Shotgun opinions

[antharper]

I’ve been shooting a Winchester 1300 for about 29 years I think , I got it for my 15th birthday and it killed its first gobbler that spring , if the good lord is willing I hope it’s killing them 29 years from now, my dad is a Mossberg shooter and loves it

 

[DRBugman85]

I've got all 3 of the B,s and my go to turkey killing Shotgun is a 48 year old Wingmaster 870 special purpose 24 inch barrel (3 inch chamber) with a KICKS GT .660 & Longbeard #6 and it hammers heads. The Browning A5 kicks like a mule 30 inch Full fixed choke , the Benelli is to long of a barrel 28 inch, Sold the Beretta always had ejection problems. WINGMASTERS are expensive but so worth the dependability and craftsmanship.Just my opinion.

 

[Timber1]

If you like getting your eyes crossed and the fillings in your teeth knocked loose everytime you pull the trigger then the 835 is your gun.

Think I’m going to go for a Mossberg and just see. I shoot a lot of different loads and chokes patterning. Just for fun and I think that’s why I’ve had problems with them all , I guess so many heavy turkey loads it takes a toll on them

Shooting a 3.5" turkey load out of an 835 is not my idea of fun.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I wouldn't take a fortune for my old Mossy 500. When all those fancy ones are fell apart, it'll still be shooting. Most reliable, plain old functional shotgun on the planet.

Good to hear you are happy with it.

I figured there must be someone some where who liked 'em.

 

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

Love my 835 ulti mag. We used Mossbergs in the Marines and beat the heck out of em. They always worked. I have 3. Now using Carlson's LB choke shooting LB #6's.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Good to hear you are happy with it.

I figured there must be someone some where who liked 'em.

Im not a snob. I go for function. I don't buy Zeiss scopes or Weatherby rifles, either.

 

[Wayne D Davis]

Absolutely love my 835 ulti mag....I also like the 3.5 in for a bigger pattern. With a tight wad choke it's a turkey slaying machine

 

[Preacher56]

Several years ago I went to a 20ga as my dedicated turkey gun. Before that I shot a Remington 870 3.5” and an Encore. My first 20 was a Remington special field 870 later a Benelli M2. I hunt with both my 20s and love both of them. I have an urge to pack a 12 occasionally this season and have loaded up some 2oz loads of heavyweight 7s and tss 8s. Don’t really know why, just because I guess!

 

[Easygo]

Thanks for all of the replys. I’ll be shooting 3” no matter what

 

[Turkeytider]

I shoot an `05 vintage 12 gauge Mossy Oak Remington 870 Super Mag thumbhole SPS-T. Red dot with .660 Jellyhead. Bought it used. The thing`s a tank ! Kicked me silly when I was shooting it to pattern it. Put a slip on Limbsaver on it, so it`s OK now. Shot Long Beard XR # 6 last year, Hevi 13 2 oz # 6 this year. It`s over 8 lbs, so I wouldn`t call it ideal for run and gun. No problem for me, I like to set up on decoys and call in the morning or ambush hunt in the afternoons.

 

[Hooty Hoot]

When I was growing up, Mossberg was synonymous with junk. These days, some of their stuff is made pretty good and I never hear anyone belly-ache about owning one.

 

[XIronheadX]

When I was growing up, Mossberg was synonymous with junk. These days, some of their stuff is made pretty good and I never hear anyone belly-ache about owning one.

I bought mine about '92. My son had one bought in '08. That old one of mine is light years better than the newer stuff. Hollow sounding stocks. Everything about the newer ones were cheaper. He got rid of it a few years later. Before '92 I have no idea. Or whats being produced now.

 

[buckpasser]

I got an 835 20 years ago for duck hunting. I used it in my boat and basically used it as a paddle or push pole at times. It was certainly abused and before I used it for turkeys years later I had to scrape plastic from all the steel shells out of it with a steel rod. It has never given one moment of trouble and zero parts needed. It does have the “Mossberg rattle” but if you’re a Tom I wanted and have heard it, your spurs are on the wall of the Brooks County forestry unit. I’ve since bought two more and would suggest trying one out over anything else.

 

[saltysenior]

you can't figure it out.....spent a lot sending an older Beretta 301 to Briely for chokes and fine tuning to be my turkey gun..patterned it and was satisfied with results and the load at 40yrds....before I left I decided , just for the heck of it , to shoot an old Ithaca 37 16 ga. w/ a full choke and plain high bass # 6s....it did just as good as the 12ga as far as putting x# of pellets in an outline of a turkeys head....

 

[Jack Ryan]

Im not a snob. I go for function. I don't buy Zeiss scopes or Weatherby rifles, either.

ok... so?

If a gun shoots where you point it, you don't need to pack around 10 pounds of artillery or "quick back up shots".

