Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting this years gun was decided by...

A few years ago, I really pounded my shoulder with a savage 24 12 gauge and 2 oz loads to the point I almost went to the doctor with a shoulder issue.

That's when I bought my franchi affinity 20 gauge, but have yet to take a bird with it.

Last year I used my franchi 12, but it will be the 20 this year because my shoulder is hurting from my computer bag, too much OT, and not exercising enough.

Well its nice to have option, but I see the 12 gauge getting less use as I age.

Having said that...

Anyone else shooting a Franchi affinity 20 gauge?
Which choke tube and restriction?
Shells?
(I have federals)

I'm looking to improve patterns so I finally retire the 12 to the predator gun duty.

No Franchi here, but a Rem 870 20ga that I've set up for turkey. My opinion, to make any 20ga perform to its highest potential, TSS shot is the way to go. Is it neccessary? No. But it does make a 20 shine! For a choke constriction, I'd start in the .565" area and see how your gun performs with the shell you're using. This will be my third year using a 20ga and don't see that changing any time soon. Enjoy!

I've touched off one of my 2 OZ Federal loads in April and felt it in my shoulder clear to Labor Day. I know what you mean. I'm still hunting with that rig-- been using the same everything since 1996. However, I am respectful of the kick. A Federal 12 GA 3" 2OZ #4 load has roughly the same recoil as a .416 Rigby, maybe a tad more.

The trick I've found is a) eschew prone shots b) good posture and proper angle c) lean in to the shot to give plenty of room to rock you back.

I came of age when your ideal turkey gun was a 2 3/4" 12 GA Trap gun. You could get away with fancy di-does and shooting from less-than-perfect set-ups. The bigger 12 Gauges command respect.

Of course, here I am proselytizing, and I'm getting all set to take an 11 Gauge Brown Bess out for its inaugural year. So far, I've shot 1 OZ loads and it hasn't been all that stiff. We'll see what 20Z does coupled with that club of a stock. Yikes.

Not Franchis, either. But we use SumToy Customs .562-5 tubes in all our 20 gauges with Federal Heavyweight 7's.

You don't specify WHICH Federal shell you use. But your best bet would be to pick a choke manufacturer and call them with your specific application and ask THEM which one of their tubes is best for what you wanna do.

https://www.sumtoycustoms.com/index.php

Patterning some heavy 3 1/2" turkey and buckshot loads out of a light inertia Browning A5 can leave a mark.

After my first shoulder surgery, I still shot a 12 ga, but after a few years, I was having issues with my shoulder again so I dropped to a 20 ga and TSS shot. Back in those days you had to roll your own TSS shells as nobody was loading it in the retail market.
I rolled some and still took my 12 ga as I just could not wrap my head around the 20 and TSS #8 or 9 shot. Well when I killed my birds that last year with the 12 and just about cried (and would have if it would have helped) with pain, I decided I HAD to go to something else.
The next spring I shot my first TSS shell and saw not only the density of the pattern but the what it did to a piece of metal roofing, I was in. With the lack of pain it was an easy win/win. I sold all my 12 ga turkey gun and have hunted with nothing but a 20 ever since.
I had to have a second shoulder surgery a few years back and I for sure will not turkey hunt with a 12 after that one.

OP here... and I should add details.

I'm forced to run non-toxic shot due to hunting federal land rules.
So I started buying hevishot 5's not knowing the increased density would let me drop to 6's. I've learned a lot about the turkey shot shell science since then.

I have two variety's of federal TSS in 20 gauge. Some early 1.5 ounce low recoil stuff and I think some 1.625 ounce higher velocity stuff. unfortunately some of the low recoil stuff got mixed in so I need to figure out a way to sort it. Maybe a precision scale if the shot charge is less. It seemed like federal was messing with the formula at launch.

I also found some federal heavyweight 7s after I bought the TSS and holding those for my OU gun experiment (TSS in tight far barrel / HVW7 in lose close barrel).

I need to look at my choke tubes for the franchi to see what they are. I also recently bought a savage 301 20 that I will experiment with and I have the Savage 555 i'm going to try if I can prove the barrels shoot to the same point like my browning 725 12 does. initial testing on the 555 without a bench wasn't good.

Enough of the rambling story...

If I buy new tubes - go ported or not?
And if I have ported tubes now, should I get non-ported?

Does the porting help with recoil? or fore end rise?
Or hurt wad performance?

Shells... it seems like APEX is the stuff.
Is there better than federal?

I'm not opposed to paying some money to experiment because one TSS shell is about 2 beers at the overpriced city restaurants so i don't drink when I go out. I'm cheap, but I like performance.

