Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

A general discussion area for turkey hunters.
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allaboutshooting
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Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by allaboutshooting »

Well...it looks like I may have 24-26 different chokes to evaluate with the WLB shells. This has turned into a major project with most manufacturers wanting to participate.

It will be the most comprehensive evaluation that I've done, or have read anywhere about of the major brands of chokes, in the configurations that the makers consider their best, for a particular shell.

It will take some time and will be somewhat weather dependent but I believe the results will be beneficial to all of us as turkey hunters.

Please bear with me as I launch this project.

Thanks,
Clark
"If he's out of range, it just means he has another day and so do you."
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allaboutshooting
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by allaboutshooting »

Some folks have asked about the makeup of the chokes that will be evaluated with WLB shells.

I asked each manufacturer to submit the choke that he thought worked best with the #6 shot WLB shells. Manufacturers could submit more than one exit diameter or thread type.

Since I have shotguns that use Rem-Choke, Win-Choke/Invector, Invector+, Benelli Mobil, Benelli Crio and Mossberg Accu-Mag chokes, they could submit chokes for any of these guns.

Two manufacturers make chokes specifically for WLB shells and they submitted chokes designed specifically for them.

Otherwise manufacturers may rely upon their experience or that of their customers. I am relying upon their judgement for their submissions.

Thanks,
Clark
"If he's out of range, it just means he has another day and so do you."
gobblersrule

Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by gobblersrule »

have you tried the Hevi13 chokes?
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allaboutshooting
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by allaboutshooting »

gobblersrule wrote:have you tried the Hevi13 chokes?
I have in the past and they are also included in this evaluation.

Thanks,
Clark
"If he's out of range, it just means he has another day and so do you."
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Hoobilly
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by Hoobilly »

Good gooder goodest?
Don't start none, won't be none!

https://foxtrotammo.com/
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Hoobilly
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by Hoobilly »

Good gooder goodest?
Don't start none, won't be none!

https://foxtrotammo.com/
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allaboutshooting
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by allaboutshooting »

gobblersrule wrote:have you tried the Hevi13 chokes?
Indian Creek, Comp N Choke, Hybrid, Kick's, JEB's, SSX, Rob Roberts, Pure Gold, Wright's, Trulock, Carlson's, Bone Collector, Ballistic Specialties, Ambush, Hevi-Shot in both ported and non-ported versions...

It's quite a variety with seveal different exit diameters from many of the makers who have submitted what they believe to be the best.

The "template" will be the Trulock evaluation http://allaboutshooting.com/article_inf ... les_id=724 and each shooter/hunter can then decide what he believes to be the best for his particular gun or situation.

As far as I can determine, it will include more different popular chokes than any I've seen and hopefully, it will be of benefit to all of us.

Thanks,
Clark
"If he's out of range, it just means he has another day and so do you."
Beard Collecter
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by Beard Collecter »

What about Hastings?
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allaboutshooting
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by allaboutshooting »

Beard Collecter wrote:What about Hastings?
To the best of my knowledge, they are still out of business. I haven't really seen or heard anything of them in several years since they closed.

Thanks,
Clark
"If he's out of range, it just means he has another day and so do you."
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ICDEDTURKES
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by ICDEDTURKES »

Beard Collecter wrote:What about Hastings?
Thats something I would love to see with this shell.. A no frills, no wad stopper, no ports choke such as hastings.. 640-675 in .005 increments to see the effect of constriction alone.
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by allaboutshooting »

ICDEDTURKES wrote:
Beard Collecter wrote:What about Hastings?
Thats something I would love to see with this shell.. A no frills, no wad stopper, no ports choke such as hastings.. 640-675 in .005 increments to see the effect of constriction alone.
It's interesting that you should say this. There are at least 3 brands of chokes in this evaluation, Trulock, Wright's and Rob Roberts, that meet your criteria of "no frills, no wad stoppers, no ports" and they are all rated for both lead and tungsten-based shot.

These chokes have excellent "internals" as do the others in the evaluation. We've come a long way in choke design just as we have in turkey loads that are now offered to us as hunters.

Looking back just 15 years to what was available then and what's available now, it's amazing.

We've really raised the bar on performance.

