Have you ever patterned w/different chokes?

[harmonic]

I patterned a Remington 870 HD 12 guage w/18 1/2 inch barrel using 00 buck.

Here were the results. 5.5 inches at 15 feet. 6.5 inches at 30 feet. 7.25 inches at 45 feet. 8.25 inches at 60 feet. 9.25 inches at 75 feet.

I'm contemplating buying a new barrel. A 20 inch barrel w/screw in chokes and rifle sights.

Can anybody give me some idea as to what kind of patterns I could expect with a 20 inch barrel with a modified choke? 20 inch barrel with full choke?

I'm trying to make my 870 suitable for boar.

Plus, what kind of choke is recommended for a slug? What kind of accuracy is expected w/a slug? To 50 yards? 100 yards? thanx

 

[Dave McCracken]

Each barrel has it's own response to changes in ammo or choke. However, one of my 870s has a 20" barrel with Remchokes and rifle sights.

A Mod tube sees, with my pet load of 00, 16-20" patterns at 25 yards. Other folks do better sometimes.

A LM tube duplicates the results.

A Full tube with that load sees patterns open up, not tighten up. Too much constriction for those big pellets.

As for slugs,1 oz KO Brenekkes go into about 4" at 100 yards from the bench.

YMMV, HTH....

 

[harmonic]

As for slugs,1 oz KO Brenekkes go into about 4" at 100 yards from the bench.

You're talking about an open choke? Cylinder bore?

 

[MCgunner]

I pattern any new shotgun with the loads I'm going to be using, at least for hunting. I don't think it's quite as necessary for home defense. No choke is going to have much more than a large frangible bullet for a pattern in MY little house.

 

[hub]

Plus, what kind of choke is recommended for a slug? What kind of accuracy is expected w/a slug? To 50 yards? 100 yards? thanx

What you have is fine for slugs, some prefer Imp Cyl or Mod but Cyl is fine. As far as accuracy goes if you can do what Dave posted at 100 your doing pretty darn good and most consider pie plate sized groups fine.

Can anybody give me some idea as to what kind of patterns I could expect with a 20 inch barrel with a modified choke? 20 inch barrel with full choke?

Well all barrels and shells will differ but again like Dave said more is not necessarily better when it comes to choking down 00 buck because it deforms the shot when squeezing it through the choke. Here is a test done using full vs Imp Cyl by the box of truth.
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot44.htm

I am assuming since he was patterning for HD situations at only 10yds that the full choke groups may have opened up a quite bit more at longer distances if the shot was deformed, but it will give you an idea. Your best bet would be to pick up a few choke tubes and pattern several different loads for yourself and see what will work the best for what you need.

Here is another link to some pattern tests I using variety of smaller buck and different specialty choke combinations.
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=777351&page=1

I'm trying to make my 870 suitable for boar.

From what I have heard most prefer using slugs for boar because the buckshot really starts limiting your effective distance.

 

[Dave McCracken]

harmonic, the setup was....

870 with 20" RS barrel converted to a peep sight. The mag had a three shot extension well clamped to the barrel. Trigger breaks clean slightly under 4 lbs.

The barrel uses a rifled tube choke, a Remington.ETE, not CTC, was 4 1/4".

That's with a 1 ox KO Brenekke.

And these results were shot from a rock solid bench using good techniques.

I did Benchrest enough to get the shooting part down.

For comparison's sake, I have a similar setup on Number One, the 870 I've owned 50 years as of this Friday. The same slug goes less than 5" ETE from a chokeless 18" barrel.

With optics, those could be improved on.