Henry’s Single Shot Turkey Camo Shotgun Review: Best Turkey Gun in Production?

You might be wondering, “A single shot, really?  With all the Tacticool pumps and Semi-autos out there, why would I want to go back in time to a single shot?” There are several advantageous aspects within the form and function of a single shot as it pertains to turkey hunting.  Many of those aspects may crossover to other shotgun platforms, but none of the other platforms contain all of these benefits. In the video below, I will explain five of the benefits, but for this article, I will mention three:

1. Weight – Single shots are intrinsically lighter than their action-driven or multi-barreled counterparts. When you are hauling decoys, calls, blinds, and hopefully a dead turkey, you will appreciate a lighter gun. Now the weight is a two-edged sword as it pertains to recoil, but more on that later.
2. Overall Length V/S Barrel Length – When you are in the tight confines of a turkey blind or nestles behind some brush, your gun-wielding space is limited, so a lesser overall length is an advantage. On the other hand, when you are shooting tight patterning turkey loads, a longer barrel is preferred. A single shot (or any break-action) conserves overall length through its lack of mechanical action (like a pump or semi), which provides an opportunity to add barrel length and still come out much shorter than pumps and semi autos. This Henry’s barrel is 3-4” longer than most of the production model pumps and semi-autos that were designed as turkey guns, yet at the same time, Henry’s overall length is considerably shorter.
3. Safety – There are a few aspects to a single shot that make for a safer time in the turkey woods.
   1. Spent Shell in the Chamber – After you down a turkey, the safety protocol is that you should unload your shotgun before you exit your blind to check out your new prize gobbler. If, however, the adrenaline rush of downing an impressive thunder chicken causes you to forget that protocol, with a single shot, you have the added safety of having a dead chamber.
   2. Action Open Carry – Carrying a break action shotgun with the action open is not just an ergonomically pleasing and balanced way of carrying your firearm. Still, it is also an inherently safer mode. Whether it is carrying in the field or passing it to your hunting partner during a fence crossing, negligent discharges can be avoided by having the action open.
   3. Hammer Down Safety – Your manual safety is replaced by the hammer down potion of a rebounding hammer. If my hammer is down, I cannot fire the firearm. Another safety advantage of the hammer-down position is if someone else is using the gun (say a young apprentice hunter), I, as the mentor hunter, can look over and plainly see whether the gun is in a safe or fire-ready position.

Check out the video below for a detailed explanation, as well as my top two reasons for turkey hunting with a single shot.