Dedicated turkey-hunting guns aren’t a new phenomenon, but they continue to grow in popularity as avid hunters realize that while their do-it-all shotgun can get the job done, a gun specifically designed for taking turkeys really does offer more utility and comfort for the task. And it’s not just a matter of a quick camo job, either—turkey-hunting shotguns often offer shorter barrels, tighter (sometimes extended) choke tubes, improved ergonomics in the grip, and more.
For the most part, dedicated turkey guns have been pump-actions or semi-automatics, but that’s changing, too. The newest craze in turkey hunting is over-unders. While it might sound like a disadvantage to limit yourself with a gun that only holds two shells at a time, the over-under style has plenty going for it. (Besides, in my experience, if you don’t hit what you’re shooting at with the first two shells, you’re not hitting it with the third, either.) Here’s why you should consider taking an over-under into the turkey woods this spring.
The Mossberg 12-gauge semi-automatic 940 Pro Turkey (Holosun Micro Dot Combo/Mossy Oak Greenleaf pattern) is a great turkey gun but not exactly whisper quiet in the woods when closing the bolt!
1. They’re Safety-Friendly
If you hunt in pairs, particularly if you’re with a new shooter or a kid, you’ll appreciate how incredibly obvious it is to look at a broken-open over-under and immediately know that it’s in a safe condition. There’s no need to see the action to confirm the bolt is open, like on a semi-auto. When you’re walking, the gun can be broken and carried safely over your shoulder, and everyone can see at a glance that it’s safe.
2. They’re Quiet
I swear, the sound of the bolt slamming shut when loading a semi-auto is the loudest sound in the entire woods—and don’t tell me to ride the bolt closed slowly to keep it quiet. Loading a pump-action gun isn’t much quieter, but an over-under? Whisper-quiet. Just drop the shells in and gently click the gun closed. No worries about making noise and spooking nearby game.
3. They’re Reliable
This isn’t to say that an over-under will never have a stoppage or malfunction, but there’s just less that can go wrong. If you shoot a pump gun, you can short-stroke it in your excitement and fail to load a necessary follow-up shot. Semi-autos can hang up with the bolt slightly out of battery (the main reason why I don’t ride the bolt forward as mentioned above). In either case, you can get a click instead of a bang, which might be the secondloudest noise in the woods and certainly one of the most disappointing.
4. They’re Versatile
The biggest reason I love an over-under for turkey hunting is the option to use two different choke constrictions. With two barrels, you can use, say, an extra-full choke in one and a modified choke in the other and you’ll be set to handle turkeys at any range from in-your-face to way-out-there. If you’ve ever missed a turkey with a super-tight, extra-full pattern at 10 yards (I have), you know why this matters. It’s a lot like shooting a rifle at that range, and it’s easy to miss.
I experienced this firsthand on a turkey hunt a few years ago. We were set up on a edge watching three gobblers strutting on the far end, hung up about 100 yards out, and I had a CZ over-under 12-gauge with a full choke in the top barrel and a modified choke in the bottom. I was lying in a ditch with a guide working a call and a fan, and after 20 minutes of being ignored, we were just hoping they’d wander into within 45 yards so I might get a shot. Around the time we were starting to give up hope, one of the gobblers finally got mad and made a beeline for our position, drawn by the movement of the fan. The other two joined him, and before I knew what was happening, I had three gobblers clustered together, running at top speed, closing the distance faster than we could keep track of. “Sixty-five yards,” my guide whispered, “Now 50. Now they’re in range. Shoot as soon as you can!”
I kept my red dot trained on the lead gobbler, but they were charging quickly and still bunched up in a group. By the time one had pulled away from the crowd, they were no more than 25 yards away and still running at us. I flicked the selector switch on my shotgun to fire the bottom barrel first, with the more open choke, and shot the turkey at about 20 yards. Could I have made that shot on a running bird at a close distance with a full choke? Probably, but I was really glad I didn’t have to.
Some Considerations
If you’re going to shoot an over-under for turkeys, there are a couple of simple tips to keep in mind.
Pattern both barrels: Your two barrels might or might not shoot exactly the same. One might shoot considerably higher than the other, requiring you to hold differently on a bird with one barrel vs. the other. The point is, you need to find out at the patterning board—particularly if you’re going with two different choke tube constrictions.
Consider the space: Because you must break an over-under open to load and unload, it requires a little more space to operate than a pump or a semi-auto. This isn’t a problem on the range or anytime you’re standing up or sitting in the open, but it could potentially be a bit of a handle if you’re belly-crawling or cramped in the tight confines of a blind. Nothing that can’t be overcome, but you do need to be practiced with it.
Add a recoil pad: If you’re used to a semi-auto turkey gun, the recoil of an over-under might surprise you. You’re going to feel more of the punch because there are no moving parts in the gun that “soak up” some of the recoil for you, as in a semi. This matters at the bench, but most of us won’t notice it in the heat of the moment in the field. Still, consider adding a recoil pad or choose a little bit of a lighter load if you’re worried about it.
Above right, the hunter had success using a Mossberg International Silver Reserve Eventide over-under in 20 gauge.
