Choosing a good choke can be a challenge. Online forums are full of advice and a lot of itโs conflicting. Ask ten hunters what their favorite choke is, and youโll probably get ten different answers.
Weโre here to help. Hereโs what we find to be the five best Mossberg 500 turkey chokes available online.
Comparison Chart of the Best Mossberg 500 Turkey Chokes
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
Our Top Pick  |
| View Latest Price โ |
Best Budget Option  |
| View Latest Price โ |
What is a Turkey Choke and What is it Used For?
Shooting turkey is a little different than shooting waterfowl or for home defense. In those cases, youโre looking for a wide spread of damage. Itโs less important to do lots of damage to a small area than it is to cut a wider swath of destruction.
For example, when youโre shooting at a duck, the primary concern is to bring it down from the sky. If it doesnโt die immediately, you can quickly dispatch it once youโve located it on the ground. Turkey, on the other hand, will run away if theyโre wounded, which means there will be a suffering animal out in the woods and not in your game bag.
A turkey choke is a device that connects to the end of your shotgun barrel, and restricts the spread of your pellets to a smaller area. This ensures a higher density of pellets, so you can inflict maximum damage to a turkeyโs head and neck, dropping them instantly.
What Makes a Great Turkey Choke?
Before we actually review anything, letโs take a quick look at what makes a great turkey choke. Here are a couple of key things to consider.
The Best Turkey Choke Depends on Your Load
In general, the more shot you have, the more forgiving your choke can be. If youโre running a high-powered load with a lower quantity of shot, youโll need a tighter choke to get the same number of pellets in the right place. As a rule of thumb, youโre looking for at least 18 pellets in the head and neck area on your target. If your choke isnโt getting you that, try a heavier shell.
Performance Depends on Your Range
A choke that puts 18 pellets in the zone at 40 yards will most likely be too wide at 50 yards. Conversely, a good 75-yard choke will probably be too tight at 50 yards. Try to practice at the same range youโll actually be hunting from. This will give you the best idea of how well your choke will perform in the field.
Review of the Best Mossberg 500 Turkey Chokes
Now that weโve gone over the basics, letโs see what makes these five turkey chokes the best on the market. Weโve taken a deep dive into their features, engineering, and performance. Hereโs what we found.
Best for 12-Gauge:
Primos Jelly Head Maximum Turkey Choke
Pros
Cons
The Primos Jelly Head Maximum Turkey Choke was engineered with a 12-gauge shot in mind. As such, thereโs no 20-gauge version available. But if you shoot a 12-gauge Mossberg, youโre in for a real treat. With #4 shot, youโll have a reasonable spread out to 50 yards. If youโre looking for a close-range experience, youโll still get a decent spread at 20 yards if youโre using a #6 shot.
This choke tube protrudes a good two inches from the barrel, so you donโt need a wrench to install it. Just twist it in or out by hand, and youโre good to go. It features long port holes that allow plenty of outgassing. This provides noticeable recoil reduction, saving your shoulder.
Like many chokes, the Jelly Head isnโt compatible with steel shot. With that exception, everything about this choke tube is awesome, right down to the corrosion-resistant coating. Itโs also easy on your wallet.
Bottom Line
If you want to fill your game bag as quickly as possible, the Primos Jelly Head will give you the best spread for your 12-gauge.
Best for 20-Gauge:
Carlsonโs Choke Tubes, 20 Gauge
Pros
Cons
The Carlsonโs 20-gauge choke tube was engineered specifically for Winchester #6 Long Beard turkey shot. With this load, it will shoot a turkey-annihilating pattern from 30 to about 50 yards. You can go longer with heavier shot, but weโre a bit sketchy on the benefits of using heavier shot in a 20-gauge. Since the shell is smaller than a 12-gauge, you have significantly fewer pellets to work with. Itโs best to just stick with the #6 shot and get a reliable pattern.
While the Carlsonโs isnโt compatible with steel shot, youโre perfectly fine to use it with a Hevi-Shot load for additional killing power. As always, check your state laws on acceptable turkey shot before you load up.
Be prepared to feel the full force of recoil with this choke tube; there are no port holes for outgassing. It requires a wrench for installation, but youโll need one anyway to remove your Mossbergโs stock choke. Itโs low-priced and is still one of the best 20-gauge coke tubes around.
