Are my shotgun patterns acceptable for coyotes? Can I do better?

Adam0090

New member
I decided to go with a kicks buckkicker x-full for my Benelli. Its .680 they told me. I only have an 18.5" barrel on my Benelli so im trying to get all i can out of my choke load combo. After alot of pattern testing with just about every factory choke and buckshot load i could find, at 50yards im getting my Kicks Tube to throw 5-7 pellets into a coyote silhouette consistanty using Rem. 3" lead #4buck. Atleast 2 or 3 will find a vital area each time. Is this considered a good load? Can i do better? Wish i had pictures but what are your thoughts?
 
i feel lead #4 buck is on the ragged edge of being able to kill a coyote out around 50 yards. sure, a guy will get lucky and get it done now and then, but the percentage is not very good.

have you tried it at 40 yards? maybe 45? what does it look like at 40/45? those distances with a good pattern will be you huckleberry with lead #4 buck.
 
You won't do much better with your short barrel than what you are getting now. Go out and put it to the test on some fur. If you hold on the vitals when you squeeze the trigger, you will kill most of them which is all any shotgunner can expect at 50 yds. Some of them might run for a bit on you but that is why the gun holds 5 shells. You have done the home work, now it's time to go kill some.
 
I personally think that is on the low side. I would want to see at least a few more.

have you tried a box of Hornady coyote shells in 3" with the BBs?

for the $12 you might give that a try, with a variety of chokes. (make sure to try with Mod choke) I would also suggest that you use a large cardboard backing to see if it's just grouping at a different place and it's just a sight adjustment thing. I would imagine that you should be able to get at least 10 or so pellets in those loads into the vital area.

my Mossy with the 18" on it i get at least 20 or so at 40 yrds inside a 15" circle.

give it a try, hope you find something that works for you.
 
@40 yards its no question theyre going down hard. Im quite satisfied at that distance. I have a large backboard i cover with newspaper to catch the strays. Its about 5ft wide 4ft high. I get about roughly 20~30 pellets in it evenly spread around on all sides of the lifesize dog target. I dont think its an off sight issue. I think its just opening up too much at 50. Could i safely choke down to .675 or .670 with the #4lead buck? If i decided to try the hornady BB you use in your 18" mossberg, the pellets are smaller...so going a little tighter may work? I know its going to come up that all guns are different but i like to hear what works for different people anyways. Anyone try the wingmaster hd load on coyotes? What choke are u using?
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Adam0090 @40 yards its no question theyre going down hard. Im quite satisfied at that distance. I have a large backboard i cover with newspaper to catch the strays. Its about 5ft wide 4ft high. I get about roughly 20~30 pellets in it evenly spread around on all sides of the lifesize dog target. I dont think its an off sight issue. I think its just opening up too much at 50. Could i safely choke down to .675 or .670 with the #4lead buck? If i decided to try the hornady BB you use in your 18" mossberg, the pellets are smaller...so going a little tighter may work? I know its going to come up that all guns are different but i like to hear what works for different people anyways. Anyone try the wingmaster hd load on coyotes? What choke are u using?

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=777351#Post777351

Regards,
hm
 
Great link thanks for sharing! I called kicks industries and i was told the tightest constriction for tungsten or hevi shot through the buckkicker chokes is LT full. The .680 is X Full. So wouldnt that rule out the dead cyote loads and the Rem HD loads??? Or am i missing somthing? I would love to choke down between .665 and .675 and give them a try but its my understanding theyre not safe together...im confused now because it seems like people are doing it with no hesitation
 
Originally Posted By: Adam0090I called kicks industries and i was told the tightest constriction for tungsten or hevi shot through the buckkicker chokes is LT full. The .680 is X Full. So wouldnt that rule out the dead cyote loads and the Rem HD loads??? Or am i missing somthing? ...it seems like people are doing it with no hesitation

I don't think you're missing anything. They (Kick's) seem pretty crystal clear that you shouldn't use HTL in the tighter chokes. Says so right on the package the come in.

But people do anyway. Including me. In my new shotgun a Kicks GT .670 is patterning Hevi-shot BB better than any other choke I've tried. So I'm going to use it.

Expect it will ruin the choke, with enough use. I won't cry to Kick's about it if it does. I'll just buy another new one and carry on.

- DAA
 
BTW... I don't have much experience shotgunning coyote. But my little bit of experience so far, 50 yards is stretching things. Got one facing you, and the right load, I'll take that shot. But one going away, probably shouldn't take it.

