Sighting in new choke tube where I hunt?

[Divenut2]

Hey Folks,

I'll be hunting a new parcel in WI my wife and I purchased for the first time in a couple weeks. (Can't wait!). 14 acres, mix of hardwoods, cedars with couple old logging trails. Just purchased a new extra full choke tube which will be arriving in a few days. Problem is I can't get up there until the day before the hunt. No place to sight in/pattern the new choke around here. I'm considering 2-3 shots to check POI and pattern when I  get up to the place. However,  I'm concerned I'll spook the gobblers and spoil the week's hunt.

What do you all think? Stick with my old full choke tube  (mossberg 500) which I've used for 30 years? Or, test out the new xtra full tube?

While the stock Mossberg FC tube has bagged lots of game over the years , I'd sure like to try a tighter pattern,  and maybe pick up a couple yards of killing range the extra full tube may offer.

I'm torn!

Thanks in advance and Be Well all.

[Farmboy27]

While I think that you'd be ok shooting your gun, why risk it?  If the gun worked fine for 30 years with the current choke then I think I would use it with confidence and wait until after season to try the new choke. 14 acres isn't a very big piece of land so I think I'd cause as little disturbance as possible when you get there.

[owlhoot]

While I think that you'd be ok shooting your gun, why risk it?  If the gun worked fine for 30 years with the current choke then I think I would use it with confidence and wait until after season to try the new choke. 14 acres isn't a very big piece of land so I think I'd cause as little disturbance as possible when you get there.

agree, i would wait.

[Divenut2]

Thanks for the replies guys. Ya, that makes sense. Even though our place borders by DNR Land Trusts on three sides, and the Niagra Escarpment on the other, problably smarter to keep things quiet. Who knows, if I'm fortunate enough to bag one early with the old girl, I can test the new choke out thoroughly. You know us boys with new toys lol.

Take care

[renegade19]

id wait.

[Marc]

I would most certainly wait...  Although I would think you could find somewhere to pattern that choke.

I am also going to add, that you might find it is advantageous to stick with the full choke even after patterning.  Those tight chokes certainly give you a few yards more of killable range, but they are also a handicap at good range (due to a smaller, tighter pattern).  My gun throws a good pattern out to about 40 yards with a standard full choke, and much past 40 yards (without optics on the gun) I would not be confident in my abilities to make a good shot anyways.

At 30 yards there is a lot more room for error with my standard full choke (as that turkey choke throws a small but dense pattern at that range).

Furthermore, I have had turkey chokes that tend to change my POI from standard chokes...  So I would not shoot the choke without putting it on paper.

I would be apt to keep in my standard full for most of my hunting, and throw in the turkey choke if I am hunting more open areas...  (I have more difficulty judging range, and birds are tougher to get in good range shooting more open areas in my experience).

And a last tip for when you do pattern that new choke.  Use regular target loads to figure out where the gun shoots.  I put three shots on the same paper (using a rest and maintaining a consistent hold point).  It will save your shoulder and your pocket book to utilize cheap target loads to find POI with this new choke.  Once you know where it shoots and what the choke is doing, I would then put a turkey load (or two) on paper just to make sure you have a good pattern shooting where you want.

Good luck, and enjoy that new property!

[Divenut2]

Hey Marc, thanks for taking the time to respond and the sight-in tip. You raise good points regard spread relative to range, error factor, etc. After reflecting on it (and responses here) I'm definitely going to stick with my old tried and true FC for this hunt. I expect ranges to be fairly close...hopefully!  That said, I'm  looking forward to seeing how a real turkey tube patterns. Maybe I'll give it a whirl for the fall season.

Take care

[OldSchool]

For what It's worth, I'll tell you a story. A buddy wanted to pattern his gun so I had him come up. We walked out back early in the evening and he shot his gun. Immediately after the first shot two gobblers cut loose on the ridge across the field from us. He shot 6-8 more times and we headed back to the house. The next morning I hunted out back and killed a nice adult gobbler within 75 yards of where we were standing while he was shooting the evening before.

I'm not telling you to go ahead and pattern your gun and I think about things like that too, but unless you spooked them out of the area walking to where you'd be doing the shooting or something like that, I bet it wouldn't bother them.

Bob

[wvmntnhick]

Id bet it wouldn't bother them too but I'd also not take the chance on such a small piece of ground. Had one last year strut and carry on while I patterned my shotgun a mere 75 yards away. Didn't bother him one bit but I'd still not do it again if I didn't have to.

[Dr Juice]

Stick with old choke. I wouldn't risk it. Good luck.

[Ihuntoldschool]

If I wanted to shoot I would shoot.  Another loud noise is not gonna scare your turkeys off, they hear loud noises all the time.

[Marc]

If I wanted to shoot I would shoot.  Another loud noise is not gonna scare your turkeys off, they hear loud noises all the time.

You are probably right...  But 14 acres is a small piece of property, and I have certainly seen birds move out of an area due to disturbance.

I would guess the odds are better of running turkeys out of the area than the choke making the difference between killing or not killing a bird on a shot he takes with his current choke.

[Divenut2]

Hey Folks, thanks for all the addition input, comments and suggestions. I do appreciate it. As much as I'd like to try out the new choke, I'm gonna error on the side of caution and refrain from shooting prior to the hunt. I'll use the time to set up a couple spots, clear shooting lanes etc. Then ease into one of them before first light  the next morning. Will be nice not having to get up at 2 am to drive to the public land I've been hunting all these years. Saw some birds walking right in front of the cabin and moseying down the old trail/entrance that runs along the border. They seem to be roosting in the cedars and coming to feed on acorns and bugs in the hardwoods and munching on baby fern fiddles sprouting at the base of the rock outcroppings. Of course, who knows what they'll be doing in two weeks...  

Be well everyone

[WyoHunter]

While I think that you'd be ok shooting your gun, why risk it?  If the gun worked fine for 30 years with the current choke then I think I would use it with confidence and wait until after season to try the new choke. 14 acres isn't a very big piece of land so I think I'd cause as little disturbance as possible when you get there.

Great advice IMO.