I had a deal fall through for a semi and have been looking at adding a new 12 gauge since last summer.I once had the 870 3.5" 20" shurshot in obsession and sold it after I had it jam on me a few times.I realize that I may have just been frustrated at the time as It was brand new and was with a certain shell.I have been more than happy with my bps nwtf but after 9 years I want to add a new 12 gauge for turkeys.
I really have become fond of the shurshot grip and have been going back and forth with these two models.I can get both locally,I am leaning towards the 23" model in the Realtree ap camo because I like the fiber optics better and I owned the other model already.I do plan on using tss from this setup and am going to go and purchase it within two weeks.
I am kind of interested to hear about guys that have owned one of these setups or currently do own one or both.
I bought the 23" shurshot in Realtree APG used it 1 time and my son confiscated and that the only gun he's used. It has killed a pile of turkeys , it's been a great gun .
I am about 99.9% sure that I am going with the 23",I had already decided before I started thread as I just like the fiber optic setup better and for a gun with no rail,for me that is a huge bonus and I have an extra Bushnell trs 25 in Realtree camo and a Bushnell trophy xlt 1.75-4x32 in realtree ap hd with the circle plex waiting for a turkey gun to mount too.It gives me three solid optic choices for the gun.
I just went through my ammo and I have 57 longbeard shells in 3.5" #5's and a mixture of another 40 some of longbeard 4-6's in 3" and 3.5"
I always thought I would stick with the supremes & longbeard shells from a 12 gauge but I may just stick with them from my bps and 1300 and use tss #7 from the new gun.
I have been concentrating on 20 gauges the last few years but after the deal went south,I am going to pick up a new 12 gauge turkey gun instead.
The 23" model will run me about 35 dollars less than the 20" model.I will use the extra savings on a sling for it.
I bought the 23" RT ss when it first came out. The turkey/predator choke it comes with is great with long beards 4,5, and 6. It also shoots the old heavyweight 7 (15) shot pretty good. Never tried tss through it but I'm sure it would shoot that well too. It's performed without any problems since I've had it and put a pile of birds in the freezer. The adjustable rifle style sights is what I wanted.
I am most definitely going to pattern the longbeard 3.5" in 5 & 6 and a box of tss #7 through the turkey choke it comes with,I believe it is a .670 and gets pretty decent reviews.I know I purchased a primos jellyhead when I bought the 20" and never shot stock choke,but unless I am not satisfied at 40 yards with stock choke I won't be buying an aftermarket choke for gun right away.
Quote from: The Heartbreak Kid....... on February 29, 2020, 12:06:40 PM
I am most definitely going to pattern the longbeard 3.5" in 5 & 6 and a box of tss #7 through the turkey choke it comes with,I believe it is a .670 and gets pretty decent reviews.I know I purchased a primos jellyhead when I bought the 20" and never shot stock choke,but unless I am not satisfied at 40 yards with stock choke I won't be buying an aftermarket choke for gun right away.
I think 870`s and Jellyheads were made for each other.
I found a Rem 1187 12 gauge locally,I am going to take a look at it in an hour.If I like It I am going to buy it I think.It is supposed to be a turkey "model".
That was a waste of an hour,what a pos that gun was.
Quote from: The Heartbreak Kid....... on March 01, 2020, 01:54:50 PM
That was a waste of an hour,what a pos that gun was.
Thought you were pretty much locked in on the 23" 870 (?). 870 turkey models, along with Mossberg 835 Ulti Mags, may well be the best turkey guns ever put out. Would not be surprised if those two guns have killed more turkeys than everything else combined!
I am locked in on either a 20 gauge or 12 gauge.I would buy the 23" shurshot If I go with a 12 gauge,I thought I was going to look at a 1187 model of the same gun.I went and looked at a thumbhole sps t that was worn like it was abused,missing the fiber optic sights and seeing as I am a left handed shooter the thumbhole stock did not work.I had it in my hands for about 5 seconds and said Thanks for your time.Good luck with the sale.I would not have paid $300 for that pos.
I was told it was a shurshot grip and in very good shape.I would rate it at a 2-10 looks wise.I assume it was rode hard and put away very wet,extremely wet.
I went and picked up a few items for my next purchase this morning,after checking around and seeing If I was able to find a few other "turkey" guns and not being able to locate any of them,I feel confident that I will be picking up the 870 23" in the next few days,I am waiting until at least Saturday as I may be hitting up a gun show,still undecided and a little leery of going because of the corona-virus.
The place where I was going to purchase the 23" 870 had sold the few they had but I located one tonight and am in the midst of purchasing it,I am confident I will have it and should be able to get it out in the field the last week to 10 days of our season in late May. I was not expecting to find this gun again but seeing as I did,I bought it.
It looks like gun will ship Thursday,I should have it within 10 days.I have most of the month of May to hunt,I am just trying to finish a few small jobs up this week for a few customers and not have much to worry about in May except hunting.
I have the 23" model and love it. I shoot 3.5" magblends and a 660 jellyhead. Once my last 3.5 shell is gone, I am sticking with 3". It is just an awesome shooter!
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I'm going to test a few different shells out for this year. I have someone working on a few custom leather slings for the guns I have on the way. I don't think I am going to look for more shells this year as I have lots to try but I have an idea of hevi,tss #7 in 3.5 and see how they shoot this summer.
If the 3 1/2" shells don't pattern well make sure to try 3" shells. I have an 870 SPM with a 26' barrel. I tried 6-7 different choke and about that many different 3 1/2" shells and none of them patterned well. The patterns all had big holes in them. Tried 3" shells and pretty much everything patterns better than the 3 1/2" shells.
