What choke tube? NEED MORE OPINIONS, PLEASE...

N_Georgia

N_Georgia

New member
I patterned my gun today at 40 yards with a modified choke and Hevi-Steel #2. At 40 I was shooting a pattern about three feet wide. I thinks this is to big. I just bought this gun (sbe 2) and until now I have always hunted with a browning with an IC choke and have always done well. I have hunted the last three mornings and have missed the last three mornings. I think this is because my pattern is too tight at the range I am shooting. But all I hear about is everyone using these extended range (full) tubes. Any opinions?
 
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Since this is down here in the BIRD HUNTING forum I'm guessing you are talking about birds of some sort? I'm confused because you mention patterning with steel, then you mention the extended range full choke tubes, which wouldn't be good for steel shot. Can you be a little more specific about what it is that you're missing - ducks/geese? Not coyotes, right?
 
Yes I am shooting ducks and the full choke I am refering to are the kick and patternmasters that market them as extened range, which are really full and even extra full chokes.
 
i hunt ducks and geese with a tight choke. it is a carlsons dead coyote choke and i love it, however you cannot shoot steel in it. i dont like steel anyways, so i shoot tungsten matrix from kent or federal tungsten polymer. this has worked well for me and would not go back to cheap steel. too many lost/cripple birds IMO. every bird i shot this season was dead before it hit the water and i missed alot fewer birds this year.
 
The Patternmaster and Kick's aren't really Full or X-Full "real" dimensions. They actually mike out about Improved Modified, which is tight for steel shot, thus the extended range moniker.
 
I like using carlson's light modified with steel number 2's for ducks and pheasants(when non-tox is required). It gives me nice even patterns even pretty far out there. Its the choke I use 80% of the time when upland hunting. Only take it out for when I want a cylinder for grouse or rabbits and of course a turkey choke for turkeys and predators.
 
Given the tidal saltmarsh conditions we hunt in where a "close" shot is 30yds, the Kick's High Flyer X-Full tube and Fasteel HV #2s is an ideal combo for my SBE...
 
Boy, I must be different than everybody else, but I use and Improved Cylinder and a Modified choke with steel shot for ducks. I don't have any trouble out to 45 yards with the modified choke and if they are coming into the decoys, my IC works great..

I have heard and been told, that you do not want to use a full choke with steel shot.??

Just my experience..

Dave
 
a little different hunting in the swamps then up north. i used to hunt alot of ducks down there. ever go to TM Goodwin? thats the best duck hunting in Florida in my opinion
 
The rule of thumb I've heard is because steel is unforgiving, a modified will act like a full and a ic will act like a modified.

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Boy, I must be different than everybody else, but I use and Improved Cylinder and a Modified choke with steel shot for ducks. I don't have any trouble out to 45 yards with the modified choke and if they are coming into the decoys, my IC works great



Nope, you're no differnt than me, cept I wont shoot out to 45yds, if I was good enough I'd try it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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The Dead coyote tube works great at extended randes and it will kill a yote out to 75 yrd with number 4 buck. As for duck in Tx a use steel due to the price with a mod, but the hevi shot is great if you can afford it. Try different shot for your gun they will pattern different, like a rifle with different loads. Good luck.
 
I use a carlsons full waterfowl choke with #2steels for big ducks and #4 steels for teal. It thumps um hard. Once I have gone to a full choke I rarely have cripples and have been able to splash ducks out to 65yards without hessitation.
 
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Anything is possible... you know that. Even the improbable is possible occasionally. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
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You don't think its possible that he killed a yote at 75 yards with a shotgun?



75 yards is a LONG way for #4 buck, but I have seen it done. I don't think that I would put my money on those shots every time, the one I seen killed at that distance (more like 65 or 70 yards) was standing broadside. The guy I was hunting with said he held a foot high! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif The coyote ran for a LONG time before it died...

When I patterned my Kicks Gobbling thunder with turkey and coyote loads the best I got from #4 buck was out to about 45 or fifty yards...
For turkey #4 3 1/2 Win Supreme shot great out to 50 and 55 but the best was #5 3 1/2 Win Supremes. They had good patterns out to 60 yards.

On that note... my buddy Joe absolutely crushed a coyote at 35 yards with lead (old goose loads) 3 1/2 BB 10ga this past weekend and it ran off never to be found /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif go figure... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

I just don't trust large pellet shotgun loads out past 50 yards on coyote... even with loads like Dead Coyote and #4 buck. Just me... I am sure there are more guys killing them at larger distances. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
75 yards is a long ways I agree with that but it could be done. If a guy is shooting that far often they'd be much better off with a rifle though. I prefer #5 turkey loads for coyotes after using them alot lately. Callem in and shootem in the head at under 50 yards and they lay there stone dead.
 
Hi from the uk i shoot a lot of steel in my 12g and 10g,
for the 12ga benelli nova i use a terror .675 abd shot size to 1s and have very good results, for thw 10g browning gold i use improved cyl and load from #2`s to BBB`s these are a modified rsi load data for the 10g, the 12g loads i fire are 1oz of fast steel,
sorry to butt in the thread and introduce my self in here
cheer`s Alliant381
 
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If a guy is shooting that far often they'd be much better off with a rifle though.


Speakin of coyote hunting, I'd have to agree with that logic of thinking.
But steel and duck are another ballgame.
 
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