20" barrels

[JOHN I]

Shooting an "old school" 11/87 SP w/ 20 bbl/ factory Rem full choke. Standard loads were Win. Supreme 3" 4's. Great patterns to 35 yds. I've also been blessed with 100% of my kills inside 20 yds. with this gun. Got some H-13  3/2/5's looking to pick up some distance and didn't pattern them. Well, I missed a good bird at 41 yds.(ranged it after) and wanted to know how??? (I know how, I just plain missed. So I thought.) Put up the paper and had  **0** pellets in the vitals at 40. Stepped up to 30 and there were more holes than paper. I know how important patterning is, but whip me if you must. My question is: Am I limited to 30-35 yds w/ the 20" bbl? I really like how it handles in the woods compared to the 26" bbl. SBE. I'd just get a shorter barrel for SBE, but have heard  there are cycling problems w/ the inertia system and short barrels. I'll assume a different choke would change things, but just how much? Not looking for 50-60 yd kills but don't think 41 yds is too much to ask. Thanks for the input.

[WyoHunter]

I don't know about the 20" barrel but from everything I've read longer barrels tend to pattern better everything being equal. I do know I would switch to Hevi-13 6's or 7's and pattern them from your 20 " barrel to see what they would do. Also is your POI the same as the lead 4's?

[njdevilsb]

You are not limited to 30-35 yards with a 20" barrel.  My first suggestion would be to step up to #6's at least, if not #7's in H13.  The more dense pellets allow us to shoot the smaller shot which will give us great hit counts, while still maintaining enough downrange energy to cleanly kill birds farther than we probably need to shoot.   40 yards is no problem with the 6's or 7's and the right choke if the proper testing is done.  I have a 20" barrel on my Mossberg 535 and I was putting 285 hits in a 10" circle at 40 yards with H13 3.5" #7's through an Indian Creek .660 choke.

[Old Gobbler]

If you have a plane old full choke as you indicated.. , the termfactory  full indicates you will get only %70 of the entire payload in a 30 inch circle at 40 yards ....or my best guess 40-70 pellets of #5's if your lucky in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards  , probably more at closer ranges thats why it has worked for you until now-

You need to hold back on yardage , or... if that is a screw in choke , swap it out for something tighter

[JOHN I]

Thanks for the replies and warm welcome. Guess I'm looking for a new choke. (And more $4 shells )

[WyoHunter]

 
This is best turkey hunting forum on the internet!

[WildSpur]

My 20" tube throws great patterns out to 40 (that is as far as I have tried).  Shooting an 835 with a .670 PG and 3.5" Mag blends.  Final patterning was 193 and 207 in the 10" at 40.

[stinkpickle]

Thanks for the replies and warm welcome. Guess I'm looking for a new choke. (And more $4 shells )

The biggest bang for you buck is the shells.  Next in line is the choke.

This.

[natman]

Shooting an "old school" 11/87 SP w/ 20 bbl/ factory Rem full choke.

You'll get a lot more improvement with a real turkey choke than 6" more barrel.

I use Winchester Supreme 2 oz 3" #4s and they are good out to 40 yards:

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/turkey_loads.htm

If you want to go much farther than that, it's time for heavier than lead.

So choke first, then ammo. Barrel length doesn't make enough difference to worry about unless you are card shooting.