Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk ALTurkey Talk -- Beards and Spurs Any of y'all shoot a Stoeger M3020?

I ordered the MO Bottomland version yesterday. It doesn't come drilled & tapped, so I'm just wanting to hear what y'all did for sights? I'm putting my Burris FF3 on it, but I'm not sure if I want to order a Sumtoy mount (and have it drilled/tapped), or maybe go with the Meadow Creek vent rib mount. What did y'all do?

I’m possibly looking at the same gun. Was curious about some reviews for those that have one. Not meaning to highjack the OPs main questions though

I’d go with the sumtoy mount if it were me

This is the cleaner look for sure, and it's my preference. I was surprised the gun doesn't come drilled or tapped (also looked at a more expensive Beretta that wasn't either), and it normally runs $20-$25 a hole for that. So my only real reason for considering the rib mount was to save the cost of drilling/tapping. I guess having it rib mounted isn't that bad, that's where the normal sights are on my guns, I just don't know if I like the aesthetics as well.

Yep I don’t like the way it looks myself

Its a nice gun for the money..im gonna get either the stoeger or the weatherby element turkey with th 22in barrel

Nope.

I like a red dot mounted out on a rib where I can reach the buttons without moving from a firing position.

Got one last year. Patterns great with factory choke and apex 9s. I just shoot the bead that comes on it and it’s dead on so I didn’t worry about a red dot.

Unless there's an unexpected reason it doesn't perform satisfactorily, I'm gonna shoot the factory choke also. TONS of message board fodder saying the same thing..."the factory choke patterned best". I bought two boxes of Apex Ninja 8.5 yesterday.

I've had poor results with aftermarket chokes overall. Never had success with them like other folks.

Unless there's an unexpected reason it doesn't perform satisfactorily, I'm gonna shoot the factory choke also. TONS of message board fodder saying the same thing..."the factory choke patterned best". I bought two boxes of Apex Ninja 8.5 yesterday.

Good to hear about the factory turkey choke. I remember reading reviews about the 12 gauge version M3500 stock extra full choke. They said a lot of folks had issues where the stock turkey choke swelled in the barrel and they couldn’t get it out. Hopefully that issue has been resolved but I was curious if any of the 20s had the same issue. Not sure if it was due to tss or what.

Good to hear about the factory turkey choke. I remember reading reviews about the 12 gauge version M3500 stock extra full choke. They said a lot of folks had issues where the stock turkey choke swelled in the barrel and they couldn’t get it out. Hopefully that issue has been resolved but I was curious if any of the 20s had the same issue. Not sure if it was due to tss or what.

no problems out of mine. I tried a Turlock ported choke before season last year and it shot low and left. Put factory back in no problems removing I also put a dab of choke lube on threads when I first put them in. I have no intentions of taking it out now.

Got my Sumtoy base mount in today, "supposed" to get the gun tomorrow. I'll have to take it and have it drilled & tapped, but hopefully I can report back on the setup and performance ASAP.

I hunted with a black one last year. Killed a bird at 52 yards with Federal 3rd Degree (it was all I could find locally). I thought the bird was closer. I’ve got a Mossy Oak Bottomland version this year. One thing I’ve noticed. The factory recoil pad is hard as a brick! I’m gonna upgrade with a Limbsaver pad.

Haven't got my gun back from the shop yet (having it drilled / tapped). Got an inexpensive box of Federal Premium 3" #5's to sight it in with (and wouldn't be against hunting with them if they patterned well), but I got two boxes of Apex Ninja 8.5's that I'm hoping to hunt with if this gun/choke likes them. I intend to shoot the factory choke, don't wanna get into aftermarket chokes and also waste a house payment on different TSS ammo.

Product review: I know there's still a handful of days left, but I'm done. Here's my review of the Stoeger M3020 after a season of use and 3 kills:

Gun is a bad@$$!....it's a stomper with the Apex Ninja 8.5's. For a cheaper gun (basically $600), it's well balanced and shoulders great, it "fits" me just right. It was easy to sight in, but it did want to drift the pattern left naturally out of the box. Of course that was not a problem to adjust with the Burris sight. I used the factory choke and it's the best pattern of any turkey gun I've used in 30+ years. Just being real, it LOVED those Federal Premiums (just old basic lead shot), I wouldn't have hesitated to use them. The Apex TSS was slightly finicky, but like I said above, after some tinkering it's an extraordinary pattern at all distances. The 3 birds I killed were (approximations) 20 yards, 25 yards, and probably 50 yards. All of them were instant graveyard, barely flopped. This is sorta more of a review on the Apex shells

Only complaint I have is the trigger is cheap and heavy. I got used to it over the season, but I'm gonna see if a gunsmith can tinker with it and lighten it up. Not gonna spend money for an aftermarket trigger, they're expensive and it wasn't "that" bad (I don't wanna wind up with a $250+ trigger and labor in a $600 gun)

I have one that likes the IC 555 with 8.5 tss or 7.5 Hevishot
Shoots either equally well
Recoil is very tolerable for a light gun
No issues whatsoever with this shotgun

Killed 3 with it this year

I have been hunting with one for the past 4 seasons. I just drilled and tapped it myself for mount. It shoots lights out with IC .555 and Hand load (Hal's recipe) TSS #9's. I believe its one of the best for the money.

I had my affinity trigger done and it took the majority of the creep out of it. Really helped the gun be perfect for me. I’d assume it can be done with the Stoeger as well.