If you want an affordable, versatile turkey choke tube – that can deliver tight patterns at longer ranges – look for a ported choke tube that costs around $60. It will work well with most shotguns during spring turkey hunts. (The Carlson’s Longbeard XR has been our favorite for this style for many years). But if you’re looking for something different, we’ve also rounded up the best of the rest – from non-ported to ported and even budget chokes – compatible with most shotguns.
What is the best turkey choke tube? If you’ve ever had issues with blotchy shotgun patterns or missing shots while turkey hunting, you have probably asked yourself this question.
As turkey season approaches, you may be thinking about ways to improve your shotgun and choke setup. Unlike wing shooting, turkey hunting is all about tight, dense patterns. The ability to deliver as many pellets as possible into a 10-inch circle at long range is what most turkey hunters strive for. Finding the right choke tube is key to making it happen.
We asked the experts for their top picks for turkey chokes that can deliver tight patterns to help you narrow down your search if you need to pick up a new choke tube this season. This is what they had to say.
- Turkey Choke Comparison Table
- Best Turkey Choke Tubes
- 1) Carlson’s Longbeard XR Choke Tube
- 2) Primos Jelly Head Choke Tube
- 3) Carlson’s TSS Turkey Choke Tube
- Turkey Choke vs Full Choke, What’s the Difference?
- How to Pattern a Choke Tube for Turkey Hunting
- Bottom Line: The Long Beard XR Choke is Hard to Beat
Turkey Choke Comparison Table
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
| CARLSON'S Choke Tubes 12 Gauge for... |
$65.49
$62.48 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
| Primos Hunting 69405 Jelly Head Mag... | Buy on Amazon | |
| 3 |
| Carlsons Choke Tubes 12 Gauge... |
$54.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
| TRUGLO Head Banger TG185X... |
$62.00
$47.45 | Buy on Amazon |
Best Turkey Choke Tubes
Below are the top 3 best turkey chokes that can deliver exceptional patterns at long ranges using lead, hevishot, and TSS. These chokes should be your first consideration as spring turkey season approaches.
1) Carlson’s Longbeard XR Choke Tube
The TOP PICK is the Carlson’s Longbeard XR Choke Tube. The experts we talked to all agreed it’s the best turkey choke currently available for the price. It was specifically designed to pattern great out of the packaging with Winchester’s XR Ammunition. Extensive testing went into development of this choke tube and the results are nothing short of amazing for turkey hunting.
Shot-Lok Technology allows for some of the densest patterns we’ve ever seen at over 50 yards with lead shot compared to conventional choke tubes. The combination of the Longbeard XR Choke Tube and Long Beard XR Ammo can serve-up to 10% greater penetration for lead loads up to and exceeding 50 yards.
Carlson’s Long Beard XR Choke
Current Prices
$69.99
Features:
- Delivers dense patterns that are effective at over 50 yards
- Designed for and pairs well with Winchester Long Beard XR Ammo
- Longer and more gradual taper for better pellet distribution
- Grooves on end of choke allow for easy removal and installation
- Able to punch holes at 40+ yards in pattern paper
- Pairs with Winchester XR Ammo
- 50 yard range
- Shot-Lok Technology Budget Friendly
- Louder than conventional chokes
- Lacks wad stabilization
2) Primos Jelly Head Choke Tube
The Primos Jelly Head Choke’s sole purpose is to deliver tight patterns at long ranges for turkey hunting. It features an extended taper and fluted ports to increase patterns by up to 20% and reduce felt recoil making follow up shots easier.
The experts we talked to say that patterns they’ve manage to achieve with magnum turkey loads through the Jelly Head choke were exceptional. With pellet percentages reaching the target at the 40 yard mark of over 85%.
Additionally, the Primos Jelly Head is constructed out of premium stainless steel with a “Black-T” protective coating for added corrosion resistance and durability. It’s available for Remington, Mossberg, Browning, Beretta, and Benelli shotguns.
Primos Jelly Head Choke
Current Prices
$69.99
Features:
- 20% increase in tighter pattern density for long range shots
- Fluted ports reduce recoil for quicker follow up shots
- Durable stainless steel and Black-T coating for harsh conditions
- Available for Remington, Mossberg, Browning, Beretta, and Benelli shotguns
- Effective range with lead shots exceeds 50 yards
- Fluted ports
- 50+ yard range
- Reduced recoil
- Louder than conventional chokes
- Not rated for TSS shot
3) Carlson’s TSS Turkey Choke Tube
Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) is the densest shot that is available for turkey hunting. It weighs in at 18g/cc. Lead is around 11g/cc and steel is 7.8g/cc for comparison. Carlson’s has developed the TSS Turkey Choke for turkey hunters who want to take advantage of best ammo on the market.
