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Turkey Gun Build & Pattern

I’ve heard prism is the way to go with eyes like mine. Have tried a scope but didn’t like it much. For now I’m using the stock FO sights. Hopefully I’ll see how I like it this Saturday.


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FO front sight and even OG steel beads have worked fine for us.

I’m the first of my group to go with an optic, but initially I like what I’m seeing.

I only get the slightest tail (comma) on a red dot, so I can’t say I’m much bothered by a reflex sight.

The Eotech I’m using has a kind of fuzzy reticle to all eyes, characteristic of a holographic sight, though I don’t get any tailing at all from mine. When focused on the target, it isn’t distracting. Biggest pro for the holographic is the extremely small parallax.

I also have an IOR Valdada 3x25 prism sight and it is totally clear. I could easily run this on the turkey gun, but it’s more sensitive to head position / alignment. The holographic sight just doesn’t seem to care about your alignment, which makes it great for this application IMO.
 
Man I still have old copper plated Remington Duplex 4x6's in 2 3/4" that still throw a decent pattern at 35 yards. They were cutting edge back in the day and were olive drab with the brass blackened just like military shotgun shells. My favorite "old school" loads were the Nickel plated "Activ" shotshells in #5. Those pattern out of my Ithaca 37 Turkeyslayer like a dream. They don't make them anymore. Now that I've relegated to bowhunting gobblers only I'll still have these old shells for another 30 years if I live that long.
 
FO front sight and even OG steel beads have worked fine for us.

I’m the first of my group to go with an optic, but initially I like what I’m seeing.

I only get the slightest tail (comma) on a red dot, so I can’t say I’m much bothered by a reflex sight.

The Eotech I’m using has a kind of fuzzy reticle to all eyes, characteristic of a holographic sight, though I don’t get any tailing at all from mine. When focused on the target, it isn’t distracting. Biggest pro for the holographic is the extremely small parallax.

I also have an IOR Valdada 3x25 prism sight and it is totally clear. I could easily run this on the turkey gun, but it’s more sensitive to head position / alignment. The holographic sight just doesn’t seem to care about your alignment, which makes it great for this application IMO.

I have an ancient hand me down Bushnell Holo sight that I've been thinking of trying, but I've waited too late to take it out for the opener.
 
Went out this morning before work to listen for birds. Was lucky enough to watch 5 hens fly down in one spot and then watch a Tom strut and gobble in another spot. Just over two weeks before our opener!!
 
I have an ancient hand me down Bushnell Holo sight that I've been thinking of trying, but I've waited too late to take it out for the opener.

It should work great. Basically an Eotech gen 1, which were widely used but did have a few issues (thermal drift, moisture incursion/reticle fade, and cold weather distortion). I wouldn't anticipate conditions necessarily forcing those issues while turkey hunting at all. I left my FO on and can see it through the window too, I guess if I ever needed a backup.

Here is some info on your optic:

"The Bushnell is an older-generation Eotech with no rollcage, fewer brightness levels, and shorter battery life.

Here's my standard post on the differences between the two:

The Bushnell Holosight and the Eotech use the same holographic technologies, and the Bushnells that look like the Eotech are made in America, in the same plant as the Eotechs. There are 2 styles of Bushnell Holosight now - the Eotech style, and the XLP, which is much more futuristic looking, and is made in Japan. The XLP is physically a completely different design, with a lower centerline of about 1.1", but still uses the same reticle. From a reticle perspective, there's very little difference between any of them except for max brightness.

Essentially, the Eotech style Bushnell is a pre Rev F Eotech without the hood.

Here are the key differences:

- The Eotech uses their Rev F technology (starting in 2005), which greatly extends battery life and gives a much wider range of reticle brightness, including more brightness at the high end, and has improved buttons. The Bushnells use the pre-Rev F technology still, with shorter battery life and less brightness range. The Rev F Eotechs are marked with an F on the hood, but the hood can be replaced or changed easily, so this isn't always a good indication.

- Battery life:
Eotech N battery version - 200 hours at the 12 (of 20) setting
Eotech AA version - 600 hours (alkaline), 1000 hours (lithium) at the 12 (of 20) setting.
Eotech CR123 version - 1100 hours at the 12 (of 20) setting
Bushnell N battery version - 40 hours life at the 12 (of 20) setting
Bushnell N battery new version (on/off switch) - 60 hours
Bushnell AAA battery version (XLP) - 100 hours life at the 10 (of 15) setting

There's no data I've found on battery life for the Bushnell AA version.