I own a dozen Remington shot guns of all sorts, a half dozen Ithicas, and a half dozen single shot H&R and NEF guns.

I've owned a half dozen Mossbergs including the LAST ONE I'LL EVER OWN, an 835 and every single one of them shot a foot or more off the point of aim at 25 yards no matter who shot them. Every single one of them had a crap trigger on it like a nail hanging out the bottom of a rattling 2x4. If you like that, then you like it. Go on and love it. Wish I'd known how much you like junk when I was trying to get rid of every single one of them. I had to nearly gave away that brand new last one after shooting it 25 times. I could stand to look at the GUN. Never again.

Sorry if this hurts some feelings. I tried to sugar coat it for the 'bergers but ya just got to keep on and keep on asking for it. That is about as plain as I can put it.

 

[NCHillbilly]

OK......That's why they make chocolate and vanilla, too. I've only owned that one 500, but it's always been a really good basic shotgun, never gave me any problems at all, and it shoots better for me that a lot of more expensive ones I've had. Sure doesn't shoot a foot off the point of aim for me. I don't really care what kind of shotgun you like, but there are a lot of people out there who like their Mossbergs just fine.

I feel the same way you feel about Mossberg shotguns about Kimber pistols. At least a Mossy 500 doesn't cost $1500 and jams at least one round every mag.

 

[Twiggbuster]

My Mossberg 935 kills um dead. For over 15yrs.
Just gotta keep it clean and out of the twigs and such.

 

[goblr77]

Over the last 30 years of turkey hunting it seems like I have went through so many shotguns. The stock on most come loose at some point and I can never get POI the same again . Some just don’t pattern very well. Several I have bent the barrel on so slightly that you can’t see the bend but the poi will be left or right and has cost me multiple turkeys before I figure it out. One that I have never owned is a Mossberg 835 ulti mag. Is this thing a tank or overrated? I am open to other suggestions as well although I’ve not had good luck recently with 870s

Your POA/ POI will be slightly off with half the shotguns you buy, no matter what brand. Buy whatever shotgun you like and put some adjustable sights, a scope, or a red dot on it if the POI is off. My main turkey gun, at the moment, is an SX3. It shoots about 8" high with the barrel bead. I put a Burris FF3 on it and solved the problem.

Concerning patterns, the Mossberg 835 can't be beat. I have one in the cabinet now that will out pattern any shotgun I've ever owned. I had to modify it to make it feed reliably though. I added an aftermarket magazine spring, aluminum shell follower, and filed down the lip on the cartridge stop. The triggers on those guns are horrible as well, you might want to replace the stock hammer and trigger springs with a $20 mcarbo spring kit. BTW, it needed a scope as well.

 

[spurrs and racks]

Nothing is more dependable than an 870 rem.

I am an Automatic man, thus a 1100 Remington is my gun.

Good luck in whatever you choose. I bought a Mossberg 500 and the firing pin spring broke right off the bat. Had to send it off, Walmart would not do it. They fixed it and sent it back. Then I ran some shells through it and found it would not pattern for nothing. No matter what shot or choke tube you used.

It is a self defense weapon now beside my bed.

I won a Winchester SXP and it patterns good, but it kicks like a rented mule.

I am also a 12 ga man.

 

[Big7]

ok... so?

If a gun shoots where you point it, you don't need to pack around 10 pounds of artillery or "quick back up shots".

I own a dozen Remington shot guns of all sorts, a half dozen Ithicas, and a half dozen single shot H&R and NEF guns.

I've owned a half dozen Mossbergs including the LAST ONE I'LL EVER OWN, an 835 and every single one of them shot a foot or more off the point of aim at 25 yards no matter who shot them. Every single one of them had a crap trigger on it like a nail hanging out the bottom of a rattling 2x4. If you like that, then you like it. Go on and love it. Wish I'd known how much you like junk when I was trying to get rid of every single one of them. I had to nearly gave away that brand new last one after shooting it 25 times. I could stand to look at the ***. Never again.

Sorry if this hurts some feelings. I tried to sugar coat it for the 'bergers but ya just got to keep on and keep on asking for it. That is about as plain as I can put it.

I'm down with most of that.

My dedicated "Turkey Gun" is a small H&R / NEF 12ga with a 3 1/2 inch chamber. I like BIG LEAD SHOT too. I used my 870 3 inch chamber for the longest time. Killed a bunch with that one.

The little H&R / NEF is very light, easy to carry when doing the "run n gun".
PLUS it is a straight up powerhouse. Can't beat that. They are inexpensive, well made and goes bang every time. I have yet to miss a Turkey with it and have a one shot double too.

As for the Mossberg's, I can't speak for the newer one's BUT I can tell you the 500 pump are good shotguns. I have owned them in the past. If (like I need another gun) I would not have a problem buying a Mossberg.