The Carlson’s TSS Choke Tube is designed specifically for the new Federal Premium Heavyweight TSS ammunition. With very few TSS ammo options being manufactured, it’s nice to know that these two paired up to design something that works. TSS packs a punch in small pellet sizes due to its density. This makes 7s, 8s, and even 9-shot viable turkey shot sizes. This maximizes the amount of pellets in the load and it’s not unheard of to put 90% or more in a 10-inch circle at 50 yards. This is the pick for MAX range and penetration.
Carlson’s TSS Turkey Choke
Current Prices
$59.99
Features:
- Designed for Federal Premium Heavyweight TSS tungsten shot
- Non-ported to keep TSS pellets in the shotcup longer
- Patterns tight with TSS #7, #8, and #9 pellet sizes
- Perfect for reloaders getting the max out of TSS
- Effective range with TSS exceeds 60 yards
- Designed for Federal TSS Ammo
- 60+ yard range
- Non-ported to keep pellets in wad longer
- Inexpensive
- Compatible with TSS and Lead only
- Super dense shot column not for close range
More Turkey Chokes to Consider
- Truglo Head Banger Choke – Multi-Phase Groove Technology
- Hevi-shot Turkey Chokes – Hevi13 Ammo
- Indian Creek Turkey Chokes – NWTF World Record
- Muller Turkey Chokes – Lower Shot-to-Shot Deviation
- Patternmaster Anaconda Choke – Gas Over Technology
- Patternmaster Code Black Choke – Internal Ring Halts Wad
- Truglo Gobble Stopper XTREME Choke – NWTF Endorsed
- Kick’s Goblin’ Thunder Choke – 135-degree Port Angle
Turkey Choke vs Full Choke, What’s the Difference?
You may think a turkey choke and full choke are the same, but this isn’t always the case. If you mainly hunt waterfowl, the full choke is often considered the tightest patterning choke available. However, turkey chokes go a step beyond a regular full choke to provide even tighter constrictions.
The typical full choke diameter for a 12ga invector-plus choke system runs 0.708”. The same choke system has a diameter of 0.697” for a turkey choke. While both are considered tight constrictions, the turkey choke is slightly tighter and thus can deliver even more compact patterns at longer ranges with the magnum turkey ammo. A turkey choke is often considered an extra-full choke.
If you already have a full choke, do you really need to purchase a turkey choke? The answer depends on how much you turkey hunt and how serious you are about the sport. If you turkey hunt once a year when you’re invited to a buddy’s ranch, then the full choke will work just fine. If turkey hunting is your life or you’re really into the ballistics side of the sport, then a dedicated turkey choke will serve you well.
What to expect
The best turkey choke tubes can provide more uniform patterns at longer ranges than standard choke tubes. This means shorter shot strings and better wad separation over flush factory chokes. This translates to more pellets in a 10-inch circle at 40 yards and less gaps that a turkey head can escape through. The Carlson’s Longbeard XR is one of the best chokes to get these kinds of results, but the Primos Jellyhead is another great option that can deliver even tighter patterns. Whichever you choose, there’s a high chance you can leave the factory chokes at home for good.
How to Pattern a Choke Tube for Turkey Hunting
Once you receive one of the turkey chokes mention in this guide, the next step is patterning it to find out which ammo it works best with. It’s highly likely it will perform well with just about every shotshell, but it’s often the case that some perform better than others.
Choosing a standard lead load in #4, #5, or #6 shot is always a good starting point to gauge the effectiveness of a choke tube. These are the most common turkey loads and shot sizes you will find, so if you’re ever in a pinch you can find it on a store shelf and not have to special order it.
Patterning at 40, 50, or 60 yards can help establish a max effective range. The Birchwood Casey Turkey Silhouette targets make for a great pattern testing platform. Once the pellets hit it, the material reacts to show a bright color to make each pellet strike easy to see.
The patterning standard for turkey loads is a three shot average in a 10 inch circle. This means when patterning, you should shoot three of the same shotshells, through the same choke and shotgun, at the same range. After each shot, the pellets that strike inside the 10 inch circle should be counted.
The results from the 3 shots are then averaged. The average is divided by the number of pellets in the load to give you a percentage. This percentage can be used to determine the overall effectiveness of the pattern at the ranges you will be hunting. 70-90% is an ideal pattern average for turkey hunting loads.
