shotgun patterns

[foxtrot]

Any suggestions on how to improve a shotgun pattern.I have been doing some card shooting and my sons 20 gauge is making my 12 gauge look bad.

[Trophiesonly]

type of gun,barrel length,type choke,??

uncle buck knowa alot about shotguns,ive learned alot reading his posts.

[foxtrot]

winchester 1300 pump,28 inch barrel.Currently has a carlton .640 choke on which did improve it over the factory extra full choke but still seems to have a lot of holes in the pattern.

[foxpro51]

Dead coyote choke tubes and Dead coyote shotgun shells.

[foxtrot]

I have not tried that one yet.The selection of choke tubes are almost endless,I have tried many of them but I'm beginning to think that the choke tube will only do so much.I don't know if some work at the other end of the barrel like on the forcing cone is worth the trouble or not.

[uncle buck]

You have to try different brands of manufacturer loads....  Turkey loads while expensive shoot outstanding...Hevishot shoots well.
I  like the Carlston Deadcoyote choke tube..  In the BPS Stalker it shoots # 4 buckshot, Deadcoyote, Hevishot, and Federal buffered turkey loads well.

Also this is the time to buy factory instead of reloading shotgun shells unless you know what your doing.  If you are going to reload make sure you pattern your shotgun for sure.  Stay away from Red Dot gun powder ... Use Blue Dot or Herco. As you know Red Dot is for target or light field loads..

Many of us like to use FEDERAL (Buffered) Turkey loads....
I always use full choke guns instead of Modifed or Improved Cylinder when hunting fox.  I do not care if i'm gray fox hunting too.  Full is the best to use...
Also if your pattern your gun and it still shoots high to the right or low...Then when you shoot that load you shoot to a spot to compensate and make it hit center.

Summary......Carlston Deadcoyote choke tube....Federal Buffered # 4 shot,  Deadcoyote shells,  Hevishot.

[foxtrot]

Thanks for the feed back.I've been digging into this pretty deep and here are the recommendations I got from a reputable manufacturer.I have not tried this yet.If you look through your barrel you will see a step where it transitions from the chamber to the bore thats called the forcing cone.In factory barrels it is pretty abrupt and should be lengthened to create a more gradual taper thus eliminating deformed pellets that have a mind of their own when they leave the barrel.Bingo,better patterns.I will let you know how I make out.  

[bigben]

what are you trying to do foxtrot?  are you trying to shoot 60yds with a shotgun or are you just trying to fill in the holes in the pattern?  if it is just to fill in the holes in the pattern then open your choke up.  I forget what the constriction is on my predator gun is.  I am thinking it is .690 or .680 and it shoots #4 bucks dead coyote and BB loads well.  no holes and is a good pattern for predators out to 45 or so yards.  after that get yerself a rifle.  JMO  my predator gun is not your normal gun though it is a mossberg 500 with a custom made choke tube on it and is short final length is 20.5 inchs on the barrel if I remember correctly.  it was a 18.5" barrel from mossberg that I picked up.  I then made a choke out of 17-4ph stainless and left some machining marks in the last portion of the stablizing part of the shot column.  I know some chokes work by stripping the wad before they get too far from the barrel and that helps also.  

edit to add this.  I also shoot a semi that is a berretta and I shoot an extra full turkey choke that came with the gun and it shoots BB loads and #4 buck well out that to around 50 yds.  after that it opens up too much for a good kill pattern.  atleast 3 pellets in a 3" circle for fox or coyote. 

[foxtrot]

 I think I need to clarify what it is exactly I'm trying to do.The object of card shooting or turkey shooting as some people call it is to get a pellet hole as close to the center X as possible,so the tighter the pattern at 35 yards the better the odds.I'll admit the extremely constricted chokes used for this type of shooting are not suitable for general hunting as it would probably ruin a fox pelt.Its just a fun activity in the off season for youth and adults.Some even have .410 shoots for the kids with adult supervision.

[uncle buck]

what are you trying to do foxtrot?  are you trying to shoot 60yds with a shotgun or are you just trying to fill in the holes in the pattern?  if it is just to fill in the holes in the pattern then open your choke up.  I forget what the constriction is on my predator gun is.  I am thinking it is .690 or .680 and it shoots #4 bucks dead coyote and BB loads well.  no holes and is a good pattern for predators out to 45 or so yards.  after that get yerself a rifle.  JMO  my predator gun is not your normal gun though it is a mossberg 500 with a custom made choke tube on it and is short final length is 20.5 inchs on the barrel if I remember correctly.  it was a 18.5" barrel from mossberg that I picked up.  I then made a choke out of 17-4ph stainless and left some machining marks in the last portion of the stablizing part of the shot column.  I know some chokes work by stripping the wad before they get too far from the barrel and that helps also.  

edit to add this.  I also shoot a semi that is a berretta and I shoot an extra full turkey choke that came with the gun and it shoots BB loads and #4 buck well out that to around 50 yds.  after that it opens up too much for a good kill pattern.  atleast 3 pellets in a 3" circle for fox or coyote. 

Ben it was .690.  I remember the article or post you did on it.

[uncle buck]

Carlston web site:


http://www.choketube.com/index.html



I received this info from a kind soul on another web site... AKA White Cloud....It has outstanding data on chokes.  Also if you wanted to pay the price you could get # 4 buckshot for 10 gauge.  Notice the different brands of shotguns and the choke constriction that they recommend for different shot.... Also noted is how NICKEL hits harder then Copper Plated and goes deeper into animals.... 

http://www.nitrocompany.com/


Um notice this company references Rhino chokes and Primos Jelly Heads a lot for turkey hunting.... Primos Jelly Heads....Why I have seen them, Primos Jelly Heads on clearance in Wallyworld already?? I might even own a few of them too???LOL  LOL

[uncle buck]

Dead Coyote Choke Tube
For use with Hevi-Shot, Bismuth or lead, this high performance choke tube has been specifically designed for the coyote hunter to deliver devastating downrange patterns upwards of 70 yards when shooting larger shot sizes. Produces very dense patterns when ultilizing T and Buckshot loads. Great for waterfowl and predator hunting.
NOT FOR USE WITH STEEL SHOT

PRICE: $36.95

 

[foxtrot]

Thanks UB that was a good read.

[uncle buck]

I got two more Deadcoyote chokes today...One for the Savage Model 24 V...Savage and Winchester chokes are interchangleable so I can use it in my son Model 1300 Ranger too.....The other for another shotgun that I use... So right now I have three Carlston Deadcoyote choke tubes... That is how much I like them....

By the way....Carlston just might give you a discount too if they know your a predator hunter. So tell them you are in your order.
There is an area that you can say additional things. For example he gave a discount one year if you said you saw his advertisement in Fur Fish & game or  Predator Extreme.
No Sales Tax  Free Shipping for orders over $100.00, Free Choke wrench, and Free choke container too.  


I killed a 17 pound red fox well over 45 yards away using the Deadcoyote choke and # 6 shot Remington Hevishot...

[predator77]

Foxtrot, I think your choke is so tight that it is probably working in reverse and actually making your pattern bigger and erratic. I suggest using a larger constriction like a 650 - 665 range depending on the shell your using. I use a mossberg 500 with the factory choke and I think it's 665 0r 670 and I shoot 3" #5 nitro turkey.