Choke for turkey hunting

[Huntinshep]

I am buying a TC New Englander 12 gauge cyl bore. Plan to use it for turkey hunting only.Trying to decide if I want to jug choke to full or install a turkey choke tube. I know tubes can be a pain to load because you need to remove the tube but in most cases you only get 1 shot at a turkey and by the time you reload any ML the birds are gone. Anyone with experience with either of these methods have suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Why not use the gun as it is. Even with a cylinder bore, acceptable patterns or in other words, patterns that will kill a turkey out to around 25 yards can be attained.

 

[Rat]

I'd jug-choke before I'd set it up for tubes. Seems like a screw in choke tube would just be plain weird on a ML. If you don't have a problem with putting tubes on a muzzle loader, you might want to just consider using plastic shot cups and buffered shot, both being non-"PC" or "HC". One just being much more visible than the other. Probably get the same results.

I believe jug-chokes are a little difficult to load also, but I agree, the turkey will either be dead or gone after one shot, and there's plenty of time to reload. Like probably an hour. !!!

Smith is correct, I shoot turkey with a Brown Bess carbine, no choke, and I can get patterns through load development (buffered shot, shot cup, and paper wrap) that will reach to 30 yards for sure. I've knocked one down that was at least that far away.

A choked barrel, regardless of how it's choked, is probably most useful on ducks and geese. Not really required on turkey.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I have a jug choked 12, it is no harder to load than a cylinder bore.

 

[Rat]

I stand corrected!

 

[Bosteldr]

I shot a New Englander with a modified choke tube. No problems loading. A Full Choke tube is very tight and hard to load. Keep shot inside of 25 to 30 yds equals dead bird. I use 90 gains of powder and equal volume of shot (5 seems to work for me). (the Square Load).

 

[tenngun]

I’ve shot a bird or two with my FDC and no choke. Not a problem at ranges out to twenty five yards maybe thirty.
Loading cushion precut wads or cards in a full choke is going to be pretty tough. But if you uses balls of tow or other fiber or even balls of paper you can get a good wad loaded and get good performance from a choked ml.
My first smoothie was home made double with full chokes. I couldn’t load bought wads but learned about greased wads of old flannel. In the days when lead shot could be used on Duck I took a duck or two with it.
Traded it for my first ‘real gun’( flint lock)