Turkey Choke Tube FAQs
Using Turkey Chokes with Lead, Hevi-shot, and TSS Ammunition
Except for steel and other hard alloys, aftermarket turkey choke tubes operate well with most types of ammunition. Hard shot should not be used through turkey choke tubes due to their tightness; doing so could harm the choke. Pay special attention to the manufacturer’s suggestions on what kind of shot to use.
The most popular types of pellets used for turkey hunting are lead, hevi-shot, and Tungsten Super Shot (TSS). Because of the high density of these metals, shot columns will stick together and travel further distances. Furthermore, the small pellet diameter of each pellet type allows the shot column to be compressed without inflicting harm as it exits a tight choke tube.
TSS is the densest material now in use for turkey hunting. It is ballistically superior to both lead and Hevi-shot. Carlson’s TSS chokes are designed to work well for hunting turkeys with TSS ammo. Also consider the Primos TSS choke.
Read more about the effective range of TSS for turkey hunting here.
Are 20 gauge Turkey Chokes just as effective as 12 gauge?
Shotguns in 12 gauge are the most popular for hunting turkeys, but 20 gauge shotguns can be just as successful with the correct choke and ammo. Because of the shorter and narrower hull, 20 gauge turkey loads have a smaller payload, but it doesn’t imply 20 gauges can’t kill turkeys.
The use of Hevi-shot and TSS ammo allows 20 gauges to produce tight patterns at extended ranges just the same. When comparing the effectiveness of 20 gauge and 12 gauge turkey loads, the shot type is the great equalizer.
If all you have is a 20 gauge shotgun, don’t feel outgunned in the woods this season. With the right ammo and choke tube, the 20 gauge can deliver fantastic results. And if you plan to cover a lot of ground, the reduced weight of the 20 gauge can go a long way.
Read more about switching to TSS shot for 20 gauge and the pellet counts compared to lead shot.
Why are .665 turkey chokes so popular?
The .665 turkey choke is considered the best diameter choke tube for hunting turkeys. While .665 is not the tightest choke tube available, it patterns extremely tight with most turkey loads.
.665 choke tubes are popular because they can deliver tight patterns, are extra full diameter, work well with most turkey ammo, are effective past 50 yards, have extended grooves for easy removal, and are made of stainless steel which increases longevity and reduces corrosion.
One of the traditions of turkey hunting with a .665 choke tubes is to place as many pellets into a turkey’s head and neck as possible while avoiding pellets hitting the breast and other parts of the bird.
.665 chokes accomplish this task very well as the shot column remains compact over 40 yards and is almost comparable to a slug. Due to the tightness of .665 choke patterns, aiming becomes critical. A turkey’s head measures close to 6 inches and at 50 yards is a hard target to hit.
Read more about .665 choke tubes and their popularity for turkeys.
What does EF stand for on a turkey choke tube?
EF stands for EXTRA FULL. It designates the choke tube constriction size and in this case EF is between a Full choke and Turkey choke with regards to tightness. It measures 0.040” in diameter.
Extra full chokes are primarily used for turkey hunting and they help provide tight patterns at distances of over 40 yards. If you see “EF” written on a choke tube, you can be sure it’s tighter than a Full choke.
Some chokes can be labeled as ER and this means Extended Range. This designation is brand specific and isn’t related to the standard naming scheme. Extra full will be listed as EF, X-tra, or Extra.
Extra Full choke tubes pattern tightly and hold the pellets together at longer ranges. They are ideal for precise shots over 40 yards. Because of this, they make perfect turkey and predator choke options.
Read more about EF choke tubes here.
Bottom Line: The Long Beard XR Choke is Hard to Beat
The sport of turkey hunting is focused around the equipment almost as much as the hunt itself. Let’s face it, the season isn’t all that long, so it allows for tons of time to sit and think about different tactics to use for next season. Turkey chokes are an important piece to this equation and finding the perfect patterning shotgun, choke, and ammo combination can mean the difference between bagging a bird with the longest beard or going home empty handed.
After talking to the experts, it’s clear that dense patterns at long ranges are what they strive for the most, and premium choke tubes can help produce superior patterning results compared to those of factory choke tubes. Chokes that perform well with tungsten ammo are also high on the list.
Once of the best patterning chokes right out of the package is Carlson’s XR Longbeard choke tube. It was specifically designed to work well with the Winchester XR line of ammo. The Primos Jelly Head is another great option for a tight patterning choke tube that works well across a wide range of ammo. Finally, the new Carlson’s TSS choke tube is something to consider if you’re interested in trying out TSS shot and increasing your range and pattern density to the max.
Whichever choke you end up choosing, make sure to pattern your shotgun with it before you head out in the field. It’s the only way to know how your shotgun, choke, and ammo will perform when that old tom finally decides to give you the shot.
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