By Ken Perrotte
O.F. Mossberg and Sons’ latest shotgun designed for turkey hunting, the Model 940 Pro Turkey, sure got a workout this past spring, serving reliably on gobbler expeditions from Texas to Alabama and North Carolina, and two Canadian provinces.
Adapting the 12-gauge Model 940 semi-automatic line, launched in 2020, to be a turkey-killing machine, was a natural progression for the venerable firearms manufacturer. Turkey hunting tools have always been a Mossberg mainstay, notes Media Relations Director Linda Powell, citing the company’s model 500/535/835 pump-action platforms and the model 930/935 semi-autos.
Powell also points out that Mossberg was the first manufacturer to offer a 12-gauge, 3.5-inch gun, the 1988 model 835 Ulti-Mag pump shotgun, the first shotgun chambered for Federal's new, bigger magnum waterfowl loads, developed soon after the federal government began phasing in its ban on toxic lead shot for waterfowl hunting. In partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation, Mossberg then tailored the new magnum for turkey hunting, with Federal again producing the beefy loads.
I was among a small group of outdoor journalists getting to test the new 940 Pro Turkey shotguns under hunting conditions. Traveling to Chapeau, Quebec, in late April, our camp was situated on the Ottawa River, enabling hunting in two provinces on the same day, Quebec in the morning and Ontario in the afternoon.
We were shooting Apex TSS ammunition, potent loads with 2.25 ounces of tungsten No. 7.5 shot. The finer No. 9 shot is not yet legal in that part of Canada. Shooting that load from a 7-pound pump-action or single-shot gun can thump shoulders and rattle teeth and cheekbones. The semi-auto operation of the new 940 Pro Turkey helped lighten the felt recoil. While still noticeable during patterning at the range, felt recoil was near imperceptible when shooting at an actual bird – as is the case in many hunting scenarios.
An upgraded, cleaner gas operating system, with the gas piston, magazine tube, hammer and sear all nickel-boron coated power the 940 Pro lineup. It also employs a spacer designed to prevent moisture and carbon from building up around the magazine tube. The result is efficient cycling of shells across many shots and scenarios and the stated ability to fire up to 1,500 shots without cleaning. That’s quite a run for a semi-auto.
The shotgun just feels good and I liked both the sure handling associated with the slim-profile forend and the oversized charging handle and bolt release button, which reliable rammed rounds into the chamber.
Our shotguns were equipped with Holosun 507 and 407 low-profile optics, which mounted perfectly into the 940 Pro Turkey receiver that’s cut to accept micro-dot and reflex sights with a Shield RMSc-pattern footprint. The payoff with using such a sight is just about perfect eye alignment, which helps you maintain shooting form with proper cheek weld to the stock and snug tucking into the shoulder.
The 940 Pro Turkey stock is adjustable for length-of-pull (13 – 14.25 inches), cast, and drop. Adjusting it for proper fit also helps with shooting and felt recoil.
While the gun comes equipped with nice HIVIZ front beads on the vented rib, adding a red dot or similar optic is a no-brainer if you want to maximize turkey-killing potential. Once properly zeroed with your favorite hunting load, if you wait until a turkey is within acceptable range, that bird will be tagged. The gun and ammo will do their jobs; of course, individual shooting skills and experience all factor into the outcome.
The 940 Pro Turkey is fully camouflaged ion a Mossy Oak - Greenleaf pattern.
Tagging Birds!
It was obvious that the agriculturally rich Canadian countryside held an abundance of birds. Early in the season, though, these Canadian gobblers get just as henned up as their southern brethren. We hunted with a local club that offers limited “outside” turkey and waterfowl hunts as a way to offset costs and share the bounty. The amount of Canada geese resident across the area was nothing short of amazing. Our first day of hunting with www.gohuntbirds.com saw all of us have “close but…” moments, with hens leading strutting toms by the snood away from our decoys.
Canadian outdoor communicator Ian McCleary of western Ontario, cracked things open in a big way, doubling the second morning on a pair of longbeards. Quebec has a two-tom season limit and lets you take both birds in a single morning. When four gobblers strutted into gun range, McCleary deftly rolled two of them with the Apex TSS.
Powell and I came close again on day two, but again saw recalcitrant hens bogarting the toms and hanging up well out of range. Day three broke it open. Powell had a mature gobbler finally cooperate and, turkey hunting veteran she is, she readily closed the deal. I hunted with Alex Hynes and we flopped at 38 yards a tom we had roosted the night before and then cruised area farms looking for a potential second bird. Lightning struck twice in rapid order. Two hours after taking the first bird, Hynes successfully called a group of turkeys down a hillside into the decoy spread. Let’s just say that tungsten shot at 18 yards is utterly lethal.
