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I got out this morning and took a few shots to see what my gun was doing. There are some huge holes in my pattern with all 4 of the shells I tried. I'm shooting a 870 and only have the factory modified choke.
I saw a 3 choke set from Carlson's(?) For about $100 that I'm thinking about getting. Anyone have any experience with these or can recommend something that might be better?

Post up pics. You can find that set of Carlson tubes for less than that.

My 870 patterns best, by far, with Xpert #2. Doesn't shoot #4, or really any other size, nearly as good as the 2s. Maybe try some cheap shells, first.

All I have been shooting has been 2's. I shot some 4's early last season but found the 2's seemed to work better so I stuck with them.
Here's what I've been getting. The inner circle is 30" the outer is 40". Both were drawn before the shot aiming at the center dot. All are #2 shot.
Black cloud


Remington


Winchester


Kent


The kent piece was also shot with some buck shot. If its not a red dot its buck shot.



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I'd hunt with any of those patterns and kill birds. Don't start overthinking it, it'll fuck you up.

They all look damn good to me. The winchester load is a little tight, but looks like it has the most even pattern.

Not great but definitely not bad, and remember patters are Gaussian, pick a load and a choke and shoot 10 patterns and average them to see what's really up. Draw your circle after centered around the densest area of of shot. Patterning is about pattern density not poa

Nuff I just remeber a about running those loads for you, will do it later

Is the Winchester and Xpert shell? Love those things.

jarbo03 wrote:I'd hunt with any of those patterns and kill birds. Don't start overthinking it, it'll fuck you up.

So do I just use what I've got or try to improve it with another choke? I did OK last season, just looking for ways to make this one better.

assateague wrote:Is the Winchester and Xpert shell? Love those things.

Yeah, I think they worked best for me last year if I remember correctly, cheapest shell I could find too.
I read you shouldn't have any gaps larger than 3" and I have allot of them. That's what got me thinking those patterns needed work.

assateague wrote:Is the Winchester and Xpert shell? Love those things.

I threw my last 3 Xpert shells in Lake Perry last winter. I believe GKR has had issues with them, too....at any rate, I saw him throw one away.

My gun did not like the bulged shells that came from the factory. Maybe I got unlucky.

T0 the OP- I would hunt with those patterns, you are over thinking it.

Tomkat wrote:

assateague wrote:Is the Winchester and Xpert shell? Love those things.

I threw my last 3 Xpert shells in Lake Perry last winter. I believe GKR has had issues with them, too....at any rate, I saw him throw one away.

My gun did not like the bulged shells that came from the factory. Maybe I got unlucky.

T0 the OP- I would hunt with those patterns, you are over thinking it.

It's because you hunt with a high-dollar gun. Cheap shells love my cheap 870, and vice-versa. Putting Xperts in your B gun is like putting Zsa Zsa Gabor on a farm, only in reverse.

rozzo842 wrote:

jarbo03 wrote:I'd hunt with any of those patterns and kill birds. Don't start overthinking it, it'll fuck you up.

So do I just use what I've got or try to improve it with another choke? I did OK last season, just looking for ways to make this one better.

assateague wrote:Is the Winchester and Xpert shell? Love those things.

Yeah, I think they worked best for me last year if I remember correctly, cheapest shell I could find too.
I read you shouldn't have any gaps larger than 3" and I have allot of them. That's what got me thinking those patterns needed work.

I don't feel that tight patterns are always better. They have their time and place, but I think most people would do better with a more open choke.

Of the birds shot last year, were there flyoffs, clean misses, or crips?

jarbo03 wrote:

rozzo842 wrote:

jarbo03 wrote:I'd hunt with any of those patterns and kill birds. Don't start overthinking it, it'll fuck you up.

So do I just use what I've got or try to improve it with another choke? I did OK last season, just looking for ways to make this one better.

assateague wrote:Is the Winchester and Xpert shell? Love those things.

Yeah, I think they worked best for me last year if I remember correctly, cheapest shell I could find too.
I read you shouldn't have any gaps larger than 3" and I have allot of them. That's what got me thinking those patterns needed work.

I don't feel that tight patterns are always better. They have their time and place, but I think most people would do better with a more open choke.

Of the birds shot last year, were there flyoffs, clean misses, or crips?

Not sure what a fly off is. I definitely had clean misses and a few cripples. Also had em just drop. I did have one bird drop and start swimming away. I shot him two more times, reloaded and shot him again. I watched pellets hit the water all around him so I'm sure I was on target but he kept swimming like nothing was going on. That's when I switched from 4's to 2's.

