28 Gauge Turkey Gun!

[Wrangler95]

Have a friend that just bought one,about how far will a ethical shot be?

 

[TheLBLman]

What 28ga gun did your friend get?

Have a friend that just bought one,about how far will a ethical shot be?

High-probability kill & recovery distance generally depends on load & choke.

Using a load of #9 or #9 1/2 sized TSS,
I would think pretty easy to make the ethical distance out to 40-45 yds.

 

[ImThere]

Less the 100 yards?

So many variables!! I bet it's farther than you'd want to shoot one.

 

[deerhunter10]

Good choke good shell (tss) 40 45 yards. Thinking seriously about getting a 28 gauge myself. A little jealous lol

 

[TheLBLman]

Should be a joy to carry & shoot, i.e. very little recoil.

 

[Wrangler95]

He bought some TSS 9 shot and a Indian Creek choke tube!I have a Mossberg 935 12 gauge that has some recoil but not as bad as the 835 but I'm sticking with it this year because I've not had it but a couple years but may make the switch before next year!I dont know yet whether to go with the 20 gauge or the 28 gauge.Anyone got ideas on both Gauge guns?

 

[TheLBLman]

dont know yet whether to go with the 20 gauge or the 28 gauge.Anyone got ideas on both Gauge guns?

IMO, the 20 ga is overall much more versatile for a variety of hunting, and a diverse offering of factory ammo available. You'll also have many more gun choices with a 20.

If you go from a Mossberg 935 to most any of the 20 ga autoloaders, that will be a huge change in ease of carry for turkey hunting.

 

[Wrangler95]

If a ethical distance is 40 to 45 yards I could live with that because I very seldom shoot a turkey that far anyway.Last year I killed one at ten yards but the 1st one was about 50 yards,he was leaving.Could a 20 gauge get 5 more yards than the 28 gauge?

 

[knightrider]

A 20-28 will kill at 50 and beyond with tss and right choke all day long if thats what your into

 

[Wrangler95]

IMO, the 20 ga is overall much more versatile for a variety of hunting, and a diverse offering of factory ammo available. You'll also have many more gun choices with a 20.

If you go from a Mossberg 935 to most any of the 20 ga autoloaders, that will be a huge change in ease of carry for turkey hunting.

Yes,the 935 is pretty heavy but it tames some of the recoil.I wouldn't believe the 20 gauge would have much more recoil than the 28 gauge,am I correct?

 

[TheLBLman]

Could a 20 gauge get 5 more yards than the 28 gauge?

Probably.
I'm not "up on" 28 ga load options, but suspect the payload options are at least 20% more with a 20 ga., likely adding another 5 yds to effective range.

 

[Wrangler95]

A 20-28 will kill at 50 and beyond with tss and right choke all day long if thats what your into

I'm not into taking unethical shots but sometimes you have to take shots longer than you want to because with my 935 it will kill a turkey everytime at 50 yards but hardly ever do I need to shoot that far!

 

[TheLBLman]

I wouldn't believe the 20 gauge would have much more recoil than the 28 gauge,am I correct?

"Felt" recoil is (more or less) a product of gun weight x payload x velocity.

If you're shooting a 1 5/8 oz payload from a 20
vs a 1 oz payload from a 28, I suspect the recoil of the 20 would be significantly more.

I usually shoot 1 1/2 oz payloads from my 20 autoloader, and the recoil still seems milder than a 1 1/2 oz from any my 12 gauges, so go figure.

 

[mike52]

Never felt a recoil when I shoot at game, but I have dropped down to the sub gauges 20/410. Both will kill at 40+ yards with TSS #9

 

[ImThere]

Never felt a recoil when I shoot at game, but I have dropped down to the sub gauges 20/410. Both will kill at 40+ yards with TSS #9

I got a mossberg 12 that will change that for you!

 

[mike52]

I got a mossberg 12 that will change that for you!

