Barrel for a turkey gun

[Crow Hunter]

I have a Remington 870 with a 3" chamber and a  rifled barrel, that I used to use for deer hunting in Iowa, which I don't do anymore. I took the scope off of it to put on a muzzleloader, since I am now over 60 years old.  I am kicking around the idea of turning it into a turkey gun. I am looking at vent rib barrels with the remchoke. What barrel would you guys recommend? 26" or 28"? Shorter?  I just hunt (so far) central Minnesota. Thanks for your thoughts.

[DonBo]

A shorter barrel is a big plus in the confined spaces we so often see while turkey hunting, blinds, brushy fencelines, wooded areas, etc.  Most designated turkey guns have barrels of only 22 - 24".  

Longer barrels are nice to help you swing with the movement of clay targets, or flying birds, but have no real place in the turkey woods.  A good tight super full turkey choke along with some dedicated 3" turkey loads is all you'll need to keep a tight pattern needed to kill a longbeard.  Top that barrel with some fibre optic sights and you've got yourself a real turkey killer.

Hope this helps.

[rundrave]

I have had good success and patterning with an undertaker choke on my 870 shooting 3" turkey loads. I am pretty confident up to 40-50yrd shots with that choke.

[Crow Hunter]

I finally ordered the Remington turkey barrel for my 870. It is a 21" vent rib barrel with a turkey extra full choke. Donbo suggested adding fiber optic sights (read above), can you recommend one that would fit this barrel? I see there are magnetic ones available that clip onto the vent rib, do they stay in place with the recoil from a 3" turkey load?? Do I want a front sight only?  Any help would be appreciated.

Edited March 8, 2017 by Crow Hunter
clarification

[Borch]

Personally I like Williams Firesights. They are a front and back sight system. They are all metal, clamp on and are adjustable for both elevation and windage.   Life time warranty too.

 

Chokes are very gun/ammo specific.  Some that have worked well for us are the HS Undertaker, Comp N Choke, Primos Tightwad and Jelly head.   Best by far in the 12 gauge 870s with our guys have been the Comp N Choke turkey chokes.  Turned two 30 yard 870s into 50 yard guns.  You results may vary.

[Illini Walli]

i'd stay away from magnetic sights and get something with set screws to lock the sights firmly onto the rib.

i'd also go with a front and rear fiber optic sight combo.

i still shoot turkeys with the mossberg 500 i bought when i started hunting turkeys in 1991. the barrel had a front fiber optic bead and a iron bead about midway down the barrel. i got a true glow fiber optic sight pair and mounted them directly in front of both beads. i then removed the iron bead. gun always has been dead on out to 50 yards shooting 3 inch winchester xx 5s

shoot some shells thru the x-full choke you got and see how it patterns. you can always upgrade chokes if you think you need a tighter pattern and/or at longer range

sounds like you got a turkey slayer

 

 

[DonBo]

I have the TRUGLO® Pro Series Magnum Gobble-Dot on both my 12 and 20 ga. and absolutely love them.  

[ZachD]

14 hours ago, DonBo said:

I have the TRUGLO® Pro Series Magnum Gobble-Dot on both my 12 and 20 ga. and absolutely love them.  

This is what I put on mine last year with a jelly head choke. It pattern nicely out to 40 yards I am sure it would pattern to 50 but 40 is enough for me. This was on a Mossy 500

[Crow Hunter]

Thanks for your thoughts, everybody. I believe I will try the truglo gobble dot set. I am also going to get a Sims Limbsaver slip-over recoil pad, which will increase the length of pull by an inch. I am 6'5" with long arms and need a pretty long LOP. Plus the factory butt pad on this gun is pretty hard. Really getting excited for turkey season...

[Powerstroke]

6 hours ago, Crow Hunter said:

Thanks for your thoughts, everybody.....Really getting excited for turkey season...

 

I'm really getting excited for turkey season too and its been awesome seeing you ask so many great questions! Everyone benefits on a site like this. 

[DonBo]

On 3/10/2017 at 8:56 AM, Crow Hunter said:

 I am also going to get a Sims Limbsaver slip-over recoil pad,

 

You will love it!  Nothing kicks quite like a turkey load.  The aftermarket recoil pads really help calm that effect.

[rkhinrichs]

I just bought a Comp N Choke. Going to give it a try through my 870 this year, if I don't have any luck the first 4 days

[Crow Hunter]

OK, I appears I am going to need some more advice...    When I used my 870 express as a slug gun, I had a B-square mount with a scope on it. Now, with that off and the turkey barrel on the gun, the drop at heel does not fit me, when I bring the gun up I can see the whole rib. I bought a Sims airtech slip-on recoil pad, and  am going to make a spacer for the butt end of the stock to increase the length of pull to 15", as I am 6'5" with 36 inch sleeves. If I get a TRUGLO® Pro Series Magnum Gobble-Dot sight, can I adjust the sight enough since it will obviously shoot high the way it fits me now? Is there a way to shim the stock to increase drop at heel? Should I consider putting the B-square mount back on and getting a red-dot sight for it?

If you look at the picture, the stock actually rises as you go back toward the butt so increasing the LOP may actually make it worse. Do I dare shave the top of the stock down where it meets my face? I am not concerned about resale value or anything like that. I will appreciate any of your thoughts, thanks a lot.

Edited March 15, 2017 by Crow Hunter

[monstermoose78]

I would talk to a gunsmith. It's to bad the one I know is not on here anymore. But I am sure you fit it to you. I am just not sure how. As you mentioned I am the same height as you and about the same length of eyes.

[Cheetah]

That TruGlo sight will stand up about 1/2 to 5/8 inch.  You can't adjust the front dot.   I think you will find the stock is fine once you put the sight on.  I just put one on my new turkey gun.  Let me know if you need an exact measurement.  you could tape some pieces of wood onto the rib to test with.  

 

 

[ZachD]

The sight adjust pretty good I would say you wont have a problem you can always take it back if it doesn't work

[bobbymalone]

I'm surprised I couldn't find an aftermarket shim kit for an 870 in 5 seconds of googling.

[Crow Hunter]

14 hours ago, Cheetah said:

That TruGlo sight will stand up about 1/2 to 5/8 inch.  You can't adjust the front dot.   I think you will find the stock is fine once you put the sight on.  I just put one on my new turkey gun.  Let me know if you need an exact measurement.  you could tape some pieces of wood onto the rib to test with.  

I taped a 1/2" dowel to the top of the rib, it appears that when I bring the gun up now that I am looking right down the dowel. So I will get a sight and see how it goes.

 

[Crow Hunter]

Well... I got a Truglo gobble-dot fiber optic sight set and it won't work for me, I can't get enough elevation to look straight down the sights. So, I am going to take the sight set back, put my B-square mount back on, and get a red-dot sight. I did fine with this gun when I had it scoped for deer, so I assume this setup will also work. Anybody use a red dot sight for turkeys that they recommend? I would think my budget would be 125 bucks or less. Thanks for any help.

[Borch]

Most of our guys use low power scopes but have used red dots in the past.  The less expensive red dots just didn't seem to hold up.