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Gran16
PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 5:05 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 08 Mar 2016
Posts: 120
Location: South Dakota

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone could make a nice compact 16 gauge turkey gun? I love my 16 gauge Citori and used it exclusively this year even on ducks but a cheaper and trim 16 pump or something similar I could get off the shelf and customize without feeling bad about ruining and making in to a turkey gun would nice.

I know it’s not necessary to have a tricked out customized turkey gun but it has sounded good to me lately while thinking of turkey season, and it seems like the way to go for that is a 20 gauge. Doesn’t seem right cause after to looking at everything and all the new ammo even 2 3/4 inch 16 shells could beat the 3 inch 20s. Just some ramblings thoughts for today I guess.
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skeettx
PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 7:34 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 15 Apr 2007
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Location: Amarillo, Texas

Buy this one and have fun in your modifications

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/857660311

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Upland Carpenter
PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 8:15 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 24 Jan 2007
Posts: 467
Location: SC PA

Lots of options for what you want, IMO. Used 16ga pumps are easy to find- Ithaca 37, Remington 31s and 870s, Winchester Mod 12, etc. Send to Mike Orlen and have the gun of your choice threaded for tubes or look for a 16ga BPS on the secondary market if you want something that came with factory choke tubes.

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megasupermagnum
PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 10:07 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 11 Dec 2017
Posts: 77
Location: South Dakota

I think the problem is twofold. One is the sale of 16 gauges is already low compared to 12 and 20 gauge, plus turkey guns are already a niche market. The other problem is that 16 gauge shooters are like muzzleloader shooters. They don't like to change. I'm seeing huge openings for ammunition development, but nothing has ever been tried. Just today I was playing around, seeing about a 1 3/8 oz lead shot load for turkey. Not only should a 1 3/8 oz load work, I found in a Fiocchi hull, 1 1/2 ounce fits with room to spare! Shocked

There are genuine reasons for keeping with the lighter loads for wingshooting, but the capability is there for the taking.

Over time I'm finding the extreme range for turkey is not needed for me. Maybe in North Dakota with their one tree, a 50+ yard capable 10 gauge would be an advantage. In my neck of the woods, I hunt thick brush and hardwood forest, but mostly swamp. Anywhere in MN that isn't field is swamp. For that reason, the lighter the gun, the better.

If I were to make the perfect 16 gauge turkey gun, I would choose something very light. A fast second shot is not much of an asset. I hunt with a single barrel muzzleloader myself. I would likely choose something like an Ithaca model 37. Something ambidextrous is an asset, as you can find yourself twisted up an any direction. The model 37 is very light, and simple. Ideally I like about a 20" barrel. Have it threaded for chokes, and put in a nice tight full. That, combined with a custom loaded shell would be the bees knees here in MN, where all you need is 0-35 yard range, but end up hauling the gun over hills and through swamp.
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Gran16
PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 10:31 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 08 Mar 2016
Posts: 120
Location: South Dakota

I would probably pick a Ithaca model 37 but it would be nice to just have a newer gun to start with, idk if it would feel right taking an older gun and chopping it up having it dipped or cerakoted. I would like to try a short barreled gun maybe a pistol grip, even roll my own shells regardless of what gauge it is I guess, just would rather it be a 16. Not after a long range turkey gun either.
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hayseed
PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 10:34 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 14 Feb 2017
Posts: 401

Love my 16 gauges, but.......................

If you want a lightweight, cost effective turkey killer, it's hard to bead a Remington 870 Youth, in 20 gauge. Less than 6 lbs, 21 inch threaded/choke tube barrel, short stock for cramped sitting, and with heavy shot 3 inch loads, leaves you wanting nothing inside 35 yards. About the only thing I will use a 20 gauge for and then only for covering a lot of ground and reducing weight.


Last edited by hayseed on Fri Feb 28, 2020 5:24 am; edited 3 times in total
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case 1775
PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 7:56 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Jan 2018
Posts: 159

I have the Remington 870 express in 16 gauge with a synthetic stock. Also have a Turkey choke for it. Tungsten loads will kill turkeys out to 50 yd. It's a perfect set up really.

