Waterfowl Chokes

[Al Bundy]

OK guys and gals (and others in this day and age).. I bought a Benelli SBE3 a few weeks ago and have been trying to get it dialed in. I been hitting most of if not all of the birds so my pattern is on the birds.  This from my hunting buddy and visually seeing a bunch of snows contort themselves in a funny manner mid flight. I nailed at least a few snows last weekend and nothing fell. My buddy dropped one that literally nearly fell on his head. I hear this ... "You better not fall on me mother frigger" and I hear a THUD. One down for him. Mine though kept flying.  The entire reason I got this new gun was due to my BPS only shooting 3in. Now I have the 3 1/2 incher (Size DOES matter!!!) which should give me an additional edge. Does not seem to be however.  I looked into a chokes and see all kind of shit all over about whats best worst, factory etc so on so fourth. I also see Benelli says they don't recommend a full choke for geese with steel as there is no benefit to it.  Then I find the patternmaster goose (and duck) chokes.  Goose choke says good out to 70 yards. Also says good for SBE2. Assume SBE3 as well.  So... the question. Anyone here using said chokes in a Benelli? If not.. what is your best reaching choke for max range waterfowl?? I was using black cloud ammo. I don't want to cripple any more birds and I should not be. I still miss lead.

[The_Real_TCIII]

What size shot were you shooting at them?

[dgram36]

If you can’t hit it with a 3” shell than you can’t hit it with a 3.5”. Take a piece of cardboard and pattern your gun properly.


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[BigVal]

Patternmaster makes nice chokes but 70 yards is a stretch that will result in cripples. Also I thought 3.5s were the greatest thing ever for a few hunts now I mostly buy 3 inch again. My sx4 shoots well with the patternmaster chokes and Carlson's, and those are a bit more reasonable.

[virgil]

were you shooting the same load as your buddy?  We used 3 1/2" BB's, Black Clouds on geese this past weekend and knocked birds down hard.

[The_Real_TCIII]

Ive got a box of 3.5" Remington high velocity 1700fps something or others that anyone who wants them is welcome to. Ive got enough shoulder problems

[helmut in the bush]

17 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Ive got a box of 3.5" Remington high velocity 1700fps something or others that anyone who wants them is welcome to. Ive got enough shoulder problems

Hyper Sonics?

[turkeyfeathers]

3.5” only offers a longer shot string than 3”. IMO does nothing for turkeys standing still but maybe it would help on flying targets.  But I still shoot 3.5” on gobblers 

[turkeyfeathers]

20 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Ive got a box of 3.5" Remington high velocity 1700fps something or others that anyone who wants them is welcome to. Ive got enough shoulder problems

What shot size ? I’d put them on turkey targets as like to tinker with turkey loads 

[virgil]

What shot size ? I’d put them on turkey targets as like to tinker with turkey loads 

You probably know this, but don't forget that the waterfowl loads are steel and don't kill nearly as effectively as lead- and could damage your turkey choke.

 

Edited January 3, 2019 by virgil

[The_Real_TCIII]

6 minutes ago, helmut in the bush said:

Hyper Sonics?

Yes Hypersonic #2s

[helmut in the bush]

14 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Yes Hypersonic #2s

I think they’re good shells, I don’t know if they kick any harder, but they’re definitely louder. I would take them but I’m not very close 

[Al Bundy]

Was using 2's. Use these forever, next to my hunting buddy who consistently drops birds.  Same shells - black cloud 3 1/2 #2, same range, different guns, different chokes.  Actually recoil in the SBE3  3 1/2 compared to my old BPS 3s I cant tell a difference.  Maybe Ill jump up to BB but seems I shouldn't need to.  I am not shooting out to 70 and figured that was a marketing ploy. But.. it does seem it should go out a bit more than my factory mod choke.

