I'm looking at a 3.5" Mossberg, the price is right. I have a few questions about Turkey guns.

Does the barrel porting do anything besides look good? I didn't think shotguns had much pressure by the time the projectiles got to the muzzle. Does the porting increase noise to the point of being bad for my ears?

This gun has fibre optic sights. How do I sight it in? Do these guns pattern so tightly that the center will be obvious? Can I get close with light trap loads and verify with turkey loads?

Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about the Mossberg 3.5" camo turkey guns? I know recoil will be severe, but I have a Past pad, and I don't expect to shoot it much.

Sounds like a nice setup.

I am not a fan of porting, my mossberg 695 has it and I do not know if it makes any difference. I'd prefer it to be gone but you'll be able to live with it.

Here's the thing with sighting in turkey guns- they are all individual. What I like to do is sight in with trap loads at 15 yards. The POI will be the same, of course check it once or twice with turkey loads to make sure but as you know don't do so many you get beat up.

Me and my brothers all grew up with mossberg shotguns, so I'm rather biased towards them.

If the price is somehting you are happy with, I think you'll be happy with the gun.

Mark

Thanks for the input. My only concern about the porting is increased noise. I don't care about recoil from a gun I would shoot so infrequently, but I don't want to damage my hearing hunting with it. Is it noisey like a muzzle brake?

Not really, mine has a pattern on the top like an X, with a couple of lines on the sides. I debated making a sleeve for mine but just left it as is.

Oh, to clarify my earlier posts, 15 yds with a trap load = 40 yards with a turkey load. Also, a 3" shell is all you need for turkeys, I really see no practical difference between them and 2 3/4" shells either.

Barrel porting will increase the muzzel blast and depending on design and choke can reduce recoil and improve the pattern.

Light trap or field loads will make it much eazier to sight the gun in. I prefer to shoot at 10 yds. for starters and then out to my max. range to check poi. Follow up with testing of various quality turkey loads and shot sizes.

Test the 3" and 3.5" inch shells and decide for yourself. I will suggest standard velocity. Personally I shoot 3" shells in the 3.5"

I do not own a Mossberg, but have seen many of them that will shoot very effective turkey and predator patterns. Most will need sight adjustment.

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I don't care about recoil from a gun I would shoot so infrequently

You have to get it sighted in, my suggestion is to pay some one else to get er done close, if you can talk em into it, (and can even remotely afford it), if you are going to use the 3.5's. I have 7 left from a box of 10 that you can have if you come by and pick them up. Off a bench they will tear you up!