Bottom Line
For anyone whoโs using a 20-gauge Mossberg, Carlsonโs makes some of the best choke tubes in the business.
3. Tru Glo Bone Collector SmackDown Choke Tube
Pros
Cons
The Tru Glo Bone Collector SmackDown Choke Tube is a choke that protrudes two inches from the end of your barrel. It has a glossy, corrosion-resistant finish, and four port holes for outgassing and noise reduction. Itโs available in 12 and 20-gauge sizes, so you can use it on any Mossberg 500 shotgun.
This choke is easy to attach and remove. It screws in easily without the need of any tools, so you can switch it out without a lot of trouble. You shouldnโt need to, though. Depending on your range, itโs equally good for .00 buckshot as it is for four to seven-grain birdshot.
Your ideal range is going to be around 40 yards, although that can vary considerably depending on what kind of load youโre shooting. With a four-grain, three-inch shotshell, youโre looking at about a 12-inch spread at that range and can shoot effectively out to about 70 yards. A six-grain load is going to spread faster, but youโll also have more pellets. Beyond about 70 yards, youโll have too much spread for it to be reliable, but who shoots a turkey at that range anyway?
The Bone Collector SmackDown is designed for use with lead shot only. Steel shot will quickly degrade the inside of the bore, greatly reducing its effectiveness. This may be a problem if your state requires environmentally friendly shot, so make sure to check your local laws before you make your purchase.
Bottom Line
The Tru Glo Bone Collector delivers an ideal turkey shooting pattern at 40 yards with a four to six-grain load.
4. Trulock Chokes - 12 Gauge Turkey Chokes
Pros
Cons
The Trulock Chokes 12 Gauge Turkey Choke is a choke thatโs specifically designed to handle Winchester #5 turkey shot. Itโs nice that they get this precise, but we found itโs effective with any reasonable turkey shot size โ anywhere from four to six grains. As with many chokes, itโs not designed for steel shot. If your state requires lead-free shot, youโll need to go a different direction.
There are no tools required for installation. This is thanks to the ยพ-inch textured extension which protrudes from the barrel of your shotgun, making it easy to screw in and out by hand. If youโre super concerned about it staying in, it does have a wrench slot, but itโs really not necessary. Because the protrusion is small, there are no port holes. This maximizes muzzle velocity, but be prepared to experience more recoil than you would with an open bore.
The pattern on these chokes is out of this world. With Winchester #5 turkey shot, youโll get a nice, nine-inch spread at 45 yards. It remains a viable choke for shots up to 60 yards if youโre using #4 shot, and is good to about 40 yards if youโre using #6 shot. As always, this can vary significantly depending on the exact load youโre shooting. This choke is only available in a 12-gauge size. If you have a 20-gauge Mossberg, youโll need a different choke.
Bottom Line
The Trulock may be designed for five-grain loads, but anything from four to six will leave a nice, tight pattern at 50 yards.
5. Carlsonโs - Long Beard Turkey Choke Tubes
Pros
Cons
Like a lot of choke tubes, the Carlsonโs Long Beard is designed to work best with a specific type of shot. In this case, Winchester Long Beard turkey shot. This is a #4 shot, so itโs no surprise that the Long Beard is made for longer-range hunting.
If youโre shooting at 60 yards or more, this is a fantastic choke. Be careful at very close ranges. Inside of 20 yards, the spread is so tight that it will punch a slug-sized hole through a target. Needless to say, this makes snap shooting a challenge.
The Long Beard fits entirely inside your barrel, so youโll need a wrench to install it. Itโs also not compatible with steel shot. Once again, youโll need to check with your stateโs laws to make sure itโs okay to hunt with lead shot in your location. Itโs also only available in a 12-gauge size. The port holes are relatively small, but they do their part in reducing recoil.
Although this choke is designed for heavy shot, thereโs no reason you canโt use #5 or #6 shot with it. Just keep in mind that the spread will be wider, so youโre looking at a maximum range of around 40 yards with a lighter shot.
Bottom Line
If youโre looking to get a decent price on a top-notch turkey choke, the Carlsonโs Long Beard is a solid choice.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the โbestโ turkey choke is the one that works well with your load at your preferred range. The only real way to be sure is to take one out target shooting. If you donโt like what you see, try changing your load before spending more money on another choke. Oftentimes, itโs the more affordable solution to your problem.
