Got my 870 SPS-T last week and took it the range over the weekend. Using the Pure Gold .555 and three different brands of ammo (Hevishot 3" 5 shot, Hevi-13 3" 6 shot, Winchester 3" XX, 5 shot) results were pretty much awful. Best results with any load gave me about 105 hits in a 10" circle at 30 yards

Looking at other options folks. Also tried the Tru-glo choke I got from Walmart .570 constriction it also wasn't good. Best pattern was with the Winchester lead load with the factory choke tube (super full).

Any ideas would be appreciated and I mean appreciated in a big way.

I have only heard good things about the Primos Jellyhead chokes. If you can find a Star-Dot choke in 20 guage this is what my 870 12 likes. Good luck... I'm sure you'll find the right combination.

Tut,

My Mom shoots an 870 youth model 20 ga. About 4 years ago I bought her a Hastings Choke (I don't remember the constriction?) but it does not extended beyond the barrel. Anyway, with Remington HeavyShot #6 out of that choke we are getting 25+ pellets in the head and neck at 40 yards. Its nothing short of amazing for a 20 ga. My Mom has killed at least 3 birds now in the 35-38 yard range with that gun and I might add they were quite dead after the shot. It certainly has made me reconsider lugging the 12 ga up and down the mountains in 3 or 4 states although I haven't made the switch yet.

I can't promise you'd get the same results but that has been our experience with that gun/choke/load combo. BTW, I did not try the Primos Jellyhead so maybe it would be better? IMHO dead is dead, so when I find something that works I usually stick with it which is why we never tried the Jellyhead.

-Eric

Tut,

My Mom shoots an 870 youth model 20 ga. About 4 years ago I bought her a Hastings Choke (I don't remember the constriction?) but it does not extended beyond the barrel. Anyway, with Remington HeavyShot #6 out of that choke we are getting 25+ pellets in the head and neck at 40 yards. Its nothing short of amazing for a 20 ga. My Mom has killed at least 3 birds now in the 35-38 yard range with that gun and I might add they were quite dead after the shot. It certainly has made me reconsider lugging the 12 ga up and down the mountains in 3 or 4 states although I haven't made the switch yet.

I can't promise you'd get the same results but that has been our experience with that gun/choke/load combo. BTW, I did not try the Primos Jellyhead so maybe it would be better? IMHO dead is dead, so when I find something that works I usually stick with it which is why we never tried the Jellyhead.

-Eric

Friend of mine bought an "Undertaker" from either Bass Pro or Cabela's, shoots as good as my custom made choke. He uses WIN. XX Supreme #6's

barry

got a nice e-mail from the folks at Pure Gold. They indicated the .555 choke is probably just too tight for a factory 870 with a un-customized barrel. They said the 20" barrel is most likely the root of the problem. They will swap out the choke tube for another and recommened with my gun that I go for either the .565 or the .570.

Temped to keep the .555 with the hope of having the gun worked on later. However no matter what I do to the barrel (polishing, lenthing forcing cone etc) it still will only be 20" long and that appears to be the root of the problem. Anyway, I'll give this a try once the new choke get here and see what kind of patterns I come up with.

Try Rem 6 shot nitro mags.

My daughter has one just like you describe. The thing will top out a small pine at 30 yards. Its been so long, I cannot rember the count in the head at 30, but if I remember right it was more than enough. I would not hesitate to take it into the turkey woods myself.

Actually, a couple years ago when I had shoulder surgery, this is the gun I carried whne she would let me have it.

Rob ,

My 870 Rem mag sure does a Great Job with the *Star Dot* choke....

My Remington 870 Express 20 ga. gets it done just fine with 3" Federal Premium lead 6's with a .570 Kicks Gobblin Thunder choke tube....

I've added three different loads to try (remington lead 6's Premium and Remington Hevishot in size 6 as well as the Federal Grand slam load (also in 6). Will try those with the Factory Super Full choke and a Tru Glo Gobblestopper Choke on Saturday or Sunday (weather dependent). If nothing is acceptable, I'll have to put the 20 aside and break out the 12 instead. Nice to have other options, as either of my 12's will certainly take care of anything out to 40+ yards if I do my part.

Feeling a bit better as I'm getting there I think. Just have to remember, this is a 20 not a 12 gauge and the differences between 1 1/4 oz of shot and 2 oz of shot are substantial.

Fired 28 different load combinations today with various choke tubes. The winner was Remington Hevishot 1 1/4 oz load in size 6 with the factory superfull (lead shot only or so it says). At 35 yards within a 10" circle I had 125 hits. Any turkey not wearing a kevlar helmut would have been put to sleep very quickly.

PS. I did polish the bore of this gun earlier this week using the oiled britepads (green and blue). That may have helped at bit.

Second place and not that far behind was the Winchester 1 1/4 oz supreme load in size 5. Actually the same Winchester load in size 4 was awesome at 30 yards, but really feel apart at 35 yards. The size 5 held together pretty well out to 35.

PS. Took a couple of shots with the Remington Hevi 6 load at 40 yards. Would have killed a gobbler in either case, but you would be talking about 9 to 11 hits in the neck and head area. I like a few more than that just in case I underestimate the range.

Think this gun can now be lugged up and down the mountains with the belief that any turkey who wanders in within about 35 yards could be handled promptly.