Thanks,
Clark
"If he's out of range, it just means he has another day and so do you."
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mossy835
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by mossy835 »

I am very happy with my Carlson's for my Mossberg. Shoots turkey and dead coyote loads just fine. Not to hijack your thread but is SumToy still making chokes?????
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ICDEDTURKES
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by ICDEDTURKES »

allaboutshooting wrote:
ICDEDTURKES wrote:
Beard Collecter wrote:What about Hastings?
Thats something I would love to see with this shell.. A no frills, no wad stopper, no ports choke such as hastings.. 640-675 in .005 increments to see the effect of constriction alone.
It's interesting that you should say this. There are at least 3 brands of chokes in this evaluation, Trulock, Wright's and Rob Roberts, that meet your criteria of "no frills, no wad stoppers, no ports" and they are all rated for both lead and tungsten-based shot.
No doubt.. But most have given you" in the configurations that the makers consider their best, for a particular shell." So if Trulock is saying 650, Wrights 655 and Rob is giving you a 650 with conflicting parallel lengths and other variables it is a completely different choke even eliminating porting wad stoppers porting, different parallel lengths etc..

"Their best for a particular shotshell" I really do not buy into anymore.. I think alot of choke makers specialize in making a generic choke for a specific choke configuration to work over a wide range of guns in that barrel design with a variety of shotshells to give decent performance..

I learned to pattern shot shells with Activ ammo. Hastings chokes 640 and up in Remington with the forcing cone lengthened.. You went from 640 on up until patterns fell apart.. Most settled in the 650-660 range..

I would love to see the same done with any of your three above chokes in three shot averages maybe 5 all the way up to 675 with this shotshell. There are so many variables in chokes now a days and how they perform I think it would be interesting to see the influence of constriction only minus the other variables.
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allaboutshooting
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by allaboutshooting »

I would love to see the same done with any of your three above chokes in three shot averages maybe 5 all the way up to 675 with this shotshell. There are so many variables in chokes now a days and how they perform I think it would be interesting to see the influence of constriction only minus the other variables.
Looks like another project. The current one will keep me pretty busy for a while however.

Thanks,
Clark
"If he's out of range, it just means he has another day and so do you."
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allaboutshooting
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by allaboutshooting »

I am currently about 1/3 the way through this project.

I need at least 2 warm days with low wind to get the shooting portion of the evaluataion completed.

Then, I'll evaluate all the targets, take pictures and record the results.

All of that will take some time but hopefully, I'll have the project completed before the end of the year.

Thanks,
Clark
"If he's out of range, it just means he has another day and so do you."
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allaboutshooting
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by allaboutshooting »

I was able to get out to the range today and do some shooting for the "Turkey Choke Evaluation Project" that I've been working on for a while. I'm about 2/3 of the way through.

I still need at least one more good day, and another 36 rounds, to complete the shooting portion.

Frankly, I feel a little beaten-up right now after all of those 3" WLB turkey loads through a variety of guns.

If it's clear and warm tomorrow, I'll go after it again and maybe get all the shooting completed. Then, I have a lot of patterns to evaluate and get the data compiled for the article.

I'll let you all know when I'm through and I hope you find the information helpful.

Thanks,
Clark
"If he's out of range, it just means he has another day and so do you."
hobbes

Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by hobbes »

I have not shot these shells yet. I'll be interested in the results. I've been shooting a Comp-n-choke (XXX Full I think)with Winchester Supremes 3 1/2" #6's out of an 870 for a long time and have no plans to buy a new choke, so will like to see how similar chokes perform.
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by allaboutshooting »

hobbes wrote:I have not shot these shells yet. I'll be interested in the results. I've been shooting a Comp-n-choke (XXX Full I think)with Winchester Supremes 3 1/2" #6's out of an 870 for a long time and have no plans to buy a new choke, so will like to see how similar chokes perform.
It's been a very interesting project. I still have about 36 more shots to take and then complete the entire evaluation of each pattern. I won't be able to shoot today because it's raining. It looks like there may be some clear days next week. Today I can work on pattern evaluation.

Thanks,
Clark
"If he's out of range, it just means he has another day and so do you."
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Re: Turkey Choke Evaluation Project

Post by allaboutshooting »

I worked quite a while this afternoon scoring targets. I still have to evaluate them, looking at 2" gaps but I got quite a few done.

I noted the real differences that I saw in these targets and some that I shot a few weeks ago on another project. It was 10 degrees cooler yesterday when I shot and the differences were notable.

It looks like the weather may keep me from shooting for a few days, until after Christmas, unless there's a change. So I'll just work on the evaluations of what I've done.

Stay tuned, the results will be forthcoming shortly.

Thanks,
Clark
"If he's out of range, it just means he has another day and so do you."
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