Chokes or no Chokes for Turkey Hunting

[jake3008]

Hello,
I'm looking into getting a new black powder shotgun to try and hunt a turkey with it probably next year. I have looked through several different ones and have decided I really like the TC New Englander with the 12ga barrel. The problem I'm having now is deciding whether or not to get one with the screw in chokes or to get one with fixed chokes. From reading up it looks like the fixed choke barrels are typically cylinder bore. My first instinct was to get one with the chokes as in theory a full choke would help with the pattern a lot but from reading a few of the older posts on this site and others it seems as though the screw in chokes (especially a full) could be more hassle than there worth as you have to remove the choke every time you are going to load and the threading in the barrel for the chokes can leave it more vulnerable to rust forming in there and possibly locking the choke in because of it if its not cleaned well enough. Some people had said that even with a cylinder bore you can still get good patterns out to about 25 yards as long as you develop a good load which may be more of a factor in your spread than any choke is going to help with. So my question is are the screw in chokes really worth it or can I get by with a fixed cylinder bore.
Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated, Thanks.

 

[Brokennock]

There is a lot of personal choice involved here. Much of it involves what you want to or are willing to deal with,,,,,, ya know,,,, pros and cons.....

Constriction chokes, to include screw in interchangeable chokes, will offer the option of tighter patterns at longer ranges. But, you now have to get your load components past that restriction. From what I've read here that can be tricky and sometimes limit what can be used for cards and wads.

People take, and have taken for a few hundred years, turkeys with cylinder bore guns. Time must be spent at the patterning board developing the best load for that gun. Sacrifices will have to be made regarding range if one has a modern gun turkey hunting mindset. But, isn't that the fun and challenge of turkey hunting?

The other, and arguably best, option is a jug choke. This will still allow for roundball shooting as well as playing with shot loads to get load combinations for everything from turkeys to squirrels, without worrying about getting components past the constriction choke.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

You want a gun with jug choke

 

[Sidney Smith]

My gun has no choke. I wanted the option to shoot round balls out of it if I wanted. So far I have used this gun strictly as a shotgun. Out to 25 yards or so I get decent patterns, dense enough to kill a turkey.

 

[Thingamajiggy]

I agree, won't get modern gun range/tight choke patterns out of a muzzleloader so jug choke is probably the best way to go if you want to choke your smoothie. Can still shoot roundball and will be easier loading and give you more options of components to use to get best pattern.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

a properly jug choked muzzle loader will shoot tighter patterns than a modern gun. I have built guns that will take turks at 50 yards. And you can still shoot round ball out of them. I've been doing g this stuff for three decades.

 

[Sparkitoff]

The choke tubes give you a lot of versatility. Put a Cyl or IC for ball and close range wingshooting. Use Mod for targets or waterfowl. Full for you turkeys. I hear a lot about trouble loading full choke but haven't experienced this. I use a short starter. Put the card wad in on an angle, poke it down with short starter and straighten it up. Some fiber wads are helped by being moist. A rap on the short starter gets them past the choke. The over-shot cards easily bend and can be loaded in the same manner as the card wad. If you don't care about HC, traditional or some set of rules, the chokes add versatility.

 

[Dave Marsh]

Jug choke is the way to go. I sold my New Englander 12-gauge barrel with the screw in chokes as I did not like fooling around with the chokes. Just my two cents. Good luck.

 

[bullshot]

Against my better judgement I will make a comment! First off, I am not a turkey hunter though I killed ONE with a 16 ga Remington 870. However, I have caused several to be killed with a cylinder bore flintlock fowler. I put together a Chamber's fowler kit with 46" (?). My very good friend in TN asked my opinion on a flintlock smoothbore for killing turkeys. I boxed up the fowler, took it to PO ("yes sir, the firing pin is removed.") I shipped it to Joe as a gift. He proceeded to kill a 'grand slam', "the 4 subspecies: Eastern, Rio Grande, Merriam's and Osceola". I forget the details but they are recorded in Muzzle Blasts in 4 articles "Evolution of a Turkey Hunter". It was a challenge to be sure. I guess my point is, what does one want to accomplish with a 'primitive' weapon? Do you want to emulate the early days (flint and cylinder bore) or does one want simply another excuse to go hunting (Inline full choke). My old BPCR spotter Klaus frequently liked to say "It's the Indian, not the arrow". Will try and post some photos later.....I am late for a doctor's appointment.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

The guns I set up as turkey killers are not inlines. This one is a 10 bore with a 38" barrel and jugged full. A gun like this will handle 2+ ounces of shot if you can handle it. 50 yard kills are easily possible.

 

[sheriff john]

Since we shoot at the head, not the whole bird, whatever you choose, pattern your gun to determine at what distance you can reliably place sufficient shot into a turkey's head. Limit your shots to that distance. Practice calling - a lot.

Adjusting the proper charge is trial & error. Some are surprised to learn their patterns may, in fact, resemble doughnuts or strike a bit awry from their point of aim. Patterning is time well spent - as is learning to call from someone who does it well. Have Fun!

 

[wattlebuster]

All my smoothbores are jug choked. Jug choking not only extends range but makes the patterns nice an round. Or at least in mine they have

 

[bullshot]

The guns I set up as turkey killers are not inlines. This one is a 10 bore with a 38" barrel and jugged full. A gun like this will handle 2+ ounces of shot if you can handle it. 50 yard kills are easily possible.

Really an interesting gun! Sorta a smooth bore version of Ashley's .69 flint Hawken set up for 200 yard kills. Surely not an inline but sadly they abound.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Its a copy of an English fowling gun. I can't see any Hawken in it.

 

[Brokennock]

Funny, folks talk of the versatility of changeable screw in chokes, 30 something years ago I thought the same thing and insisted the SxS shotgun my dad was buying me as a gift have them. I messed with them for a few years, but, as time went on, I found a very rarely change them. More likely to change loads or tactics to get the job at hand done.
And with a muzzleloader a lot can be done to change performance just through load development.

 

[tenngun]

Chokes are late inventions post ml in time.
Work within the limits of your gun and you will get lots of satisfaction from your hunt

 

[bullshot]

Its a copy of an English fowling gun. I can't see any Hawken in it.

The "Ashley flint Hawken" is NOT a Hawken plains rifle. It was made by Jake Hawken thus the term "Hawken" is apporpreate. I was referring to the concept of perhaps both guns being atypically powerful weapons for the time. At any rate yours is nice looking gun.

 

[planefixer da50]

get the cyl. bore then send barrel to danny caywood 18kings hill estates, berryville, ar. 72616 www.caywoodguns.com he will jug choke to full for you n no regrets. mike

 

[Zutt-man]

Another jug choke suggestion here

Here is a load I developed at 25 yards with my Kibler .58

And yes, it’s highly effective on gobblers. This was from a couple days ago.

 

[BillinOregon]

Great Caesar's ghost, what a gorgeous Kibler you have there! The composition, lighting and fine detail of the first photo are genius.