NEW Shotgun Pattern Test Results - Detail & Pic' heavy...

derbyacresbob,
Yes, I think my search is over as far as choke tubes and ammo. I don't really want to get the pattern much tighter. I,m sorta concerned about blowing big holes in 15 yard coyotes. My old eyes are having problems seeing the iron sights too. Since I want to try some night calling over snow, I mounted a scope on the Browning this morning. It is an old 4x Bushnell ScopeChief with post and crosshair.
 
Good pattern tests Rich, looks real good, especially the 50 yard plate with 20 hits from the Rem HD BB. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

I have not tested the Remington hevishot #2's on paper, but in the field that are working very well on fur out two 35 yards. Haven't shot beyond that yet.

Have not had a runner with hits from this load.

Bob, I hope you do try the 2's too, you might like them and they are cheaper than the DC loads.
 
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I have not tested the Remington hevishot #2's on paper, but in the field that are working very well on fur out two 35 yards. Haven't shot beyond that yet.

Have not had a runner with hits from this load.

Bob, I hope you do try the 2's too, you might like them and they are cheaper than the DC loads.



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We had a couple come to the call, but out of shotgun range, two that winded us, a couple misses. A couple we hit but just didn't want to die right there....



That second quote is from an earlier post of yours about one of your recent calling days in which you mentioned the Hevi 2's. Could you be more specific about that last sentence and the performance of the Hevi 2's? I don't think I'm understanding something... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
A update is in order. I now have a Kick's Gobblin' Thunder in .670" thanks to Chuck from Kick's Chokes. Can't say enough about how well I have been treated by the Kick's company - superb product and better service! Anyway, I grabbed a chance to head to the range today with some Remington HD-BB's, 3" .12 gauge.

I shot both Benelli's with the same .670" GT at 25, 40, and 50 yards and the HD-BB's. This load has been extremely consistent in patterning and I've shot a bunch of it at paper this year! Unfortunately, the target backers were soaked and as soon as I placed the same Outers targets on and stapled them, they soaked right through with water. I made my counts while the targets were stapled flat to the backer and when I pulled them off to bring home for pic's they pretty much shredded. Bummer because this time I had some pretty fair patterns to show off!

Using the same procedure as in my original post, the Outers target has a black inner circle of 8" and scoring rings the largest of which reaches out to 12". At 25 yards (and all the ranges) I shot 5 targets with the Tactical/.670" HD-BB and 5 with the Turkey Model/.670" HD-BB combo. In the other testing I felt the 24" barrel of the Turkey Model Benelli slightly outshot the shorter 18 1/2" Tactical Benelli. Not this time, the Tac Model outshot the longer barreled Turkey brother with the .670" GT.

25 yard patterns gave me a saturated 8" circle with from 37 - 40 hits. The outer 12" rings all contained 55 - 62 strikes. It was obvious the Gobblin' Thunder .670" was shooting a very center dense pattern. Both guns shot right to point of aim with the choke and HD-BB load. It was a pretty impressive looking 25 yard performance.

40 yard performance went like this. The inner 8" took 25 - 30 hits. The 12" total count average 35 strikes.

The long range 50 yard patterns still held 10 - 12 pellet strikes in the inner black 8" circle. The outer 12" scoring rings contained 18 - 20 strikes. Now we're talking a pattern and load that can easily get it done at the half field mark. Ok, I'm broke... Now I need to shoot some fur! And boy am I ready... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Hey moderator, could you make a "Sticky" out of this thread please? There are a lot of questions these days about chokes for High density shot.
 
I have mounted a 4x Bushnell ScopeChief on my Browning BPS, and I have a .675 Comp-n-Choke on the way right now. We will soon see if old GC is still King of the coyote shotgun. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
GC regarding your quote from one of my posts.

I've killed one bobcat and 2 coyotes with the hevishot #2's this last month.

I do not load #2's on every stand, just the really dense brush, where the shot will be at 30 yards or so.

One shot was at 25 yards on the cat, just dropped in its tracks.

One coyote was at 35 yards and the other at 30 yards both dropped in their tracks.

The two coyotes I refer too that ran off were running shots at 45 yards with 3" 4 buck. They spun when hit, dropped and got up and ran into the thick cover before I could get a follow up shot.

Hope this clears the confusion..
 
