whats the best cost efficient choke for 870?

[panhandlehunter]

jellyhead .660

[lightsoutcalls]

My first bird was killed with a Kick's Gobbling Thunder choke tube and lead shot at 25 yards.  I decided to try Nitro shells the next season, so I switched to a Jellyhead choke.  I used that for 2 seasons and it did an awesome job on every bird I put a bead on with the Nitros.  I heard about Indian Creek chokes and traded them a couple of calls for a choke tube.  I have no desire to try anything else.  I have shot both the Nitros and HeviShot 5's out of the Indian Creek and have no reason to look any further.  After seeing what this combination does, I no longer bother with pellet counts.  I have seen it drop a big KS gobbler at a distance "too long" to try again.  I'm confident that if I do my job at 40 yards, the bird is going down.

[Gooserbat]

I shoot an 870 and my best paterns are from my Sumtoy .658 and Balistic Specialties .655

[strutstopper]

Another vote for jelly head .660.

[Jbird22]

Both the Jelly Head .665 and .660 did right at 200 shot in a 10" with Hevi-13 3" 2oz #7 loads out of my 870 at 40yds.  That's why I'm not fond of either of the Jelly Head chokes at least in my 28" polished barrel.  Now the Jelly Head .690 in my 835 did 268 shot in a 10" with 3.5" Hevi-13 2.25oz #7 loads which isn't bad, and the overall pattern was excellent. 

Man that is odd. My 870 with JH 665 (and good lot #'s of Hevi-13 3.5" 2.25 oz) will put low 200's of #6 and low 300's of #7 in a 10" circle @ 40 yds. That proved to be a little too tight for my liking though. I ended up trying the Rem SF (Hevi approved) I got 170's with the same #6's. That combo is not a record breaker but it produces a very even pattern that will smash a gobbler as far as I need to be shooting at em.

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

Yes it may be.  I know a lot of folks say the Jelly Heads shoot great in their 870's.  The Indian Creek .665 BDS choke shot just about like both the Jelly Heads at about 200 shot in a 10" at 40yds with Hevi-13 3" 2oz #7's.  I ended up with a .669 Indian Creek BDS that shot great.  Now who would think a .004 difference in choke would make a big difference.  But it did in my gun. 

[Jbird22]

Yes it may be.  I know a lot of folks say the Jelly Heads shoot great in their 870's.  The Indian Creek .665 BDS choke shot just about like both the Jelly Heads at about 200 shot in a 10" at 40yds with Hevi-13 3" 2oz #7's.  I ended up with a .668 Indian Creek BDS that shot great.  Now who would think a .003 difference in choke would make a big difference.  But it did in my gun. 

Yep things like that just don't make sense to me but they happen. Just like when I was trying to find an "accurate" ammo for my CZ 452 22lr. Some guys who shoot the same exact gun would recommend one brand and others would recommend another. What I learned is what was good for other guns wasn't always good for mine. I gotta admit though, all the trial and error testing was fun.

[renegade19]

anyone use the truglo gobble stopper? got a buddy gonna let me have one but that may not be a good sign

I use the Gobble Stopper "Exteme" Diameter is .665.  Works really good for me with both Winchesters and Heavy Shot.

[gjr902]

When I bought my 870, I tried 3 tubes. The Remington choke that came with the gun, a jelly head, and an Indian Creek. All worked very well, and would easily kill a bird up to 35 yards. I found the Jelly head and the Indian Creek were better at 45 yards. The Indian creek was still good at 60 yards. So i bought the indian creek and have never regretted the purchase. I used the Hevi13, 3" 2oz #6's for my tests. I switched to the Hevi 13 magnum blend last year. WOW, what a differance. Almost decapitated my South Dakota Tom at 40 yards. Any choke tube will kill a bird. I'm partial to my IC