Hornady Coyote 12 Gauge Loads Best Choke Results

gunsbam45

New member
First of all, I'm not out to start a new shotgun patterning discussion. I fully realize that road has been well covered. I'm rolling over the best way to go on a particular load choke wise, and don't have a test gun to play with chokes on, and am hoping to avoid reinventing the wheel assuming plenty of guys are using the same ammo I've got. I have some Hornady 2 3/4" #4 buck coyote loads with 24 pellets per load, and some of the Hornady 3" nickel plated BB coyote loads. I'm curious to know what choke or chokes guys are having the best luck with out there on these particular loads with the versatite wad. The rig I'm looking at would work best for me with a 2" extended choke at the price of $70 for one tube, so it'd be nice to get the right one to start with if possible.
 
I’d say start with a plain full choke. With larger shot size, and too tight of a choke you run two risks. One, you cram too large of shot at the end of the barrel and can cause damage to your barrel. Two, you cram to large of shot together and they deform..causing the pellets to “plane”. Full should work well on the BB. You could see benefit to improved modified in the #4 buck loads. I’ve been shooting a modified out of my 28” 870 using Fiocci nickel plated #4 buck. Very acceptable results.
 
I run the Carlson Turkey and the Coyote Choke both, on 2 different guns. I shoot nothing but Hornady 3” BB and their 3” #4 buck. Both pattern great. My main shotgun I run is a Escort Magnum SA, 3” Chamber. Running the 3” Nickel BB and Carlson Turkey on it, and I’m not even remotely exaggerating distance when I say that I’ve 2 shot dumped coyotes at 70+ yards.

My new rig I’ve got going, I went with Kicks Tubes. The Predator Choke and the Buck Kicker. Those 3” BB and that Buck Kicker out of mine are VICIOUS!

I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with any of those named. Not saying what I run is the best, but with all the chokes that I and many many friends have tried.. And only running Hornady BB and 4B, that’s what I’ve found works best. I’d run the Carlson Predator or the Kicks. Everybody I know around here runs one or the other and all shoots Hornady. All does well on patterns and coyotes.

Good luck with your rig!
 
You should be able to get a better and wider pattern with the 1-1/2 oz BB load with about 77 pellets per shell, compared to the 24-pellet load of number 4 buckshot.
 
Appreciate the help. I heard someone say that going with tighter chokes seemed to have a bad effect on the versatite wad Hornady uses in those two coyote loads I've got, so curious what others are seeing before I throw money at extra chokes I will never use if they don't work out. I'm planning to try a Beretta 1301 with 21" barrel as a pack gun and see how I get along with it. Unfortunately my mobile chokes from my over unders are outdated so gotta get new Optima HP chokes for the 1301, as all that model comes with is IC.
 
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We always heard the same thing. I’m pretty sure even on the box of the Hornady BB loads they say “best used with modified choke” or IC, something like that. We tried them all. Modified, Skeet, Full, IC, Turkey, etc. the best patterns we get, especially our past 45-50 yard range is with the “predator” and Turkey chokes. I busted one this morning at 54 yards (ranged from my position where I was sitting) with the Carlson Predator. 3” BB.
 
Thanks Austin. Have you got a caliper or plug gauge to verify what the choke constriction is on your Predator tube from Carlson's?
 
I just got a vr shotgun and only have patterned with the modified and full that came with gun. It patterns pretty tight with the full choke with those hornady coyote loads. I am going to order a tighter choke for it and see how it patterns at 50yards. I have been impressed with how well they kill.


Jon
 
Jon,

Did you pattern the 2 3/4 #4 Buck or the 3" Nickel Plated BB?

Also, What distance did you pattern the Mod and Full chokes at?

Thanks,
Brian
 
Originally Posted By: gunsbam45Jon,

Did you pattern the 2 3/4 #4 Buck or the 3" Nickel Plated BB?

Also, What distance did you pattern the Mod and Full chokes at?

Thanks,
Brian

3" and 20 30 40

JON
 
I've done a LOT of patterning with both of these in my Winchester & Mossberg Non-Back-bored guns and as mentioned already they all have patterned best with either the standard I/C or MOD chokes. At 50 yds with the 4 Buck load and MOD choke I consistently get 6 pellets in 8" @ 50yds and all 24 inside 30". The I/C gets 5 in the 8" and all 24 pellets inside 36". The BB loads also had a very even/complete coverage of the 36" paper with the MOD choke at 50yds. The I/C choke had a more spaced out pattern but all were on 48" Plywood.
I run the BB load with I/C as a backup to my Rifle on my Lap on field edges/treelines for short range reaction shots out to 50y and I run the 4 Buck with MOD choke inside woods where I have time to aim at them and possibility of shooting through timber out to 75yds..
FWIW in open timber I use a 18.5" Pump Carbine .308/Low Mag Thermal with 110 Vmaxes @3350fps.. Fast follow up shots like SG, but real world range of 150yds. Kind of the best of both worlds in the Timber.. Gun weighs 7.5# . I have been trying to buy one in .243/25-06 but prices have soared on them...so I may turn to a Rem 7400(semi auto)..
I've done the AR thing and I just don't like the Pistol Grip when sitting and trying to shoot offhand.
 
