New to turkey hunting.

[Idawg]

Hey everyone. I'm new to turkey hunting I have hunted different animals all my life and last year I got bit by the bug to turkey hunt. Well this year for my birthday my wife bought me a sbe 2 and I'm trying to pattern it just wanted some feedback if I was doing this right.  I have bought a jelly head choke from all of the stuff I have read it seemed to be a good starting point choke wise. Also I started with longboard #5's. Well I am shooting a nice even pattern with 130 pellets in the 10 inch circle. Is this acceptable or should I strive for a tighter patter? Thanks for the input.

Ben

[dirt road ninja]

 

I'd be looking for better.

[Idawg]

Thanks. I was planning on trying a rhino choke. Also do you think that nitros are worth the investment?

Thanks,
Ben

[dirt road ninja]

I think so, use them in my 12 & 10 gauge.

[Walkerz07]

Federal heavy weight #7's

[d.winsor]

What choke restriction are you shooting? .665 or .670 etc.

[Idawg]

I'm using a 660 restriction. I've tried hevi 13 5's and xx Winchester 6's. I thought the longboard 5's were more of an even pattern. But like I said I'm new to all of this.

[Spring Creek Calls]

That .660 choke tube should do real well with Longbeard #6 shot.

[Idawg]

Thanks everyone for the responses.  I think I'll try the LB #6's and see how they do.  I just wasnt sure if I should just bite the bullet and go ahead and get a rhino choke and the nitro shells that they recommended.  Just wondered what ya'll thought about it I don't mind buying them if they are that much better but alot of times there are just as good options that aren't necessarily the most expensive.   

Thanks,
Ben

[allaboutshooting]

Thanks everyone for the responses.  I think I'll try the LB #6's and see how they do.  I just wasnt sure if I should just bite the bullet and go ahead and get a rhino choke and the nitro shells that they recommended.  Just wondered what ya'll thought about it I don't mind buying them if they are that much better but alot of times there are just as good options that aren't necessarily the most expensive.   

Thanks,
Ben

First of all, welcome to OG and to the wonderful world of turkey hunting. It's a sport that I've enjoyed for many decades now and hope to enjoy it for a couple more.

I have been shooting Benelli shotguns since 1991 when I bought my first SBE. I have owned many since. One of my favorites is now the Vinci which has the same bore as your SBEII.

I recently completed an evaluation of a customer's M2, again same bore, with a variety of chokes and both Winchester Long Beard (WLB) shells with #6 shot and Hevi-13 shells with #6 shot.

I also published an evaluation of Trulock chokes and WLB #4, #5 and #6 shot http://allaboutshooting.com/article_info.php?articles_id=724

Everything that I've seen says that the #6 shot will give you much more even and dense patterns with your Benelli.

I am also in the process of evaluating 35 different configurations of the major brands of turkey chokes with WLB #6 shot shells. I hope to have that project completed by year-end, so you may want to hold off just a bit and take a look at that report.

No matter what you do, welcome to both OG and the turkey hunting fraternity.

Thanks,
Clark

[Idawg]

Thanks so much I'll look forward to reading that document.  I appreciate all of the help and I have been bitten by the turkey bug pretty bad. It has really taken over my hobbies. But I can't wait till spring. 

[davisd9]

"It's a damn disease is what it is." - Dean "Redbeard" Mundhenke