, and a beaded front sight this affordable shotgun is a great option for hunters on a budget or an adult hunter just getting into turkey hunting. Despite no camouflage the black color still makes it difficult to see in heavy cover.

Stoeger M3500 Max-7

With a beautiful camo finish, the Stoeger M3500 Max-7 is a great option for turkey hunting. With an affordable price point, semi auto action, 4 round capacity, shooting 2-3/4”, 3”, and 3-1/2” shells, and front bead sight the Stoeger M3500 is an excellent option to take on your next turkey hunt.

Benelli M2

The Benelli M2 is not only an iconic shotgun, but incredibly popular among hunters everywhere. The Benelli M2 Field is a 12 gauge shotgun that holds 3 rounds, shoots everything from target loads to the heaviest 3” magnums, a Gore Optifade Timber camo, Comfort Tech stock, 6.8lbs total weight, 49.5” overall length, and semi auto action all make this an excellent shotgun for turkey hunting.

Turkey Hunting Shotguns Review

Overall, there are a few things that make a great turkey hunting shotguns unique. Many hunters consider gauge size, barrel length, choke tubes, optics, ergonomics, and shot pattern as the most important things to consider for your turkey hunting shotgun build. There’re endless things to consider when outfitting for your turkey hunt so check out our full turkey hunting gear checklist to make sure you have everything ready to go to get birds in your freezer. Let us know your thoughts and share if you found this information helpful.

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