choke options for buckshot

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tactikel

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I know full is considered best for buckshot, but what is the tightest choke safe to use with buckshot? I plan on using my Mossy 835 for Coyotes in low/no light hunting (Wis allows Coyote shooting 24/7) and want to use 3.5" #4 buckshot (54 pellets). Can I use the turkey choke safely (and will it pattern tighter than full?) or should I stick to mod or full? The Turkey choke is marked for lead only-no steel or hevi-shot.
 
full is considered best for buckshot

Who said that?

In my experience it is pretty easy to OVERchoke buckshot, and by doing so, distort the pellets and open up patterns. Experimentation is the only way to know for sure what will work best for your gun/barrel/choke tube/load combination. Don't be to quick to make assumptions, get out the patterning paper and find out for sure. Start with a more open tube and tighten up step by step to see what happens at the longest range you expect to be shooting.

hth,

lpl
 
What Lee said! And I'll add to that. You'll need to test each brand of each shot size you want to use.

You could get lucky and the first brand/shot size/choke tube you try could be just what you want.

You could spend a hundred bucks on shells and choke tubes and still not find what you want.

Or, you can take your shotgun to a specialist gunsmith, tell him what shell you want to use (shot size and manufacturer) and what size pattern you want and the range at which you want that pattern. There are guys that can do that. Bring money.
 
With my 870s (2 almost identical) a modified choke was the tightest I could use without 'doughnutting'. In both guns a full choke left an empty space in the middle of the pattern. The Mod was nice and tight out to about 35 yards with no empty center spaces in the 00 buck pattern.

The only way to be sure which chokes work best for your gun is to pattern it. They are all different, as Lee said.
 
Thanks for the info! I will head to the range and pattern my full and mod. choke tubes. Overchoking and getting blown patterns with buckshot hadnt occurred to me.

BTW Remington advises using full choke with their buckshot for best results.
 
I can't claim to have real world data on ALL buck and shotguns, but IMO best, CONSISTENT patterns are with LM or Mod chokes for the most part.

I have done some tests with a LF tube from Carlson's that gave very tight patterns with "Old" Estate 00, but every second or third pattern had a flyer pellet WOD.

Some of the Southern deer hunters who tinker with bore, chokes and loads do get very good results with lots of constriction, but those guys use buffered shot reloads made meticulously.
 
chokes

If I may recomend without causing problem moderators , might I recomend this gentleman call Chuck Boswell at Compnchoke/Kicks for help with getting right choke for him. Have benn using their chokes and getting advise from him for about 10 years now. Please if I am wrong do not hesitate to kill this reply and I apologize if I am in error. Good Luck and God Bless
 
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