#4 buckshot with modified choke?
- Thread starter hembree1
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doggin coyotes
Well-known member
Any choke will easily launch #4 buck out to 50 yards. It's all about the pattern when it gets to that 50 yards that counts.
Using a modified choke, what does your pattern look like at 50 yards through your shotgun?
Your question "is this a good combo?" can really only be answered by you with a few shells and a little testing. I'm thinking it will be a real eye opener for you if you do decide to try it for yourself.
Using a modified choke, what does your pattern look like at 50 yards through your shotgun?
Your question "is this a good combo?" can really only be answered by you with a few shells and a little testing. I'm thinking it will be a real eye opener for you if you do decide to try it for yourself.
Chris_Brice
New member
It would take a rare gun/ammo combo to get acceptable patterns at 50 yards even with a full choke let alone a modified. Most of the patterning results you see discussed here are using extra full and turkey chokes. You'll never know until you shoot your gun at some paper but Roninflag's 25 yards, maybe 30, is gonna be in the general neighborhood. The old Gerry Blair guidlines from the days before choke tubes and xtra full chokes was 12ga 2 3/4" shells = 35-40 yards from a full choke and add 5 or 10 yards for 3" shells. Your gonna pretty easlily take 10 yards off that for modified choke.
CB
CB
GC
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: hembree1Only reason I haven't tried this combo out yet is because I'm hunting the first spots tonight where I need my shotgun so don't have time after I get off work to pattern it
Not trying to but your chops or anything, but the patterning work should already be done before you go hunting. It is no different than not sighting in your rifle & scope before you go hunting. Not sighting in or doing pattern work beforehand leaves you guessing at what your firearm and load are going to be doing at game shooting ranges. Shotguns can be finicky creatures and can surprise you sometimes how well or how badly they perform. Some shoot way off from point of aim throwing patterns high, low, or wide off to the side. Some loads do well and others not so much and there are lots of variables in between. Patterning is the only way to know how effective your particular gun, choke, and load actually is.
Not trying to but your chops or anything, but the patterning work should already be done before you go hunting. It is no different than not sighting in your rifle & scope before you go hunting. Not sighting in or doing pattern work beforehand leaves you guessing at what your firearm and load are going to be doing at game shooting ranges. Shotguns can be finicky creatures and can surprise you sometimes how well or how badly they perform. Some shoot way off from point of aim throwing patterns high, low, or wide off to the side. Some loads do well and others not so much and there are lots of variables in between. Patterning is the only way to know how effective your particular gun, choke, and load actually is.
Crowfoot 6.8
New member
What is an effective pattern whith #4 buck? How many pellets in 12 inch circle? From 30 - 50 yards. Thanks
GC
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: Crowfoot 6.8What is an effective pattern whith #4 buck? How many pellets in 12 inch circle? From 30 - 50 yards. Thanks
As many as you can get...
Joking aside, other than magic wonder random strikes, a consistent 12 - 15 No. Four Buck strikes centered at point of aim within 12" @ 40 yards is a reliable coyote killer.
As many as you can get...
I was patterning my 20 gauge for chucker partridge hunting and found it interesting that my modified choke actually behaved like an extra full choke. It place 75% of the total pellets in a 30" circle at 40 yards. This was done for bird hunting so it will be different for coyotes but the point is that each shotgun is different and each choke behaves different with different shells. It is time consuming but patterning is the only way--also you will sometimes find the point of impact is off from your bead--very interesting.
If I did not have time to pattern my gun I would go ahead and assume that any coyote within 40 yards even with a mod choke would be dead or at least slowed down enough to kill with #4 buck. Past 40 yards and you are pushin your luck without patterning.
Good luck
If I did not have time to pattern my gun I would go ahead and assume that any coyote within 40 yards even with a mod choke would be dead or at least slowed down enough to kill with #4 buck. Past 40 yards and you are pushin your luck without patterning.
Good luck
Crowfoot 6.8
New member
Thanks GC, I have some brushy places i want call. I have a 870 super mag 26 inch. I am geting 12 pellet strikes in 12 inch circle @ 35 yards whith 5-6 pellets dead centerd. 40-45 max ? thanks
GC
Well-known member
Forty yards max probably... It is amazing how much a few extra yards can change a pattern. Until you pattern at 45 yards you just simply don't know for sure. I err on the side of caution and want to know that when I pull the trigger I've done all that I can do to make a humane kill.
I have patterned a lot of shotguns and all full Chokes pattern #4 buck tighter than a mod choke...my luck of the draw so far. Shotgun throats and bore dia's are all over the map when it it comes to size. Wierd thing about patterning buckshot, one shot may pattern tight and the next is horrible, point of aim is usually off from where you are pointing also...shoot more than one pattern.
Realistically, you should pattern at 40 yards. Too often guys pattern at 20 or 30 yards and 10 yards really means a lot when it comes to patterns opening up, especially from 40-50 yards.
50 yards is a very long shot with a shotgun, unless you are shooting a 10ga with 52 #4 buck or 2 1/4 oz of copper plated BB's.
At 40 yards, I look for at a minimum of 85% of my pellets to be within a 30" circle with a standard full choke. With a Turkey choke, I will get 100% within a 20" circle at 40 yards.
A very good way to patten is to put up a large piece of 36" or 42" paper, then put a paper plate in the middle. The center of the paper plate is the kill zone on a coyote, results will be very clear. If you do not have large pieces of white paper, then tape 4 pieces of news paper together to form a large square, the put the paper plate in the middle. If you live in a rural area, an old wood pallet makes for a good pattern board backer.
GC's advise is right on.
Realistically, you should pattern at 40 yards. Too often guys pattern at 20 or 30 yards and 10 yards really means a lot when it comes to patterns opening up, especially from 40-50 yards.
50 yards is a very long shot with a shotgun, unless you are shooting a 10ga with 52 #4 buck or 2 1/4 oz of copper plated BB's.
At 40 yards, I look for at a minimum of 85% of my pellets to be within a 30" circle with a standard full choke. With a Turkey choke, I will get 100% within a 20" circle at 40 yards.
A very good way to patten is to put up a large piece of 36" or 42" paper, then put a paper plate in the middle. The center of the paper plate is the kill zone on a coyote, results will be very clear. If you do not have large pieces of white paper, then tape 4 pieces of news paper together to form a large square, the put the paper plate in the middle. If you live in a rural area, an old wood pallet makes for a good pattern board backer.
GC's advise is right on.
Originally Posted By: afish4570Originally Posted By: Bernie P.My 835 shoots 4 buck best with the mod choke.I patterned with a couple different 4 buck loads at 50yds with I
mod,Full and Ulti mag all Mberg.
Just wondering if lead 2/3/4 #4 buck is too much to ask of the 835 Turkey choke?? afish4570
I tried Estate's 2 3/4" 4 buck in all the chokes.It to did best with the Mod choke.If by Turkey choke you're referring to the Ulti choke it didn't work at all with the buckshot loads.Got the "donut" pattern with that one however that choke gave the best patterns with the lead BB loads.
mod,Full and Ulti mag all Mberg.
Just wondering if lead 2/3/4 #4 buck is too much to ask of the 835 Turkey choke?? afish4570
I tried Estate's 2 3/4" 4 buck in all the chokes.It to did best with the Mod choke.If by Turkey choke you're referring to the Ulti choke it didn't work at all with the buckshot loads.Got the "donut" pattern with that one however that choke gave the best patterns with the lead BB loads.