# barrel lenght, chokes, and calls



## FireDoc66 (Oct 9, 2005)

> I think about turkey hunting kind of like bow hunting. It's not about how long a shot you can make, it's about your skill in getting the bird close.


Spot on.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

You definetly do not need 300 hits in a 10" circle at 40yds for turkey hunting. Many hunting/fishing activities provide ample opportunity to over think every aspect. Bow hunting, oodles of treestands, camo patterns, safety harnesses, calls, trail cams, bows, broadheads, arrows, scents etc... all things hunters ponder over and over in the off season. Turkey hunting you have oodles of calls, a few choices with turkey vests and that is about it other than your weapon. So although you do not need 300 hits in a 10" circle, other than calling that is basically all you have to fixate on during off season. It's all part of the fun. A hunter could go out use a push button call, duck gun and lead 5's, but it adds a lot more to the sport by trying to take every aspect of your game up to the next level. 300 hits in a 10" circle at 40yds doesn't mean your now going to start taking longer shots, it merely shows your commitment to bring the best game to the woods that you can.


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## Fletch125 (Nov 17, 2012)

20" is way short. I perfer my 28" with 3" hevi shot. I use a hunter specialties undertaker choke its an extra full choke costs about $25 and works great. Box calls are the best because you really cant screw them up. The undertaker is cheap but it works pretty well out of my 500. My new 500 is ported so ill have to see how im patterning now and see if it makes a difference


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## pirate959 (Mar 23, 2011)

DEDGOOSE said:


> Not a recommendation.. Stated the pellets in that load will kill to 55 and maybe further, thats a fact.. With a whole lot of money on chokes and range time a gun can be set up to hold minimum pattern density at that range.
> 
> My Fed HW 7s will kill to 65 and maybe further with proper choking as well the problem is getting the pattern to stay intact that far.. TSS 8s and 9s will kill to 70-80 yards maybe further..
> 
> ...


Fair enough.

Let me ask this. I use a 28 inch barrel but also have the turkey barrel, 21 I think? What affect does the barrel length have on velocity? I would think this must play a part, but with fast burning powder and a choke not sure. What is used to rate advertised velocity I need the box?


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

pirate959 said:


> Fair enough.
> 
> Let me ask this. I use a 28 inch barrel but also have the turkey barrel, 21 I think? What affect does the barrel length have on velocity? I would think this must play a part, but with fast burning powder and a choke not sure. What is used to rate advertised velocity I need the box?


Advertised velocity is usually from a 30 inch barrel.. Here is some data 
from Jay Langstons "Turkey Hunters Toolkit Shooting Savvy". It should allow you to draw some conclusions.. 

All velocity numbers are a 5 shot average at 3 feet. The barrel was cut down in 2 inch increments.. 

Gun Mossberg 9200
Temps in the 90s

Shell Win HV 1 3/4 #5
MFG Stated velocity 1300FPS
22" 1228
24" 1227
26" 1266
28" 1292
28" 1352 with 660 turkey choke installed

Win Supreme 3inch 2oz #5
MFG Stated Velocity 1125FPS
22" 1124
24" 1124
26" 1129
28" 1147
28" 1220 with 660 turkey choke installed

Fed 1 3/4 #4
MFG Stated Velocity 1300 FPS
22" 1251
24" 1240
26" 1269
28" 1288
28" 1340 with 660 turkey choke installed

Fed 2oz #4
MFG Stated Velocity 1175FPS
22" 1069
24" 1094
26" 1103
28" 1124
28" 1173 with 660 turkey choke installed

Remington 2oz #4
MFG Stated Velocity 1175 FPS
22" 1040
24" 1068
26" 1059
28" 1078
28" 1172 with 660 turkey choke installed

Kent 1 3/4 #5
MFG Stated Velocity 1330
22" 1213
24" 1226
26" 1257
28" 1273
28" 1366 with 660 turkey choke installed 

Langston "shots from cylinder bore ranged 13 FPS whereas with turkey choke 40 FPS"

The venturi effect is why numbers are higher with turkey choke installed.


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## Thorzep (Nov 19, 2009)

sooo a 20in with a choke seems it would get the job done just fine to me. a good pattern seems more important than the little extra fps. correct me if im wrong
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

my guess is,,,from the turkey's point of view...there is very little difference in exactly what blew his head off. 
but thats just a guess. lol

keep your shots a reasonable distance, and know your pattern is the only answer i guess.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Thorzep said:


> sooo a 20in with a choke seems it would get the job done just fine to me. a good pattern seems more important than the little extra fps. correct me if im wrong
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


A 20 inch barrel can serve to be a good turkey gun.. Longer barrels tend to pattern a little better on average and can be more forgiving to choke constriction and design.. I believe this is why Remington has went to 23 Win-Browning 24 in their turkey offerings.. With that being said my father shoots a 500 Grand slam with a 20 inch tube that shoots well for lead with any barrel length.. 

The biggest bang for your buck comes with ammo.. Great ammo can make a marginal choke look great.. A great choke cannot make a bad load choice look good.. 

