Not too long ago, turkeys were hunted with standard hunting shotguns. But as the needs of turkey hunters became clearer, manufacturers began producing shotguns designed specifically for turkey hunting.

This produced a shorter, handier gun. The accuracy of the turkey gun was augmented with specialty chokes and newer sighting options. Combined with better ammunition, the modern turkey hunter can push the limits on traditional turkey hunting ranges.

But what goes into a turkey shotgun and how do you really benefit from these upgrades? Or what can you do to get the most out of your turkey gun?

Let’s go over some of the factors of a turkey gun and the ammunition available.

A good turkey gun will be chambered in 12,16 or 20-gauge as well as .410. It should have a ventilated rib to sight down, or a red dot-type sight to increase your accuracy at range using #4 or #2 copper-coated lead shot. TSS shot, with mixed #7 and #9 shot is growing in popularity as well and is a wide pattern alternative to traditional heavy shot.

BB or #2 steel shot compensates for the lighter weight non-lead requirement in some states. If you want nearly the same shot pattern as lead, but are in a no-lead state, you can use much more expensive tungsten shot in # 4 or #2. These shot sizes work in shells from 2 ¾ inch to 3 ½ inch lengths. All of these shells should be high-velocity, full powder shells designed for turkeys.

Turkey gun basics

A turkey gun is just a shotgun. There are many modern options, but the important ones are barrel, choke, sights, gauge, and ammunition as measured in shot size and the amount of powder.

The barrel

Western turkey hunting with longer shots requires a 26 to 28-inch barrel. Eastern hunting in heavily wooded areas requires a shorter barrel, beginning at 20 inches.

Shot pattern is important at all distances, but crucial beyond 50 yards. It takes a lot to drop a big tom, so a full choke is a great idea for longer shots, a longer barrel can increase distance accuracy.

Any shotgun barrel, no matter the gauge has the power and accuracy to take a gobbler if the distance allows. Distance is the key in determining an effective turkey shotgun barrel length.

Barrels range from 18 to 32 inches. The longer the barrel the tighter the pattern was once the rule, but chokes have leveled the pattern a bit for shorter barrels. Accuracy remains heavily in favor of the longer barrel.

Chokes

A choke controls the size of the pattern, the fuller the choke, the tighter the pattern and the longer the shot. Chokes come in several sizes, including a device called a poly-choke that allows you to adjust through the range.

The ideal shot pattern for turkeys is 40 inches. At that pattern size, you can place enough pellets on the target to humanly take a big bird. In the chart below you see the comparative pattern widths with the four most popular chokes. This pattern is true for all gauge sizes, with just more pellets on target as you move up in size from .410 to 12 gauge.

Choke	Pattern Width at 20 Yards in inches	Pattern Width at 40 yards in inches
Cylinder	32	(40 at 25 yards)
Improved Cylinder	26	(40 at 30 yards)
Full	16	40

Sights

Turkey hunting is as instinctive as pheasant hunting or shooting clays. Practice enough and the shotgun becomes part of you as you sight on a flushed turkey. Unlike rifle hunting, shotguns are reactive firearms, they often rely on quickly acquiring a target and then pulling the trigger. Red dot sights, front, and rear rifle-style sights, and scopes all have their place if you can locate a stationary bird, but the best on-the-fly turkey hunting sight remains the flat edge of a ventilated rib on the upper side of your barrel.

Gauge

The three most popular gauges for turkey hunting are 12, 20, and .410. The 12-gauge remains the go-to option for turkey hunters with it’s greater energy, and higher pellet count on target. The only issue with a 12 gauge is the recoil, which can be too much for some hunters.

The 20 gauge is a lower recoil option that many female hunters and youth prefer to take to the field. With the right load, it is still a great turkey gun.

A new arrival, with a long heritage following it, is the .410. With longer three-inch shells, and higher-powered loads. Light, and with most models well balanced, it is an easy gun to use, and offers almost no recoil.

The other option with a growing number of hunters is the 16-gauge, which has more energy than a 20, and less recoil than the 12.

