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870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 10th, 2018, 12:37 pm
by HavenHunter
Question directed to any members who have set multiple 870 20 gauges up. I have a youth model with a 21 inch barrel. I've shot 3 chokes out of this gun with 1 5/8ths load of number 9tss. The first choke was .565 ported choke, only shot 126 in the 10. Second was a .570 older style jelly head. It shot in the 150 in the 10. Last I shot a .575 that wasn't ported and it shot low 200s. None off the patterns looked consistent other than the .575 but it still didn't look great. All of the patterns only accounted for around 300 of the pellets in the 10 and 20. Would this be a good indication that my patterns getting blown out? It was cold with a little wind the day I shot, mid 30s, how much could of the weather effected the patterns. If this was your set up, what would be your next step? I plan to polish the barrel this weekend and try the .575 again because its suppose to be 70 in PA that day. Last question, those of you that have set up 870s, if you had to pick between the Carlson extended non-ported .575 and the Remington Super Full Turkey choke, which one would you buy if these other chokes I have wont pattern. I also plan to try the modified choke that came with the gun. Any help would be awesome. Thanks.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 10th, 2018, 1:05 pm
by BrowningGuy88
I use a Sumtoy 562-5 in mine and it is close to 300 with 1-5/8's of T9's.

I set up another one that uses the same load with a new RSFT and it is 270 or so on average.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 10th, 2018, 3:08 pm
by CamoMan4025
I don't use TSS so this may be irrelevant, but I use a .555 in my 20 gauge.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 10th, 2018, 3:15 pm
by turkeyinstrut
A Indian Creek .555 or a Sumtoy .562-5 seems to be very popular in the 870's with 21" barrels.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 10th, 2018, 7:58 pm
by chipper
I've set up a couple, with the Federal HW #7 and tss had the best luck with a truglo ssx, a lot of people love the Remington factory super full and shoot great patterns, of my 2 21" 870's I've had the best success with a .575 Carlson for a more forgiving hunting pattern for my son's gun and a .555 Indian Creek in my gun, with that said I'm shooting a extremely hot core and run red dots on both guns because of the densitity of the pattern, the gun with the .575 would be fine with just the bead but I like being able to fine tune p.o.i.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 7:49 am
by bullethead
I have the same gun and it likes an Indian Creek .570 BDS choke.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 8:49 am
by HavenHunter
Thanks for the responses. If those of you that shoot Rem 870, if you were to pick between the Carlson No Ported Extended and the Rem SF Lead Only for a consistent hunting pattern which one would you get? I just can't spend 75 buck on a choke right now and just want to have my rig set up for the opener in a few weeks here in PA. Everything else I mentioned above has been nothing that I'm used to with TSS but this is also the first 20 ga I have set up.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 9:36 am
by bullethead
HavenHunter wrote: April 11th, 2018, 8:49 am Thanks for the responses. If those of you that shoot Rem 870, if you were to pick between the Carlson No Ported Extended and the Rem SF Lead Only for a consistent hunting pattern which one would you get? I just can't spend 75 buck on a choke right now and just want to have my rig set up for the opener in a few weeks here in PA. Everything else I mentioned above has been nothing that I'm used to with TSS but this is also the first 20 ga I have set up.
I've never shot either of those other chokes and really its a preference of what the individual gun likes more than a one choke works for all scenario.
Where in Pa are you located?

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 10:10 am
by HavenHunter
Central, Clinton County. Hopefully I can get the barrel polished up and try again this weekend when the weather is better. I've done this in the past with multiple 12 gauges and was looking for a choke that would definitely throw a decent pattern to start with and haven't found that yet. With the money I have wrapped up in chokes I should have just bought the I.C. .555 and been done with it because from what I see, that's the only real slam dunk!

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 11:01 am
by phutch30
Ive been playing with the Rem SF lead only and depending on temps (im in MT) between 310-340 in the 10" @40yds with 1 1/2 oz of #9. Recently picked up a $15 HS strut undertaker .582 and am pleased with the pattern.


