Meet the M3000 Turkey
Cloaked in Mossy Oak Bottomland camouflage from buttstock to muzzle, the M3000 Turkey is a 12-gauge, inertia-driven repeater with a 22-inch ventilated rib barrel. A machined RMR optics cutout atop the receiver is a major upgrade, and there’s a green HiViz fiber-optic front sight. If that’s not enough, the model is drilled and tapped for an optics rail.
The M3000 is chambered for both 2.75 and 3-inch shells and carries a 4+1 round capacity. An extra full extended turkey choke is included. Retail price is set at $749, and the gun is backed by Stoeger’s five-year warranty.
Features
The M3000 Turkey is fairly short with its 22-inch barrel and 43.75-inch overall length, but many other turkey guns are checking in with 18.5 or 20-inch barrels for maneuverability in blinds and brushy settings.
At 6.9 pounds empty, this is a heftier option, especially when fully loaded and scoped. It’s heavier to carry, but when firing heavier turkey loads, especially spicier tungsten rounds, a little extra poundage is not always the worst.
Our test gun shipped with two different buttstocks: a standard and a pistol grip design. Though we couldn’t find that duo mentioned as such on the Stoeger website or catalog, we verified with company reps this is a benefit to the newbie. Including both stock types may seem minor, but many shooters struggle over the decision to buy a pistol-gripped turkey gun or a more standard stock to make the repeater friendlier for pursuits like shooting flying targets of the clay or feathered varieties.
A single turkey choke is included, so those seeking other pursuits will need to purchase the appropriate tubes.
Field Notes
Speaking of buttstocks, one area of complaint is the length of pull, which measures the same 14.375 inches on either stock. Not only is that on the longer side of normal for most shotguns, but it adds to overall length on a turkey gun that excels at its most compact.
As it sits, this M3000 is not friendly for smaller-framed shooters and takes a concentrated effort to shoulder without snagging for average-build hunters. That’s not a deal breaker, and we were able to manage it well enough, but a well-fitting gun is more forgiving and more useful all-around. Longer-armed and larger shooters will likely feel right at home with this one. If Stoeger debuts another upgrade with included, removable LOP spacers – look out, turkey world.
This latest M300 hits on plenty, though, from the sweet old-school Mossy Oak Bottomland to the included paracord sling. The M3000 Turkey nails it in the optics department, especially as more turkey hunters move to shooting with optics of one type or another. Plus, the M3000’s receiver came topped with a Picatinny rail, though the gun is not currently advertised that way.
Most noteworthy, though, is the receiver machined for direct-mounting RMR optics using the included STR-9 adapter plates – the same as Stoeger’s STR series pistols. Our test gun shipped with A and B plate covers for Trijicon, EOTech, Docter, Insight, Meopta, Burris, and Vortex. Aftermarket plates are available to cover most other brands, including Leupold.
Specs
- Gauge: 12
- Action: Semi-auto
- Barrel Length: 22 inches
- Overall Length: 43.75 inches
- Length of Pull: 14.375 inches
- Weight: 6.9 pounds
- Chamber: 3 inches
- Capacity: 4+1
Range Performance
While the factory fiber-optic sight is quite nice, we opted to pair this scattergun with an affordable TruGlo Nexus micro red dot with its own Picatinny mount. Though not a high-dollar optic, the TruGlo went on to hold up to plenty of heavy loads. We tested the M3000 Turkey with multiple types of ammunition, including Hornady Heavy Magnum Turkey, Hevi Shot Magnum Blend, Federal Grand Slam Turkey, and Federal Heavyweight TSS.
Not surprisingly, the packed tungsten blends put out the densest patterns, followed closely by the blends. Given some irregular patterns, especially with coated and plated lead turkey loads, we might consider aftermarket tubes for the gun. The other option is to limit the ethical range to roughly 30-35 yards, hunt exclusively with one of the tungsten or specialty blend loads, or continue trying other ammunition types. It’s not a deal-breaker and certainly not the first issues with factory choke tubes.
