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12 gauge choke selection help

John A.

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I know a few of you have done a lot more choke testing than I have so I'm asking if you have used/tried either of these chokes, to please let me know how they perform. Especially with 6 shot because that's my primary hunting load.

But I'm wanting to try one to see how it does.

I currently have a full size Rem choke in my Charles Daly semi. It puts a bunch of 6 shot where they need to go, but it's about .695"

There are several chokes available that have a much tighter constriction that I think would increase my range if I needed.

The two chokes that I am looking hard at are:

Truglo strut stopper extended choke .643"

https://www.truglo.com/firearms-choke-tubes/strut-stopper-xtreme-choke-tube-combo.asp

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Primos Tight Wad extended choke .660"

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Primos-TightWad-Choke-Tubes/742390.uts


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Primos Jelly Head extended .660"

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Primos-6...oke-12ga-Extended-Turkey-Choke-Black/46542936

 
I use the Tight Wad in my 870, 930 500C and 835 (500 barrel). For an inexpensive choke this patterns well. It edged out the Undertaker in my head to head test. I've taken 4 turkeys with this choke in my 930. I use just std Winchester 3" turkey loads in #5 shot in the 12g's and Remington 3" turkey loads in #6 in the 20g.

In the 385 overbored barrel I use the Jelly Head. This was the only choke I patterened and was satisfied enough to not try any others. I originally went with it because it handled Hevi-Shot but have not actually used any Hevi-Shot. LOL. I have used this one one season and tagged a bird with it. I was using 3.5" plain turkey loads with this one, do not recall the brand offhand

Somewhere I have the dead coyote choke for the 835 that I found on sale somewhere but never got around to patterning it with turkey shot

Been wanting to try the longbeard loads but have not yet. Still want to, the price on them is not too bad. Been happy enough with the plain jane turkey loads that I have not spent the obscene amound they want for some of the Hevi-Shot and more custom loads.
 
Thanks for the reply Mike.

The tightwad looked like a good choke. And for around $25, appeals to my "tight wad" style too LOL.

I don't really use "custom" loads either. For that matter, I don't even use 3 inch shells. Standard 6 shot 2 3/4" high brass is enough for me because I don't get the distance/range that you can get hunting in the fields. I have even seen turkeys tagged with .410's, so never was too inclined to get the super duper magnums with 8 pound payloads :D
 
I think I posted my patterning here when I did it, (I know I posted it somewhere) if not and you want I can find the pics.
 
I'm pretty sure that I recall seeing them, but I couldn't really remember what you tested or how they did.

But if you say the titewad out performed the undertaker, that's enough explanation for me. The undertaker outperformed other chokes that I had for the Winchester 1300's, and I have them in those guns now so I know they're pretty solid chokes. The video above that tested the titewad looked the most promising too.

The Full choke that's in the semi now isn't really bad by any means. In all honesty, it shoots really good. I'm just wanting to try a tighter constriction to see if I can increase the range some in case a big turkey hangs up on me.

As for other chokes I've tried, I'm not a huge fan of Carlson chokes, though I own several.

On my O/U double barrel, I have one extended Carlson choke and one factory flush choke which looks stupid, but I put the chokes in the barrel that did the best, so I'm not particularly concerned about how it looks when I can consistently get 15-18 more pellets on the plate with the flush choke than the extended improved choke from carlson.
 
It was close between the two but the tightwad seemed to consistently put a few more pellets in kill zone.
 
Consistently more is still consistently more and all I need to hear. I'll try the tightwad and put it up against the factory full choke. Same reloads and same distance. Shoot each time at its' own paper plate, do this 3x for each choke to get a fair example of what it'll do, add up all the holes for each choke in the bullseye, and winner take all. In the unlikelihood of an exact tie, repeat.

Sometimes, just a few more pellets is all it takes.

I've killed squirrels before and when I skinned them out, found a single pellet hole in them.

I know that many guys think a couple more pellets is within the margin of error, and I tend to agree with that for the most part because no two shots are going to be exactly alike (and why I shoot more than once to determine which patterns and works the best). But I also stand by my earlier statement where only a couple of pellets made the difference too. I've seen it with my own eyes.
 
