A good turkey choke can turn any old shotgun into a certified gobbler getter. It might require some trial and error to figure out which turkey loads a choke patterns best, but that's part of the fun. Of course, it isn't feasible (definitely not affordable) to test every ammo and choke combination out there.
For the purposes of this review, I tested some of the best turkey chokes with some of the best and readily available turkey ammo. Aside from extensive range testing, I've also killed turkeys with several of these chokes. There are other turkey chokes that didn't make the review for logistic reasons, but that doesn't mean they aren't also great options. Here's what you can expect from some of the best turkey chokes available.
Jump to: The Products We Tested and Reviewed
How I Tested the Best Turkey Chokes
Like the best turkey hunting shotguns, this review doesn't necessarily crown an overall champ. Instead, it should show you what you can expect from some of the best turkey chokes and how they pattern in different guns with different loads.
A gun's ability to pattern depends on multiple variables. Barrel length, ammo choice, choke tube, and choke constriction all determine how well or poorly a gun might pattern. Changing any of those variables in that formula can alter the outcome.
I tested these chokes by patterning various shotguns with them at 40 yards and taking the average pellet count within a 10-inch circle at that distance. Here's what I found.
Best Value
I've been running this choke in my original turkey gun for a long time. It's consistently produced great patterns at 40 yards for almost twenty years with just about any ammo I've fed it. It produced the best pattern in the test with 407 pellet strikes in a 10-inch circle at 40 yards with Apex GT-3 TSS (3-in. no. 9). It also averaged over 200 pellet strikes with both Winchester Long Beard XR (3-in. no. 6) and Federal Heavyweight TSS (3-in no. 9).
My choke has the .660 constriction, but Primos offers a variety of constrictions for the 12-gauge option, depending on which one works best with your gun/ammo combo.
Best of all, the Primos Tight Wad is widely available at a budget-friendly price ($35). The affordability and excellent numbers make this one of the best turkey chokes available.
| Choke | Constriction | Ammo | Avg. 40 yd Pellet Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primos Tight Wad | .660 | Apex GT-3 TSS (3-in. no. 9) | 396 |
| Winchester Long Beard XR (3-in. no. 6) | 204 | ||
| Federal Heavyweight TSS (3-in. no. 9) | 253 |
Best for Long Beard XR
Finding the right choke and ammo combo could require a lot of time and money. Luckily, Carlson's Choke Tubes has already done that. If you prefer Winchester's Long Beard XR ammo, you should consider using this choke tube.
The Remington 870 and Mossberg 940 Pro both averaged over 200 pellets within a 10-inch circle at 40 yards with the Carlson's Long Beard XR choke tube and Long Beard XR ammo (3-in. no. 6). Even the 20 gauges in the test all averaged over 100 pellets in the 10-inch circle at 40 yards.
Carlson's offers the Long Beard XR choke tube in a host of constrictions and for just about any shotgun that's threaded for aftermarket chokes. While they're not as expensive as custom chokes, expect to pay $65-$70 for one.
| Choke | Constriction | Ammo | Avg. 40 yd Pellet Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlson's Long Beard XR (12 ga) | .660 | Long Beard XR (3-in. no. 6) — Remington 870 | 217 |
| Long Beard XR (3-in. no. 6) — Mossberg 940 Pro | 209 | ||
| Carlson's Long Beard XR (20 ga) | .568 | Long Beard XR (3-in. no. 5) | 100+ |
Best Custom
The Rob Roberts Raptor turkey choke produced the most devastating patterns for a 20 gauge in the test. At 40 yards the Raptor placed 363 pellet strikes in a 10-inch circle with the Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey. For comparison, the next closest 20-gauge pattern was 283.
Rather than having multiple constriction options for every gun, Rob Roberts Custom Gun Works uses the most optimal constriction for each gun, so you know you're getting the best pattern possible. Like Carlson's, it eliminates that part of the guesswork for you. For instance, the Raptor for the Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey comes with a .562 constriction. This is important, because some shotguns might not pattern as well with larger/smaller constrictions.
While the Raptor produced the best patterns, it's also the most expensive choke tube in the test at $130. That's a lot for a choke tube, but if you're shooting a sub-gauge with TSS and plan to hunt open country where you might take 50-yard shots, the Raptor makes that feasible.
| Choke | Constriction | Gun | Avg. 40 yd Pellet Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rob Roberts Raptor | .562 | Beretta A300 Ultima Turkey | 359 |
Best for Federal Heavyweight TSS
Like their Long Beard XR choke, Carlson's designed this one for a specific ammo (hence the name). It performed consistently across the board, which makes it an excellent option if you prefer Federal's Heavyweight TSS.
In the Remington 870 20 gauge and Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 20 gauge it averaged 283 and 234 pellet strikes (respectively) in a 10-inch circle at 40 yards. Excellent numbers for a 20 gauge and more than enough to kill a turkey at that distance.
At around $60, Carlson's Federal Heavyweight TSS choke represents a reasonably priced aftermarket choke for turkey hunters. At half the price of the Rob Roberts Raptor, it averaged more pellet strikes with Federal Heavyweight TSS, specifically.
| Choke | Constriction | Gun | Avg. 40 yd Pellet Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlson's Federal Heavyweight TSS | .555 | Remington 870 20 ga | 283 |
| Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 20 ga | 234 |
I've heard a lot of good things about the Black Diamond Strike from buddies and other hunters, so I knew I wanted to include one in the test. It produced over 200 pellet strikes at 40 yards in a 10-inch circle with both Apex GT-20 (3-in. no. 9) and Federal Heavyweight TSS (3-in. no. 9) in a Remington 870 20 gauge. With the Apex GT-20 it averaged 259 pellet strikes at that same distance.
Those numbers are excellent for a 20 gauge at 40 yards. While I didn't have to stretch it that far in the field, I shot a gobbler at 20 yards with this setup and it was devastating. Yes, at that yardage the pattern is tight. I had maybe two pellets in the breast meat, and I didn't have to worry about rushing to my turkey while I waited for his buddy to calm down and walk off.
At $100, the Black Diamond Strike isn't cheap, but it's an excellent choke, and Indian Creek offers it in a variety of constrictions for .410, 28 gauge, 20 gauge, and 12 gauge.
| Choke | Constriction | Ammo | Avg. 40 yd Pellet Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Creek Black Diamond Strike | .562 | Apex GT-20 (3-in. no. 9) | 259 |
| Federal Heavyweight TSS (3-in. no. 9) | 200+ |
Trulock chokes represent a reasonable value for their price and performance. For this test, I reviewed the Pinhoti line of turkey chokes for a Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 in 20 gauge. Its best pattern combo averaged 253 pellet strikes with Apex GT-20 (3-in. no. 9) at 40 yards in a 10-inch circle.
While it still produced good numbers with Federal Heavyweight TSS (155 pellet strikes) at that same distance, it's possible that it might have produced more consistent, and better, numbers across the board with the .560 constriction (I tested the .585).
At nearly half the price of the Indian Creek Black Diamond and Rob Roberts Raptor, the Trulock Pinhoti choke is a good value for an aftermarket turkey choke.
| Choke | Constriction | Ammo | Avg. 40 yd Pellet Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trulock Pinhoti | .585 | Apex GT-20 (3-in. no. 9) | 253 |
| Federal Heavyweight TSS (3-in. no. 9) | 155 |
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