Size Considerations
The gun is available in 18.5 and 24-inch barrel lengths. Some shooters might like the added stability of the 24-inch barrel. Lighter, shorter barrels tend to “jump” a little at the shot.
My shotgun was an 18.5-inch model. I appreciated the slightly lighter weight (7.25 pounds), especially when carrying the gun on my shoulder while toting decoys and other gear for considerable distances. That shorter barrel also lets you set up in tighter confines, able to more easily point through brush, tree limbs and hunting blind windows. So, while the longer barrel might allow for quicker target acquisition for follow-up shots, my take on a turkey gun – especially when shooting pricey tungsten ammunition – is that the first shot is the one that has to count. Follow-up shots should be rare anomalies.
Powell says the 18.5-inch barrel has, without question, been the more popular option as sales began rolling out this year.
“With today’s high density, hard-hitting turkey loads, hunters are finding that barrel length does not have as much impact on patterning and performance,” Powell said. “The greater advantage of the shorter barrel length is maneuverability, whether hunting from a blind or navigating your way through the turkey woods, and a slight decrease in weight.”
Powell said pattern testing of both barrel lengths at 40 yards showed no appreciable difference. I also patterned the gun at 40 yards, with every tested load easily delivering enough pellets to the kill zone.
“Several people have noted that the gun shoots where you point it; that is a result of our new barrel-making process to maintain point-of-aim and impact,” Powell said. “Throw in the soft-shooting, reliable gas-operating system and what’s not to like?”
Exceeding Sales Expectations
Powell said sales of the 940 Pro Turkey exceeded expectations relative to the original production run.
“We shipped thousands of units, and even though this is a seasonal product, we’re continuing to build and ship it due to overwhelming demand,” she said.
“We were expecting the 18.5-inch model to make up around 20% of overall 940 Pro Turkey sales, however, it looks more like it makes up closer to 50% of 940 Pro Turkey sales,” she added.
It’s always telling when a new shotgun shows up at a camp and guides, outfitters and other hunters ask about how and where they can get one. Powell said that was sustained experience throughout the spring.
“That’s been the case across the board from Alabama to Texas to North Carolina to Canada,” she said. “That combination of the 940 Pro Turkey XX-Full choke and Apex TSS have delivered unbelievable patterns and on-game performance.”
Naturally, hunters may be wondering if the 940 Pro Turkey line may be extended into smaller packages. Last year, I used a light-kicking Mossberg Model 500 pump-action turkey gun in diminutive .410 to kill gobblers in both Nebraska and Virginia, using TSS shot. While Powell said that may be something considered in the future, she notes that the 940 was first successfully launched as a competition gun, followed by a field, waterfowl and turkey versions. “It makes sense to fully expand the 12-gauge offerings before venturing into other gauges and allow manufacturing to catch up with the current demand for the 12-gauge versions,” she said. “Of course, the challenge with today’s market is the ongoing backlog of orders - for all guns - and supply chain issues. This has greatly slowed the process of introducing new guns.”
The upshot: Get them when you can. Place orders now. The shotgun has an MSRP of $1,120. A research scan of retail prices shows it selling for around $965, making it an affordable option amid the world higher-end turkey hunting shotguns. Good hunting!
Selected Specifications:
Mossberg 940 Pro Turkey
12 Gauge
Semi-Automatic
3-inch Chamber
18.5 and 24-inch barrel options
7.25 and 7.5 pounds, depending on barrel
Capacity – 4+1 shotshells
Length 39.25 inches
Adjustable Length of Pull
Mossy Oak – Greenleaf camouflage finish
Optic Ready
Drilled and Tapped Receiver
Self-Draining Stock
Apex TSS Ammunition
https://apexmunition.com/
Tungsten Super Shot with 18.1 g/cc density tungsten alloy
The 3-inch 12-gauge shotshell, loaded with 2 ¼ ounces of TSS is Apex most popular option
1,200 feet per second
Pellet Count:
9 Shot: 814
8 Shot: 570
7.5 Shot: 495 (only size legal in Canada) $62. 99 for box of 5.
A 2-ounce option ($57.99 for 5) is also available.
1,200 feet per second
Also offered in 7 1/2, 8, or 9 shot
Pellet Count:
9 Shot: 724
8 Shot: 510
7.5 Shot: 440