Short, stocky and well-dressed describes the modern turkey shotgun — utilitarian and designed for the sole purpose of directing a swarm of angry shotshell pellets to a target that is the size of, well, a turkey’s head. These scatterguns typically wear camo from head to toe to get by the eagle-eye vision of ultra-paranoid tom turkeys. They are compact and maneuverable for hunting from tight ground blinds or when running and gunning. And they are rugged and reliable, able to tackle any terrain in any climatic conditions. Most are equipped with a short barrel for maneuverability; a reliable, smooth action for quick follow-up shots; sling swivel studs for easy transport and fiber-optic sights for rapid target acquisition. Unlike elegant upland and competition shotguns, these turkey takers are cosmetically challenged, but they are the perfect solution for tackling spring gobblers.
Today’s scattergun enthusiast is a specialist. And whether it’s hunting upland birds, small game, waterfowl, turkeys or on the range competition shooting, they gravitate to those shotguns designed specifically for the task at hand. That, of course, means most of them own several shotguns to serve a multitude of applications. This is good news for hunting retailers — not only do consumers typically own a battery of shotguns, but there are all the aftermarket add-ons that can add value to a sale. This provides a real advantage for dealers — to encourage additional sales by stocking a wide variety of aftermarket products designed to enhance special-purpose turkey guns. These might include optics and red-dot sights, turkey-centric chokes, recoil pads, slings and more.
And don’t forget ammunition. There is an abundant selection of turkey-specific ammo on the market these days, and it behooves you, the retailer, to stock a wide variety. Many customers are brand loyal, and if you don’t have their favorite loads on hand, chances are good they’ll go elsewhere.
Here are a handful of special-purpose gobbler getters your turkey-hunting customers might want to check out as they prepare for the spring turkey season.
Dickinson Arms Semi-Auto 212
The 212C24-OS Semi-Auto Turkey Shotgun from Dickinson Arms ($649) is loaded with the features turkey hunters desire — built with the world’s most advanced CNC manufacturing technology. The 12-gauge shotgun is finished in Mossy Oak Obsession camouflage, perfect for blending into any conditions and chambered for 3-inch shotshells. The 212C24-OS has a contoured pistol-grip stock and a 24-inch barrel with a ventilated rib. It is equipped with HiVis fiber-optic front and rear sights as well as Picatinny railing on the top of the receiver, so hunters can mount the optic of their choice. It also comes with an extended extra-full choke that has been tested for extremely tight patterns with multiple types of ammo. Included is a hard-side carrying case and a magazine-capacity-limiting plug.
EAA Girsan MC312 Gobbler
The EAA Girsan MC312 Gobbler 12-gauge Shotgun ($629) sports a handsome tree camo and tan Cerakote finish, and its 24-inch mid-bead barrel offers a fast and smooth swing. It is equipped with a Picatinny rail machined into the receiver, a feature typically reserved for expensive competition shotguns, and the Gobbler’s included low-mount optic makes target acquisition easy. The Gobbler also features common mag tube threads and common choke tube threads to accommodate aftermarket options. Additionally, the MC312 Gobbler comes with the shooter’s choice of a traditional grip or pistol grip stock in all black or tree camo pattern. The controls are in all the familiar places, and the enhanced port allows for easy loading while wearing gloves. MSRP: $629.
Mossberg International Silver Reserve Turkey O/U
Mossberg International is importing three Silver Reserve Eventide Turkey Over/Under Shotguns ($927) in 12-gauge (3 1/2-inch chamber), and 20-gauge and 28-gauge (3-inch chambers); all with compact 20-inch barrels and full camo coverage in Mossy Oak Greenleaf. Silver Reserve Turkey O/U shotguns are equipped with durable synthetic stocks and forends and have a 14-inch length of pull. The 20-inch vent rib barrel is topped with a front fiber-optic sight, and other standard features include shell extractors, two extended choke tubes, Mossberg logo engraved on the receiver, and tang-mounted safety and barrel selector. Bores and chambers are chrome-lined for corrosion resistance. Mossy Oak Greenleaf pattern offers silhouette concealment with its blend of dirt, bark, moss and oak sapling elements. MSRP: $927.