Bring it on Rich! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif On a serious note, that is the great thing about this thread, all the quality contributions made by the good folks here. This thread dispels some of the myths, offers solid and honest info, and gets people pointed in the right direction. The patterning, choke selections, load info, and the penetration test information is all top notch info with good pictures for reference, and, never before gathered in one spot. Good idea, maybe it should be made a "sticky" as a good resource and reference for PM members.
 
"Good job GC! This is a great post. Too much money and pain went into this pattern information to just let it go away."
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Right on derby! I may have to take out a loan pretty soon. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Killed 3 more coyotes, 1 fox, and shot a nice big coon outta a tree yesterday with #5 turkey loads. All head shots between 20-30 yards except for the coon cause I was a ways from his tree and he was up a ways probably over 50 yards all dead right there. Really starting to like them. Going to buy a bunch of my favorite turkey load(fiocchi turkey thunder) now while the price is still reasonable since they work so good on coyotes, foxes, coons, and of course turkeys.
 
Thanks GC for an awesome thread. Lots of valuable info!
I just ordered a Kicks Choke for my Rem. Can't wait to do some testing of my own.
CTR
 
CTR,
Well the credit gets spread around among a whole bunch of folks. What constriction Kick's did you get and what load do you think you'll be trying?
 
I ordered the BuckKicker XFull .690 for #1 & #4 buckshot.

After looking at Rich's pie plate with #4 buck, I had to give it a try. I may end up going a little tighter at .670 but I'm using this in tight cover so I wanted to step up the shot size.

I will try #2's (already have a box) #1 & #4 buck to start

CTR
 
This might be of some interest to some one thinking about cutting off a long barrel shotgun to make a handy coyote gitter.
My hunting pardner has a Savage 24F over & under, 22 hornet / 12 ga., well he wanted it to be shortened up as it was barrel heavy and bulky.
I cut it down to a 19" barrel. Recrowned it and silver soldered it together. The 22 Hornet shoots as good as ever.
Here are the results of the patterning using BB & #4 Buck in an open bore.

Here is a photo of the gun after being cut off.
IMG_0120.jpg


Here is a photo of the BB @ 37 yds.

IMG_0132.jpg

IMG_0129.jpg


Here is a photo of Winchester #4 Buck, you will notice no hits., a big big hole on the pattern.
IMG_0134.jpg

IMG_0133.jpg


I think the BB's will kill a coyote easily out to about
35 yds. and he will have the 22 Hornet for longer shots.
He has other shotguns and rifles, but this was something he thought would work on close in coyotes.

The funny thing about the #4 Buck is that shooting them in my Beretta Xtrema 2 with factory full choke they work great, but not in this creation..
 
Perfect example of why we pattern BEFORE we go hunting! Thanks for sharing that. Imagine if your friend didn't pattern, then geting a coyote trotting in at 35 yards, a sure range, and then cutting loose a shot of that 4BK load! He would shake his head and wonder "how in the world did I miss that coyote?" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif
 
Red dot
I am shooting an Extrema 2 with kick off and I was just wondering if you have tried any aftermarket chokes in it
I have and I did not like the results of any of them
so far I used the kiks high flyer in steel mod,full and x full
with about 10 different loads and I like my mod beretta beter
then all as for turkey I have a undertaker (ported) turkey choke and it is marginal at best,compared to the fatory full
....as a side not these chokes also fit the benelli SBE and they work wonderfully in them?!?!?!?! oh well my bud got a great deal on 4 chokes!

I am still wanting an extended choke for yotes and another for waterfowl! just wondering if you had any imput!

........Jonathan.........
 
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Jonathan,
All I hunt is Predators and I haven't felt like I needed to try any after market choke tubes, I am having super results with the Beretta full choke, using Federal 3" mag BB.
I have patterned #4 Buck, and 3" Dead Coyote with good results, but I prefer the Federal 3" Mag. BB.
I love this Xtrema 2 shotgun

IMG_0138.jpg

IMG_0137.jpg

 
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You need a larger pattern sheet than a paper plate to see what is really going on. The 4 buck is probably shooting high. With my gun Federal Premium 4 buck shoots over a foot high at 35 yards but Remington Express 4 buck patterns are right on. Federal BBs shoot good as well. All through a .670 turkey tube.
 
Paper plate was on a 24" square Butcher paper on plywood.
Hits all around paper plate. Should have taken photo of the butcher paper. This was with an open bore/no choke. Hard to imagine that it would scatter like that, but it did.
 
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