TSS Choke question

[Bone Collector]

I read somewhere that you should constrict your choke if shooting TSS. The ideal # seems to be around .640 for a 12 ga. A quick search brought up one type of choke. Carlson's makes a "TSS Turkey Choke" I don't see any other brands doing this.


Is it true that you should use a tighter choke for TSS?

 

[elknturkey]

Not necessarily. Normally a tight choke will have a hot core but sometimes it'll blow the pattern and a more open choke will pattern better. Indian Creeks tend to throw a hot core. 640 is prob to tight but I haven't fooled with my 12 in years. I shoot a 655 kicks in my 12 Beretta. Which brand matters to as Mossbergs tend to like a more open choke being back bored

 

[Andy S.]

The ideal # seems to be around .640 for a 12 ga.

Too broad of a subject to say this. I would NEVER shoot TSS through a .640 choke, WAY too tight in my opinion. It is all dependent on type of gun, ounce of shot, size pellets, choke, etc. You cannot make such a blanket statement without knowing some/all of those variables.

Is it true that you should use a tighter choke for TSS?

No, in fact, the guidance suggests just the opposite. Generally speaking, you should shoot a more open constriction choke. TSS does not have to be choked like lead and HTL.

 

[Bone Collector]

The ideal # seems to be around .640 for a 12 ga.

Too broad of a subject to say this. I would NEVER shoot TSS through a .640 choke, WAY too tight in my opinion. It is all dependent on type of gun, ounce of shot, size pellets, choke, etc. You cannot make such a blanket statement without knowing some/all of those variables.

Sorry should have thought about that. 3" #9 i think it is 1 3/4 ounces of shot. The gun is a stoeger M3500.

I currently shoot a Indian Creek .665

 

[REN]

benelli have a smaller base bore so for those you can get lower in restriction then say a mossberg or winchester. However I dont know many people that go TIGHTER for TSS and as Andy said most go more open. All depends on the choke type as well, like a trueglow SSX has a 640 that alot of people really like however I would NEVER try and shoot an Indian Creek for example at a 640. The construction of the choke is more important then the constriction

If you have an IC 665 that would should be fine for TSS, id test it before ever trying a different one.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

Lots of variables, but .665-.680 seems to be the sweet spot for most.

 

[BackwoodsBoy]

I prefer a more open choke for tss, most of the time the factory fulls are more than plenty IMO

 

[SKFOOTER]

The Federal TSS loads like a tighter choke due to its Flex Wad. Carlson's and Trulock both make their 12 gauge TSS chokes with a .640 constriction. Apex and handloaded 12 gauge TSS loads seem to like a .665 constriction.

 

[SKFOOTER]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Andy S.]

^^^Good "hunting" pattern for a 55-75 yard gun, and a hunter who keeps his cheek welded tight throughout the entire shot (don't pull).

 

[Andy S.]

I prefer a more open choke for tss, most of the time the factory fulls are more than plenty IMO

x2, especially out to 40 yards.

 

[SKFOOTER]

^^^Good "hunting" pattern for a 55-75 yard gun, and a hunter who keeps his cheek welded tight throughout the entire shot (don't pull).

And that's exactly what I use it for—field hunting. Get em 40 yards and under and lead loads will still be effective..

 

[Andy S.]

^^^Good "hunting" pattern for a 55-75 yard gun, and a hunter who keeps his cheek welded tight throughout the entire shot (don't pull).

And that's exactly what I use it for—field hunting. Get em 40 yards and under and lead loads will still be effective..

That is true for fields as well.

 

[TheLBLman]

Get em 40 yards and under and lead loads will still be effective
..That is true for fields as well.

Speaking of which, in my experience, at least more often than not, I believe
it's easier to call in a 3-yr-old (or older) bird to under 40 yards in a field WITHOUT the use of decoys
despite all the calls for banning decoys.

Those who have experimented extensively with decoys often just stop using them of their own accord upon realizing they're overall more trouble than worth, and for oh so many reasons, including extra noise and greater chance of being seen either placing or retrieving those decoys.

A few years ago I was at LBL experimenting with a single hen decoy.
The decoy was about 25 yards in front of me in a field.
Around mid-morning a Tom free-gobbled, I responded and he started coming in gobbling.
Moments later, a bald eagle attacked my hen decoy.
Game over, because of the decoy.
Although that was almost as exciting as when another bald eagle picked up a wood duck 10 yards in front me!

I'm just thinking most of us, self included, are majorly falling for all sorts of "marketing" & gimmicks, that are so often of little benefit.

TSS is NOT a gimmick, but may not be nearly as valuable to us as we want to think.
Especially if you call your birds up and most are killed under 40 yards, the gun, the choke, the shells, may matter very little.

 

[Bone Collector]

The Federal TSS loads like a tighter choke due to its Flex Wad. Carlson's and Trulock both make their 12 gauge TSS chokes with a .640 constriction.

This is what i read and then found in a search. Well i found the Carlson's choke, but didn't see the other.

Mainly wanted to see if anyone had shot say an IC .665 or other choke betwen .665-.680 and then changed over to a Carlson's .640 and seen a significant difference.


Edit*** Just saw the post above with over 400 pellets in a 10" circle. Good gosh....

 

[Andy S.]

Just saw the post above with over 400 pellets in a 10" circle. Good gosh....

That shell had 635 #9 pellets inside the hull, so 63% of pellets inside the 10" circle does look good on paper, if you like counting pellets. WAAAY overkill unless you are literally shooting 65+ yards every time, or you are shooting a water buffalo. For reference, 125+ pellets inside a 10" circle at 40 yards is sufficient to hunt/kill with, so I double that and routinely get 250 pellets inside the 10" circle at 40 yards, and another 250 pellets in between the 10" and 20" circle, and 80-100 pellets in between the 20" and 30" circles. That gives me plenty of killing coverage and A TON of insurance in case I were to pull at the moment of truth, turkey's head were to jerk, etc. My .02, good luck with your choice.