- The Eotech has a protective hood. The Eotech style Bushnell doesn't, and can't be retrofitted, though the hood is available as a replacement part through Eotech. The hood fits on a set of rails with tapped holes on the Eotech base that aren't there on the Bushnell. Both have encapsulated electronics for recoil and impact resistance. The Bushnell XLP has a hood built in to the design, but is not directly comparable to the Eotech design.

- The 55X models of the Eotech have night vision compatible settings in addition to the regular settings. The 51X Eotechs and the Bushnells don't have this.

- The 55X versions of the Eotech are waterproof to 33 feet, while the 51X versions and the Bushnell are waterproof to 10 feet.

- The Eotechs are available using N or AA batteries, and the new 553 uses CR123 version. The Eotech style Bushnells are available using N batteries, and had an AA version that's not available in their current catalog (though there are indications they'll release one as part of their new line). The Bushnell XLP models use AAA batteries.

For all of them, if you use lithium batteries, you dramatically increase battery life, especially at low temperatures, but the low battery indication doesn't work with lithium batteries. Note that N batteries aren't generally available in lithium. Also, there have been a number of problems reported with N battery Eotechs draining the battery rapidly, even while off. The conventional wisdom is to use name brand batteries to help avoid this, but there's little hard data on this problem.

Both brands have a 2 year warranty."
 

available as of this morning in some sizes

I've never shot TSS just because I have a stockpile of Longbeard XR i've used over the years. Is it the pattern or the fact that you can reach out 50yds and beyond OR both that makes it so desirable?
Both--I just want to do whatever I can to maximize my chance of an effective, quick kill at the longest range possible. I have only had two shots ever (both lead shot), one of which was about a 65-yard hail mary that missed (dumb--didn't realize it was that far), and one 20-yard shot that dropped the bird in his tracks.

I'm no turkey whisperer, so the idea that you "just need to call them in closer" isn't as much an option for me as it might be for others. In other words, I have my own limitations on killing a turkey to deal with, and I don't want my equipment to be one of them, to the extent I can help it. If $8 per shell is the difference between being effective at 40 vs. 55 yards (Longbeard XRs vs. TSS), that's well worth it to me.
 
Is it the pattern or the fact that you can reach out 50yds and beyond OR both that makes it so desirable?
Yes.

Density is sexy in a shotgun pellet. It's why every waterfowl hunter hates steel. You have to get a bigger pellet to do the same job as a smaller lead pellet, and then you have worse patterns because you can put fewer of those pellets in a shell and on a target. Absolutely nobody would shoot steel if it wasn't for the GW writing tickets.

Tungsten is cool because it's denser than steel. You can do with #9 shot what you can do with #5 lead (roughly, if memory serves) and you get twice as many pelleta in a shell so you up the odds of a denser pattern.
 
My turkey slayers include
870 3.5" 25.5" barrel Supermag topped with a Leupold VariX-II 2-7×33 with a Carlson's .660 XR choke tube
Mossberg 835 3.5" 25" barrel Carlsons XR choke tube topped with a 2 moa Sig Romeo 5 red dot
Benelli Supernova 3.5" 25" barrel with a Carlson XR choke tube topped also with a 2 moa Sig Romeo 5 RD
All shoot Winchester Supreme Long Beard XR 2oz of #5 shot honestly leathal patterns to 60 yards in a 10" circle.
As far as sight systems go there are some excellent all steel AM fiber optic bolt on to vent ribbed systems that the rear sight is windage and hight adjustable I have one on my 870 SM and can not recommend it strongly enough but went to a scope 4 seasons ago once I developed a mild astigmatism and never been happier
My boys and I also love the Romeo 5 RD sights. Bought mine back when they were still $100 W/free shipping, most likely not going to find that good a deal on a Romeo 5 these days but if you can find one for around $120 are the best RD for under $200 IMO
I simply can not say enough good things about the Winchester Long Beard XR Turkey shells. Best non TSS turkey shells you can buy hands down
TSS likely gets you an extra 15 maybe 20 yards of effective range vs the Winchester but at $8-$10+ a shell VS $2.40 for the Winchester

This is the AM sight system I use and can not recommend strongly enough it bolts onto your guns vent ribb:
 
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This should probably go on the shameless thread, but I think I enjoy building and patterning turkey guns as much as I do turkey hunting.

Patterned my 28 gauge yesterday and have my daughters Stevens 301T .410 almost ready to go. Just lack the indian creek .390 to be delivered.