Ammunition

Shotgun shells come in a wide variety of options, ranging in size from 2 ¾ to 3 ½ inches. Shot size and composition are other options. Lead shot remains legal for upland game bird hunting in most states, but some now require steel or non-lead shot for all hunting.

Steel shot doesn’t travel as far or deliver the force that lead shot does.

For turkey hunting, the ideal lead shot size is #4 or #2, and it’s effective in all gauges.

A few states don’t allow .410 shotguns for turkey hunting. The most popular gauge by far remains 12, with 16 gauge shotguns making a comeback, and youth and female hunters often preferring the lighter kicking 20 gauge.

For hard-hitting power, a 12-gauge with a three-inch magnum shell, packed with BB is hard to beat.

For steel shot, go down two sizes to compensate for the weaker power and more limited range. A good steel shot size is #2 or BB.

Turkey gun options

There are numerous turkey guns available today. We’re going to look at a wide variety of them to give you an idea of what’s out there. If you want a dedicated turkey gun without having to build it from your normal hunting shotgun, this list is for you.

Mossberg 500 Turkey

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The Mossberg 500 Turkey is a great option for turkey hunting. This all-in-one package features several upgrades to the 500 series that target turkey hunting.

Starting off, the 500 Turkey features a 20-inch barrel with a fiber optic front sight. This allows you to easily move around while hunting and provides a better sighting option than the standard bead sight.

The barrel also features an X-Factor Ported Tube choke to help keep your pattern tight at close range. Combined with a top-mounted safety, this shotgun is ready to go for both left and right-hand shooters.

The 500 Turkey features Mossberg’s twin-action bars, dual extractors, and anti-jam elevator. This makes it a durable and reliable hunting shotgun with a 5+1 capacity.

The 3-inch chamber allows for most standard turkey loads. That makes this pump-action shotgun a must for those who don’t want to spend a lot on a turkey gun but also want more than one shot.

The synthetic stock also features a recoil pad just in case you want to use hotter loads or need something to absorb the kick of this 12 gauge shotgun.

Mossberg makes reliable, accurate inexpensive shotguns. In my early days, I didn’t care for their original single rail design that could get sticky and occasionally bend, but their modern addition of a second rail has solved that problem. Mossberg pump-action shotguns with the dual-rail system rarely have issues, and they’ll shoot everything from low-powered range shells to big 3-inch magnum shells with equal reliability.

Pros

• Ambidextrous
• 40.25-inch overall length
• Ported tube
• Handles 3-inch shells

Cons

• Stronger recoil at 7 pounds
• 20-inch barrel

Gauge	12 Gauge
Chamber	3 in.
Capacity	5+1
Barrel Length	20 in.
Stock	Vented recoil pad, synthetic
Choke	X-Factor Ported Tube
Weight	7 lbs.
Action	Pump
Hand	Ambidextrous
Overall Length	40.25 in.
Sights	Fiber Optic Front

Key features

• Ambidextrous – for left-handed shooters, this is a great choice
• 3-inch chamber – can handle larger, magnum shells
• Mossberg is the world leader in pump-action shotguns
• Reliability – pump-action shotguns work with all loads and rarely jam

Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 Turkey

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Benelli offers a good semi-auto option if you want a 3-½ inch chamber with a pre-mounted optic.

The Super Black Eagle 3 features a pistol grip synthetic stock to keep the gun from being impacted by the weather.

The ported Crio barrel is on the longer side at 24 inches but it comes in multiple choke options ranging from standard to extended chokes.

This shotgun features an oversized bolt handle and bolt release button for ease of use in the field. There are two sighting systems included with the Eagle 3 Turkey, one is a fiber optic bead and the other is a Burris FastFire 2 red dot sight.

The FastFire features windage and elevation adjustments while being parallax-free. This means there is going to be almost no distortion when looking through the optic.

The gun comes pre-patterned from the factory using Federal Premium ammunition with a printout of the impacts on 10, 20, and 30-inch circles.