[helmut in the bush]

I bought a flat of Fiocchi golden goose loads in T’s. I think they’re great, better than Hevi metals and black cloud,  almost half the price. I use a Rob Roberts improved cylinder or a modified chock in my Benelli super Vinci 

[turkeyfeathers]

Side note. Heavy metal Dead coyote loads shot size T are crap. Shot a red fox twice at 25 yards and like wearing Kevlar.  Expensive mistake buying that junk 

Edited January 3, 2019 by turkeyfeathers

[helmut in the bush]

21 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Side note. Heavy metal Dead coyote loads shot size T are crap. Shot a red fox twice at 25 yards and like wearing Kevlar.  Expensive mistake buying that junk 

You can’t go wrong with regular Winchester’s 3.5” #4 buckshot for coyotes 

[dgram36]

Was using 2's. Use these forever, next to my hunting buddy who consistently drops birds.  Same shells - black cloud 3 1/2 #2, same range, different guns, different chokes.  Actually recoil in the SBE3  3 1/2 compared to my old BPS 3s I cant tell a difference.  Maybe Ill jump up to BB but seems I shouldn't need to.  I am not shooting out to 70 and figured that was a marketing ploy. But.. it does seem it should go out a bit more than my factory mod choke.

Opinion: Black Cloud sucks

If you insist on using it make sure your not shooting a wad retarding or wad stripping choke as the black cloud wad is designed to travel up to 10 yards out of the gun before dispersing the shot which is why it claims you can shoot farther. A wad stripping choke will actually slow your shot down to non lethal speeds, especially steel.

I’ve tried it out of my gun and it is garbage. I’ve had really good results with hevi metal using a mid range hevi shot choke. Of course this is not the only lethal combination. I would seriously recommend researching forums for SBEIII users who have patterned their gun properly and then use that info to give you a head start on what to try. Then simply try it on a cardboard box with an 18” circle drawn at it from 40 yards to see how many pellets are on target.


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[Pygmy]

I have been shooting  birds with shotguns since 1962.....If anybody can consistently  kill ANY kind of flying birds at 70 yards, I would like to see it...

 

[TACC]

Patternmaster makes nice chokes but 70 yards is a stretch that will result in cripples. Also I thought 3.5s were the greatest thing ever for a few hunts now I mostly buy 3 inch again. My sx4 shoots well with the patternmaster chokes and Carlson's, and those are a bit more reasonable.

I've been sticking with Carlson for all my turkey/bird shooting, then buy one box of shells and pattern. Then buy another box, and so on, at distances from 20 to 60 yards It became much easier for me once I started a log . I also have been using 3.5, and am thankful for my semi auto's. My 935 Mossberg kicks like a mule with 3.5's

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[fasteel04]

I stopped using BC for just that reason this year. I have your set up and use an extended range choke by patternmaster ( not the one for black cloud). I have both. I took the time to pattern all kinds of ammo through it this year and found out: three inch BB and 2 by Kent or Federal Blue pattern the best at both short 25 yards and longer 45 yard. Keep in mind I’m shooting a SBE2 with an extended choke by Patternmaster. You will need to take the time a pattern your setup.


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[turkeyfeathers]

I could have a blunderbust and never hit anything in the wing. Lifetime I’m about 2-31 on ducks and 5-83 on crows. 

[Pygmy]

I must admit that I have NOT extensively patterned  non-toxic waterfowl loads , but I have shot quite a few different loads in the field, mostly through a Rem 11-87  3" 12 gauge and a Browning Citori 3" 12 gauge...

My best results by far have been with Kent Fasteel BBs and 2s...Using  an IC choke in the Rem and an IC/MOD in the Citori, I get clean kills on ducks and geese at ranges  close to what I used to shoot with full chokes and lead shot back in the pre-steel days..

[sodfather]

I use #2’s and BB’s in 3” heavy metal with a Carlson’s choke in my Vinci. I never use the full choke and I really never shot over 40 yards. 

[The_Real_TCIII]

I shoot whatever @sodfather and @fasteel04 have left in the bottom of their bags after I run through an entire box and am still no where near the limit

[Al Bundy]

I patterned with the patternmaster goose choke and Winchester BB 3 1/2 in.  An excellent pattern at 45 yards, better than anything I put there there yet.  Im going to shy away from black cloud and look into Fiochi, maybe Remington steel. Rodgers sporting is having a sale on them for dirt cheap.