Retay Gordion
The Retay Gordion Turkey Shotgun ($829; $879/with pistol grip) has a reputation for deadly accuracy, giving the hunter the confidence to take even the most challenging shots. Its deep-bore drilled barrel with optimized forcing cone delivers up to 20% more pellets on target when compared to hammer-forged barrels. The Gordion is built on Retay’s in-line Inertia Plus System and features a low-profile Picatinny rail for optics mounting, as well as Truglo fiber-optic sights. It is available in 12-gauge 3-inch with a 24-inch barrel or 20-gauge 3-inch with a 22-inch barrel versions. Camo options include Mossy Oak Bottomland, Mossy Oak Obsession and Realtree Timber with standard or pistol grip stocks. The Gordion comes with five choke tubes and Retay’s limited lifetime warranty.
Savage Arms Renegauge
The American-made Savage Renegauge Shotgun ($1,349) can handle the hottest high-brass and the mildest low-recoil shells with the same dependability. Its D.R.I.V. (Dual Regulating Inline Valve) Gas System ensures excess gas vents before it drives the bolt, resulting in consistent ejection, less felt recoil and a lightning-fast cyclic rate for dependably fast split times. Other key features include an adjustable stock for length of pull, comb height and drop and cast, a one-piece, chrome-plated action bar assembly, chrome-plated reciprocating components, stock rod buffer to reduce felt recoil, fluted barrel with melonite finish, carbon steel ventilated rib with red fiber-optic sight, competition-ready easy-loading magazine port, oversized controls and four chokes. It comes dressed in Mossy Oak Bottomland camo.
Spandau S2 Semi-Auto
Spandau Shotguns, a division of SDS Arms, recently launched the Spandau S2 ($399.99/Black; $499.99/Camo) — a 12-gauge shotgun that comes in four different configurations for turkey, waterfowl and upland hunters. This inertia-driven semi-auto shotgun features an enlarged loading gate for easier loading with gloves on in cool conditions and accepts Benelli pattern extensions and choke tubes. A fiber-optic front sight makes it extremely easy to find point of aim, especially in low-light conditions. The Spandau S2 is available in four different configurations. Two are designed specifically for turkey hunters and are equipped with 24-inch barrels and two different finishes, Black and Realtree APX camouflage. For waterfowlers and upland hunters, 28-inch barrel versions are available in Black and Realtree Max7.
Tristar Matrix Inertia 12-Gauge
The Matrix Semi-Auto Shotgun from TriStar ($599-$689) is a blend of beauty and function. The first inertia-driven action in the line, the 12-gauge Matrix is offered in Synthetic, Camo and Wood configurations. The inertia system allows for a slightly broader range of ammunition as well as less need for cleaning and lubrication. The primary safety is located on the backside of the trigger guard. When engaged, it blocks the trigger, hammer lever and the hammer that makes the firing mechanism immobile. It has a bottom-loading tubular magazine, and an installed shot plug is included. Key features include an oversized operating handle, slam button bolt release, fiber-optic sight and three chokes. The Matrix Inertia is backed by Tristar’s five-year warranty.
www.tristararms.com
Weatherby Sorix Semi-Auto
Weatherby recently added the optics-ready Sorix Semi-Auto Shotgun ($1,499) to its esteemed firearms lineup, designed for reliability, performance and adaptability — built on the field-proven inertia recoil system. The durable, ergonomic Sorix uniquely accommodates left-handed hunters with Weatherby’s Shift System — a cut on the left side of the receiver allows lefties to easily swap the charging handle, and the safety can be reversed. Other key features include a competition-cut receiver and oversize controls, stepped rib and LPA fiber-optic sight, adjustable stock shims, hand-painted brush patterns — Midnight Marsh, Storm and Slough — and the Crio Plus Choke System.
