Shotgun choke question

[KYamateur]

I have recently acquired a Winchester 1300 with a 22 inch barrel and 3 old model winchokes. I am going to take this gun turkey hunting. I know I need the full choke when turkey hunting but I don't know anything about the old winchokes. I haven't had a chance to pattern the gun yet and wondered if anyone had any experience/opinions about the old chokes. Will they do fine for the intended purpose or should I upgrade to newer aftermarket chokes. The chokes are the old winchokes that take the spanner wrench that you put in the hole in the knurled part that is extended about 1/4 inch.

 

[rule303]

You'll never know until you pattern the gun with the load you want to use. For what it's worth, I have a Winchester 1300 that throws a nice round 85% pattern with the factory full Winchoke tube and the cheap Remington Express Magnum #4 shot loads.

 

[rcmodel]

It's a little too soon to worry about it until you get some turkey loads and pattern test it with the choke tubes you have.

I killed every turkey I ever shot with a full choke Browning A5 made almost 50 years ago!

IMO: Truth be known, #7 1/2 or #8 trap loads will smoke a blue rock target at 40 yards.
If it will to that to a clay pigeon?

It will do the same thing to a turkeys head & neck at the same distance.

You don't need a 105mm cannon to kill a turkey if you pulverize it's head and neck.

rc

 

[gamestalker]

Up until the mid 90's I killed all my turkey with nothing but a mod. choke and 3" magnum BB shot, never lost a bird, and some were taken from distances out to 50 yds..

GS

 

[Virginian]

Guys, with stories like that (and I fully believe them by the way), you are really hurting sales of all the neat new "just gotta have" gizmos ! Truth be known, if people would just pattern their guns and make sure they know where they shoot, and how they shoot, with what loads, they probably already have everything they need for most everything. But, I also gotta admit the economy needs somebody to buy those $100+ choke tubes with the catchy names, since it won't be me.

 

[PapaG]

We killed quite a few with a 97 Winchester and a Sportsman 58 using 28 grains of Herco, a Rem 29928 wad and "only" 1 1/4 oz of Lawrence Magnum 7 1/2 shot. Patterns shot before hunting showed an average of 28 hits in the head/neck at 40 yards. You don't need to kill yourself wholesaling the bird. Every shotgun I've patterned has done as well as or better with 3" over the 3 1/2" shells
I'm talking lead, not steel.

 

[243winxb]

Shells with copper plated shot & plastic buffer , lower velocity will produce tight patterns. Federal Premium® Mag-Shok® Lead Turkey Load Shotshells with FLITECONTROL®