spreader ammo and diffuser choke

[another okie]

At my last 3 gun match I missed some fairly easy shots with my shotgun because I went too fast and didn't get a good sight picture.

In the great American tradition of seeking a technical solution to a human problem I decided to check out ways to spread the shot faster.

I bought a Briley diffuser choke, which is supposed to spread the shot more than cylinder. I also bought some Fiocchi spreader ammo.

This is not a scientific test. I don't have a pattern board. I shot at a paper IPSC target from ten yards away, which I know is closer than "standard" but is more useful for my purposes.

I started with the same ammo I use in 3 gun matches, Winchester AA # 8, 1 1/8 ounces.

At that distance full choke was about 16 x 16.
The diffuser choke was about 20 x 20.

Then I stepped up to about seven yards, because I was starting to lose some shot off the target.

At seven yards with my normal choke, improved cylinder, the AA was about 5 1/2 x 5. The Fiocchi was about 8 x 7.

This is a summary and not all the shooting I did.

My conclusion is that both the choke and the spreader ammo worked, but that the spreader ammo is a little easier to use. It would be easy to put a few of those in at the start of a stage for some close up shots and then some "regular" for longer range shots.

I'm not sure how the spreader ammo actually does its magic. The choke has some rifling which supposedly spins the shot out to a wider pattern.

I did have a couple of failures to eject properly with the Fiocchi, but my Remington is a little picky about ammo, and it's taken me a long time to find just the right ammo for it.

 

[Pete409]

I bought a Briley diffuser choke, which is supposed to spread the shot more than cylinder

Reports that I've heard on the Briley Diffuser choke is that it actually patterns somewhere between a Skeet and Improved Cylinder choke. In other words, it is TIGHTER than a Cylinder choke.

Try it with a Cylinder choke and compare.

 

[Snarlingiron]

I'm not sure how the spreader ammo actually does its magic.

I would love to get my hands on some of the Fiocchi spreader stuff. I'm betting on deformed shot.

 

[another okie]

The diffuser choke sticks out of the barrel a little. It seems to me that the extra length would have the opposite effect, at least to a small degree, and compress the shot more.

Certainly a 4" difference at 10 yards between full and diffuser is not much.

You're right - I need more comparison between the diffuser and other chokes. I don't have a cylinder choke - the Remington comes with improved cylinder, modified, and rifled. I bought the full for turkey and long shots on geese.

I guess I could just cut one of the Fiocchis open and examine it. I didn't think of that until I read Snarlington's commment. I got the Fiocchi from Midway.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=627100&t=11082005

 

[Pete409]

I would love to get my hands on some of the Fiocchi spreader stuff. I'm betting on deformed shot.

I'll take that bet. I'm betting that the shot is ordinary shot. The "spreader" effect is caused by a different type of shot cup or shot cup insert.

 

[Pete409]

The diffuser choke sticks out of the barrel a little. It seems to me that the extra length would have the opposite effect, at least to a small degree, and compress the shot more.

Length of the choke tube has absolutely nothing to do with "compressing" the shot. The amount of choke is the difference between the bore diameter and the diameter of the choke at it smallest point.

For example, if the bore diameter is .730" and the choke diameter at its tightest point is .690", then you have .040" of choke. This would generally be considered a FULL choke.

 

[another okie]

I'm sure you are right about the length of the choke. I was thinking and typing at the same time, and thinking that a longer barrel produces slower dispersal and so possibly a longer choke would, too.

 

[JohnBT]

I could go upstairs and retrieve a box, cut one up, power up the camera, upload the pics, etc., but I've been on the road since 8 a.m.

It's the wad.

https://shop2.mailordercentral.com/bpicart/prodinfo.asp?number=36512SSCH

"Fiocchi Power Spreaders utilize the G/BP Dispersor-X"

www.ballisticproducts.com/bpi/articleindex/articles/dx20/dx20.htm

G/BP Dispersor-X

 

[Pete409]

JohnBT,

Thanks for posting those pics of the spreader wad. There was another thread recently about opening up patterns at close range. Many people are under the mistaken belief that having deformed (flat) shot will really open up patterns at close range. They're wrong. It's the special wad that does the trick.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Actually Pete, deformed shot is one way to go. There's still a load available in Europe, I'm told, with cubical shot.

I think the wad's a better approach. Were I working up a pure Skeet load, I'd use soft 9s with a wad without a shot cup, so pellets could scrub the bore and deform. A Cylinder or Skeet choke topping it off.