I was headed out the cabin door to hunt an early season Oklahoma gobbler I had put to bed the evening before when my buddy stopped me before I could get to my truck and gave me a serious look. 

“You’re not really going to take that old shotgun you’ve been shooting for 25 years, are you?” he asked, thrusting a different gun into my hand. “See what you think of this.”

Not one to be rude, I didn’t correct him about my old shotgun. In fact, I’d been hunting many species of game birds with that old Remington 870 with a 28-inch barrel for more than 30 years, and had killed my fair share of gobblers with the gun, too.

The new gun was light, shorter than my 870 and a semi-auto. I later found out it was a Benelli Super Black Eagle Turkey model. When the gobbler flew down, he ignored my calls and started strutting and heading in the wrong direction. Fortunately, I had anticipated that might happen, quickly snuck around a big hill and headed him off, laying him out with a single shot.

While the Benelli didn’t kill the big gobbler any deader than my 870 would have, I began to see the benefit of a shorter barrel, fiber-optic front sight, pistol grip, specialized turkey choke and other features the newer model had to offer. That’s when I decided that maybe a new turkey gun should be on my wish list.

For your customers looking for a new turkey shotgun, 2024 is a great year to make such a purchase. Here are three new guns, just introduced at SHOT Show 2024 in January, that might just entice your customers to pull out their credit cards.

Mossberg Silver Reserve Eventide Turkey 

While most turkey shotguns are pump-action or semi-auto models, Mossberg has gone another direction in 2024 with the new Silver Reserve over-and-unders. And while some will say two shells aren’t enough, I’ve seldom used more than one shot when turkey hunting. And when I did, a second shot did the job. Fact is, most gobblers won’t hang around for a third shot.

The new Mossberg, somewhat ironically imported from Turkey, is available in a 3 1/2-inch-chambered 12-gauge, along with 20- and 28-gauge models with 3-inch chambers. The 12-gauge version features 20-inch barrels topped with a front fiber-optic sight. The synthetic stock, forend and metal surfaces wear full camo coverage. 

Offering less recoil and lighter weight than their big brother, the 20- and 28-gauge over/unders feature 3-inch chambers, 20-inch barrels with extended choke tubes, a front fiber-optic sight and a full camo package. Shell extractors and a tang-mounted safety and barrel selector are standard on all gauges.

All models feature chrome-lined bores and chambers for corrosion resistance. Mossy Oak camouflage offers superior patterns that blend in naturally with the terrain, and the Greenleaf pattern used on the Silver Reserve Turkey shotguns offers silhouette concealment with its blend of dirt, bark, moss and oak sapling elements. The three chokes that come with the gun include two XX-Full and one improved cylinder, with the I/C giving hunters a good option in case that first shot is much closer than expected. All three models in the Silver Reserve Turkey line have an MSRP of $927. 

Winchester SX4 Long Beard 

Touted by Winchester as the “ultimate turkey-hunting shotgun,” the SX4 Long Beard’s name conjures up images of a big gobbler strutting to within shooting range. The SX4 is the successor to the SX3, and it is built on the bulletproof Active Valve System, which was the core foundation of that popular model.

Winchester’s newest turkey gun features a synthetic pistol grip stock with improved ergonomics and textured gripping surfaces. To ensure perfect fit, the gun ships with spacers to adjust the length of pull and three interchangeable comb height inserts. The 24-inch barrel is easy to swing in tight quarters, and the gun comes with Invector-plus extra-full turkey extended choke tubes.

Chambered for up to 3 1/2-inch 12-gauge ammo, the SX4 features back-bored technology that reduces friction between the shot cup and the bore for increased shot pellet velocity and minimized pellet deformity for more uniform patterns, and the hard chrome-plated chamber and bore reduce wear and protect the internals from the elements. A 20-gauge model has a 3-inch chamber and the same features. 

The SX4 Long Beard also features a self-adjusting active valve gas system and Quadra-vent ports that vent excess gasses for cleaner operation and less required cleaning. A drop-out trigger group also makes for easier cleanup after that big gobbler is in the bag.

The gun features a Truglo fiber-optic front sight with an adjustable rear sight. For those who prefer a red-dot sight or other optic, a Weaver-style cantilever rail makes mounting an optic a simple task. Additionally, a reversible crossbolt safety makes the gun easier to set up for right- or left-handers, and the enlarged bolt handle and bolt release button make manipulations with gloved hands easier.

For concealment, the gun wears a Mossy Oak Obsession camouflage finish. MSRP for the SX4 Long Beard is $1,219.99.

M3500 Predator/Turkey

Waterfowl hunters have been enjoying the benefits of Stoeger’s M3500 semi-auto shotguns for years. New for 2024, the M3500 Predator/Turkey does double duty as a turkey and predator shotgun, making it attractive to more hunters than just a turkey-specific model. This gun brings Stoeger lovers the hard-hitting, no-fail performance of Stoeger’s M3500 semi-auto series in an all-new model tailored for those in pursuit of turkeys or predators.

Chambered in 3 1/2-inch 12-gauge, the new gun is powered by Stoeger’s inertia-driven system to ensure reliable cycling of even the heaviest magnum turkey and buckshot loads. The gun features Stoeger’s SteadyGrip stock system with a vertical pistol grip that provides optimal hand placement, making for a firm hold on the shotgun even in the odd shooting positions some gobblers seem to be experts at facilitating. The Mossy Oak Overwatch camo covering nearly the entire gun helps in fooling even the wariest tom or coyote.

The sighting system for the 24-inch barrel features a full-length vent rib with a red fiber-optic front sight designed to be easy to pick up even in low light. For those who prefer an optic, the receiver comes drilled and tapped for mounting a red-dot sight or turkey scope. Extended Mojo choke tubes come with the gun in Mojo Predator and Mojo Turkey restrictions to hold patterns longer and produce consistent points of impact.

In addition, a ported barrel helps mitigate the recoil of heavy, hard-hitting turkey loads, and a plush recoil pad aids in that endeavor. This shotgun even comes with a strong, silent paracord sling attached to the integrated sling swivel studs, making the chore of toting it through the woods a little more convenient without hunters having to rob the sling off of another of their guns. With 4+1 ammo capacity, the MSRP for the M3500 Predator/Turkey is $929.