Keep in mind that if the pattern is off you can adjust your red dot to bring the point of impact back in line with your point of aim.

The major drawback to this shotgun is the steep price. If you’re a dedicated turkey hunter and want a quality semi-automatic with a 3-½ chamber, this is the gun for you.

Benelli makes great shotguns, there is no question. But they come at a substantially higher price than other models. Early Benelli shotguns had problems cycling with lower-powered, low-brass style shells, and while most of those issues have been solved, it's wise to shoot shells with higher powder content with this shotgun to keep it functioning without an annoying jam. The 3 ½ inch chamber is a monster, allowing you to hunt with the most powerful 12 gauge shells on the market.

Pros

• 3 ½ inch chamber
• 24-inch barrel
• Multiple choke options
• 45.75-inch overall length

Cons

• Weight, only 6.8 pounds
• Strong recoil
• Right hand only

Gauge	12 Gauge
Chamber	3-1/2 in.
Capacity	3+1
Barrel Length	24 in.
Stock	Steady Grip, synthetic
Choke	C, IM, F/Extended IC, M
Weight	6.8 lbs.
Action	Semi-automatic
Hand	Right
Overall Length	45.75 in.
Sights	Burris FastFire

Key features

• Great all-around barrel length at 24 inches
• Well-balanced 45.75-inch overall length
• Handles 2 ¾ to 3 ½ inch shells
• Handles multiple chokes

Franchi Affinity 3.5 Mossy Oak Bottomland 20 Gauge Semi-Automatic

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If you’re looking for a good 20 gauge option the Franchi Affinity is worth your time. At a much lower price point than the Benelli, it doesn’t have as many pre-mounted features, but it is a good step up from a traditional hunting shotgun.

With a 24-inch barrel, it matches the Benelli for length, but it does come tapped for mounting other sighting systems other than the included fiber optic rifle sights.

If you’re not interested in having a battery-operated sight on your turkey gun, this semi-automatic is ready right out of the box.

The inertia-driven system combined with a TSA pad will absorb up to 50% of the gun’s recoil, making it a good choice if you plan on training a lot with it, especially with hotter loads.

A front sight hood protects the fiber optics insert to ensure you won’t easily damage your front sight in the field.

The 3-inch chamber offers a lot of round versatility when it comes to ammunition choices. Keep in mind that lighter loads might not fully cycle the shotgun.

Recoil isn’t an issue for me, but when I’m introducing young hunters to shotgun hunting a strong recoil can deter them from a lifetime of fun. This 20 gauge Franchi offers a light carrying weight, with a recoil pad that allows younger, or smaller hunters the ability to shoot powerful 3-inch 20 gauge shells without getting their teeth rattled. For that reason alone, it’s a great choice in a turkey-hunting shotgun.

Pros

• 20 gauge – perfect for smaller hunters
• 3-inch chamber
• 24-inch length
• 6.7-pound weight – easier for smaller hunters to carry

Cons

• Right hand only
• A shorter length of 40 inches makes it front heavy

Gauge	20 Gauge
Chamber	3 in.
Capacity	4+1, 2+1 (hunting plug)
Barrel Length	24 in.
Stock	Pistol grip, synthetic
Choke	Extended Turkey, Extended Turkey XF
Weight	6.7 lbs.
Action	Semi-automatic
Hand	Right
Overall Length	40 in.
Sights	Hooded Dual-Color Fiber-optic Front Bar sight

Key features

• Lighter recoil for smaller shooters
• Shorter 40-inch length for brush hunting
• A 3-inch chamber allows more power in 20-gauge shells
• 20 gauge offers good patterns at closer ranges
• 24-inch barrel – good accuracy in a smaller gauge gun

Franchi Affinity 3.5 Mossy Oak Bottomland 12 Gauge 3-½ in Semi-Automatic

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If you’re looking for a more affordable 12 gauge option, the Franchi Affinity 3.5 also comes in 12 gauge.

While offering the same benefits as its 20 gauge sibling, this shotgun is only slightly more expensive.

