Shot size and choke tubes

[max1982]

I have never hunted turkeys before and am scheduled to go on two spring turkey hunts this year one in Montana and one in Nebraska. I would like some thoughts on choke tubes and shot size and brand. I shoot a sbe, I have a pattermaster long range choke, that I thought I might try would this be anygood to start with? I have many differant other chokes but none for Turkeys that I know of.

Thanks
Clint

[Nick_The_Tinkerer]

Max,

Im new as well to Turkey Hunting....so perhaps whaty I have found out in the last few months can be of help to you.

1) You will get as many different answers from as many different people...
2) Take everything with a grain of salt - then confirm
3) Use the search function, this place has a ton of posts in different sections...
4) All shotguns are individuals nothing is absolute in shotguns only GUIDELINES

Good Luck

[SKFOOTER]

The Hevi-Shot choke (.656) patterns the Magnum Blends (5,6,7) reslly well as does the Jellyhead .655 with Hevi-13 #7's.

[allaboutshooting]

I have never hunted turkeys before and am scheduled to go on two spring turkey hunts this year one in Montana and one in Nebraska. I would like some thoughts on choke tubes and shot size and brand. I shoot a sbe, I have a pattermaster long range choke, that I thought I might try would this be anygood to start with? I have many differant other chokes but none for Turkeys that I know of.

Thanks
Clint

Welcome Clint. We're glad you're here at OG. It is an excellent site with many helpful folks and a lot of information, as has already been stated.

I'm sure you'll enjoy your turkey hunts this year and if you're like most of us, you'll be "hooked" on a lifetime addiction.

I've been shooting a Benelli SBE since I bought my first one in 1991. It's a great gun and can work very well for you in this new sport.

There are 3 chokes that I'd highly recommend for you to consider. They are quite different in design but all work exceptionally well with Benelli barrels.

The first is the Wright's limited production choke http://allaboutshooting.com/product_info.php?cPath=69&products_id=50 it's made from ETD-150PH steel, rated for all lead and tungsten-based shot, has a 1.3" parallel section, a crowned muzzle and it's .650 (the #3) exit diameter is just about perfect that gun.

The second is the Hevi-13 Turkey Choke http://allaboutshooting.com/product_info.php?cPath=69&products_id=202 It's made from 17-4PH stainless steel, rated for all lead and tungsten-based shot, has excellent "interior geometry" and the .656 exit diameter works very well with it's design.

The third is the SSX http://allaboutshooting.com/product_info.php?cPath=69&products_id=80 It's manufactured from ETD-150PH steel, has very unique "internals", it's rated for all lead and tungsten based shot and has an e.d. of .643 that may seem tight but works exceptionally well with the SBE.

The choice of shotshell is a pretty easy one for me. I'd use the 3" Hevi-13 "Bronze" shell with 2 oz. of #6 shot with any of those chokes in your SBE. It's the most consistent shell that I can find on the market today. It throws great patterns and will do all that needs to be done at ranges up to and including 40 yards.

Again, welcome and best of luck to you this spring.

Thanks,
Clark

P.S. I really recommend that you "deep clean" that barrel. It will really help the performance of your gun, choke and shotshell. Here's a link to the article with the guidelines. http://allaboutshooting.com/article_info.php?articles_id=282