REM 11-87 SM
I want to try some "looser" chokes... like 670 -.680. I have tried the Jelly Heads ( .660 and .665) Wrights #1 -.670. They put up awesome numbers at 40 yards in the 10in... but I want a more spread out pattern at closer ranges.... like 25-30 yards.
I shoot only HEVI #7, 3.5in.
Any idea's ???
A guy I hunt with made his dad start shooting the Remington Xtra-Full factory choke, I think it's a .687".
Link to one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Remington-Extended-Extra-Full-Turkey-Choke-Tube-12-Gauge-870-1187-1100-Lead-Shot-/321105771219?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac3653ad3
Get away from the hevi and switch to lead and maybe swap to a PG .670. That should open ya up pretty good. Maybe check out some of Carlsons more open turkey chokes, I think they have a .680-.690 in the flush mount chokes and a .680 in the extended.
The Wingmaster choke that came with that gun is .672
Quote from: Cutt on April 13, 2013, 12:57:05 AM
The Wingmaster choke that came with that gun is .672
X2 that's where I'd start
keep the idea's coming.....
I have a 870 supermag. The HD choke that came with it is good enough for me. I'm getting in the 170s with a H-13 3inch 2 oz #6 shot shell.
I like the idea of trying this cheap Undertaker with .675 http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0005200655
Wonder if anyone has every tried it with HEVI shot..
My question is, are you willing to give up long range to gain an open close range?
If your gun is putting out a killing pattern at 40 yards and you open it for closer shots, the effective range might drop to 30 yards? I think you'd have to give up some range to accomplish that, as I doubt you'll find anything to do both.
And if you are just looking for a closer range pattern, I personally wouldn't waste money on Hevi.
My thoughts ... for actual hunting.... I want to see more in the 20in and LESS in the 10in at 40 yards.
270 hits in the 10in is what I get now. How dead does dead have to be? i want to see more outside the 10 - in the 20in to give me margin for error. I would think 100 hits in the 10in is more than sufficient.
Most people shooting these guns don't understand when they shoot a bird at 20 yards... it going to be like a rifle bullet... better make sure you can hold it steady.
I have an Indian Creek .665 and .675 for my 870.
.665 has Wad Catchers and is Ported.
.675 has niether wad catchers nor ports.
.665 shoots my tightest patterns at 40 Yards. Higher 10" numbers.
With Lead 5's and 6's, the patterns are still big and even at 40 Yards. Very Tight in close though.
.675 shoots patterns that are just tight enough to work out to 40 Yards with either HTL or Turkey Thugs Lead. Big even patterns. Patterns start to open up much sooner.
You normally have to give up something, in order to get something.
Kick's Gobblin' Thunder chokes are readily available in many different exit diameters, and tend to not shoot as tight in my 870 as the Indian Creek chokes do.
There are 2 ways of tightening or loosening the pattern.
Change Chokes, or Change Shells.
Both ways work great; once you identify which chokes, or which shells.
I can leave my Indian Creek .665 in my 870, and based upon patterns I have shot and compared from using different loads:
#1. I can load a Lead shell that will run out of pattern density by 40 Yards, but it will put a lot of pellets in a big user-friendly, even pattern by 35 Yards. Fine if your setup doesn't allow for long shots.
#2. I can load a Lead shell that will do 40 Yards, no problem, with an even pattern.
#3. I can load a Lead shell that will do a little more than 40 Yards, no problem, with an even pattern. A little cushion.
#4. I can load HTL and just go hunt and not worry much. Devastating patterns, that will reach out to distances we can't talk about here. Tight in close though.
All I shoot is HEVI #7, 3.5in. With that being said... I do understand you can't have the best of both worlds... something has to sacrifice. Basically I would just like to move some of those 280 pellets that are in the 10in.... into to the 20in.. at 40 yards.
Doing this will open up the shorter range patterns as well.... even though not much
I would be happy with 125 or so in the 10in at 40 yards.. assuming the rest is concentrated in the 20-25 circle...
Back to test this week --- have a new JH .665 - not expecting any big change over the .660 JH and Wrights .670 I already tested a few weeks ago. Also have a .675 undertaker coming ... cheap choke but I'm real curious to see how that one works with the REM and HEVI shot.