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You're fine. I'd guess if you didn't do well last season you oughta just practice more

When you appear to hit a bird, but he flies off.
Killin birds on the water is tough, pellets in the head is the best way. I shoot 3s except for early teal. I have found choke tubes to improve patterns on paper, I like a LM for ducks.

rozzo842 wrote:

jarbo03 wrote:

rozzo842 wrote:

jarbo03 wrote:I'd hunt with any of those patterns and kill birds. Don't start overthinking it, it'll fuck you up.

So do I just use what I've got or try to improve it with another choke? I did OK last season, just looking for ways to make this one better.

assateague wrote:Is the Winchester and Xpert shell? Love those things.

Yeah, I think they worked best for me last year if I remember correctly, cheapest shell I could find too.
I read you shouldn't have any gaps larger than 3" and I have allot of them. That's what got me thinking those patterns needed work.

I don't feel that tight patterns are always better. They have their time and place, but I think most people would do better with a more open choke.

Of the birds shot last year, were there flyoffs, clean misses, or crips?

Not sure what a fly off is. I definitely had clean misses and a few cripples. Also had em just drop. I did have one bird drop and start swimming away. I shot him two more times, reloaded and shot him again. I watched pellets hit the water all around him so I'm sure I was on target but he kept swimming like nothing was going on. That's when I switched from 4's to 2's.

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Jarbo's right. Aim for the head when water swatting, not center mass

From a dedicated waterswatter, I cover the bird with my barrel when doing so. If you can see the duck over your barrel, or even on your bead, too many of your pellets are gonna go low. Blot out the bird with the barrel, and pull the trigger. He'll be dead far more times than not.

On a crip, Hold over their heads a whisker, stone dead.

Agree with Jarbo - more open choke is better. I'll shoot a mod to the extreme effective range of steel, and an IC for general use.

Spend your $100 on skeet and 8's instead of chokes, you'll be way ahead.

DeadEye_Dan wrote:
Spend your $100 on skeet and 8's instead of chokes, you'll be way ahead.

Wise words

jehler wrote:Nuff I just remeber a about running those loads for you, will do it later

Ok cool...no hurry.

assateague wrote:

Tomkat wrote:

assateague wrote:Is the Winchester and Xpert shell? Love those things.

I threw my last 3 Xpert shells in Lake Perry last winter. I believe GKR has had issues with them, too....at any rate, I saw him throw one away.

My gun did not like the bulged shells that came from the factory. Maybe I got unlucky.

T0 the OP- I would hunt with those patterns, you are over thinking it.

It's because you hunt with a high-dollar gun. Cheap shells love my cheap 870, and vice-versa. Putting Xperts in your B gun is like putting Zsa Zsa Gabor on a farm, only in reverse.

These shells might have jammed in any gun...were borderline dangerous. Really bulged out.

Thanks for the advise guys. Looks like I'll just shoot what I have. I have been doing allot of skeet this summer to try and help and my numbers are definitely improving. Hopefully it will help in the field.

I'm sure it will.

Also, keep this thought in mind when the shot is called and your racing to get your gun mounted and a shot off:

Fast is Slow, Slow is Smooth, and Smooth is Fast.

Good advice Dan. Oractice shooting clays just like you would hunting, gun down, work on bringing the gun up with a good mount.

I shot a shotgun pretty good for years.

When I started making sure they fitted me correctly
I got even better.

Make sure your gun really fits you.

Tomkat wrote:I shot a shotgun pretty good for years.

When I started making sure they fitted me correctly
I got even better.

Make sure your gun really fits you.

How do I do this? I've heard of getting a gun that fits but not making the one you have fit you.

rozzo842 wrote:

Tomkat wrote:I shot a shotgun pretty good for years.

When I started making sure they fitted me correctly
I got even better.

Make sure your gun really fits you.

How do I do this? I've heard of getting a gun that fits but not making the one you have fit you.

I was wondering this myself. Found this article but don't know how accurate it is.

http://americanhunter.org/articles/how-to-achieve-perfect-shotgun-fit/

That article is on track. You have to have your cast and cant right. I have seen a difference in my shooting since I paid attention to this.



Blog- http://www.ksducks.com

Tomkat wrote:That article is on track. You have to have your cast and cant right. I have seen a difference in my shooting since I paid attention to this.



Blog- http://www.ksducks.com

I need to check it. I just took my SBE2 straight out of the case and went hunting. Always wondered what those pieces (shims) were for.