I have a ported choke in one of my guns (Indian Creek) and a Non Ported choke in my other 20. I can not tell any difference in ported and non ported as far as recoil goes. I have both due to that is what my gun liked.
If I had my option (everything else being equal) I guess I would lean toward the non ported. My ONLY reason for saying that is years ago IC chokes had an issue with a bad heat treat on a batch of their chokes and they would crack at the slits/ports. With no ports, it is one less thing to worry about.
I hate to be vague in my answer but, you really need to try a choke and shell combo to see if it will work or not.
I have a buddy that has the exact same two 20 ga shotguns (brand/model/barrel length)that I do, we are using the exact same hand loads. My guns want a tighter choke (in both guns) than his does to get very similar patterns at 40 yards.

The gun wants what the gun wants....

Theoretically, ported should reduce recoil somewhat. The operative words here are "theoretically" and "should". I've never found any noticeable difference between the two.

However................ If you're shooting Federals with Flite Control wads........which you are.......probably stay with non-ported. They seem to work better with non-ported chokes.

Seriously, I think you should call SumToy and talk to a fellow named William. He's likely the guy who'll answer the phone. He'll give you a definitive answer to every question you've asked here.

Mine all started on the football field in 1967. Dislocated my right shoulder.
2019 I had replacement surgery.
I put away the Rem 870 12 gauge and my ever faithful Ruger No.1 .270. Too much recoil.
I had already built an AR in 6.8mm and had rescued a lovely old Rem "Sportsman" 16 ga. Semi auto sucks up lots of recoil.
I wouldn't want to spend a day at the range with the Rem Sportsman, but the 2 or 3 shots it provides is quite acceptable.

I just don't go for the TSS, bismuth, steel and other nontoxic, expensive "schtuff". I'm a plain Jane #8's for turkeys. I'll just pull them in a bit closer.
I'm old, crippled and retired. I have the time and the patience! LOL!

Best of luck with your 20.
I'll just say, take the time to pull them in just a bit closer.

I'll second a conversation with SumToy, very worthwhile.

I'm still learning this turkey calling and I only do my one MN bird each spring so practice time is limited.

Sumtoy keeps coming up and he mad my Burris FF3 mounts on my 12 & 20 Ga franchi's and they are solid.

Side topic.. I watch a guy on youtube - dave owens Pinohti project - and he runs a .585 choke on a benelli and its pretty impressive patterns at 40 years using his handloads.

I wonder if we're over choking these loads sometimes.

I think I'm running carlson ported Long beard tubes in my franchi and I think I would go with non-ported if I buy any because I don't want to be restricted to loads.

Sometimes I wish we had a choke tube library program to let each other test them before you have a drawer full of tubes.

I had a Sumtoy choke in my Mossy 20 ga. I sold that one because I really didn't need 3 turkey guns.

Here's a pattern from my daughter's 20 with a Federal Heavy 7 (the older 15g/cc ones) through a SumToy .562-5 tube at 40 yards.

The outer circle is 10" in diameter. The black dot is 3" in diameter. There are +/- 329pellets in the shell. There are 155 of those in the 10" circle. The TSS 9's give WAY more impressive looking patterns. But we've yet to have a turkey walk away from the 7's. Annnnd............. I've got a lifetime supply of the old skool 7's. I ain't about to go fixing what ain't broke.

I thought the Hevi Weight 7's were the ticket until I tried TSS.
Those HW7's will do a great job for sure.

Kent is making the 15cc shells now, but reviews haven't been good.

A chain store new me has them on clearance and tempting to try them out.

I bought a bunch of the Federal HW7's on closeout and cut them open for the shot. I then reloaded them with what for me was a better shell. I did that because I could get the shot at less than half price buying the shot in bags. The Fed. shells did not shoot good out of my gun so, I rolled my own.
I think I still have maybe 6-8 lbs of loose HW7 shot that I never loaded.

The only way to know is to shoot.

Here's a couple of 30 yard patterns of Federal TSS #7 and Federal TSS #9 out of an H&R single shot 20 gauge with a fixed modified choke (.585 I think). At 30 yards, this, I think, is entirely adequate.



Here's the same loads through a standard full choke tube out of my 20 gauge Winchester.



The hen I shot last Sunday I hit with 20 gauge Federal TSS #7 at 40 yards, maybe a pace or two beyond that, through the Invector Plus full choke tube that came with the gun. It was a good, solid head and neck hit. I only found a couple to pellet holes lower than the base of the neck.

I think a standard full choke ought to be your control choke. Pattern with that first and then see what tighter does, or if tighter is even necessary.

However, messing around with chokes is fun and it's worthy to do just for that.

For sure you can over choke these shells and as Glocks said, only way to know is to shoot them. I have even seen the same size (exit diameter wise) from one brand of choke print completely different than another brand choke. It is all about finding the right combo and knowing the limits of your pattern.

I have a couple A-500 gas Brownings I like. Nobody else does but I’ve killed many doves and quail with them. I’ve killed a few turkeys too.