recommendations for deer and turkey combo shotgun?

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travelbug

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Looking for suggestions/input on a gun that would suit both deer and turkey? I have heard conflicting stories that a deer gun has to be a rifled barrel aka slug gun, and a smooth bore is required for Turkey rounds. Also what choke is generally used for turkey? I have heard of turkey specific chokes but most shotguns I see advertised only have 3 full, modified, Improved cylinder etc.. As a newbie any info discussion would be greatly appreciated!
 
You may want to research 12 gauge shotgun with a barrel combo…deer/turkey combo.

There are number of affordable options such as Remington 870 express, Mossberg 535/500 which I think are the most common.

I use 870 Remington Express with barrel combo, 20 inch rifled for deer and 24 inch smooth for turkey.

As for chokes…use turkey chokes, they are specifically designed for turkey pattern. Some use full chokes but I think they are not as good when comes to pattern.


Also, remember…rifled barrels are for sabot slugs ONLY and smooth bore barrels are for rifled slugs when it comes to deer.

Smooth bore barrels are for turkey loads, and water fowl, and use shot ammo. Make sure your barrel is ok to shoot steel shot.


Do your research, ask questions and have fun ;)
 
As said the Mossberg 500 series or the 535 ATS series offer both a rifled slug barrel and a 28" smoothbores barrel. Some 500 combos offering a 3rd shorter turkey barrel as well.
A rifled slug barrel is not needed for deer hunting if you plan on limiting your shots. If you want to shoot passed 100 yards a sabot and rifled barrel combo is better.
There are full bore slugs designed for rifled barrels and slugs that work in both
Turkey loads need a smooth bore barrel and if the barrel is threaded for chokes it's simple as ordering a tighter choke to extend range. Again a turkey choke is not always needed. Depending how you hunt and how far you plan to shoot. For example I've killed multiple turkey and deer with a variety of sxs smoothbores with fixed m/f chokes. It just depends on your style of hunting. Pattern your gun with the loads you choose to use and hunt within its limits
 
Go get a Mossberg 3 barrel combo they make it in the 500, 535, ( pumps) and for awhile the 930 (semi auto) they come with a 24” turkey barrel with an extra full turkey choke, a 24” fully rifled cantilever slug barrel and 28” standard smooth barrel that comes with full, modified, improved cylinder chokes. There is nothing in North America you can’t kill with these combos. I own the 500 version and have killed deer out to 120yrds, turkey to 48yrds , all species of upland game flying or running and waterfowl, puddlers, divers and geese. They leave a bit to be desired from a fit and finish stand point. But are purely workhorses of the shotgun world. They are inexpensive comparatively. Kind of the working man’s do everything gun.
 
I’ve had a mossberg fail brand new out of the box, requiring immediate warranty. I had another that I wasn’t particularly impressed with, it was kinda rough. I agree that they probably make serviceable shotguns, but I’ve never had any luck with them. I’d look for an older used shotgun combo on the EE. Either a Winchester 1300, or a Remington 870 combo. That’s just me. There are many new shotguns made in Turkey and they don’t float my boat either. Your mileage may vary.
 
My BPS has a short barrel with a long rifled choke for deer and a long turkey choke too. I don't know if someone still sells it.

meatsticks said:
I’ve had a mossberg fail brand new out of the box, requiring immediate warranty. I had another that I wasn’t particularly impressed with, it was kinda rough. I agree that they probably make serviceable shotguns, but I’ve never had any luck with them. I’d look for an older used shotgun combo on the EE. Either a Winchester 1300, or a Remington 870 combo. That’s just me. There are many new shotguns made in Turkey and they don’t float my boat either. Your mileage may vary.
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New Mossbergs are very rough feeling, but they work.
 
Any smooth bore 12ga with an IC choke and rifled slugs for deer (good to about 100yrds), and a turkey choke with turkey shot for turkey and you're good to go. Test different slugs and turkey rounds to see what your gun likes best.

My dad has killed lots of deer and turkey with the same fixed full barrel mossberg 500.
 
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travelbug said:
Looking for suggestions/input on a gun that would suit both deer and turkey? I have heard conflicting stories that a deer gun has to be a rifled barrel aka slug gun, and a smooth bore is required for Turkey rounds. Also what choke is generally used for turkey? I have heard of turkey specific chokes but most shotguns I see advertised only have 3 full, modified, Improved cylinder etc.. As a newbie any info discussion would be greatly appreciated!
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OP, are you in a shotgun only zone for deer? If not forget about a rifled barrel, that is unless you really want one just for the hell of it. Take a look at the price and availability of 12g & 20g sabot slugs, before there was a supply shortage on most ammo they were averaging about $5 a shot. Rifled shotgun barrels can be real picky about what ammo they shoot well, so it can be expensive just trying to find a sabot that’s they shoot accurately.
 
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