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Also, if you don't want to have a reciever drilled/tapped. Meadow creek makes a solid vent rib mount for the fast fire/venom/delta pro reflex sights. This is an AT3 ARO mounted on my franchi 48AL 28 gauge.
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Woodsdog2,
You are dating urself on those Activ wads. I have 6 banana crates still of 20ga and I reload them in once fired remington game loads hulls, winchester primers w/ # 5 for pheasant and 8/9 for skeet. I had to call Hodgdon back in 2002 to confirm pressure would be ok w/international clays.. It knocks um dead...
I was a sales rep for a wholesale firearms dist and I gotta tellya, that 37 turkey slayer my co worker won is w/o a doubt the best patterning shotgun I have ever seen. I don't care what you feed it, the patterns are crazy good. Never sell that gun..
I only use a NEF 12ga w/ a hastings choke w/ low velocity red hull winchester #5's. Killed this bird last yr @ 37 yrds and longest shot ever & best wt to date. Hella hunt. 23.4lbs, longest spur was 1.5", w/ a smaller beard 9.5" @ 1045. We had a ton of snow that winter so maybe he lost some.
 

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I know it's one of the latest crazes but I'm not sure why anyone needs a tactical shotgun with optics to shoot a stationary object at 30 yards.
 
I love my little NEF and have pared my calls and gear way down yrs ago. I use an ole fleece muzzleloader bag that holds my 1ea slate call /1ea primos power crystal ,about 4 strikers but I always fall back to 2ea. I have a tiny limb saw, black fly head net, 3/4 face mask gloves, cordage with a ring to haul the bird out, 2ea Quaker boy mouth calls, 4 shells, license, a small knife w/ plastic bag, and some scotch brite sections to rough my slates/strike tips. That it, very light and mobile. Rarely use decoys or a box call anymore. Only hunt from 9-12. Never killed a bird coming off the roost. They always fly to hens on me.. Here is a super compact little box call if you ever see one. The old ones were made in Palmdale, FL. Works great, but not quite as easy to use as an ole lynch
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I know it's one of the latest crazes but I'm not sure why anyone needs a tactical shotgun with optics to shoot a stationary object at 30 yards.


Centering a tight pattern at 30 yards is harder than it appears. I shot the other day with the 870 I posted and the extra full. At 20 yards I was 3-4 inches right while sitting with arms supported by my knees. Never would suspect it without a tight pattern. I'm considering some sort of smaller alternative to the plain bead. I had the target covered but very far from pin point accuracy. It's easy to miss with tight chokes.
 
My benelli sbe 2 with the old style Rhino .660 choke consistently spits out incredible patterns with every she'll I've put through it. Apex and Nitro Co loads always put me above 400/10 at 40. Lb I had high 200s with 6s. Something not enough people mention is recoil. Wowsa some of these 2.5 oz loads feel like a 460 Weatherby with every pull!
 
Centering a tight pattern at 30 yards is harder than it appears. I shot the other day with the 870 I posted and the extra full. At 20 yards I was 3-4 inches right while sitting with arms supported by my knees. Never would suspect it without a tight pattern. I'm considering some sort of smaller alternative to the plain bead. I had the target covered but very far from pin point accuracy. It's easy to miss with tight chokes.
I think turkeys guns and chokes are something people just overthink,like they do with broadheads and bullets.I use nothing but 20ga and shoot tss out of a trulock choke tube.It's a nice uniform pattern out to 45 yards,which is further than I plan on shooting.I call them in close so I have no need for a super-full choke.
 
I think turkeys guns and chokes are something people just overthink,like they do with broadheads and bullets.I use nothing but 20ga and shoot tss out of a trulock choke tube.It's a nice uniform pattern out to 45 yards,which is further than I plan on shooting.I call them in close so I have no need for a super-full choke.
IMO the only thing that really needs to be fine tuned and tested is the 410. Not a lot of room for error with some of those patterns.

This was out of my 28 gauge and factory full choke. No tuning needed.
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My benelli sbe 2 with the old style Rhino .660 choke consistently spits out incredible patterns with every she'll I've put through it. Apex and Nitro Co loads always put me above 400/10 at 40. Lb I had high 200s with 6s. Something not enough people mention is recoil. Wowsa some of these 2.5 oz loads feel like a 460 Weatherby with every pull!


I was shooting 2 3/4" Federal the other day. They still hold 1.5 oz of shot and smack the crap out of you. Particularly in a pump gun. Gas auto is so much more comfortable.
 
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