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Turkey Guns & Shooting => Turkey Guns => Topic started by: glenmorebuckman on February 25, 2026, 10:41:34 AM

Title: Setting up a turkey gun for my son on a budget
Post by: glenmorebuckman on February 25, 2026, 10:41:34 AM
My son will soon be turning 11 years old and loves to Turkey hunt. He has been hunting with an H&R single shot 20 gauge youth model with a modified choke. back last summer he found a Harrington and Richardson pardner pump 20 gauge compact model shotgun with screw and chokes. I couldn't really afford it but I got it for his birthday. He doesn't know about it yet. He wants a red dot scope on it which I have taken care of and he wants to use Winchester long beard ammo. I know this is a stupid question because every gun shoots every load different from every other gun but if you were going to buy a choke for this gun and load ,what would be your first choice?
Title: Re: Setting up a turkey gun for my son on a budget
Post by: Bowguy on February 25, 2026, 11:01:05 AM
Does it come with chokes? If so try them first. Longbeards are already too tight. I just made a similar statement on another forum. Don't make it harder than its got to be.
Title: Re: Setting up a turkey gun for my son on a budget
Post by: btomlin on February 25, 2026, 01:15:12 PM
I would agree with Bowguy if the gun come with chokes.  Try them 1st...you may be surprised.  My 12(I realize you are dealing with a 20) shot an excellent pattern with LB6s with the standard full.  It was too tight for my liking with a .665 since I like them under 30yrds.

I would assume Carlson's would be a good place to start if you are looking for an economical option for a turkey choke...or possible the classified's here at OG.  Good luck!

***I see that ebay has a "H&R Choke pack"(Invector style) that includes IC, F, Turkey-XF for $30.***

Title: Re: Setting up a turkey gun for my son on a budget
Post by: glenmorebuckman on February 25, 2026, 10:34:54 PM
It came with a modified. I tried it with the LB #6's while he was at school one day and it was pretty loose at 30 yrds. I wouldn't shoot a bird with it at that distance. I think I might try the chokes on Ebay since he does need the other chokes anyway then maybe the Carlson
Title: Re: Setting up a turkey gun for my son on a budget
Post by: davisd9 on February 25, 2026, 10:54:07 PM
Carlson makes the Longbeard XR choke that was supposed to be built for shooting them.


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Title: Re: Setting up a turkey gun for my son on a budget
Post by: Davyalabama on February 26, 2026, 08:28:41 AM
Well, lot's to unpack, but I'll start anyway.  The pattern is loose, yeah, you want the chokes anyway, so try that, Ic, full and extra full......You already know this, some guns just don't like the longbeards....You may try the double X or get some nickel ammo, yeah it's pheasant loads, but at 1 3/8oz of shot, it's still plenty.  Good luck.
Title: Re: Setting up a turkey gun for my son on a budget
Post by: jblackburn on March 09, 2026, 12:29:49 PM
I've got a Bass Pro/Cabelas brand choke in one of my kid's youth 870s, it was very affordable and throws an exceptional pattern. You might consider that as an option if they have it in the thread pattern you need. another more affordable option might be the HS Undertaker, I used one years ago and it was very acceptable for the price.

Or you might consider picking up a regular full choke, when my kids were younger I think I had their guns over choked and we had some misses due to excitement and didn't have a "buffer" becasue of tight patterns.