Despite its price hovering around $1,000, it is still almost half the price of the Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 while having changeable chokes.

This shotgun has the versatility of using 3-½ inch shells which goes beyond the 20 gauge version. Using these heavier loads means the gun will mean that the gun cycles properly and that you get the most out of the inertia system for recoil mitigation.

Pros

• Chambered for 3 ½ inch shells
• 24-inch barrel
• Pistol grip
• 7.5 pounds

Cons

• 40-inch overall weight makes it front heavy
• Right hand only

Gauge	12 Gauge
Chamber	3-1/2 in.
Capacity	4+1, 2+1 (hunting plug)
Barrel Length	24 in.
Stock	Pistol grip, synthetic
Choke	Extended turkey, Extended Turkey XF
Weight	7.5 lbs.
Action	Semi-automatic
Hand	Right
Overall Length	40 in.
Sights	Hooded Dual-Color Fiber-optic Front Bar sight

Key features

• Pistol grip
• Extended turkey choke
• Chambered for 3 ½ inch shells
• 24-inch barrel

Rossi Tuffy Turkey Black/OD Green .410 3” Single Shot

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If you want absolute simplicity, the Rossi Tuffy Turkey is a great starter shotgun. Chambered in .410, this single-shot shotgun is ideal for younger hunters. The controls are simple and there is not a lot of weight to the gun.

It is perfect for those areas where .410 is legal to use on turkey and costs a fraction of a quality pump action.

The Tuffy features a basic bead front sight but also has a Picatinny rail to mount whatever compatible optics you want on it.

This makes it beneficial for those more experienced shooters who want a longer-range challenge while hunting turkey. This is aided by the extra full choke that comes with the shotgun.

If you don’t want to spend too much on a dedicated turkey gun and can use a .410 for hunting, this shotgun is perfect, especially if you want a pistol grip stock.

Pros

• Great beginners’ shotgun
• Light 3.675-pound weight
• Long 26-inch barrel
• Light recoil

Cons

• .410 may not have enough energy for turkeys
• Single shot

Gauge	.410 Gauge
Chamber	3 in.
Capacity	1
Barrel Length	26 in.
Stock	Pistol grip, synthetic
Choke	Extra Full
Weight	3.675 lbs.
Action	Single Shot
Hand	Right
Overall Length	41 in.
Sights	Front Bead, Picatinny rail

Key features

• Single shot
• Light 3.675-pound weight
• 26-inch barrel
• Chambered for 3-inch shells

CVA Scout Compact Realtree Timber .410 3” Single Shot Shotgun

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The CVA Compact Scout is a more robust .410 single-shot option. Not geared toward new shooters, this shotgun features a number of choke options but no base sights.

Instead, it features an optics mounting rail. This rail is a DuraSight scope rail which is ready for any standard scope ring on the market currently.

This means you are going to have to have an optic ready for it otherwise it is not ready out of the box.

The controls are fully ambidextrous and the shotgun is heavy for a single shot. This aids in accuracy and places it in a similar weight category as the semi-automatics on this list.

If you want to push the limits of your .410 load’s range, this is a good gun to use with the appropriate scope.

Hunting with a .410 is a dual platform, it’s light, easy to carry, and has little recoil, making it great for youth, but it doesn’t approach the shot pattern of larger gauge guns. In the hands of a skilled hunter, a .410 is an elegant gauge that focuses on the marksmanship of the hunter. A single shot makes that even more imperative.

Pros

• More advanced .410
• Heavier 6-pound weight
• 22-inch barrel
• Almost recoil free

Cons

• .410 may not have enough energy for turkeys
• Single shot

Gauge	.410 Gauge
Chamber	3 in.
Capacity	1
Barrel Length	22 in.
Stock	Composite
Choke	IC, F, T
Weight	6 lbs.
Action	Single Shot
Hand	Ambidextrous
Overall Length	41 in.
Sights	Optics rail

Key features

• Chambered for 3-inch shells
• 22-inch barrel length
• Comes with IC, F & T Chokes
• 41-inch overall length

Winchester SXP Turkey Hunter Shotgun

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This Winchester SXP is another standardized pump shotgun. This model comes in both 12 and 20-gauge offerings with almost exactly the same dimensions.