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putz463
PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 5:17 am  Reply with quote
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Posts: 2343
Location: West MI

An 870 makes a nice platform to modify, plenty of bolt on's that won't break the bank + a fun project. My Trap gun, take the VR extension off and makes for a nice Turkey gun with Colonial extended tubes.

http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20948&highlight=trap+870

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Gran16
PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 5:35 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 08 Mar 2016
Posts: 120
Location: South Dakota

Hayseed that’s the gun I’ve been looking at the most, or the Mossberg version and probably the route I will go. I’ll have to keep an eye out for a 16 locally but I haven’t seen any in awhile.

Has anybody hand loaded any of the heavier shot like tss or bpi spherotungsten?
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Upland Carpenter
PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 7:37 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 24 Jan 2007
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Location: SC PA

Gran16 wrote:
I would probably pick a Ithaca model 37 but it would be nice to just have a newer gun to start with, idk if it would feel right taking an older gun and chopping it up having it dipped or cerakoted. I would like to try a short barreled gun maybe a pistol grip, even roll my own shells regardless of what gauge it is I guess, just would rather it be a 16. Not after a long range turkey gun either.


If you're not after a long range gun, look for a Mod 37 with a full choke and leave the barrel alone. I see very little benefit to having a short barrel on a turkey gun. What issue are those extra few inches causing? I enjoy hunting turkey with an assortment of guns, some of which have "long" barrels- a 30" early "A" grade Fox and an A5 Light Twleve with a 30" Invector barrel installed being prime examples. Never felt hindered by either of those guns.

As to dipping or cerakoting, look for a gun that has a fair bit of finish wear and have at it.

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megasupermagnum
PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 5:15 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 11 Dec 2017
Posts: 77
Location: South Dakota

If I had a full choke barrel, I would leave it alone too. A shorter gun is nice though. In the open, who cares how long a barrel is. Turkey hunting usually involves sitting on the ground, or very near it. I try to get into brush as a natural blind whenever possible.

It seems no matter what you do, there is ALWAY something in the way to keep you from swinging your gun around. A shorter gun is so much handier.
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case 1775
PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 5:51 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Jan 2018
Posts: 159

megasupermagnum wrote:
If I had a full choke barrel, I would leave it alone too. A shorter gun is nice though. In the open, who cares how long a barrel is. Turkey hunting usually involves sitting on the ground, or very near it. I try to get into brush as a natural blind whenever possible.

It seems no matter what you do, there is ALWAY something in the way to keep you from swinging your gun around. A shorter gun is so much handier.
870 to the rescue again. on the modern 870 16ga slug barrel, you can put a turkey choke on the barrel, and the barrel is only 20" long. plus it has rifle sights. I have shot some squirrels with this setup, but no turkeys.

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Hootch
PostPosted: Sat Feb 29, 2020 9:11 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1460
Location: Eagle, Nebraska

A pump shotgun would be my last choice for a turkey gun, (and any other bird)
If you want to shoot turkeys with a 16ga, a sweet 16ga new or old will work as well as any. The new ones are really lightweight if that is important to user.
Might need to get it camoflauged up first.
O/U are great turkey guns, choice of chokes/loads for different situations, also would need a camo finish done.
Even sxs would work for same reasons.

There I doubt will ever be a commercial mafd dedicated 16ga turkey model.
There are plenty of 16ga guns out there to use for turkey, and no matter the action type, you need to pattern it !
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Charles Hammack
PostPosted: Sat Feb 29, 2020 7:54 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 02 Feb 2007
Posts: 1729
Location: Central Missouri

Why does a turkey gun need a camo job ????

All that turkey will ever see is the little black hole pointed at them .

I am sitting here thinking about all the turkey I have shot over the years , none have , now take that back I have shot 2 birds in the fall with my german sxs camo duck gun and steel shot.

Only reason that gun has paint on it is to keep the thing from rusting and to cover up all the Accra glass that was used to reconstruct the busted up stock .

I occasionally still take a bet or two when someone new bets me that I cannot kill a bird in a flannel red checkered shirt , running out of takers around here anymore seems no one wants to bet any more , I still see them play the lottery though , kinda strange .

You can tell I am tired after running the self propelled brush hog all day long .

Building food plots for those that have a hard time shooting game , I told them their was a name for them while we were working . Vegetarians.

All in good fun , maybe I can shoot a dove off the plots 🤗

Regards , Nick
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Gran16
PostPosted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 8:07 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 08 Mar 2016
Posts: 120
Location: South Dakota

I agree a turkey gun doesn’t need to be camo, my dad has shot all his without one and so have I. The only gun I own that’s camo is a 223, no shotguns so why not have one in that flavor too.
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