This gun is on its way to me later today.I should see it in a week or so.I am excited to get this and run some shells through it and then hunt with it.
I have the primos tightwad on the way as well to try,for the price and luck I have had with it on numerous other guns I figured it was worth trying. I have this ammo to test through it,shows May 6th arrival.
-Long beards 3" 4's
-Long beards 3" 5's
-Long beards 3" 6's
-Long beards 3.5" 5's
-Long beards 3.5" 6's
-Federal Tss 3" 7's
-Kent Tk7 3" 7's
-Federal 3rd degree 3"
I was told 3 weeks for the custom leather slings at least.I ordered an extra one for my Father,for fathers day.I got them all customized differently.I have had slings made for me for my lever guns before but never a shotgun sling,I am excited to try these out.
Quote from: The Heartbreak Kid....... on April 28, 2020, 06:46:33 PM
I was told 3 weeks for the custom leather slings at least.I ordered an extra one for my Father,for fathers day.I got them all customized differently.I have had slings made for me for my lever guns before but never a shotgun sling,I am excited to try these out.
I couldn't hunt without a sling. Gun, maybe a decoy bag depending on where I'm hunting, turkey chair...then, if I'm fortunate enough to harvest a bird, that's a lot to carry without a sling.
I always use a sling I have just never had a customized leather one for a turkey shotgun before.I wouldn't hunt without a sling on my guns.
The gun is set to arrive tomorrow at some point,about time as its been stuck in the mail for an extra week.I am gonna pattern it and sight it in later in the week and then take it for a few hunts,the weather is crazy right now,It is snowing right now and going to be -8 overnight and in the am tomorrow.This has been the coldest spring I have ever seen.The thing is,there are more long beards around in the places I hunt then the last few years,I have just not had one in range yet.They are henned up and not playing fair...hehehe. My father and my mother have already taken a long beard so far.I have been out a handful of times but I am going to try and get a week or 10 days of hunting without work here shortly,hopefully.
Good luck my friend
Thanks,I find it amusing that so far I can't get a hen worked up enough to bring a gobbler into range,yet there seems to be more long beards around than years past and less hens.I have been tagged out numerous years by now and with a lot less birds around.I love the hunt more then the kill so I am ok with that. I do wish I didn't have to wear three layers and a winter hunting coat in the mornings,mid may though.
I also have not hunted much past 9 am yet as I have been busy but I am looking forward to spending some time in the woods the next few weeks.
Amen, you will get a nice one.....
This gun arrived yesterday and I cleaned barrel and I am going later to pattern it,with the rem hd turkey choke and a primos tightwad with 5-6's 3.5" long beards.This gun is better than expected,fits perfect and I like the feel better than my old 870 mag with the 20" barrel.I will have it in the woods in the morning tomorrow if all goes well later.
This may be my favorite gun since my 12 ga browning bps nwtf.This gun just fits myself and It shoots long beard 4-5-6's in 3.5" very very well to distances we can not speak of.I bought the jellyhead max,shot it,stock choke and the tightwad,the tightwad shoots better than the other two with all the ammo I shot and at every distance.I am running the tightwad with 3.5" long beard 4's and It hammers.I have a long beard xr choke from Carlsons on the way and was shooting the fiber optics but i have played around with a scope and It feels really good and comes up perfect on this setup so as soon as the choke arrives I will be sighting it in and patterning it.I like this better than the semi I just bought,It is that nice.
I spent an hour last night and finally decided to open my replacement vortex venom to test.I mounted it on the 870 super mag with the shurshot grip and had it almost perfectly dialed in at 25 yards after 2 shots.I then backed up to 40 yards and fired 3 shells,2 -3" 5's and 1 3.5" 5 long beards and I am good to go.I really like this gun and was going to put a scope on it but I did not want to add more weight,the fiber optics are good but I like the peep sight fiber optics over the stock ones on the gun so for now I am going to try the venom.
I have till May 31st at 7 pm to fill my last tag and should have the weekend to get out and the next few mornings to hunt.
Good luck, post a pick of the new set up.......
Quote from: The Heartbreak Kid....... on May 26, 2020, 11:09:32 AM
I spent an hour last night and finally decided to open my replacement vortex venom to test.I mounted it on the 870 super mag with the shurshot grip and had it almost perfectly dialed in at 25 yards after 2 shots.I then backed up to 40 yards and fired 3 shells,2 -3" 5's and 1 3.5" 5 long beards and I am good to go.I really like this gun and was going to put a scope on it but I did not want to add more weight,the fiber optics are good but I like the peep sight fiber optics over the stock ones on the gun so for now I am going to try the venom.
I have till May 31st at 7 pm to fill my last tag and should have the weekend to get out and the next few mornings to hunt.
So how did your season go? Can you post a picture of this current setup?
My season went great,Ill post a picture when I pull the gun out next time.It didn't kill a bird,I shot mine with a single shot and my weatherby always next year,or the year after,or the year after.
...
This is a range finded 40 yards, longbeard #6's, 3.5" with fiber optics and a carlson longbeard xr choke.Ready to go!
I started looking at adding to my collection a few weeks back, and I located a barely used 20" shurshot turkey/predator with red dot and I will have it in a few weeks.
I am going to look for an old jellyhead choke for this setup.
FWIW I own 3 870's 2 Supermags 3.5" and one 3" mag
Have 21" and 23" and 26" length barrels for all.
Hands down the 26" barrels Patterned best and reached out the farthest with Winchester LB
XR shells
Ended up being the same for my Benelli SN and Mossberg 835.
All wear 26" tubes
Tried Indian Creek, Carlson's XR and factory Xtra full tubes and surprisingly the Carlson's patterned the best.