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Are "turkey" chokes worth it?

String Music

String Music

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Last year I decided to replace my modified choke with a Kicks "turkey" choke. As you can imagine, my SBE was slingin loads out to 50 yards with ease, but was essentially a rifle at 20 yards due to the super tight load.

Up until last year, I had only missed 1 or 2 birds using a modified choke. Between last year and this year, I've missed 4 birds within 25 yards. It was obviously user erorr, but I felt confident about each shot.

After missing Sunday, I decided it was time to put the modified back in. For me, I'd rather sacrifice accuracy in the 40-55 yard range than in the 0-35 range.

What are your thoughts?
 
I prefer a tight turkey choke. I certainly prefer turkeys getting closer but sometimes they just dont, Im sure my average is around 25 yards but I have those 50 yard outliers. Just have to hold her steady on the close ones, thats all.
 
Aim more for a body shot if they are in close..... maybe lower toward the base of his neck.

If you have more than one gun you can set one up for each type situation.... tight woods shots, longer more open/field shots.
 
yes, I shot one Saturday about 50 yards or so away he was coming and got spooked but if I could not have reached out there he would have ran off, instead hes in the freezer!
 
My bird walked within 5 yards behind me. I didn't feel comfortable until he was 43 yards in front of me before I took the shot. That wouldn't have happened without my tight choke. On the other hand, i met a guy who claims to shoot turkeys with high-brass #7 2 3/4" rounds with a modified choke.
 
I like turkey chokes for reasons other then a tight pattern. The pattern out of my gun is not much tighter then a modified choke. However, the ports help with recoil, and the wad striping abilities help with pattern consistency. That is why employ a specialized tube.

I do not understand the super tight patterning tubes, or why folks desire them. I guess it is for taking long shots, but the longer the shot the more likelihood of crippling a bird. Which is something I wish to avoid at all costs.

To each their own, but I prefer a more open pattern. It only takes 1-3 pellets to put one down. No reason to put 150 in ones head.
 
I have shot many chokes for many years out of several shotguns. I'm not bragging what so ever. I found that if you have the bead on the kill zone, pull the trigger, the animal will be there after the shot. If a certain shell size is a problem with your effective shooting then compromise. I have killed more turkeys with a 3'' shell than a 3 and half any day of the week due to jerking and anticipating the shot due to a tender shoulder after shoulder surgery. I have just now went back to a 3 and a half this year, because I can handle it again. Find a choke and shell size you can shoot, and practice with it. I use to shoot my turkey choke on doves, and I learned the pattern the gun was slingin with the choke. Learn to shoot moving targets as well as still and you should be fine. Four main concepts - pull the trigger with your finger only and not the hand, Breath control, cheek down, within 15 yds both eyes open while aiming and past 15 aim with dominant eye only. Good luck hope things turn out well !
 
My Full choke just wasn't giving me a good pattern at 30yds. Finally found one that cut my pattern in half.
First turkey with this choke was at 15yards. Aimed at neck and decapitated the bird, only one pellet into the body.
Second bird was at 35yds, pellets to the head and neck, only 3 in the body, right below the neck, all passed through.
If you are accurate with the load, it will do everything you need with no damage to the body.
 
My choke is super tight, size of a baseball (at biggest) at 10 yards, but I killed my first turkey with it at 5 or 6 yards, hit the head/neck area, must have just grazed him otherwise he would have been decapitated. Took some of the skin off... lol
 
they do make turkey chokes that are designed to IMPROVE pattern performance like the pure gold rather then improve DISTANCE of shot.

the key is finding the right choke that has a nice uniformed pattern without making it super tight. There are plenty on the market to choose from ranging from all prices. I personally love the IC i got this year but may try a pure gold one next season.
 
I use a Remington 870 with a Remchoke turkey choke. I have killed birds from 10-35 yards out. I find that the only time my gun misses is when I fail to keep my cheek on the choke and my head in alinement with the optic sites. I think that the turkey choke does increase the kill range. I know that others can kill them at longer ranges than I do but that turkey choke gives me the confidence to know that at 35 yds it's a done deal if I do my part.
 
oldmanelrod said:
I use a Remington 870 with a Remchoke turkey choke. I have killed birds from 10-35 yards out. I find that the only time my gun misses is when I fail to keep my cheek on the choke and my head in alinement with the optic sites. I think that the turkey choke does increase the kill range. I know that others can kill them at longer ranges than I do but that turkey choke gives me the confidence to know that at 35 yds it's a done deal if I do my part.
Click to expand...

Do you feel like the optic sight improves your accuracy over just using the gun's sights?
 
String Music said:
oldmanelrod said:
I use a Remington 870 with a Remchoke turkey choke. I have killed birds from 10-35 yards out. I find that the only time my gun misses is when I fail to keep my cheek on the choke and my head in alinement with the optic sites. I think that the turkey choke does increase the kill range. I know that others can kill them at longer ranges than I do but that turkey choke gives me the confidence to know that at 35 yds it's a done deal if I do my part.
Click to expand...

Do you feel like the optic sight improves your accuracy over just using the gun's sights?
Click to expand...

Yes. They make it easier to keep my mind focused on site alinement when I have the bright optic sites. I no longer just point the barrel and end up shooting to the left or right of the bird.

Thanks for being kind and not ribbing me about "I fail to keep my cheek on the choke and my head in alinement with the optic sites." It might not be a pretty site with my "cheek on the choke' when I fire.
 
oldmanelrod said:
String Music said:
oldmanelrod said:
I use a Remington 870 with a Remchoke turkey choke. I have killed birds from 10-35 yards out. I find that the only time my gun misses is when I fail to keep my cheek on the choke and my head in alinement with the optic sites. I think that the turkey choke does increase the kill range. I know that others can kill them at longer ranges than I do but that turkey choke gives me the confidence to know that at 35 yds it's a done deal if I do my part.
Click to expand...

Do you feel like the optic sight improves your accuracy over just using the gun's sights?
Click to expand...

Yes. They make it easier to keep my mind focused on site alinement when I have the bright optic sites. I no longer just point the barrel and end up shooting to the left or right of the bird.

Thanks for being kind and not ribbing me about "I fail to keep my cheek on the choke and my head in alinement with the optic sites." It might not be a pretty site with my "cheek on the choke' when I fire.
Click to expand...

I didn't even catch that the first time around haha. I may have to put up some fiber optic sights since my gun only has one bead.
 

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