12 Ga.New Englander choke tube for turkeys?

[Prairieofthedog]

I am going to hunt turkeys with my New Englander this spring.I want to buy a Winchoke type tube so I can screw it in and out without a tool.You can get them in constrictions from .640-680.I don't have a clue on what size to get.I usually shoot a .665 in my regular turkey gun.I have alot of #4 chilled shot to try and think I will try some #5 chilled also.I think #5 will be good for squirrels also.I may use paper tubes but no plastic shot cups,if I can help it.I have felt and fiber wads to play with.I have heard you don't want a super tight choke on the muzzleloader.Any help appreciated,Thanks.

 

[Stringbean]

You will first want to measure your bore diameter a few inches back from your muzzle. Chokes act differently on different guns and some of that is due to the diameter reduction. I would think that a reduction of .020" would be about right and put you in the ballpark of full. I'm having a 20 gauge fowler jug choked full as we speak by a fellow in AR.

 

[Patocazador]

One thing to keep in mind: the tighter the choke, the harder it is to load. You may have to take the choke out to load and then reinsert the choke tube afterwards.

 

[Prairieofthedog]

They say you can load those felt wads thru the extra tight choke and then once thru they go back to full size.But it is much easier when hunting to just unscrew a knurled Winchoke and load it that way.I have a full choke for it I will try,but also want to get a Extra Full turkey tube to try.Thanks

 

[papellet]

I use a primos tightwad choke tube for my new englander, I also use the wonder wads, two over powder and one over shot. I never take my choke out when loading, seems to work fine.

 

[Prairieofthedog]

Phil,How is your pattern with the Tightwad?What constriction and model # is the choke?Thanks.

 

[excess650]

I used a full choke tube in my NE when I patterned it. I load powder, 10ga Wonder Wad, 12ga Wonder wad, brown paper shotcup, shot, and an over shot card. Patterns were excellent to 35 yards, which was as far as I shot it. Powder and shot volumes equal, up and including 120gr ffg.

I bought a good supply of 10ga WWs because they were available cheap, and there is no problem loading them or the 12ga WWs through the choke tube. I'll have to pull the tube and see what the ID is.

 

[excess650]

Too late to edit, so a correction to the above post. The choke that I patterned with was .705" ID, so modified or improved modified.

It really is a good idea to pattern YOUR gun to see the point of impact, and pattern, with your loads.

 

[Prairieofthedog]

excess650,your load is the simple kind of load I want to use,If I can get a good pattern out to 30-35 yards I'll be more than happy.I definitely be working on the best patterns for this gun.I have all the chokes for this gun.I just want to get a Turkey choke to compare to the others for pattern.Any info you guy's can throw at me I appreciate. Thanks everybody.

 

[pmwest]

Checking my loading notes for the New Englander: I use an HS Strut Undertaker Turkey choke with an ID of .665. Wads are 2 lightly oiled felt over powder, one felt overshot. Powder is 90 gr. 2f, shot is 1 3/8 oz #5 chilled lead.

I don’t remove the tube to load. One of the reasons that I like this tube is that it is not ported.

 

[Prairieofthedog]

Wildshot,that is the exact tube I have been trying to find.I don't know if vendors don't stock them,or if they are not made anymore.Been looking for 2 months and they are hard to come by.The # for the TC NE is HS Strut #00662.I like you, like the unported.Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and pay the $10 shipping charge on a few I found.Thanks.

 

[nit wit]

Excess:
120 grains of 2F, I see how you got your name.
NW

 

[Prairieofthedog]

Nitwit,now that there is funny. LOL!

 

[excess650]

I see that Carlson lists unported, extended turkey choke tubes from .680 down to .640 diameter!

 

[Prairieofthedog]

Excess,I just saw those the other day.Was going to Cabelas to pick one up this weekend,but found the HS Undertaker tube I needed yesterday.Was cruising Gunbroker and found one on a "Buy it Now" listing.Thanks.

 

[excess650]

Excess:
120 grains of 2F, I see how you got your name.
NW

I WAS experimenting to see what did and didn't work. I started at 85gr (~3 drams) and worked up to 120gr (~4-1/4 drams)with equal volumes of shot, and none had blown patterns. I DIDN'T say that I recommend that heavy of a powder charge, but 1-1/2oz of shot in a 12 bore isn't unreasonable. I KNOW guys who shoot 2oz loads in 20 bores!

 

[excess650]

Excess,I just saw those the other day.Was going to Cabelas to pick one up this weekend,but found the HS Undertaker tube I needed yesterday.Was cruising Gunbroker and found one on a "Buy it Now" listing.Thanks.

I'll be curious to see how your "turkey choke" compares on paper to a "full" with similar loads.

 

[majg1234]

yep I kilt one with my 20ga SB last year with 2oz shot over 110gr Ffg goex,had the bird not been flopping I'd never seen him with all that smoke :grin:

 

[Monty369]

Dog,

I use a Tru-glo XXF choke with 85 grs of T7 2Fg pushing a 3 1/2" mag shot cup with 2 oz of #6 shot. Hammers them out to 50 yards with my Black Mountain Magnum, the next version of the New Englander.