After that I may try a Kicks Thunder .670
I understand what I'm trying to accomplish is unconventional and against the grain. But like it mentioned in a previous thread... how dead is dead? For hunting... is it really smart to want 300 hits in a 10in circle @ 40 yards. Or... would 100-150 kill the bird just as good... leaving "more margin for error" pellets in the outside 20+ rings?
Shooting paper and real world hunting are different things.. Trophy gobbler walks up.. his head is bouncing , your heart is pounding, you are shooting in awkward positions a lot of time... sure don't have a shooting rest like when you pattern test. I want some insurance... room for error. I have missed before and it sucks.. never want it to happen again even though I'm sure it will.
I pattern test from a seated position in a chair, and no rest.
Covering the bullseye at 40 Yards with a 20" pattern is as easy as pie. A 10" pattern, not so much.
Just imagine what it's like at 20-30 Yards.
I have been using Ballistic Specialties chokes from Batesville, Ar. They are not cheap but to me they provide an
excellent HUNTING pattern with very dense/ even 20" results. I apologize in advance I don't have photos and pellet counts...I travel a lot for work and have been very busy this spring.
I don't have a suggestion necessarily, but i am interested in the comments this gets, because yesterday I missed a nice public land Osceola that was so eager to come in that it was at 16 yards before I could shoot. My gun. like yours, is set up for lots of hevi shot in a 10" circle at 40, but that gives me little margin of error up close. I am wanting to widen mine as well, and I really don't need the "way out there" margin.
I am considering shooting some hevi7s out of a Carlson's extended modified choke that I use to pass shoot ducks. and compare it at 20 and 30 yards to my Indian creek 665.
pogo - what you said above it exactly my point. Many don't understand that a million pellets in a 10in at 40 yards isn't necessary the best thing for real world turkey hunting. Yes, it cool to post on the forum for a "show and tell" with others... but not hunting in my option.
I should have some results in the next few weeks - I just got a new .665 JH that I'm going to try tomorrow. Don't expect that to be much different than the .660 JH I already have tested.
Also have a Undertaker .675 that is coming... that is the one I'm interested in testing.
OK, here's the deal.
With Lead, everything goes to hell in a handbasket between 35 and 40 yards. Only the best combos shooting very good shells will turn great numbers at 40. (Although the Federal Turkey Thugs seemed to break that mold a little bit this year)
With Hevi 13 or Magnum Blend, the pattern doesn't go to hell in a handbasket as quickly.
With Hevi13 #6 or Magnum Blend, a Standard .035 Full Choke, or for sure a standard .040 Extra Full Choke is all that's needed to have 100 at 40 in most guns; and with Hevi 13 #7's you will have WAY more than 100 in 10" at 40 Yards.
If you aren't playing the maximum numbers game, or the maximum distance game, try .035 to .040 of choke and see what you get at 30 and 40 Yards with HTL.
I do wish they made those Federal Thugs in #7....that would be great. I plan to working my up from a .675 next week... and keep getting looser with the choke until I find what pattern I like in the 25in ring.. It may take lead shot to get there...
Hevi 13 #7 patterns could be unbelievable at 30 yards, and still be great at 40 Yards.
Lead #7.5 or Lead #6 works good too, but not like that high-dollar stuff.
Sounds like the pattern you are trying to achieve will not be difficult to produce. There are a large number of chokes in the .660-.680 range that will turn that type of pattern with Pb. Shoot 30yds or less and it doesn't matter much at all what you shoot. I've shot turkeys from 11 steps on out with a gun that turns 330's in a 10 @ 40. Don't have any missing issues so its the best option for me. If missing was a consistent issue I would open up the choke. I little time at the patterning board will give what you want.
I recently put a pure gold .670 in a beretta urika for my kids and it turns a much more open pattern with Lead, hevi 6's and mag blends. Hevi 3/2/7's are still tight out of it..250's. In my 870's a factory X-full flush mounted choke will kill turkeys to 35yds with Pb, no problem. Nice even pattern.
*my experience is the more dense patterns are more effective ,cleaner, more humane kills out to 40 yds. When I hunted with more open patterns standard procedure was to jump up and run toward the turkey right after pulling the trigger. You never knew if you were going to have to finish him off or stand on him. I like not having turkey rodeos anymore.. shooting the denser 10" patterns also produce the best 20 " patterns for me in the 30-40 yd range..