870 express 3in question

[Xi Bowhunter]

I know there are several of you that shoot an 870 express with 3" shells for turkey. what is the best choke/shot combo you have found when pattering your gun?

[WhiteRubi]

You not shooting the 3 1/2" Xi?


It's hell on the shoulder but sure puts a hurtin on a bird.


I don't have experience with the 3" but I know a LOT have good luck with Winchester Supreme. You might wanna start there.

[turkeyhunter91]

I got a remington wingmaster with a remington ventalator choke tube with remington 2 ounces of #5s and they shoot great.

[Multidigits]

Remington has a factory Hevishot tube that works good.

[Xi Bowhunter]

You not shooting the 3 1/2" Xi?


It's hell on the shoulder but sure puts a hurtin on a bird.


I don't have experience with the 3" but I know a LOT have good luck with Winchester Supreme. You might wanna start there.

I am poor and can't afford another gun:o I have an old 870 that only shoots 3in.

[steelslinger]

870 SM here, but mostly shoot 3" #5's with the Rem Ventilator

[WhiteRubi]

I am poor and can't afford another gun:o I have an old 870 that only shoots 3in.


I feel your pain man. I bought my 870 SM while I was in college. School loans and cash paying bar jobs paid for some toys. Now that I'm old and married, the toy supply has stopped.


I would still give the Winchester Supreme #5's a shot, but in a 3" ;). I shoot mine with hte factory xtra full turkey choke.

[AMR40509]

I feel your pain man. I bought my 870 SM while I was in college. School loans and cash paying bar jobs paid for some toys. Now that I'm old and married, the toy supply has stopped.


I would still give the Winchester Supreme #5's a shot, but in a 3" ;). I shoot mine with hte factory xtra full turkey choke.


People get too caught up in the toys -- the bird isn't likely to know that you shot him w/ a 3" vs. a 3.5" so you'll be fine ;-)

I would rather see you go out and buy a box of each and spend some $ patterning the gun, then go out and get a new 3.5" and take it straight to the field.

That said -- I have an old 835 in 3.5" that I'd sell ya, w/ a 1/2 box of Fed. #5's that I know it shoots well ;-)

[muzzy125acc]

Undertaker Choke, 3" 4,5,5. A deadly setup.:D

[KYhunter79]

I shoot 3.5 inch Remington Nitro Turkey #5's with a factory Super full Turkey choke in my 870 Supermag and have killed birds out to 56 yards. So, I see no need to buy a real expensive choke or real expensive shells at the moment.

[Jarhead]

I've got a 3" 870 and it shoots awsome with a .655 comp-n-choke and win sup. #5s.

[slowjimbo]

I also have a 3" 870. I've tried several different chokes over the years and many different types of shells. Hevi-shot with a Pattern Master worked best (and was the most expensive of course), but #5 Winchester Supreme XX with the Remington factory turkey choke threw a good pattern as well. A couple of years ago, when Federal came out with their new Mag Shok round with the flight controll wad, I had an excuse to tinker again. Glad I did. A Primos Tight Wad choke (very cheap) along with the #5 Federal's (on the lower end of the price range for a box) produced the absolute best pattern to date.

Don't completely discount the factory turkey choke just because it doesn't cost $50 or more.

[wkyhunter]

I own several 870s and have found, in general, its hard to beat a factory super full (.665) and Winchester H/V , #4 , 1 3/4 oz of shot (the black ones). I have killed a bunch of turkeys using this combination out of a 28" barrel.
You might check out the NWTF forums. In the gun section there is alot of good information. Matter of fact, some on there who shoot alot prefer a 3" shell even out of a # 1/2 gun. They say they will pattern better.

[Xi Bowhunter]

Thanks for the info guys. I have been using the factory full choke and have killed many birds with it, but I was thinking of upgrading.

[smoke-pole]

I shoot an 870 express special purpose 3" 12. I use the factory remington super full choke tube. came with my gun, also can get at wally world. For ammo i use the cheap winchesters. the super X in the silver box. Number 6 shot. I usually average in a hunters spec. tky target about 20-25 shots in the kill zone at 40 yrds.