Hornady 12 guage pattern questions

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Wilgabeast

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With the ammo shortages I cannot find any of my preferred coyote ammo , which is Hevi shot dead coyote or Winchester varmint x . So I did find hornady heavy magnum coyote bb loads and I bought 3 boxes . I just spent some time patterning them on full size coyote targets . I use my benelli m2 which is my preferred scattergun . I tried the factory modified , improved modified and full chokes all at 40 yards . The modified gave me 14 pellets on the coyote with 3 in the vitals . The full choke gave me 19 in the coyote 5 in the heart lung and liver . With two in the neck and two in the head too . My question is will that be sufficient to kill coyotes . Untill ammo becomes available
 
I like to think a minimum of five in the kill zone? My Beretta Xtrema 2 did not like the Hornady’s but shot the Winchesters very well
 
Yes my benelli m2 loved the winchesters , at the same distance I’d average 20-28 bbs in an 8” circle . But these hornady just won’t pattern through any choke . But with the ammo shortage I can’t find the winchesters anywhere not even online
 
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Well Obviously more pellets in the vitals are better for killing, Even one pellet will kill them. However, you want to stop them from travelling. So I would suggest getting an extra full choke or maybe try no. 2 shot. If your trying to get more range. Just as important I think is your setup, in open fields judging distance quickly and accurately isn't easy. Say you get a coyote to commit he comes running in, we all get excited. He hits roughly the 45yard mark, your guessing 40yds. and spins on dime to leave you change you throw the shotgun to your shoulder now he is at 53yds. Now with safety off, shotgun to shoulder. Now what?
 
Yes I agree , here in Massachusetts and Connecticut buckshot is out of the question and 95% of my coyote hunting is done in thick woods . Usually you wouldn’t even be able to see a coyote untill they are within 50 yards . But for the private farms I do I have I hunt with a 270 with full metal jacket 140 grain hand loads . And I’ll use that unless the dog is tackeling the call . My shotgun sits on my lap and the rifle stays on the sticks ready when I’m in fields . But for woods hunting I far prefer the shotgun for quick point and shoot shots in thick stuff . I just wish I could find Winchester bb . Hornady will have to do for now
 
Going from lead BB shot to lead #2 shot WILL NOT give you more range on killing coyotes.

From KPY Shotshell Ballistics

1300 fps lead #2 shot gets 3.70" of gel penetration at 19.6 yards.
1300 fps lead BB shot gets 3.70" of gel penetration at 46.1 yards.
 
Originally Posted By: WilgabeastYes my benelli m2 loved the winchesters , at the same distance I’d average 20-28 bbs in an 8” circle . But these hornady just won’t pattern through any choke . But with the ammo shortage I can’t find the winchesters anywhere not even online

mandansportinggoods.com has several on the shelf and they do ship
701-751-1026
 
I’ve used the hornady BB magnum coyote load to kill a couple dozen coyotes with my Benelli SBE3. The wad in the hornady load is designed to keep the pattern tighter than a normal BB load and hornady tells you not to use a tight chock with this load.
I’ve found this a great load for coyotes 40 yards or less. It will work for 45 or 50 yards but they occasionally take a follow up shot. TSS and Hevi shot are without a doubt better for extending a shotguns range. Personally I just want a shotgun for those hard chargers at 40 or less yards and the Hornady load has worked great for me and it is considerably less expensive than TSS or Hevi Shot
 
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What choke are you running in your benelli ? My best most consistent pattern came with the factory full. I tried modified and it was close to the same but not as consisten
 
I’m using my M choke with the hornady magnum coyotes. I only patterned one shot at 20 and one 40. I don’t remember the pelt counts but I was happy with the pattern and it has worked to kill a number of coyotes. 40 yards or less, almost all are instant kills. 45 or 50 yards have required follow up shots more than once. I personally like a larger pattern because I’ve had less than perfect shots at 15 or 20 yards on hard chargers with a tight pattern with a Turkey choke and Hevi shot. I have knocked coyotes stone dead with Hevi shot and Turkey choke at 50 yards. If I was a better shot with my shotgun at coyotes I would prefer a tighter pattern. Odd angles and rushed shots at close range with a tight choke humbled me quickly and I switched to a more open pattern.
 
Brian's experience mimics my own with Hornady BB. My son and I both shoot it with modified chokes, him in a Weatherby and me in a Franchi. Out to 40, great, dead coyotes. Beyond that it gets iffy. Though I did kill a coyote absolutely stone dead at 54 yards once. Probably more luck than anything else, and I have since learned the hard way not to stretch it that far.
 
I don't remember what it did out of my Carlson Dead Coyote but I remember it wasn't good. It patterned better out of a cylinder. I wasn't very impressed with it.
 
Originally Posted By: OKRattlerI don't remember what it did out of my Carlson Dead Coyote but I remember it wasn't good. It patterned better out of a cylinder. I wasn't very impressed with it.

that choke is to constricted for the hornady coyote ammo.
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeMore is better. I use a turkey choke on my BB shot.

Keep in mind, these loads have a wad design similar to Federal Flite Control which is known to pattern better in a more open choke. Actually was designed for the more open chokes because they dont disrupt the shot cloud.

OP, I personally run a Modified (might be an IM, cant remember) in my shotgun with those loads with great results. Im not one of those guys chasing a 75 yard shot though.
 
Originally Posted By: BrianIDI’ve used the hornady BB magnum coyote load to kill a couple dozen coyotes with my Benelli SBE3. The wad in the hornady load is designed to keep the pattern tighter than a normal BB load and hornady tells you not to use a tight chock with this load.
I’ve found this a great load for coyotes 40 yards or less. It will work for 45 or 50 yards but they occasionally take a follow up shot. TSS and Hevi shot are without a doubt better for extending a shotguns range. Personally I just want a shotgun for those hard chargers at 40 or less yards and the Hornady load has worked great for me and it is considerably less expensive than TSS or Hevi Shot

Bingo.
 
The thing about some chokes that kills the wad system used in the Hornady, and Federal shotshells with Flite Control wads, is any mechanism built into the choke that strips or retards the wad. With a conventional type wad, stripping it away or retarding forward progress from the shot column is generally a good thing. Not so with a Flite Control wad. Flite Control is designed to use the wad to keep everything huddled together and needs less constriction and no wad strippers. Ported chokes, internally grooved chokes, ribbed chokes, ect. generally are bad for the Flite Control wads.
 
I may have just found some dead coyote rounds online . I’m very confident in those loads through the Carlson’s dead coyote choke to 50-60 yards .
 
Originally Posted By: Zastava223remOriginally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeMore is better. I use a turkey choke on my BB shot.

Keep in mind, these loads have a wad design similar to Federal Flite Control which is known to pattern better in a more open choke. Actually was designed for the more open chokes because they dont disrupt the shot cloud.

Yep I know. What works for me might not work for others. That's the reason for patterning.
 


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