My first shotgun need help?

[evolution.727]

Was wondering if anyone had any advice on a good choke?Just bought a winchester 120 12gauge.I have patterned the gun with federal 3in #4s.I would say 10 holes in a 10in circle.It is pretty consitant but feel like if I had a different choke it would help.Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[shaman]

ORIGINAL: evolution.727

Was wondering if anyone had any advice on a good choke?Just bought a winchester 120 12gauge.I have patterned the gun with federal 3in #4s.I would say 10 holes in a 10in circle.It is pretty consitant but feel like if I had a different choke it would help.Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

What range are you shooting at?  40 yards?   I also don't see what choke tube you're using.  Is it an extended XX-Full turkey choke?

The Fed 3in #4's are what I shoot.  I just patterned them with my new choke, a Carlson's Dead Coyote.  I got better then 10 holes in 10 inches at 40 yards.  However, I will also tell you that individual variations are key here. What works in mine may not work in yours.  The Flite-Control Wad on the Federals keep them pretty tight, but not in everyone's gun. Also, at 10 yards, you're shooting a bullet.

If all you have is a factory x-full, an extended choke tube may buy you a tighter pattern .  If it's already a dedicated turkey choke, then go the cheap route. The easiest, cheapest is to try another ammo. Winchester makes a good inexpensive lead load.  I have also used Remmie 3" buffered Nitro- magnums and had a good pattern. You can also go to #5's and add pellets without losing stopping power. If you you haven't tightened the pattern up after 2-3 tries,  change the choke again.   In short-- stick with small cheap steps and work all the angles until they're exhausted.

I started hunting turkeys when most guys did not think much beyond 20 -25 yards, because the vast majority of birds were able to be called in that close or closer. That's still true.  After 26 years I've still taken the majority of my birds inside 20. The majority of birds I've missed were inside 10 yards, because the pattern was too tight.  My one son shoots a 20 GA, and he limits his shots to 20 yards.  My other son shoots a 12 GA, and up until this year he was shooting no further than 30 yards.  In the woods, that may be all you need.

[OHhunter]

I just patterned them with my new choke, a Carlson's Dead Coyote.

 
Is this what you use to turkey hunt?  I've shot Hevi-shot dead coyote 3.5" T's through it and several brands of 00 buck.  Never thought about patterning it with turkey loads.

[evolution.727]

Sorry it's from 40yds.The choke is a remington turkey extra full choke.It looks like it was a stock choke from a remington.I also patterned the gun from 20yds and have very good results from 20yds but was looking to test the limits of the gun.

[shaman]

ORIGINAL: OHhunter

I just patterned them with my new choke, a Carlson's Dead Coyote.

Is this what you use to turkey hunt?  I've shot Hevi-shot dead coyote 3.5" T's through it and several brands of 00 buck.  Never thought about patterning it with turkey loads.

Yes, Brian over at Heirloom Turkey Calls recommended it to me one night in a shoot-the-bull phone call.  He was shooting the same load,  Fed 3" #4, and said it was the bomb.  I needed a new choke, and thought it would be worth a try, since if it didn't work, I'd still have something to use for coyote.  He was right. It was a great match-up.  I had bought a True-Glo for my son last year, and it wasn't doing a good job.  I had a ported tube and a ported barrel. I gave him the ported choke and put the Dead Coyote on the end of mine.  Perfect.

As always, you mileage may vary.

[dawei]

ORIGINAL: evolution.727

Was wondering if anyone had any advice on a good choke?Just bought a winchester 120 12gauge.I have patterned the gun with federal 3in #4s.I would say 10 holes in a 10in circle.It is pretty consistant but feel like if I had a different choke it would help.Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

ORIGINAL: evolution.727

Sorry it's from 40yds.The choke is a remington turkey extra full choke.It looks like it was a stock choke from a remington.I also patterned the gun from 20yds and have very good results from 20yds but was looking to test the limits of the gun.

[color="#0000ff"]I'm having a difficult time reconciling these two statements as Remington® chokes DO NOT fit in Winchester® guns & vice versa; or, are you talking about two different guns?[/color]

[evolution.727]

This remington choke fit in the barrel and patterned well at 20 yds.it is the same gun.

[evolution.727]

Shaman I was wondering what type of shotgun you shoot?