Since TSS is now commercially available I'm looking for a 20 for a dedicated Turkey gun. Looking at several options like the Winchester SXP, Benelli Nova, Browning BPS , Stoeger but am open to others. Would like to stay below $500. What gun/choke/load options should I be considering?

A camouflaged 870 will put you well under your budget. Heck, you could even add a Burris FF3 to it for that price.

this is my vote

I've had 3-of the newer 12 gauge 870's and have not been happy with any of them. One failed to eject on multiple occasions and one wouldn't pattern anything I shot through it. I know several here have the 20 gauge 870's so I'm assuming you've had good luck with them. Indian Creek and 9.5's?

My son has the 11-87 camo. 20 ga. Sweet little gun. I may take it from him. Lol

I bought a Mossberg sa-20 and put a eotech 512 factory choke with Federal hw 7's. Best gun I've ever shot. Perfect pattern

I found an older compact 870 at a pawn shop. Got a better deal since it didn't have the rem chokes with it.

Indian Creek and 9s in mine, bill. I’ll never tote a 12 gauge again. CD.

We also have a youth model Franchi that shoots even better but it’s a little outside that budget.

I'm using a Remington Super Full choke with # 9s and # 7.5s. I like the # 7.5s better, but prefer the 12 ga over the 20 ga.

Aren't the 20 gauge stocks smaller than the 12 gauge? I just always thought the manufacturers designed those 20 gauge compacts for smaller people.

If the whole idea behind swapping to a 20 is to go small, short and light then the two best options are the 870 compact and the Benelli M2 compact. One is affordable and the other isn’t. I’d get the 870 and have it dipped and you’d still be under $500

You dont even have to get one dipped anymore if you dont want to fool with the wait time and still want to eliminate that rust nonsense. Wal-mart sells a compact
20 870 that is camo dipped now. Super easy option.

My yildiz youth model 20 o/u would have something to say about that. It's significantly lighter than an 870 compact.

Meh. Less than a pound lighter and almost 2 inches longer. I could get interested in those things if anybody ever bought one that had both barrels hit in the same spot, but I’ve still never seen it.
I have a single shot yildiz .410 that I have to do some work on. If I can get it shooting like I want it will probably become my primary turkey gun once the leaves get on.

i looked at a remington semi auto with a 21 inch barrel and it didnt feel right. i tried a 870 20 ga with a 26 inch barrel and it felt right so i bought it now im about to put a sure shot stock on it already put the holo site on it just waiting on that stock to site it in.

Looks like the 870 is the way to go. Anyone have any experience with the Winchester SXP?

I bought the SXP Crenshaw had for sale a few weeks ago. It’s feels good on the shoulder and now has a red dot on top. I’ll have some patterns in a few weeks after deer season. The trigger is known for being ridiculously heavy from several of the reviews I read. Mine seems about normal.

Bill the 870 compact is a good bit shorter and lighter than a regular 870. It only has a 13” LOP but I like that a lot better when I’m all wadded up against a tree.

My compact jr came with some shims to lengthen LOP. I agree with others. Hard to beat in your price range.

Someone buy one of these and turn it into a turkey killer.

https://www.cdnnsports.com/weatherby-pa459-20ga-18-5inch-pump.html?___SID=U#.WmXrqK6nGUk