Turkey Chokes

[JKump]

Now that deer season is over in Georgia, getting ready for Turkey season. I got a new shotgun this year,a Remington 870. Looking for a turkey choke. In the past I have used a H&R turkey pardner pump with a tru glo gobbler stopper (.66) choke. Killed several turkeys.
I also shot Federal Supreme 3" mag #5 shot. So what is your favorite choke and why?

[buck460XVR]

My favorite choke in both my turkey guns is just the standard full choke. It patterns the best out to 45 yards for me and does not significantly increase felt recoil like extra full and some special turkey tubes do. It also gives a tad more margin for error at extremely close range that the extra tight tubes.

[mete]

No matter what you have ALWAYS pattern the choke/shot combo ! It may not be what you think.

[eastbank]

as i have a 2.5x leupold scope on my turkey shotgun,its easy to check patterns. i put up 300yd rifle repair targets up at 30 yards and us a lead sled with 50lbs of lead shot on it,so the 3.5 inch shells don,t kill you while sighting it in and checking patterns with different chokes. i like .660-.665 chokes and in my gun it makes it a honest 40+ yd turkey killer, when i set up i use a lazer to make sure i know the limit(40yds) i will shoot for a clean kill.eastbank.

[bamaranger]

I shoot an 870 as well. Purchased in spring 1980. About 1990 or so I put a rem-choked 20" slug barrel on it with factory rifle sights. Onto that I screwed Rems first generation extended turkey full. A few years later they came out with the Rem super-full, the one with the knurling on the extension, and I switched to that and have not changed. I cannot tell you the dimensions on either, but somebody likely can. I hear Rem now has yet another extended tube, but I have not pursued it. You can spill a bunch of money on turkey chokes, you sure can, but I have resisted it.

The rifle sights are a great benefit, and I cannot stress enough how important I think some type of sight system, beyond the old simple single bead, is to spring gobbler shooting with a shotgun.

I've been all over the map with loads, sticking with 3" shells. For a long time I thought more was better, and progressed from 1-7/8oz, on to 2 oz, and then 2-1/4 oz 3" shells. Shot #6 lead first, then switched to #5 when the 2-1/4 load hit the market. Killed quite a few birds with the 2-1/4 oz Activ (remember them) load #6, very dense, never shot anything quite like it since. But it seemed to lack "punch" and on birds much past 35 yds, I'd have to stomp some. Switched to #5 and it seemed to be a better killer. Then
Active went under and the super heavies dried up.

I was in search of a new load, and Winchester introduced its 1-3/4 oz hi-vel load. I discovered that #5 shot in that load would yield as many hits on a sheet of typing paper as the 2-0z #6 loads. Percent wise they were not the equal of the 2-1/4 oz #5 or 6 Activs, but they were very close. And that lighter load was going faster...more punch so I think, and results in the field seem to support that. I found them on sale at the end of a season at Wally world one year, and have likely bought a lifetime supply.

I have not made the switch to "space shot" (the tungsten alloys) and likely will not. You can spend a bunch of money on turkey shells too, you sure can.

I want more of an edge than the standard field loads............though I'm sure we'll hear from guys that use just that. By contrast, this trend to add 10 more yds of range to your turkey gun with space shot and 3.5" shells seems unnecessary. (and expensive). And the 3.5 alloy receivered guns will kick you silly as well.

Keep your shots to 40 yds or so, add some sights, pay attention to your set ups and camo, keep your cool, and you should kill gobblers.

[Brotherbadger]

Jellyhead is my favorite. It gives wonderful patterns in my 870.

[JKump]

Just got the Comp-N-Choke XX full.

[Erno86]

I use a Hevi Shot choke tube in my turkey --- NWTF Winchester 1300, 12 gauge --- gun, because I currently use the combo --- 5,6,7 --- 3 inch Hevi Shot round

[Drhc116]

Kicks Gobblin - Thunder is the best I have ever used.

[playin' hookey]

I use a mid-range Patternmaster choke on my Remington 1187 Super-mag with 3" 2 oz. #6 Hevi-13 shot. I like the Patternmaster mid-range choke because the pattern is acceptably dense at 40 yds but not overly so. The super-full turkey chokes are great if your aim is perfect but they make it a little too easy to miss for my taste, especially given the habit gobblers have of coming in from unexpected directions. I use TruGlo adjustable sights. When I sight in (as opposed to patterning) each year, I use dove loads at 8 yds. The dove loads are cheap and don't kick much, and the close range keeps the pattern small so you can adjust the sights with precision.

[1tfl]

My Remington 1100 patterns best with the standard Remington X FULL Steel choke while my 870 Express patterns best with standard FULL Remchoke. I noticed that some extra tight choke and gun combo will give you donut pattern.

[shortwave]

Originally posted by Bamaranger:

And the 3.5 alloy receivered guns will kick you silly as well.

Agree. When the 3.5" came out some years ago, there was a big rush by many hunters to go out and buy a 3.5" capable shotgun. Many hunters I know did just that. Today, all but one or two that hunt geese have gotten rid of their 3.5" shotguns or just never shoot the 3.5", finding that the very marginal edge (if any) that the 3.5 had over the 3" was not worth the extra felt recoil.

[RCL]

I tried several different chokes in my gun (11-87 Special Purpose Turkey 3 1/2"), including both of the factory chokes mentioned above, and the Jelly Head patterned the best with Winchester Supreme #5 that I'm using.