I sold a spare flip up sight to my nieces brother-in-law and ordered a tightwad choke this evening.

midway had them on sale for $16, but I ordered mine for $21 and free shipping from ebay because of my principles.

In all honesty, it would've probably came out to about the same after I paid midway shipping charges on top of the choke tube.

The only 2 chokes I have for the charles daly are the Remington FULL choke and the Tightwad, and I'll be testing at the same distance with my reloads and #6 shot, so we'll see how it performs.

I'm going to start at 25 yards (which is about what distance I actually hunt at) so I can see how they do and then I'll move out to 35, then 45 yards, which is probably a little farther than I have ever shot a turkey before. Most times they're between 20-35 yards, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it performs.

I'll post my results here once I get the choke and get an extra 30 free minutes because everyone likes to see how things do for their self.
 
I'm sorry I'm just seeing this, how could I miss out on a choke tube discussion?!

My experience however is limited to the 835 but from reading, some (many maybe) are using the .660 constriction for turkey loads all the way up to #4 buck. One choke for hunting and in the event there's something bigger that needs to be dead, you're not swapping a choke tube.

My experience also says that the tighter strut stopper will get you some more reach if it's needed and it does it very well. Ive got one other choke that gets close to matching it.
 
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MikeD, slightly off topic, skip the hevishot and go for the LongBeard #5 or 6, whichever size you normally use. The difference is impressive. After turkey season, I've found boxes for $12. $20 is too much so patterning is way less expensive between seasons.
 
Thanks for the reply Rossi.

The choke currently in the gun is .695"

Constricting it down to ~ .660" should improve range and perhaps add a few more pellets on target.

I hope.

Only putting a few downrange will tell the tale.
 
@Rossignol I remember seeing your posts on Hevi-Shot a while back. I never even tested any of it, the price tag was just too high. I could not justify the extra cost for what little theoretical advertised gain it might have had over the plain lead loads.

Am still considering picking up a box of the Long Beard. Been seeing it anywhere from $19-$25 a box (10). Not too bad, a lot less than the Hevi-Shot.
 
@Rossignol $19-$25 a box (10).

EEEEEEEkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Broom-Stick_Bunny.jpg
 
EEEEEEEkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Broom-Stick_Bunny.jpg


Better than the $50+ they were trying to get for the Hevi-Shot last time I looked (several years ago).

$20 is not bad considering I only buy one box every several years. Been hunting with the crossbow more and more.
 
Yep. The hevishot is garbage to me. I even tried the hevishot through choke tubes marketed as being designed for it. Also garbage. It's expensive and doesn't perform half as well as the Winchester LongBeard.

I've bought a few boxes of the LongBeard because I was patterning so much. I know it's still pricey compared to other stuff out there. That's why I'd wait till after the season to get a box to try.

Have you seen my patterns? Just switching to the LongBeard dramatically increased pellet count even without switching choke tubes. I know there's a lot of gimmicky junk on the market but Winchester shotlock isn't among them.
 
I found a couple photos all things equal being the choke tube and shot size, 3" Winchester #5s in this case, but one plated and buffered and the other the LongBeard with shotlock.

This first one is the DoubleX and 102 pellets in 10".

IMG_1206.JPG

This is the LongBeard and 138 pellets in 10".

IMG_1205.JPG

I've since switched to the LongBeard #6s and am consistently getting 170+ in 10" so I've ended my search. Now I've got the one box with a handful of shells left in it and at the rate I'm going those few shells will last the rest of my life LOL!
 
I stopped at the LGS today and picked up a box each of the Long Beard 3" #5's and #6's. It was $20 a box

They had a box of 20G HeviShot for $31. I didn't see any 12G on the rack.

I'll be testing them out tomorrow. Heading out to my check out my hunting area and to do a little test shooting of the gun and crossbow. Finally get to see how my choke tube threading works.
 
I'm very much looking forward to how the newly threaded gun does for you!
 
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