The only major differences are the chambering, the size of the chamber (3-½ inches on the 12 gauge, 3 inches on the 20 gauge), and the weight of the two variations.

The 12 gauge option weighs slightly more than the 20 gauge option. But both come with Tru-Glo rifle sights and an Invector-Plus Extra-Full Turkey Choke.

The barrel is 24 inches and the SXP Turkey features a drop-out trigger design. If you’re expecting a light trigger, the SXP trigger tends to be heavy. This can be fixed with some custom trigger work if you want to lighten the trigger pull.

The SXP Turkey is still a quality turkey gun but it lacks the ambidextrous benefit of the Mossberg 500 Turkey.

Pump action shotguns remain a favorite for their reliable, fast action, and for their ability to fire any size or power level shell and still cycle. They’re the best for cold, wet conditions as well.

Pros

• Available in 12 or 20 gauge
• Chambered for 3 ½ 12 gauge shells
• 24-inch barrel
• 45-inch overall length
• Well balanced

Cons

• Right hand only
• Light 6-10 12 gauge weight
• Strong recoil

Gauge	12 Gauge, 20 Gauge
Chamber	3-½ inch, 3 inch
Capacity	5+1
Barrel Length	24 in.
Stock	Synthetic
Choke	Invector-Plus Extra Full Turkey
Weight	6 lbs 10 oz, 6 lbs 4 oz
Action	Pump
Hand	Right
Overall Length	45 in.
Sights	Tru-Glo

Key features

• Pump-action
• 24-inch barrel
• 45-inch overall length
• Chambered for 3 inches in 20 gauge, 3 ½ inches in 12 gauge

Stevens 301

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If you prefer to use .410 Heavyweight TSS loads, the Stevens 301 has been designed to use these special turkey loadings.

This single-shot shotgun falls between the Rossi Tuffy and the CVA scout in terms of features and price.

The Stevens is closer to the Tuffy in price, making it a good affordable option with simple controls and a bead sight. However, it is closer to the weight of the CVA which aids in the accuracy of the gun itself.

The Picatinny rail allows you to mount an optic to increase the effectiveness of your one shot. If you’re looking for an accuracy minded .410 with a more affordable price point, the Stevens 301 fits the bill.

Pros

• 5-pound weight
• 26-inch barrel
• Almost recoil free
• XF Choke

Cons

• .410 may not have enough energy for turkeys
• Single shot

Gauge	.410 Gauge
Chamber	3 in.
Capacity	1
Barrel Length	26 in.
Stock	Synthetic Camouflage Sporter
Choke	XF
Weight	5.07 lbs.
Action	Single Shot
Hand	Ambidextrous
Overall Length	41.5 in.
Sights	Bead, Picatinny Rail

Key features

• 26-inch barrel
• Chambered for 3-inch shells
• XF Choke
• 41.5-inch overall length

Conclusion

This list gives any turkey hunter a great place to start looking for a quality shotgun that can get the job done right off the shelf.

You could dump a lot of money into upgrading your current hunting shotgun or even add a specialized turkey barrel. Or you can get a dedicated turkey shotgun for a similar or lower price.

As with anything hunting-related, your skill level as a hunter dictates how well each of these guns performs. Many of these options offer better accuracy capability than the standard hunting shotgun, but that doesn’t matter if you don’t fulfill your role.

Loads, scopes, and hunting conditions all come into play when you’re on the hunt, you just have to recognize when you have the opportunity to bag a turkey.

Sometimes, that opportunity is not there. But with some of the options on this list, you can make more opportunities thanks to the greater range that modern turkey guns have. This is from better designs and ammunition than more general-use hunting shotguns. Ultimately what you bring on your hunt comes down to your personal preference, but now you have the tools to weigh your options.