I see where remington has a new special purpose shotgun out. It is a camo painted 870, 3.5 inch, with a thumbhole stock. I believe it will compete with some of the new pistol grip shotguns. I now hunt with a mossburg 835 and it has some quirks I dont like about it. Im thinking about getting the 870 special purpose. However, Im not sure how a shotgun with the thumbhole stock will handle in the turkey woods. Im sure that on standard shots it will perform good. but how do guns with these stocks handle on fast follow up shots or folllow up flying shots. Also the Mossburg 835 shoots good patterns, how does the 870 perform our to 40 yards with 3.5 inch shells.

I spect learning to shoot a new stock configuration at any moving bird , running, walking or flying, would take some getting used to...might be worth some time with a clay pigeon thrower or at a clays range if you decide to buy that gun. at the rsk of starting a big debate , it is observable that 870's have probably killed more game than any other shotguns in the last 50 years...I have used the same 3 in 870 to duck hutn for 40 years with no problems at all ever...and I turjkey hunt with one a lot of the time too...thye have been used for hammers, axes, boat paddles, dog trainers, crutches and other useful undertakings all that while.

I agree with GN, you will need practice. It's all about muscle memory, so time at the range busting clay pigeons, ballons, paper, etc... will get you ready. I would get a lot of bird shot and practice, the important part is getting the muscle memory down so when the times come you don't have to think about it, you just do it.

I have the regular 870 supermag and I love it. I saw a photo of this new thumbhole 870 and I don't think it would make a good turkeygun. It seems to me the purpose of thumbholes is that they allow you to grip the gun so as to better stabilize it when shooting without a rest. I plan to buy an omega with thumbhole before the next mzl season. However for turkey purposes, from a sitting position with the ability to use you thighs for support, I don't think the additional grip is necessary. And I think it would stifle fluency in movement from side to side, a big minus, for no additional advantange. 2c