I asked my avid turkey hunting buddy about what shotgun to get. He has a first gen Mossberg 835 Ulti Mag.. non ported. And does he have the stories where he lets people shoot it and they end up with busted faces! I've watched experienced turkey hunting youtubers patterning their shotguns and taking a stock to the cheek. All I can think is if these guys are taking punishment like this in a controlled shooting range environment, How's their day end up when shooting awkwardly in the woods? I love big booms and it's cool having the biggest gun at the range. I love shooting big guns... But at the end of the day, I care more about not hurting my aging body anymore. lol. I always end up not using and selling off punishing guns.
So that leads me to shotgun selection. I want to get the job done and not leave an animal injured. I'm a bigger guy so can handle a big gun. Really, recoil isnt that big of an issue. I can suck it up. But frankly dont want to take it to the face when shooting in an awkward position in the woods. It apparently happens. I'm looking for tips on minimizing punishment... if that's even possible in Turkey hunting.
Semi auto vs pump? I prefer pump reliability, but it'll be a one shot deal anyway, so I'm not too concerned with owning a semi auto if it'll drastically reduce kick.
Preferred loads? Is 3" better than 3 1/2" in terms of felt recoil? I dont want to sacrifice penetration.
Does a pistol grip help much in handling awkward shooting positions in the woods?
Red dot make a difference in how you mount the shotgun?
Any specific shotguns to consider? Ive looked at the Mossberg 835 and like the feel... and the tang safety. Maybe a tacticool Turkey 835 with the pistol grip?
Thanks in advance for the advice and opunions!