Which shotguns for deer and turkey?

[76Too]

I have three shotguns after having no us for any of them a few years ago and swore I would never need more than one.

This will be my first year hunting deer and turkey, and I'm wondering if any of my current shotguns would serve me well (willing to do minor non permanent modifications to make them work) or do I have to go out and buy a whole new setup (not my first choice, as I'd like to buy a muzzle loader for primitive arms season).

Choices are:
-1954 Belgian Browning Light Twelve A5 I got from my grandfather as an heirloom
-1989 Ruger Red Label OU in 12 with multiple chokes
-Mossberg JM930 Pro in 12 with Red Dot sight...holds 9 rounds, which is 6 too many, right?

All are very reliable...just none are really made for deer hunting I don't think.

Any advice would be helpful and criticism of my lack of knowledge is welcome.

Hey, every Marine a RIFLEman...not a shotgun man...right?

Thanks,
Señor

 

[STELLS]

None of your choices are Deer shotguns. You could possibly use the browning with 00 buck shot, but buck shot sucks IMO. Best bet is to buy a pump or semi auto with combo kit barrel set up for Deer and/or Turkey hunting. Remington model 870 or 1187 with rifled barrel and vent rib barrel, mossberg 500 combo barrels as well. Or just get the muzzel loader now and use it during the shotgun season but as you know only one shot.

 

[bigalf]

There is a Moss berg 835 in the shotgun classifieds area that is a perfect setup for both deer and turkey.

 

[Katie-B]

Prior to deer barrels,a Browing A5 with slugs killed a lot of deer!Today I shoot a 20 gauge with Lightfield slugs out of a Mosberg with rifled barrel and scope.My turkey gun is a 12 gauge with extra full choke.

 

[BigTimber]

You could pick up a new t/c omega for around 250. Use it for both shotgun and muzzle loader season and use one of your other shotguns for turkey's.

 

[Mike-Mike]

All of them would work fine for Deer with rifled slugs provided you sight it in (or at least understand how it hits). Anything that takes 3" with a Modified choke or tighter would work for turkey.

 

[whacko]

All of them would work fine for Deer with rifled slugs provided you sight it in (or at least understand how it hits). Anything that takes 3" with a Modified choke or tighter would work for turkey.

I agree! If that browning has a vent rib just buy clip on iron sights that williams makes. 30 bucks from midway. Or just use it as is with foster or breneke slugs and plan on under 50 yard shot. So many guys think you NEED a rifled shotgun barrel to take deer. You dont if you are shooting in woods where 50 yars is max. Id just use that browning! Its a classic hunting shotgun and you should be proud to take it out for deer

i have a 1969 and bought the williams clip on irons and can get 3 el cheapo foster slugs touching at 50 yards. It will be my dee gun this season for sure.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Or just use it as is with foster or breneke slugs and plan on under 50 yard shot. So many guys think you NEED a rifled shotgun barrel to take deer. You dont if you are shooting in woods where 50 yars is max. Id just use that browning! Its a classic hunting shotgun and you should be proud to take it out for deer

i have a 1969 and bought the williams clip on irons and can get 3 el cheapo foster slugs touching at 50 yards. It will be my dee gun this season for sure.

I use a much older Winchester with a smooth bore slug barrel. I had the receiver drilled and tapped for a scope and I have been killing deer for many years using plain old 2-3/4" foster slugs. It is minute of deer out to 100 yards and most shots are under that. At 80- 85 yards I still get a pass through with the 2-3/4" slugs. I don't see a need for the hot 3" loads

The first deer I killed was using a foster slug out of a S&W 1000 which still is my primary bird gun.

If you decide to shoot buckshot take some to the range and pattern it. The effective range is likely much shorter than you think it is.

I don't know about the clip on iron sights but I have tried the B-Square scope mounts and had poor results which is why I went to drilling and tapping a scope instead.

JMO

 

[Coyote33]

What's wrong with a Remington 870 12 gauge, with 28" vent rib field barrel? Kinda covers it all, from deer to grouse to pheasant to ducks to clay pigeons to burglars.

 

[familyman15]

Took my hi standard flite king to the range yesterday 00 buck at 15 yards and was accurate, bought a mossberg 500 combo 20gauge this morning 24" rifled 26" smooth bore with chokes 289$ brand new looking forward to turkey season.
P.s bought it at shooters supply westport

 

[whacko]

I use a much older Winchester with a smooth bore slug barrel. I had the receiver drilled and tapped for a scope and I have been killing deer for many years using plain old 2-3/4" foster slugs. It is minute of deer out to 100 yards and most shots are under that. At 80- 85 yards I still get a pass through with the 2-3/4" slugs. I don't see a need for the hot 3" loads

The first deer I killed was using a foster slug out of a S&W 1000 which still is my primary bird gun.

If you decide to shoot buckshot take some to the range and pattern it. The effective range is likely much shorter than you think it is.

I don't know about the clip on iron sights but I have tried the B-Square scope mounts and had poor results which is why I went to drilling and tapping a scope instead.

JMO

i have rifled barrels for a couple of my shotguns. I am not a fan of scopes because all of my deer hunting is done by driving (scope cuts down on field of view and harder to get a fast shot on a moving deer

I have discovered using sabota through a rifled barrel is expensive and not much of an accuracy gain when using iron sights to be worth the extra money. Shooting cheap foster slugs through a rifles barrel makes for an exctremly leaded up bore. So.....this year i am going with the smooth bore browning a5 with the clip on iron sights. If you are using optics the rifle bore with sabots is worth it but iron sights you are not getting enough extra accuracy to make $3 a bang worth it for sabots.

 

[familyman15]

That was my exact thought process, plus the smooth bore is longer