Yes you a correct, kinda like an Ithica model 37 in 12 gauge. But you will not see me shooting either for turkey

 

[TheLBLman]

Yes you a correct, kinda like an Ithica model 37 in 12 gauge. But you will not see me shooting either for turkey

I have an elephant gun.
It's recoil is mild compared to a Mossberg 835 with 3 1/2" 2 oz or heavier turkey loads.
Seriously, I'm surprised the stocks don't just break on those 835s.

 

[deerhunter10]

He bought some TSS 9 shot and a Indian Creek choke tube!I have a Mossberg 935 12 gauge that has some recoil but not as bad as the 835 but I'm sticking with it this year because I've not had it but a couple years but may make the switch before next year!I dont know yet whether to go with the 20 gauge or the 28 gauge.Anyone got ideas on both Gauge guns?

Love my 20 gauges about all I hunt with for anything. I haven't carried a 12 turkey hunting in several years. I just love guns is why I want a 28 gauge lol. 20 gauge is the more versatile gauge between the 2.

 

[Wrangler95]

I have an elephant gun.
It's recoil is mild compared to a Mossberg 835 with 3 1/2" 2 oz or heavier turkey loads.
Seriously, I'm surprised the stocks don't just break on those 835s.

I sold my 835 for this exact reason!!

 

[TITANSFAN2104]

The pattern and lethality will be there at 50 yards.
Just for reference, I have 410s set up for turkey with TSS #9 (most shoot 9.5 or 10 shot) And they will pattern at 40 yards as good as any 12 gauge 3 inch #4 lead that I shot for so many years.

 

[Roost 1]

with the right choke and load, you can expect 20ga performance out of a 28ga.
I love mine and it's really crazy how good they shoot.

 

[mike52]

The pattern and lethality will be there at 50 yards.
Just for reference, I have 410s set up for turkey with TSS #9 (most shoot 9.5 or 10 shot) And they will pattern at 40 yards as good as any 12 gauge 3 inch #4 lead that I shot for so many years.

I have a Charles Daiy in 410 and it is a turkey killer

 

[Andy S.]

1 ounce of TSS #9s, in the right gun/choke combination (regardless of gauge), will kill further than most of us should be shooting. Not advocating it, just being truthful.

 

[TheLBLman]

1 ounce of TSS #9s, in the right gun/choke combination (regardless of gauge), will kill further than most of us should be shooting. Not advocating it, just being truthful.

True.
But keep in mind with these smaller gauges also comes a little smaller overall pattern, and the super-tight "turkey" choke patterns almost necessitate some very good sights. For me, those sights must be optical.

 

[Wrangler95]

with the right choke and load, you can expect 20ga performance out of a 28ga.
I love mine and it's really crazy how good they shoot.

What brand gun do you use?

 

[TITANSFAN2104]

True.
But keep in mind with these smaller gauges also comes a little smaller overall pattern, and the super-tight "turkey" choke patterns almost necessitate some very good sights. For me, those sights must be optical.

Thats true. When I compare Tss vs lead i look at what my best 12 gauge loads looked like and my 410 with #9 is as deadly as any #4 lead i ever shot out of a 12 gauge. In most cases it patterns better than most the 12 gauge loads i used to shoot.
This picture is with a little new england heavy barrel 410 with burris ff that I had sent to jebs to have threaded and choked along with my handloaded TSS #9. That 410 was the best shooting one i had and I let a friend borrow it for his then 12 year old daughter (she was shooting a mossberg 12 ) And she fell in love and he stayed on me until I sold it to him. I wouldve never sold it otherwise.

 

[Roost 1]

What brand gun do you use?

Mossberg SA28

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

The new little mossberg sa-20 and sa-28 tactical turkey, may just be the best thought out turkey gun on the market.

 

[Wrangler95]

Mossberg SA28

I think this is what my friend bought.It was hard for him to find one though.I am getting one before next season!!My 12 gauge kills at both ends,that is reason I'm gonna get a 20 or 28 gauge!

 

[Andy S.]

True.
But keep in mind with these smaller gauges also comes a little smaller overall pattern, and the super-tight "turkey" choke patterns almost necessitate some very good sights. For me, those sights must be optical.

This can be mitigated if one loads TSS 9.5s or 10s, as many do in the smaller gauges.