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Joined: 28 Aug 2014 Posts: 924 Location: Eastern Tennessee

I am planning to purchase 2 choke tubes for my bps in the next week or so. 1 will be a turkey choke but it is the second one I need help with. I was debating myself on wether I needed a cylinder or skeet choke to mimic imp cyl with lead (this new choke will be used for steel shot on public land for doves, quail, or any other open steel shots).

Tubes will be trulock precision hunter extended models.

Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 380 Location: Northeast Ohio

Personally I'd go with skeet if you want IC patterns with steel shot.

My experience and sample size is pretty small, but I have found that generally, the standard adage that steel shot patterns one choke degree tighter than lead out of the same choke holds true.

Of course each individual load and choke can have a different result depending on ammo manufacturer, FPS, powder etc. There is no substitute for trying a couple different speeds, manufacturer, shot weights, shot size etc., out of the same choke to see what you are getting before determining that you need a different tube.

I'd start out with the skeet tube and pattern a couple of different loads of the proper size shot for your intended quarry at the distance you expect to be shooting. You just may find you are good to go with the very first load you try or that the differences between loads are insignificant and all you need to do is focus on the bird and put the choke issues out of your mind!

If you find the first tube you buy is not what you need, someone will give you a few bucks for it and the benefit you gain by the confidence you have in your equipment will be well worth the minor dollar loss.

Good luck and let us know how the patterns look or the performance on game is.

Member Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 1863 Location: Wisconsin

Stay with the full choke for turkey. Turkey chokes are often too tight and cause a lot of misses in ranges less than thirty yards. I use a stalker model 3" BPS for my rainy day and mountain climbing turkey gun. Full is plenty tight if you take the time and expense to try several loads until one patterns well. Mod chokes work well too because I rarely shoot over 30 yards.

Reno

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