I have standard 870 12ga 3" and I am wondering if the Truglo SSX .643 will be to tight and not give good patterns with hevi shot #6 or mag blend, or any round for that matter given it's tight .643 construction?
If you have used this combo or if you have used this choke what are your thoughts on it both good and bad.
What is considered the the best choke size for a 12ga, I know each gun is different, I am asking just as a general rule what is best as far as choke size.
MY 870 is just the plain model nothing special about expect it performs flawlessly, which is all that matters.
Although not an 870, I do shoot Hevi 6's thru an SSX .643 in a Benelli Nova.
It is not too tight to blow out the pattern, in fact it's a great combo.
First of all, welcome to OG! The SSX should work well with the small shot. I have one for my 20 ga. 870 and will shoot Heavyweight #7 shot thru it. The only true way to know is send some shot downrange. Good luck!
I've been shooting Hevi #6s or #7s through a SSX .643 in a Benelli SBE II for four turkey seasons with outstanding results. At normal hunting ranges, it stomps a gobbler's @$$. I don't remember what my numbers were in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards, but they're way better than anything else I've tried. I've shot many rounds through several other brands of choke in that gun and the Hevi shot + SSX combination has given me the most consistent patterns. I will say that the Mag Blends don't shoot worth a flip through that choke & gun. Smaller pellets seem to perform best out of a SSX. I plan to try a Sumtoy .650 to compare against the SSX, but just haven't bought one yet.
The difference between .643 and .650 is about the same as the thickness of two sheets of typing paper, so not much at all. Though even that little bit of difference can change a good pattern to a great one if you find what works best in your gun. Good luck.
Jim
I gave the SSX .643 a try in my M1 Benelli with Hevi 6 and MagBlends. The patterns were good but very quickly I noticed a bulge in the choke. I returned the first one as a result and Truglo replaced it. The replacement also bulged after two MagBlend shots. I gave up on the choke and now use another choke. I cannot recommend this choke for this reason.
My SX2 and the SSX shoot those shells well thanx to Mr. Clark Bush's recommendation. :turkey2:
Quote from: Swamp Hunter on February 10, 2015, 08:15:26 PM
I gave the SSX .643 a try in my M1 Benelli with Hevi 6 and MagBlends. The patterns were good but very quickly I noticed a bulge in the choke. I returned the first one as a result and Truglo replaced it. The replacement also bulged after two MagBlend shots. I gave up on the choke and now use another choke. I cannot recommend this choke for this reason.
I have a m1 as well and shoot hevi 3" #7. I am consistently getting 280-300 in a 10" at 40. Best choke I have ever shot. I have a ssx on all my turkey guns.
http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,22505.0.html
I'm going to find out. I've never been satisfied with the pattern performance of my 870 super mag. I've used the xxf comp-n-choke, the original MAD choke, and currently have an Indian Creek. I've stomped lots of birds with this gun over the years from 10 to 55 yards with various shells. I'm currently using Mag blends with the original non stainless Indian Creek black diamond and it is a stone cold dead bird killing combo. I just like to tweak things as the seasons come and go.
Quote from: TNhunterKMC on March 19, 2015, 12:09:50 AM
I'm going to find out. I've never been satisfied with the pattern performance of my 870 super mag. I've used the xxf comp-n-choke, the original MAD choke, and currently have an Indian Creek. I've stomped lots of birds with this gun over the years from 10 to 55 yards with various shells. I'm currently using Mag blends with the original non stainless Indian Creek black diamond and it is a stone cold dead bird killing combo. I just like to tweak things as the seasons come and go.
Are you set on shooting the Mag Blends? The Mag Blend patterns I got in my gun stunk with most chokes I tried. I switched to Hevi #6s and it really tightened the patterns up & got even better with Hevi #7s. Maybe your gun is like mine and is just allergic to Mag Blends?
Good luck no matter which way works best for you.
Jim
Mag blends actually pattern the best in my gun now. Previous to that I used Winchester HV #5 lead. Thumped many birds with that load. Shot two birds last hear with the mag blends - one from a distance of about 20 yards - nearly took his head clean off. The second one was between 35 and 40. There were a few wounds that went through both breasts and the bird was broadside to me. I'm going to try Federal HW #7 with thus SSX choke.
