Full choke verses a turkey choke at 40 yards?

[Marc]

Using my current Hevi-shot loads, it would seem I have an adequate pattern to kill a bird at 40 yards (which is generally at the limit of my comfort zone).

I have killed a bird with #2 steel on accident (had a few duck loads that looked just like my turkey loads), and have killed two birds with improved cylinder in the gun (one while quail hunting in the fall, and one cause I had the wrong choke in the gun).  All three of these birds were in the 30-35 yard range.

Being primarily a wing-shooter, the only sight I use is the front bead.  40 yards (give or take) is my limit, cause that is about the longest distance I can clearly see and comfortably get a hold point on the bird.  No plans or desire to change sights...

In patterning some of those turkey chokes in the past, they threw an awful tight pattern at 20-30 yards, (most of my shots being between 25-35 yards)...  Had one that completely changed the hold-point as well.  I figured, I would rather have the margin for error at close ranges, rather than the extra range for misjudging my shooting distance.

So, what say you all?  What are the advantages and disadvantages of a full choke over a turkey choke, or vice versa???

[terp]

Full choke might be the best for you.   It all depends on where and how you hunt and your choice of sight etc.  pattern board will tell you.  I was contemplating a full choke myself especially with flight control wads. 

[Glazier]

I went to a full choke this year with Federal 3rd degree 3". I am very impressed with this shell. At 45 yards these pattern very nice, flight control is a great concept for turkey hunting.


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[owlhoot]

If that is what patterns good at the ranges you shoot then it is all good. A lot of turkey chokes are really tight , but there is some between the full like some duck chokes and coyote chokes which may be something to consider too.

[Gooserbat]

As long as I'm.getting 100+ hits in a ten inch circle. Yes some load are super tight up close such as longbeards and with such loads in situations when and where you would expect to shoot no farther than 40 yards a full choke is likely better. 

[supremepredator]

mossberg 500. sporting a kicks .660 gobbling thunder choke. shooting 3 inch no. 5# long beard xr's.
Top left 20 yards.
Top right 30.
Bottom left 40.
And bottom right 53 yards. Your just going to have to experiment till you find the right combo.

[2dogs1name]

Benelli Super Nova 12ga
Hevi-Shot 4,5,6 blend
Primos .655 Jellyhead turkey choke

(Forgive the 25yrd miss...but the pattern is what matters)

[Bowguy]

I agree w what you're saying some loads can actually be too tight especially up close. I do have one gun set that way but the odds are better w a more open/even pattern

[Greg Massey]

Main thing you looking for is POI and no holes in your pattern. Most turkeys are killed for 20 - 45 yards most of the time. If you have a good open shot who going to wait for a turkey to be 5 - 10 yards. First make sure your using the right kind of shell's. Second make sure you have checked and pattern the gun to take the turkey as humanly as possible.

[Ihuntoldschool]

Full choke has killed gobblers graveyard dead at 40 yards long before turkey loads were ever thought of.  It will certainly kill them now with "turkey loads"  They are not particularly tough birds to kill provided they are shot right (head and neck area) .  Their feathers are not like plated armor either as some would have you believe.  I prefer to shoot them in the head/neck but many were taken with body shots before head shooting turkeys became common.  As already posted by other members #2 lead shot produced exit holes more often than not at 40 yards or more.

[Farmboy27]

Only way to be sure is to pattern your gun with the full choke and see. But I'm sure it will be fine. Most guys get way to caught up in counting holes in paper. You don't need 250 hits in 10 inches to kill a bird. If most of these guys spent as much time scouting and practicing their calling as they do in seeing how many holes they can put in a piece of paper, they wouldn't need any fancy chokes or shells!

[Greg Massey]

Only way to be sure is to pattern your gun with the full choke and see. But I'm sure it will be fine. Most guys get way to caught up in counting holes in paper. You don't need 250 hits in 10 inches to kill a bird. If most of these guys spent as much time scouting and practicing their calling as they do in seeing how many holes they can put in a piece of paper, they wouldn't need any fancy chokes or shells!

X2

[dutch@fx4]

Back in the 1800s thy killed off every bird in Ontario Canada. With black powder shotguns some with a little choke.lol most of my turkeys are shot at less than 20 yards so a full choke will do you just fine pattern your gun and pick your shots.

[BowBendr]

Same goes with archery deer hunting. New bows are all about speed. Everybody wants tight pin gaps, less drop equals less margin of error in range estimation. Yet when asked, most archers openly admit that the majority of their deer are shot at 15-20 yds.
Looking back on 30+ years of turkey hunting I can only remember 2 birds that I really reached out there and killed. Most are 20 yds.
The 2 that I killed this year were 7 and 20.
I firmly believe that people are over-choking the WLB and flight control loads as is. I also believe that people would see less poi shifts with these loads if they would open it up a bit.



2015 Old Gobbler contest Champions

[supremepredator]

All very good advice here. That hevi shot is just over kill and overpriced, but it gets results. I think ill stick with my long beards for now and worry more about scouting like farmboy said.