I have a friend that is in the market for a reasonably priced over/under shotgun for turkey hunting. The CZ Reaper caught his eye. Upon investigation into that make/model he has heard that the gun patterned 14" low on the second barrel @ 40 yards. This was with a red dot sight mounted on the shotgun. Does this sound feasible, or more likely an exaggeration? He isn't particularly fussy about brand in his search. He will want it to be factory ready for mounting a red dot sight on without any major alteration. Also I'm sure he wants screw in chokes so that he can choose which barrel to fire according to the amount of distance to the turkey. Based on personal experience, what makes and models would you recommend that he consider? Thanks in advance for your expertise and knowledge.

Any particular reason, other than perhaps he just likes them, that your friend is dead set on an O/U for a dedicated turkey gun?

As I mentioned above, he wants two different choke tubes so that he can use the one most appropriate to the distance from the turkey. Is that necessary? Probably not, but any reason to purchase another gun is a good thing! His uppermost concern is how common on an over/under is it for the firearm to pattern 14" lower than the top barrel at a distance of 40 yards? Is this anomaly, or is it very common?

No it is not common. A lot will depend on ammo used. Most turkey hunter just stick in some form of full or tighter and shoot accordingly.

Thanks for your response.

In total agreement with that! No, 14" lower for the lower barrel is certainly not normal and hardly advisable.

When you are basically shooting at a golf ball perched on a soda straw, the most appropriate choke is FULL, regardless of distance.

I'm a rifle guy and not much on shotguns, but the question isn't what is the correct choke to use. I was asking about the CZ Reaper and if it is common that it (or any other O/U) would shoot to a 14" lower POA @ 40 yards on the lower barrel than the upper barrel using the same POA.

I wouldn't say this is a common occurance but it is not unheard of. 7"-8" difference in point of impact at 40 yards is within tolerances for Browning and Beretta and not uncommon from what I have seen. A couple have been even greater. Those were sent back to their respective companies but I do not know the final disposition though the one owner was sporting a semiauto the next time I saw him.

I would not be surprised to see this occur more often with lower price point O/Us. Something has to give to keep prices down and time spent on convergence is one place to save. It is also possible the barrel was threaded crooked or the tube itself is off center. Or, a change in ammo in one or both barrels can get centers more in line. These are some of the trials, tribulations, and joys of two barreled guns.

One way to avoid the problem is to hunt with a single barrel shotgun. Lots of successful turkey hunters use single barrel shotguns with one choke. I would say worrying about having different chokes for shooting turkeys at different distances is overthinking things. If multiple chokes are that important, maybe one of the triple barrel shotguns would be more useful with 3 different chokes.

noweil,

I agree with the single shotgun barrel and not over thinking the Turkey hunting. I have an old Savage 24DL, 20 gauge under and a 22 Mag over. That old gun has accounted for quite a few Turkey kills. The gun is a standard full choke gun, I shoot the 20 gauge 30 yards and in, the 22 Mag kills Turkey out to 45 yards. If you're going to use and O/U for Turkey hunting, IMO the over barrel should be a rifle of some type.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

O/Us can make good turkey guns, I've killed several with my old Winchester 101 using the factory Full and Extra Full chokes. In fact, the first shot I ever fired with the gun killed a gobbler I had called to about 25 yards. But, the barrels have to both shoot to the point of aim at about 40 yards. A quality O/U will usually do so. That said, it really is easier to have only one barrel to find the right combination of choke and shell for good patterns.

Although I think (not certain) rifles of any kind are illegal for turkey in some states.

That is 100% correct. No rifles here.

One barrel shooting 14" low @ 40 is feasible but would be due to a problem with an individual gun.
If it is an exaggeration then your friend needs to reconsider his information sources.

Red dots are popular re turkeys but hardly necessary....sounds like friend wants to equip a shotgun to " look" like a turkey shotgun as Job #1.
The gun or load do not kill the most turkeys.....learning to hunt turkeys kills the most turkeys.

Screw-in chokes offer no advantage in this case....a full or xtra full centering on poa( ie the junction of head and neck, imo) is all that is necessary with any reasonable load and distance.

I never used an O/U for turkeys but any properly built would work a treat....I'll pick a Superposed.
Some fella in VA wrote a book long ago on turkeys....he used an o/u, tho not a superposed, at times as I recall.
No difference than a sxs and I have used those.
I suspect mounting the miracle red dot has friend thinking of the o/u...ok, but a pump or semiauto would be a better choice for his inexperience and desires....imo.
Actually, not much does not work in a turkey scattergun given the right boxes check-marked and one understands the process for success.

You are welcome.

If that fella was John McDaniel, his O/U was a Superposed, a Belgium Browning 3" Magnum. I have his book and he wrote about the Superposed, but never mentioned another O/U. Of course, he's probably not the only hunter from VA who wrote a book about turkey hunting.

I blame age..yes, McDaniel...appreciate the correction.

Seems as tho, age still involved, he also used a 10 gauge....SxS?....the book is on the shelf, one would think I would go look.
No matter.

The older books on many hunting subjects often offer a much different belief system than progress has afforded today.
Interesting to look back.

Yes, I agree, age has not helped my memory either.

Yours isn't so bad after all, as McDaniel did use a 10ga SxS, a 32" Beretta that he was rather proud of.

Looking back is, indeed, interesting and pleasurable. As for turkey hunting, I much prefer the older ways to those of today.