Favorite Turkey Choke Diameter?

littletoes

New member
Alright folks, we all learn stuff, even after we've already "committed" one way or the other.

Tell me what you've learned, and why you like a certain choke diameter, if you have the patience!
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I own a couple, either for my Winchester 1300 or my 870...but with my limited experience, not sure what to get to replace the one my oldest Son "borrowed" for his shotgun....anyone else been there??
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It's going to be different depending on the gun but my 835 shoots 4 shot with Kicks GT .685 just a bit better than than the Mberg.695 Ulti choke that came with the gun.I can probably go a little tighter still with that size shot.
 
Thanks Bernie!

I need to pattern mine to see how it does, what I've got is a .670 on one 870.

That's the one my Son borrowed, that I'd like to replace, but maybe with a bit of input from what folks on here like and have had great luck with.
 
It is impossible to say one particular choke diameter works for everyone because there really isn't a standard bore diameter among manufacturers. The 12 gauge bores run from the older tight Benelli/Beretta .723” all the way up to Mossberg’s massively overbore .775” so no one single choke diameter is going to work universally for all guns. The particular shot type and size also has a bearing on effective chokes. You would be better to ask something like “What is your favorite choke constriction for lead size #5’s and #6’s?” Or, “What is your favorite choke constriction for tungsten turkey loads with #6 size shot?” Inquiring about particular shot types and sizes along with constriction would result in more useful information.
 
GC-Great Advice! Thanks!

Hmmmmm....We actually use 1300 fps pheasant loads for turkey hunting, usually a #6, but on occasion a #5 load. It knocks 'em dead, without the cost of a load branded "Turkey".

Most of the shotguns me/kids have are all 870's, with one Winchester 1300 sitting in the back corner I picked up as a kid. Never used tungsten, so I have no experience with it.

Thanks again for keeping me straight!
 
Your 12 gauge Remington 870's and the older Winchester aren't of the newer over bored variety and should have an older American bore size of about .729" - .730". Your .670" choke is about .060" constriction and should work really well for lead #5's or #6's and give you a nice round evenly distributed 20" pattern out to 35 yards or maybe even 40 yards. The standard thought now is that your maximum range is determined by having an evenly distributed and consistent 100 pellets in a 10" circle at point of aim. I am beginning to really appreciate a consistent 20” pattern for a little leeway for those close shots. A Jellyhead choke is a bargain for good patterns and won't break the bank. Really good lead turkey loads that also won't break the bank are those old standard red hull Winchester Super X - XX Magnums with 2 ounces of #5's or #6's and/or the Winchester black hull Supreme High Velocity 1 ¾ ounce loads with #5 shot. Before I got caught up chasing the ultimate 200 pellet in 10” @ 40 yard goal I killed a whopping bunch of turkeys with those old Winchester loads rather than the high dollar tungsten and expensive chokes I currently run. Heck, I grew up in Missouri’s prime turkey hunting years shooting 2 ¾” shells from a fixed modified choke Remington 870 and Browning A5 and killed turkeys just fine. Guess I didn’t know any better… I now think sometimes simple may actually be better.
 
Thanks again GC! Great info for sure!

Like you say, we've kept it fairly simple with our pheasant loads. Most of our birds have been taken inside 30 yards, with a couple inside half that distance.

Sure hope my boys have some luck this coming weekend, if the weather holds.

I'll check out that choke you mentioned, see if there is one to be found locally. Never much luck with that idea though!
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GC-One more question?

What do you think about barrel length? I run a 22" barrel on the 1300 Winchester, and a 21" barrel on my 870 Special Field.

We're killing birds, but we don't take long shots either!
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The differences in individual barrels and chokes and how they react to a certain load can negate any advantage length may play in giving a better pattern. As an example, I have 18 ½”, 24", and 26" barrels for my two Benelli M1S90 semi-auto 12's and they all take the exact same chokes. The 24" and 26" are pretty much even in pattern densities with no clear advantage to either one. Most of the time both of those two will out pattern the shorter 18 ½” barrel. Sometimes by a great degree, sometimes by not so much. However, in at least one instance the shortest barrel will out shoot the other two with a certain load and choke. Which reminds me that there are no set hard and fast rules.
 
GC-Hate to dig up this 'ol thread again, but I settled on a Kick's Gobblin Thunder choke tube, just plain couldn't find a Primos Jelly-head with the constriction you rec amended. Sure hope it works out, it was only a couple of bucks more.

Thanks Again for the advice! Hope to get some shootin' in, real soon!

'toes
 
The cool thing about the Kick's choke is that if it doesn't pattern as well as you think it should and you want to try another diameter contact Kick's directly and for the cost of shipping they will swap the choke for another diameter of your choosing. Kick's is a true custom choke and a great company to deal directly with.
 
Now that's cool! Thanks GC for letting me bug you a bit. I picked up the .656 diameter to start with, I think it will be here in a couple of days.

There ain't anything available locally...boy did I call around!
 
Originally Posted By: littletoesNow that's cool! Thanks GC for letting me bug you a bit. I picked up the .656 diameter to start with, I think it will be here in a couple of days.

There ain't anything available locally...boy did I call around!

Is that a typo and you really mean .665"?
 
Cool, the Gobblin' Thunder is a great choke and Kick's is a solid company to deal with. Glad it is working for you.
 
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