Originally Posted By: Austin LaughlinI sure don’t. But I’d be happy to find you links to the exact tubes if that helps.

Don't worry about that. I've finally got some A300 Optimas coming in now which still use the Mobile choke system my 686 did so I'm gonna use one of them for a test dummy and they're so cheap I'll probably just keep one for myself for now until I get time to play with the shorter barrel setup. I'll have 6 chokes to check now, but still nice to have the input from you guys to have a starting point considering how hard it is to get this ammo right now and what I've gotta pay to get it. The less rounds I have to burn pattern testing now the better.
 
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I’ve got a hook up on the Hornady BB and 4 buck as well.

No, I don’t make anything off of others buying it, I want everybody to have ammo. People are so greedy sometimes it’s ridiculous. If I find it I’m more than happy to share.

So if you need some don’t hesitate. Help all I can.

Good luck with your chokes. Let us know what you find out works. Always interested in learning new stuff.
 
I've done a good amount of patterning aswell, probably not as much as some others on here. Either way your going to have to test it but if it we're me and I wanted to buy one choke i'd probably use those BB's and go with a turkey choke right off the bat. I've always used carlsons or patternmasters. Good luck, once you get it dialed they're so deadly.
 
Originally Posted By: LARUEminatiI've done a good amount of patterning aswell, probably not as much as some others on here. Either way your going to have to test it but if it we're me and I wanted to buy one choke i'd probably use those BB's and go with a turkey choke right off the bat. I've always used carlsons or patternmasters. Good luck, once you get it dialed they're so deadly.

I agree, the 77 pellet BB load sounds way better to me than a 24-pellet number 4 buckshot load does. 24 pellets in a 30" circle doesn't sound like a good coyote load to me.

Below are two old pattern pictures. The first one is a Federal Premium 1-7/8 oz copper coated lead BB load with 98 pellets per shell.
Christmas2005_0613 by [/url], on Flickr
With My Carlson's Dead Coyote choke it only put 16 pellets in a 12" circle at 40 yards away.

[url=https://www.flickr.com/gp/156463377@N08/0045Q8 t=_blank]IMG_0314 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/156463377@N08/, on Flickr
The above pattern picture is a 3" Rem HD BB load, with only 70 pellets per shell and it was also shot with the Carlson's Dead Coyote choke. With about 28 less pellets per shell the Rem HD BB load put 32 pellets in the 12" circle at 40 yards away. That was twice as many Rem HD BB pellets in the 12" circle compared to the copper coated lead BB shot load.

I have to shoot lead free shot at coyotes. It costs more money to shoot the denser than lead shot but it does work much better than lead shot and lead buckshot does.
 
I'd take your Fed's pattern over the Rem HD's pattern to 50yds any day if I were using the SG like a SG on my lap with a bead as backup to my rifle. I would(and have used)super tight loads like your Rem HD load with low power scoped shotguns to snipe coyotes inside the woods to 75 yds. I think the BB load is the better load for "shotgunning" dogs to 50yds and the 4 buck load is better for "sniping" them like a short range rifle out to about 75yds.
Unfortunately one has to choose which is most likely best match for their setups..but have had my share of tough times missing them with tight loads and runners at ranges beyond 50yds with wider patterns when they hang up. Just have to pattern your gun to match the way you'll use it most of the time.
 
The difference between various choke constrictions is measured in inches on the pattern paper. If you miss a coyote with a shotgun you have missed by a measurement of feet, not inches.
 
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Thanks for the pattern pics Bob. If I could afford it I'd try the DEAD COYOTE loads but it isn't worth it to me to spend that kind of money on a shotgun shell for coyotes. Have you used or patterned any of the Hornady stuff? My coyote shotgunning knowledge is REAL limited. I dumped a couple with heavy 2 3/4 Super Pheasant #4 shot years ago that just got stupid and got too close while my chicken gun was handy, and more recently saw one headed down the tracks by my house so grabbed the 686 and the heaviest stuff I had which was Winchester #4x#6 shot duplex turkey loads and laid down & lip squeaked it back and it just turned around and ran right at me was very close when I shot it small coyote. Don't remember ever killing any other coyotes or predators with a shotgun other than those. I have never used any sort of buck shot for anything, so new ground here for me. All I know right now is what I read and watch on the internet. I watched a guy testing the Hornady against some other stuff in ballistic gel at different ranges and the recovered shot was badly mangled. It looked like it all stayed right there in the wad, as it's supposed to, but the tight chokes just smashed the tar out of it right before it left the barrel. Maybe it doesn't affect the pattern or killing power I don't know. He didn't use any pattern paper was just doing gel tests and he didn't have any live coyotes handy for reference.
 
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