The Life of a Shotgun

A discussion about Turkey guns, rifles, black powder, handguns, chokes, cleaning, and accessories.
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hobbes

The Life of a Shotgun

Post by hobbes »

I bought this Remington 870 Turkey Special back in 91/92. It has a 21" barrel and came with one choke, a Remington extended xtra full. It has served me well on more than one occasion.

I killed my first turkey with it, a jake that quietly slipped in behind me in IL in 1992. I wasn't exactly versed on how to take photos of a turkey on that first bird.
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I added a Hastings turkey choke to it and killed several more birds with it before my dad gave me an 870 Supermag. I still put it to use after moving up to the 3 1/2" though. My wife used it to kill her first turkey and every fall I'd add a Hastings cantilevered deer barrel w/scope and hunt whitetails in IL, killing several deer with it.

My oldest son graduated to it in about 2010 when I added a Knoxx recoil reducing stock.
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It saw a lot of great country over Isaac's shoulder (and mine when he'd tired of carrying it). I even had a giant red dot and a monopod on it for a little while.
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He even fell asleep with it on occasion
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Isaac killed 10 or so birds with it, the last couple with the old wood stock, before packing the supermag for the last few. In 2011, He killed three of the four subspecies that make up a slam, using it, but we had removed the red dot and monopod.

An IL Eastern:
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A CO Rio:
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A CO and a NE Merriam's
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I loaned it to a friend in 2013 that hadn't shot a turkey in years.
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I carried it myself once again in 2015 and killed this Eastern.
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I carried it again in 2017 when this Western MT tom decided to fly off the mountain top and strut in.
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My youngest son, Boyd, carried it some in 16 and 17 without ever connecting with it. I noticed that the stock had developed a crack near the receiver when I carried it last season so decided that I'd give it a little new life by adding a new stock and forearm combo. That just didn't seem good enough so I went with a new saddle mount and Vortex Venom to top it off.

Isaac has already checked it out to see if he thinks he'll be able to hunt lefty with it this year due to his right hand restrictions. I'll happily sit behind both boys and watch them kill birds with it this coming season.
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Last edited by hobbes on March 17th, 2018, 9:30 am, edited 2 times in total.
deerhunt1988
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by deerhunt1988 »

That first turkey pic is so akward, love it! That shotgun could tell some tales...
BrowningGuy88
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by BrowningGuy88 »

There are some guns that just turn out to be special.

It sounds like that is one of them!

Awesome pics!
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appalachianassassin
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by appalachianassassin »

cool history with the gun man. I got my first turkey gun in 1996 at age 12. its an Ithaca turkeyslayer and I would never part with it. the pic of your first turkey is way better than mine.....I didn't take one, imagine that.
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soiltester
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by soiltester »

Those 870's just keep on tickin' :thumbup:

And it looks like for many years to come :cheers:
ever wonder where the white goes when the snow melts??
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redarrow
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by redarrow »

Awesome history on that one for sure. The stories that gun could tell.
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Cut N Run
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by Cut N Run »

Cool timeline and pictures! Thanks for sharing. If guns could talk, what stories they'd tell. Looking forward to seeing the new memories it helps create.

Jim
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Hoobilly
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by Hoobilly »

Nephew and I were discussing our turkey guns the other evening. Wish I had a record of the many kills each one has done. Lots of pictures but would love to know the exact count

Love the pictures

Hope the new daddy can make the best of it and go lefty and kill a goodn. It’s easier than many think. Especially with a red dot
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Yule
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by Yule »

Really cool. Most of my turkey pics include an 870, as well.
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ylpnfol
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by ylpnfol »

nice story and pics. pretty cool how you documented the gun being passed around the family, with success. good luck to all this coming season
you never know, unless you go

David
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Stinky J Picklestein
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by Stinky J Picklestein »

Cool story! I have a 500 that's had a similar life for the last 30+ years, but I was too lazy to document much of it. :(
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by PALongspur »

GREAT read!!
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turkeyinstrut
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by turkeyinstrut »

Great story and I'll bet every time you pick that gun up a past hunt comes to mind. I have turkey hunted for 33 years and only have a small handful of pictures of the birds I have killed over the years, the older I get the more I regret not taking more pictures and keeping some kind of journal of my successful days in the woods. Sure would be nice to be able to look back on when I am no longer able to hunt them majestic creatures.
hobbes

Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by hobbes »

I didnt intentionally document this gun's history, but was looking through old digital photos (some scanned) and took note of how many photos included this gun. I didnt take as many photos in the early years and when I did it was usually in the backyard after I got home.
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Reloader
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by Reloader »

Really cool. Thanks for sharing.
Casey Napier
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by Casey Napier »

Just read this and really liked the story! Reminds me of my old Green Leaf 11-87 that I bought back about the time you got your 870. I wish I had documented the places and hunts I have been on with that gun. I still get it out from time to time, she looks pretty rough but will still get the job done.

Casey Napier
Hobbes
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by Hobbes »

Casey Napier wrote: January 22nd, 2019, 6:49 am Just read this and really liked the story! Reminds me of my old Green Leaf 11-87 that I bought back about the time you got your 870. I wish I had documented the places and hunts I have been on with that gun. I still get it out from time to time, she looks pretty rough but will still get the job done.

Casey Napier
I killed all three MT turkeys with her last season. The new stock and sight has made it my main turkey gun again.
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N2deer
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by N2deer »

Awesome story thanks for sharing.
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by longwalker »

awesome life for a shotgun!
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ncturkey
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Re: The Life of a Shotgun

Post by ncturkey »

Awesome tales of a great shotgun. Congratulations to all the success y’all have had with it.
The updates on great
Mike
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