Turkey gun? 870 Rem

[mjpell]

I'd like to try some turkey hunt this year. I have a Rem 870 12g with a 2.75" field barrel. The barrel just says 'Choke', so I don't really know how much choke it has. The gun was likely made in the '70s. At least it has been in the family since sometime in the 70s.

Will this be a suitable gun for turkey? I understand the more choke the better, and the bigger shells are more desirable to gain some distance.

Seems to me that I just need to buy some turkey load shells, and see what kind pattern it shoots at varying distances. Then decide my max range from there.

Can I install a choke on this barrel?

Any suggestions?
Or do I just need to either buy a better barrel or another gun with a more appropriate barrel?
Thanks,
Mike

 

[rkesar]

I would start by buying some 2 3/4 turkey loads and see how it patterns

 

[Hoosierdood]

1. Remington 870 is an excellent gun for turkey hunting.
2. 2.75" shells are sufficient to kill a bird. I prefer 3" but you should be fine. Max range will probably be less than 40 yards.
3. Your field barrel is most likely a cylinder bore. You don't want that for turkey hunting. You really need a full choke. If your barrel uses Rem Choke tubes (probably not since it is from the 70's), just get a full choke. Otherwise, you will likely need a full choke barrel.

 

[Hookeye]

The issue will be shot pattern.
I ran a regular full choke with 3" number 5 shot in an 1100 magnum.
30 yards was about it (I chose #5 to fill in the large pattern).
Up close I aimed higher and swatted 'em with the lower half of my pattern, to keep the shot out of the breast....you'll learn that soon enough

Choke tubes, Remchoke Superfull, and #4 High Velocity loads meant good kills out to 40 with headshots. Inside of that, the birds flat out fold.

This yr it's choketube testing and heavy blend stuff for an honest 60 yard rig. Yeah, most of my birds die around 20 yards, but public land now, less opportunity and higher cost/time expense.............I can't play around.

 

[Tandem160]

Take your 870 out and pattern it. Then once you know how it shoots... go hunting. If your just getting into hunting wood chickens your need your money for other things. Calls (5 kinds of calls minimum, three types of decoys ( because this set doesn't bring'em in), camo (several sets) a vest (they make a special vest for turkey hunting, no other vest works), muck boots ( because wet pant legs are a bummer) a little folding chair to lean agin a tree with..etc

 

[Willie]

Personal opinion -

I would reserve that gun for birds and rabbits..

A Remington 870 Express is not all that much money. Then you can select your chokes.

My turkey/deer gun is a Remington Express in 3" Mag. It has a 26" cantilever barrel with a Rhino .660 extended choke. It has the Remington ShurShot thumbhole stock on it. The SuperCell recoil pad takes a lot of the sting out of the 3" magnum shells. It is topped with a Simmons 2X Pro-Diamond scope. Pretty well if the gobbler's head is in that diamond he is meat in the pan. I have not missed or dinged one yet with it. I shoot the Nitro 4X5X7 3" shells out of it. It is a 60 yard gun, but the furthest I have had to kill one was 52 yards....so far.

My son camo dipped it for me in Predator Deception.

 

[mjpell]

......a vest (they make a special vest for turkey hunting, no other vest works),....

Thanks for the tips. But what vest might you be referring to?

These crazy birds walk in on us while deer hunting on a fairly regular basis. I thought I'd just wear my deer hunting clothes, use my deer scents, deer calls, some rattling antlers, etc, and sit in my tree stand. ;-)

But on 2nd thought, same goes for squirrels, except they seem to know when you have a .22 in hand.

 

[Hookeye]

FWIW I run two calls, a double reed diaphram and a slate.
I take both in case I lose one or have a problem, not to offer a variety.
No vest, just cargo pants and a seat cushion.
Facemask, gloves, everything sprayed permethrin and Off for my skin.

Up north i used no insecticides (man that was awesome).

I sometimes use a deke, one that folds up.

More than that and it's too much stuff for run n gun. If my initial setup doesn't work, I go after 'em (or move and make a new set).

With that, lighter is better for me, so an 870 trumps an 1100 and those with just a vent rib and double bead are lighter. But one must pay better attention to sight picture. Scopes and special reticles can be of help.............but that's just added weight I don't want.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

My dad, my brother, and I all use 870's for turkey hunting. They both use magnums, but I use a super mag for a little extra assurance. my brothers gun is a special purpose turkey 870 that he uses for deer hunting as well, all he does is change out the choke tube.

 

[x10]

The 870 is a great turkey gun,

for the same price you can buy the turkey express or buy a new barrel Remington 870 Turkey Wad Lock Barrel (example & Same price means around $50-60)

plenty of options.

Also for camo, go cheap, go to rural king to the horse leg wrap and they carry camo usually, buy the self gripping leg wrap and wrap the non moving parts of the gun and go

 

[Hookeye]

I have run several turkey guns from Remington but the last 7 or 8 yrs my primary has been a cheap used 870 Express Supermagnum w 23" VR Remchoke bbl.
It's flat black, and I use the Superfull choke tube (have on 3 different Supermags).
So far I've only used them with 3" mag #4.
I might try some hevi shot stuff, maybe even 3.5" this yr. Depends on what testing shows.
FWIW my first couple of birds way back were with a shiny 1100 magnum taped up, reg full choke bbl.
It totally sucked to have the largest tom I've ever seen skirt me at 45 yards............and not have enough gun.

My buds have vests, stools, piles of calls, multiple dekes............but I get more birds than them. I'm not afraid to move if I need to, and can do so with stealth. The best gear in the world aint gonna help you if you spook all the birds going in or when stomping around. Some areas we hunt are travel routes, so there yeah, a bull in a china shop can kill 'em, if they stop and sit still/quietly long enough to have one move in.

It often is wet in turkey season and run n gun means belly crawling. In tick infested areas.................I absolutely hate the idea of it.
But to not be seen, sometimes you gotta go lo and slow, and there dragging a ton of stuff on your back, arse or side just doesn't cut it.
Worst case I take a small fanny pack.......candy bar and bottle of pop

The birds are not smart, they are just wary......stay in the shadows, be super quiet.............and don't have too much or too little faith in your setup. Some guys pick a bad spot and sit all day, others do a good job of scouting,prep and sneaking in.............and then move too soon.

Everybody develops their own style.

One thing I think too many do is call too much.

Last yr we went opening weekend on public land, and heard some dudes owl hooting in the dark trying to locate birds. It's rugged, they're in there.........and we saw the guys leaving their truck when we pulled in. We got geared up and caught up with them 200 yards or so down the horse trail..............and they had blown the owl calls at least 20 times.

Every other redneck in the area had a call from Walmart and was using it every so many yards as they walked around wearing camo.
As if the camo was enough to make them invisible...............it was horrible, then there were mushroom hunters.

The place was more like a municipal park, all we needed was a jungle jim and 5 screaming toddlers.

But birds were there.

Got the invite by buds for opening weekend again, aint no way I'm going down for the circus. My bud and I are going down later. Sucks as the guys are fun, but opening weekend has too many others out there messing things up.