Topic: The Best Turkey Chokes of 2023 (Read 37 times)
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“We have found that Federal Heavyweight 12-gauge loads pattern best out of a .650 or even .640 choke,” said Scott Carlson, owner of Carlson’s Chokes. “But a load like Apex, it will shoot better from a more open choke, like a .675.”
Because Carlson specifically designed these chokes to run with Federal’s TSS loads, they typically co*e in tighter constrictions than the Indian Creek turkey chokes. For example, the Beretta/Benelli Mobil has a super-tight .640 constriction. Federal and Carlson choke fans will be happy to hear that Federal’s Heavyweight TSS 3-inch No. 7s/9s blended round was one of the best penetrating loads in our test of top turkey loads.
Patternmaster uses a unique wad-stripping design in its chokes which the co*pany says shortens your payload’s shot string. Patternmaster chokes have a ring in the choke that holds the wad cup for a fraction of a second. The co*pany says that this design creates tighter and denser patterns. This choke is also ported to help decrease muzzle jump.
Wall says that the Patternmaster Code Black Turkey (in .665 constriction) is his second favorite pick for pairing with APEX TSS loads. He says it tends to pattern more consistently than other choke brands. Another perk of the Code Black is that it’s offered in a 28-gauge, which is beco*ing more popular for bird hunters in general.
If you want an affordable aftermarket choke that will bring better performance than your factory full choke, the Jellyhead is a great option. The Jellyhead has a nice Black-T coating that prevents it from rusting and it also has fluted ports. I have a Jellyhead choke screwed into an old Remington 870 (.660 constriction) and have had great results with it. Shooting Winchester’s XR lead 3-inch, No. 6 loads, I’m able to record 150 hits inside a 10-inch circle and about 100 hits at 50 yards. That’s solid performance from lead loads and an affordable choke.
Maybe you’re not interested in shooting expensive tungsten loads but you still want to kill gobblers at 40 and 50 yards? One of the best lead turkey loads out there is Winchester’s Longbeard XR, which utilizes a resin (the co*pany calls it Shot-Lok) instead of buffer material. The design prevents the soft lead pellets from deforming, which results in fewer fliers and better patterns. The best choke to shoot these loads through is the one that Carlson designed specifically for them. The choke is affordable and the ammo is too. This is an ideal co*bination for the turkey hunter who wants to get a little better performance out of their all-around hunting shotgun and effectively kill gobblers at close and medium ranges.
This is the most affordable choke in our lineup. In our review of best turkey loads, this affordable choke screwed into a Remington 870 Express produced impressive patterns, often out performing a more expensive custom shotgun using a Rob Roberts choke. With Hevi-Shot’s Hevi18, 3-inch, No. 9 loads, the Tightwad produced 253 pellets (46 of which struck the head and neck) inside the 10-inch circle at 40 yards. It also recorded 250 hits with Boss 3-inch, 2-ounce, No. 9 loads. This performance shows you can pair an affordable choke into your workaday shotgun and get excellent results with premium ammo. The Tightwad co*es in similar constriction pairings to the Primos Jellyhead.
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Since there is no single best turkey choke out there, you should use this article as a guide to get you started in your search for the optimal gobbler killing pattern. Once you have your turkey gun and choke figured out, find the ammo that shoots the best through your rig for your style of hunting. If you’re happy shooting only 40 yards or in with a 12-gauge, than typical lead loads will work just fine. If you plan on hunting with a sub-gauge or shooting turkeys at longer distances, you’ll want to load up with a TSS. The key is to pattern your gun diligently before the season. Figure out the maximum effective distance for your gun/choke/load co*bo and then don’t shoot beyond that range while hunting. It’s OK to let the turkeys win some days.
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