I would look to the Hevi 13 2oz 7s.. They start with a massive pellet count and are really easy to get acceptable pattern.. Keep your shots 40 and in.. 

If you do not want to pony up for the Hevi, lead is fine, but it may take some tweaking of choke and shells to get acceptable performance... I would start with the Win Supreme XX 2oz 6s.. Wins tend to be the best patterning lead. 

As for choke.. The age old standard is go tighter in a short barrel which sometimes works and sometimes does not.. We had great luck with TSS Caddiss Nova and a Tru Glo Strut Stopper Xtreme .643 with the Hevi 7s, it will also throw the WIns pretty good.. Another middle of the road $$$ option would be a .655 Primos Jellyhead. 

If you are looking to spend more doe on a choke their are alot of options: Indian Creek, Sum Toy, Pure Gold etc.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Note, no work from me. Basically gave Tom the gun and got it back with a pattern, choke recommendation and shell recommendation:


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

TSS Caddis said:


> Note, no work from me. Basically gave Tom the gun and got it back with a pattern, choke recommendation and shell recommendation:


Great for taking care of nuisance wasps as well..


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## Fabner1 (Jan 24, 2009)

john warren said:


> don't buy mouth diaphram calls at yard sales[/B],,,,,,,i ain't sayin,,,,,i'm just ,,,you know,,,,sayin.


Johnny,

I learned that the hard way! Took forever to clear up!:yikes:
Tasted funny too! I think the previous owner french kissed a Moose or sumptin'!


O'lame Fred


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## jem44357 (Jan 27, 2011)

Just an FYI on short barreled shotguns and ported chokes... at least my little 20. The heavy 7's in the pics are advertised 1250 fps. If I reduce that by 150fps I'm still at 1100 fps. Enough for 50yd kills? With my patterns I think so but as I said I most likely would not take the shot.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=421633

Jim


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

jem44357 said:


> Just an FYI on short barreled shotguns and ported chokes... at least my little 20. The heavy 7's in the pics are advertised 1250 fps. If I reduce that by 150fps I'm still at 1100 fps. Enough for 50yd kills? With my patterns I think so but as I said I most likely would not take the shot.
> 
> http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=421633
> 
> Jim


The hevi 13 loads are 1090. With that waterfowl load I would certainly believe so if you had adequate pattern density.. I would not deliberately take a 50 yard poke, but by happenstance you misjudge one you should be fine. 

You are shooting the waterfowl version, which I believe is 12 g/cc.. The Hevi 13 is getting confusing as their is no Hevi 13 anymore.. The pellets are coming in under that in the tests I have seen done from handloaders.


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## pirate959 (Mar 23, 2011)

jem44357 said:


> Just an FYI on short barreled shotguns and ported chokes... at least my little 20. The heavy 7's in the pics are advertised 1250 fps. If I reduce that by 150fps I'm still at 1100 fps. Enough for 50yd kills? With my patterns I think so but as I said I most likely would not take the shot.
> 
> http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=421633
> 
> Jim


I think your pro Hunter picture has just about convinced me to buy a turkey barrel. I have the same stock and that is a good looking weapon. I have never needed a second shot, so not sure any disadvantage. I assume it is a sweet shooter from your pics.


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## jem44357 (Jan 27, 2011)

pirate959 said:


> I think your pro Hunter picture has just about convinced me to buy a turkey barrel. I have the same stock and that is a good looking weapon. I have never needed a second shot, so not sure any disadvantage. I assume it is a sweet shooter from your pics.


It is an excellent run and gun package. It is light and compact and handles very well. As far as a "sweet shooter" it patterns well as you can see but being so short and light shooting turkey loads it does have a bit of a bite.

Jim


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## birdman2012 (Dec 16, 2012)

I use a HeviShot turkey choke tube and shoot Hevi-13 #6 or Magnum Blend. You definitely won't go wrong with a Hevi choke and HeviShot turkey loads. When you can't get that Tom in close, no worries, Hevi-13 will extend your range and allow clean kills way out there. I won't use anything else.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

TSS Caddis said:


> Note, no work from me. Basically gave Tom the gun and got it back with a pattern, choke recommendation and shell recommendation:


Thats nice..........


Nothing fancy here. I use a 26" Remmy 1100 with a stock Remchoke. Hi brass 2 3/4" Fiocchi copper plated #4 pattern best out of it, but 6's aren't far behind. I prefer the shorter barrel for ease of handling.


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

been fussing about with calls, i have a slate and box call and some mouth calls from the first time i tried this. will dig them out next time i go to the cottage. meanwhile i built a box call, it was fun and sounds pretty nice. encouraged i decided to build a wingbone call. well got it finnished and aside from tasting a bit weird, it sounds pretty good, its going to take some practice to get it right, but would be cool to call a bird in with it.
i also got an owl call and a crow call to help with location of toms if i decide to try the run and gun approach,,,and since i got the crow call,,,i got an owl decoy and am making some crow decoys this weekend,, heck feb 1st is crow opener,,,might as well try it. it is really an inexpensive thing to set up for. and a fun way to get some off season shooting in.


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