I was not impressed with the Hornady BB, as far as killing penetration goes. But, I'm comparing it to Hevi-shot in BB and T and lead buckshot in F and #4. The lead BB stuff is pretty weak sauce compared to any of those, in my opinion. And I don't think any of those are all that great on a coyote going away at 50.

- DAA
 
Ok..sorry for the persistant questions but im new to all this. Is the Kicks GT good to go with just a normal lead #4? Or is that not recomended either? Im willing to skip all the heavier than lead stuff. Opening my choke to shoot similar shot size is kind of going in the wrong direction from where Ive made it in my pattern tests. Never thought this would become such an expensive project. Im too invested for "that might work" at this point
 
Also, Is it just my choke i need to be worried about if i try that combo (.670 + heavier than lead) ? I cant understand how your going to blow a choke in your shotgun without damaging the gun itself. Just another head scratcher to me..
 
On extended chokes the choke constriction section is beyond the end of the barrel so theoretically any damage to the choke should be beyond the barrel.
 
Originally Posted By: Adam0090Ok..sorry for the persistant questions but im new to all this. Is the Kicks GT good to go with just a normal lead #4? Or is that not recomended either? Im willing to skip all the heavier than lead stuff. Opening my choke to shoot similar shot size is kind of going in the wrong direction from where Ive made it in my pattern tests. Never thought this would become such an expensive project. Im too invested for "that might work" at this point

Make sure if you are talking about number 4 buckshot you say number 4 buckshot. #4 shot is not for shooting coyotes.
 
Im talking number 4 buck. Plain lead. Not plated. Through a .670 constriction. Im trying to get answers from guys with expierience and not the 0 liability "what we're supposed to say" line from the manufacturer.
 
In response to the original question, I'll share my experience. I think we all buy into the marketing and advertising in this sport. I struggled a bit with chokes, I think you may be going through the same thing. My answer to your question is no, 5-7 hits is marginal at best, under controlled conditions(rest or steady concentrated shot)that is basically as good as you will get. Real life shotgun scenarios rarely play out as static or concentrated.

I started out with a Carlsons choke, buying in to the hype, tried #4buck and hornady BB, never anything really eye-opening. As the distance increased it seemed to donut-hole pattern. I missed one coyote out at 40yds, really disappointed, that did it for me. At that point I accepted there was a problem, either find another choke or shoot closer.

I switched to a standard Remington predator choke, that changed everything. My patterns were dramatic, my confidence went up and my setups changed because of it.

I think chokes are a bit finicky, they don't seem universal in every gun. Try to recognize the problem and fix it, if you have the ability to try other chokes, do so, it is very likely the best avenue to better patterns.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: ZcustomIn response to the original question, I'll share my experience. I think we all buy into the marketing and advertising in this sport. I struggled a bit with chokes, I think you may be going through the same thing. My answer to your question is no, 5-7 hits is marginal at best, under controlled conditions(rest or steady concentrated shot)that is basically as good as you will get. Real life shotgun scenarios rarely play out as static or concentrated.

I started out with a Carlsons choke, buying in to the hype, tried #4buck and hornady BB, never anything really eye-opening. As the distance increased it seemed to donut-hole pattern. I missed one coyote out at 40yds, really disappointed, that did it for me. At that point I accepted there was a problem, either find another choke or shoot closer.

I switched to a standard Remington predator choke, that changed everything. My patterns were dramatic, my confidence went up and my setups changed because of it.

I thinks chokes are a bit finicky, they don't seem universal in every gun. Try to recognize the problem and fix it, if you have the ability to try other chokes, do so, it is very likely the best avenue to better patterns.


Agree 100%. I have read the hype and then did the ground work on two of my shotguns. I was stunned to see how much different individual guns shoot different chokes AND different ammo. Just because your buddy SAYS his set up can roll them at 75 yards doesn't mean your gun with same set up can pattern at 40. A man's hunting budget can take a real hit to get to the bottom of this.
 
The choke im using is a .680 and patterned best of all the others i tried (IC, M, IM, F). The full was a factory choke..(.695) Since going a little tighter seemed to improve things, im thinking go even tighter now. Id like to find a choke that was rated for Hevi Shot in the .670~.675 range. This way i could try it with the Rem 4 buck thats worked best so far. If it ends up too tight or no noticeable pattern difference.. Ill break down and switch my load to the higher pellet count Hevi shot loads. If its $50 a box well, its costing me almost double that to try new choke&ammo combos each time, and its about all thats left to try..jeesh
 
I have killed a lot of coyotes with federal copper plated BB'S in the 2 3/4 mag. high speed not quite as many pellets as the 3". way more than one over 50yds. some of those were with a coach gun [short barrel].
 
Last edited:
Back
Top