shotgun/choke/buckshot ???

[kmrcstintn]

This year I am hunting with a buddy from work who has 27 acres of his own and is bordered by several other private plots on the side of a mountain...

there are several black bears in the area and we have been arming ourselves during the weeks leading up to deer season to clean up tree stand sites and other common sites (area that will have the cabin in a few years, parking area, range area, game cleaning area); I was advised to always have buckshot available for 'defending' myself if needed;

I have a Remington 870 SPS-T w/ 22" barrel with a modified choke inserted; I brought out several types of #4 buckshot: 2 3/4" Sellier & Bellot, 27 pellet, max dram; 2 3/4" Federal, 27 pellet; max dram; 2 3/4" Federal, 34 pellet, magnum dram( Sellier & Bellot comes in 25 round boxes & Federal is always easy to get);

My average group spread at 10 yards was slightly more than 14" !!!; This really woke me up since I have been loading #4 for the house with the modified choke! I thought that a modified choke would do better than that...I like having the modified in for small game while in the field and having buckshot in the tube for critter control...

1) should I put in a full choke?
2) would larger size buckshot pattern tighter?

help me out here...thanks

 

[mete]

You can experiment with chokes ,that may help .Slugs would be much better for bears. Black bears rarely attack so it's not a big deal !!

 

[Art Eatman]

Well, from what you said, the full choke is sure worth a check on a hostile cardboard box.

Dunno about the shot size affecting the pattern size. Not sure why it would...

Art

 

[Bix]

Certain loads of larger buckshot will pattern tighter.

"Tactical" or "Reduced Recoil" 00 buckshot loads are designed to produce tighter patterns than standard loadings. Hornady TAP 00 buckshot, out of my IC barrel, for example, will print a ~2" pattern at 10 yards. It's pretty impressive stuff - and it seems to print tightly out of most barrels.

A tighter choke might actually magnify your problem. The extra constriction might deform more pellets, which would open the pattern further.

Having said all that - if you're concerned about bears, you might consider patterning some brenneke slugs, rather than buckshot.

 

[Lou629]

If i were going against a bear i would much rather have a load of slugs or an alternating load of slug/00/slug/00 rather than just buckshot alone. The slugs would be equal to something on the order of a .72 cal. rifle.

 

[sm]

Art & Science

That is what Brister called called this Shotgunning.

Don't make no difference what a barrel/ choke is marked, what a box has written on it, or how many pellets. What does Mr./Mrs. Pattern board reveal at the distance one touches of a pellet or slug load?

Every shotgun barrel is different, even off the same assembly lot. Ditto for ammo. What works in the feller's shotgun down the way, don't mean it will work in yours. Visit Mr./Mrs. Pattern Board.

Pellets. Well see the pressure is akin to a grenade going off in that thing. We got forcing cone, bore diameter and choke to get through. Art & Science like the Man said.

If soft, they deform quicker, if harder lead, deform less, and if copper/nickel Plated with buffering mixed in, even less deformity - maybe. Art & Science again.

Too many pellets being kicked with a force of a grenade, can "blow" a pattern, littler pellets will "blow" fussing and fuming for room to get out the muzzle. Don't mean fewer and bigger ones, that don't like your forcing cone, bore diameter, and choke at muzzle won't scatter every-which-a-way but where you need them too...

Mr./Mrs. Pattern Board don't mind visitors at all . Bring slugs, cause them too have a Art & Science to 'em as well.

Me, I use 2 3/4" slugs that shoot POA/POI of a brand that gun told me it like visiting the Pattern Board.

Then again the last time I met up with black bears, was about 15 min from where I sit in the big city. Seems the cubs come rolling down the hill and Momma was making tracks to fuss at the brats.

Sign said "do not litter" - no signs around saying "do not feed the bears".
So I tossed the contents of my paper bag lunch toward the cubs, momma stood up to show me how nice her fur coat looked. I tip my head her way, backed off and "punched" that paper bag "Pow!".

Cubs are so cute running up to a mommas coat tail. I went on about my business and the cubs went on bugging momma there was no prize in the meal I'd toss their way.

I'd go visit Mr./Mrs. Pattern Board if was me, with about 4 kinds of 2 3/4" slugs and be done with the whole deal...

Cubs sure are cute little critters...