I have an older 870 with an SSX .643 shooting 3'' hevi 13 #7. Very high pellet count in the 10 at 40 yards. Don't recall the count, but it was high. Clark Bush recommended the SSX .643. I did have a Kick's choke on it and wasn't impressed with it. Polished the barrel before I shot the SSX.
SSX choke is "out for delivery" - CHECK
Just bought the last 4 boxes of 3" #7 federal heavyweight at Bass Pro - CHECK
Just called my Dad and let him know I was heading to the farm in the morning to pattern - CHECK
Hope I'm not disappointed since these freaking shells were $25.97 per box :-(
Well crap - that out for delivery tracking was not the choke so it will be Monday before it arrives.
I shoot that choke with mag blends and have for a few years with good results. SSx .643 tends to pattern the longbeards a little too close for my comfort at 30 though.
Quote from: Swamp Hunter on February 10, 2015, 08:15:26 PM
I gave the SSX .643 a try in my M1 Benelli with Hevi 6 and MagBlends. The patterns were good but very quickly I noticed a bulge in the choke. I returned the first one as a result and Truglo replaced it. The replacement also bulged after two MagBlend shots. I gave up on the choke and now use another choke. I cannot recommend this choke for this reason.
I had the same thing happen with a jelly head. In my nova.
OK shot the gun tonight with #7 HW 3" 12 gauge with this new SSX choke and with my Indian Creek choke. Here are the patterns of this new choke compared to my Indian Creek I've been using for a few years - I've also thrown in 2 photos of MagBlends out of my Indian Creek tube. Needless to say I'm a little disappointed in the performance of this SSX with these #7 HW shells. I'll try it with some #5 lead Turkey Thugs sometime this week.
(http://mc2photo.com/images/p2.jpg)
(http://mc2photo.com/images/p1.jpg)
(http://mc2photo.com/images/p3.jpg)
(http://mc2photo.com/images/p4.jpg)
Any of these shots would stomp a turkey at this distance and well beyond - but on opening day I'll be heading to the woods with my 12 gauge 870 with the Indian Creek in the end and Magblends in the magazine. Either that or my 1187 20 gauge with an SSX choke tube and Federal HW #7 in the magazine. This little 20 outperforms my 12 - at least on paper. This one pattern from the 20 gauge seems to be concentrated in the 10" circle without many shots randomly outside of it. It is a really tight pattern.
(http://mc2photo.com/images/p5.jpg)
The wad in the 12 gauge Federal Heavyweight loads is stiffer than the wad in the 20 gauge loads thus it is less forgiving. That's why the SSX patterns the 20 gauge load so well and not the 12 gauge shell. The Hevi-13 #7's should shine thru your 12 gauge SSX choke.
The federal heavyweight have the flight control wad which does not perform well in ported chokes like the SSX .643, every good pattern i have seen with the heavyweight # 7(although not many) is a non ported choke . I have the same setup(870/ ssx) and shoot magblends with good results. If it is the 10 inch circle you are concerned with try some longbeard #5, they were devastating at 40yds but were just too tight at 30 and below for me. Heavyweights pack a heck of a punch though so in my mind you dont have to have quite as many in his head and neck to the trick.
I shoot that exact combo, an old 870 express with the SSX .643 choke and use magnum blends. Mr. Clark Busch made this recommendation for me. At 40 yards in a 10" circle I will between 220 and 240 every time.
Quote from: briton on March 24, 2015, 10:44:33 AM
The federal heavyweight have the flight control wad which does not perform well in ported chokes like the SSX .643, every good pattern i have seen with the heavyweight # 7(although not many) is a non ported choke . I have the same setup(870/ ssx) and shoot magblends with good results. If it is the 10 inch circle you are concerned with try some longbeard #5, they were devastating at 40yds but were just too tight at 30 and below for me. Heavyweights pack a heck of a punch though so in my mind you dont have to have quite as many in his head and neck to the trick.
That is true normally for the 12 gauge load. The 20 gauge HW 7 shell sometimes patterns as good or better thru a ported choke as it does thru a non-ported. This is due to having a softer flight control wad than the 12 gauge shell.