The Mossberg 500 is my favorite shotgun to hunt turkeys with and paired with the right choke can be a deadly combination. In this review I’ll discuss the turkey chokes that have worked well for this type of pump-action shotgun and why I continue to hunt with them.
Several turkey chokes are specifically designed for the Mossberg 500 shotgun and help make all the difference between bagging and missing a prized old tom. The Carlson’s Long Beard XR is my favorite choke tube and works well out of my Mossberg 500 at up to 50 yards with the right ammo.
Below are the top 3 best turkey chokes for the Mossberg 500 shotgun and why you should give them a try.
These are the Top 3 Turkey Chokes for the Mossberg 500:
My Mossberg 500 has sentimental value so I really wanted to get it setup as a turkey gun. The first thing I needed to do was ditch the factory choke tubes and choose an aftermarket choke that patterned tight and worked well with the ammo I like.
Over many years of hunting turkeys with the Mossberg 500 and trying many different choke and ammo combinations, these are the three chokes I’ve had the best results with.
These are the three turkey chokes for the Mossberg 500 you should consider:
When you sit down and compare the Carlson’s Long Beard XR to the Hevi-13 Turkey Choke and Dead TRUGLO Head Banger, the differences are noticeable. The ideal turkey choke can deliver incredibly dense patterns at long ranges. Let’s face it, if you’re all about jelly heads, putting a mass of pellets on target is what you’re aiming for. For that to happen though, you need to have a bunch of factors working in your favor. Below are the common types of chokes for turkey hunting and what makes them so effective. Types of Chokes for Turkey Hunting The best chokes for turkey hunting are always extended ported chokes like the Carlson’s Long Beard XR. They consistently win most turkey shoots with the right ammo combinations. Extended chokes are ideal for turkey hunting because they provide a platform for tighter constrictions and wad technology improvements beyond that of flush factory chokes. To kill old toms at long ranges consistently, an extended ported choke is the best starting point to developing a tight pattern that will produce great results at 50 yards or more. On my last turkey hunt, I was able to get 3 toms to strut at 55 yards but they just wouldn’t commit past that point. Don’t get me wrong, my preferred range is 20 yards or closer, but sometimes the stars just don’t align. Needless to say, I wasn’t thrilled with taking the shot, but I knew the choke and ammo combination I was using was easily capable of dispatching even the largest Tom at that distance. I was using the Carlson’s Long Beard XR choke with Winchester’s Long Beard XR ammo. The previous spring I had done some intensive patterning with this choke and ammo combination out of my Mossberg 500 and SBE II with great results from each. With turkey season quickly coming to an end, I ended up taking the shot on the strutting Tom at 55 yards. The old bird hit the ground hard and upon close inspection I had put 10 pellets into him with some completely passing through. Situations like this are why having a good choke is vitally important for turkey hunting. Need a new shotgun sight for turkey hunting? Check out our top picks here.
Why I Picked the Carlson’s Long Beard XR Choke Tube
Here is a great clip of what you can expect to achieve with a good turkey choke for the Mossberg 500.
Features to look for in quality chokes for turkey hunting:
About Chokes for Turkey Hunting
Why it’s important to have a good choke for turkey hunting
Tips on Improving Your Mossberg 500 Patterns for Turkey Hunting
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