Shot it last night at about 54 degrees. I shot the Rem SF also and had a nice pattern w/338 in the 10"

Pic is messy, I was trying to adjust the sight and ended up making two circles. But u get the jist
30653389_1823361434390166_7404840123033976832_n.jpg

then I shot it at 30yds....glad I have a red dot sight

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 11:05 am
by pedro
I am in the process of setting up a 870 21”. Started with the rsflo and my pattern was 171/163 10/20 in a 1 5/8 tss eights. Even pattern but looking for something better. I bought a .565 Carlos a to try. See how it goes.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 4:12 pm
by bullethead
HavenHunter wrote: April 11th, 2018, 10:10 am Central, Clinton County. Hopefully I can get the barrel polished up and try again this weekend when the weather is better. I've done this in the past with multiple 12 gauges and was looking for a choke that would definitely throw a decent pattern to start with and haven't found that yet. With the money I have wrapped up in chokes I should have just bought the I.C. .555 and been done with it because from what I see, that's the only real slam dunk!
Im in Scuylkill Co. I would have loaned you an IC .555 to see how it did for you if you were closer.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 6:42 pm
by chipper
I say either one will give you a very serviceable pattern to hunt with.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 7:11 pm
by BumbleFoot
HavenHunter wrote: April 11th, 2018, 10:10 am Central, Clinton County. Hopefully I can get the barrel polished up and try again this weekend when the weather is better. I've done this in the past with multiple 12 gauges and was looking for a choke that would definitely throw a decent pattern to start with and haven't found that yet. With the money I have wrapped up in chokes I should have just bought the I.C. .555 and been done with it because from what I see, that's the only real slam dunk!
I’ve got pretty much the same gun and also occasionally shoot a similar load. Have an IC 555 and RSF (572). When hunting with that gun & load combo, I take only one choke. Hint: It ain’t the more expensive of the two. And I like to kill ‘em damn dead.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 9:33 pm
by firedup
I will be settin up a little 870 soon so a very good post to read. FYI...several choke supplies allow you to buy the choke, try it and if it doesn't work will take it back if its returned cleaned up in original packaging. Saves a lot of $$ buying a bunch of chokes.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 9:38 pm
by IBHC
I have set up 6 of these and all liked the Carlson 575 on a consistent basis

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 10:49 pm
by JonEReb
Hal's MOA load and Jeb's High Voltage ported .575 choke is a killing machine.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 12th, 2018, 7:26 pm
by Shellwaster
I have a Truglo gobble stopper or strut stopper .555 that throws inconsistent patterns, I have a Carlson .575 for a Winnie that I liked so I ordered one for my 870 youth. It arrived Tuesday and I put it to work today. 2-3/4”, 1-7/16 oz #9 at 40 yards gave me an even pattern throughout and 209 in 10”.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 13th, 2018, 9:10 am
by SKFOOTER
Macks Prairie Wings has the Indian Creek chokes on sale right now for $49.99. I highly recommend the .555 for that load.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 15th, 2018, 11:28 am
by mightyjoeyoung
I've set up a few 870 20's. Haven't met a single one that didn't pattern well with the Carlson's. 575 non-ported, a truglo ssx or the primos tightwad. Not one of those chokes cost more than a box of fed hws and every one threw dense, even patterns.

Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 15th, 2018, 9:34 pm
by okiefowler
phutch30 wrote:Ive been playing with the Rem SF lead only and depending on temps (im in MT) between 310-340 in the 10" @40yds with 1 1/2 oz of #9. Recently picked up a $15 HS strut undertaker .582 and am pleased with the pattern.


Shot it last night at about 54 degrees. I shot the Rem SF also and had a nice pattern w/338 in the 10"

Pic is messy, I was trying to adjust the sight and ended up making two circles. But u get the jist
30653389_1823361434390166_7404840123033976832_n.jpg

then I shot it at 30yds....glad I have a red dot sight
That HS .582 us what my Tristar likes with the HW15 1 1/2 OZ #6 loads. Tried a 575 Carlsons and 570 tightwad, neither liked the HW15.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


Re: 870 20 gauge Choke

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 10:27 pm
by HavenHunter
Just a quick update with my gun. I’d just like to say thanks to all of you who replied I really appreciate it. Took the time to polish my barrel and picked up a Rem sf .572 to try and see if I could get a good hunting pattern and in my opinion it did the trick! 279 in the 10 and 237 in the 20, nice even pattern, confident for the opener this weekend. This is the time of year we all wait for....good luck and shoot straight!!!