Mossberg 500 Turkey

The Mossberg 500 Turkey puts a dedicated turkey setup on the most widely supported pump action in the country. It runs the same twin-extractor, dual-action-bar 500 receiver that has anchored Mossberg's lineup for decades, so parts, stocks, and gunsmith familiarity are everywhere. The 20-inch vent-rib barrel keeps the gun short and quick to swing on a moving bird, while the 3-inch chamber handles the heavy lead and TSS loads turkey hunters actually use.

The X-Factor ported extended turkey choke is the reason this ships as a turkey gun rather than a field gun. It constricts the pattern hard for dense head-and-neck hits at 40 yards, and the porting bleeds off some muzzle rise so the second shot comes back on target faster. Adjustable fiber-optic sights let you move point of impact to match your chosen load instead of holding off, which matters when a tight turkey pattern is only a few inches wide downrange. The Mossy Oak Obsession synthetic stock is the conventional shoulder stock, not the pistol-grip Tactical Turkey configuration.

At roughly 7 pounds it carries easily on a morning walk-in, and the tang-mounted safety falls naturally under the thumb whether you shoot right or left handed. For a hunter who wants a purpose-built turkey gun without paying semi-auto money, this is the default answer.