SA-08 Turkey choke selection?

[GaryO]

I have a new 12ga. SA-08 on the way and would like some help with a choke for turkey hunting. I see that the X-Full runs a .690 constriction. What do you folks use? Thanks...

PS: are the recoil pads from the factory worth keeping?

[ccc23454]

i currently don't own any weatherby shotguns but i know what it takes to kill a turkey and in most of my shotguns (3.5" guns) the .695 seems to work best but dont just trust measured value, i have one turkey gun that shoots way better with the factory .695 than with a aftermarket that is same size.  i have a 3" auto that shots a great pattern with a .690 but range is little more limited because after about 40 yards pattern opens up REALLY fast..  I have tried them all at some point from the nearly $100 versions to the $20 low end after market and to me the lower end chokes are just as good and even better if you realize you can buy 2 or 3 of cheap ones and still save a few $'s over expensive fancy ones and increase your odds of finding one that matches your gun. spend the $20 bucks and buy 1 after market to compare to the factory x-full, shot it at 40+ yards with a big sheet of paper or cardboard and look at what the shotgun/ammo  tells you what it likes. if your new to turkey hunting/; my 2cent use the winchester #5 or #6  extended range ammo, pricey but makes a average patterning gun look like a turkey slayer...  moral of story spend time at range and learn what gun likes and lacks and wear a recoil pad to save some shoulder.  where you turkey hunt?

[GaryO]

Thanks for the great answer. I will hunt in Northern California with my daughter. It will be the Fall before I can get started...

[zonie]

I agree with ccc.    Fall hunts are fun, but not as fun as a spring hunt imo.    I have one friend who didn't know very much about turkey hunting and now is a turkey killing machine on public lands out west where we live.   He uses an old Savage pump all camo taped up with a straight modified non choke tubed barrel and  2 3/4 " steel shot.   I just shake my head, but the proof is in the pudding it's a dead Turkey at 40 yds so I know it works.   I don't have any 3.5 " shotguns in fact  I'm tending to use only 20 ga 3 " anymore,   short little mossberg camo  superlight weight youth guns with an extra full turkey choke and red dot sight.   Straight  win copper plated # 6's and I do pattern and sight in  the shotgun on taped butcher paper,   you put that red dot on their noggin @ 40 yds that old bird just flopps over and you run over and hold them down from beating themself  and breaking a lot of feathers until they expire.

I would never agree a 20 ga is better than the larger ga it's not.  A 12  or 10 ga is  better if nothing but more shot.  I just don't like carrying them  if I have to run and gun,  or the way 12  ga mag turkey loads kick.   Another very old friend  sometimes uses a side by side 10 ga,  I always kid him better not kill half the flock when you drop both hammers,  what a monster.  I still have a few Activ 2 1/4 oz 3 " 12 ga  not fun too shoot. 

Maybe I'm old school, but I have the philisophy if you can't kill them with a good patterning 12 ga 2 3/4  using  5 or 6 shot  they aren't going to die at a reasonable range of 40 yds or so as long as you hit them right.

You really should pattern and test loads.