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Choke for buckshot question #7970035 09/11/20 06:10 PM
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activescrape Offline OP
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Is there any special choke for a Rem 870 to use when shooting 00 buckshot? Thanks.


"It's not dyin' I'm talkin' about Woodrow, it's livin'!"
Re: Choke for buckshot question [Re: activescrape] #7970039 09/11/20 06:12 PM
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I've always heard an improved cylinder is best for buckshot but I'm old school. Have no idea what makes it "improved" over a plain (no choke) cylinder.


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Re: Choke for buckshot question [Re: activescrape] #7970055 09/11/20 06:24 PM
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Could use a little more info. What are you using it for? Is it 12 or 20 gauge? Bore diameter for a 12 gauge is .729", and for each different choke tube, it goes down about .008-.010". Self-defence, them a cylinder bore or improved would be my choice. For deer hunting I would use a Modified, but that would be the limit.

Last edited by Blank; 09/11/20 06:25 PM.
Re: Choke for buckshot question [Re: Blank] #7970061 09/11/20 06:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Blank
Could use a little more info. What are you using it for? Is it 12 or 20 gauge? Bore diameter for a 12 gauge is .729", and for each different choke tube, it goes down about .008-.010". Self-defence, them a cylinder bore or improved would be my choice. For deer hunting I would use a Modified, but that would be the limit.

12 gauge. close range hogs. I'll go with improved, thanks.


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Re: Choke for buckshot question [Re: activescrape] #7970066 09/11/20 06:31 PM
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Originally Posted by activescrape
Is there any special choke for a Rem 870 to use when shooting 00 buckshot? Thanks.


As a rule of thumb open chokes are recommended for shooting buck shot, however, I have guns with full chokes and modified chokes that shoot very tight patterns with 00buck. If your 870 has a RemChoke. Try the improved cylinder and modified choke with the same 00Bk to see which patterns better. 3” Magnum ( if your gun is chambered for it) may not pattern as well as 2 3/4” Magnum or regular 9 pellet 00Bk. Different manufacturers also tend to pattern differently. Find the brand and size that works best in your gun.


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Re: Choke for buckshot question [Re: Texas Dan] #7970110 09/11/20 07:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Texas Dan
Have no idea what makes it "improved" over a plain (no choke) cylinder.
Improved means it is a slightly tighter choke. So improved cylinder is between cylinder and modified, and improved modified is between modified and full. There are also light versions which are slightly more open chokes. In the over under that I dove hunt with I have light modified and improved modified chokes screwed in right now.


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Re: Choke for buckshot question [Re: activescrape] #7970138 09/11/20 07:53 PM
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Start with improved choke and see how it patterns, if you don't like it, try another. Buckshot especially seems to do unexpected things in choke tubes. Buckshot with the Federal flight control was is the tightest pattern I have found of any buckshot.

Re: Choke for buckshot question [Re: activescrape] #7970146 09/11/20 08:00 PM
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For shotgunning pigs, I shoot 3 1/2" magnum 00 buck with an extra full turkey choke. Kicks like a mule, but hits HARD and shoots a tight pattern.

Re: Choke for buckshot question [Re: activescrape] #7970208 09/11/20 08:44 PM
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I have had very good tight patterns using a Turkey choke.

Re: Choke for buckshot question [Re: activescrape] #7970235 09/11/20 09:03 PM
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First off to the OP thank you for wanting to get the best performance out of your shotgun and your buckshot. Most people shoot whatever buckshot and whatever choke without pattern testing and wonder why they never find the animal or sometimes even hit the animal.

In the 870s with 00 Buckshot I have had the tightest patterns with a .690 Extra Full Choke. The one I am currently using is the Carlson's Sporting Clays Extra Full .690 in Stainless Steel.

I would start with a .700 Full Choke, see how it patterns, then step up to a .690 and compare patterns. IME (99% of my shotgun shooting is with buckshot and slugs) anything tighter than .690 with 00 Buckshot is too much choke, which distorts the pellets making them out of round, which increases pattern size and decreases pellets in the center of the pattern where you want them.

Pattern testing with multiple brands of 00 Buckshot and trying different chokes to find the tightest pattern will dramatically increase your chances of taking big game with a shotgun.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr


"Whitetail Deer are extinct because of rifles with telescopes mounted on them." - My 11th Grade English Teacher
Re: Choke for buckshot question [Re: activescrape] #7971033 09/12/20 05:27 PM
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Depends on the gun. Those from yesteryear wrote a lot about buckshot and chances are, since it isn't used that much any more, their writing will never be bettered. (bested?) Several of these old time writers tried the WWI trench guns and I don't think they had any choke at all and they seemed to pattern better than anything else. My dad started out in WWII as POW guard of Rommel's Afrika Corp because he could speak German to a degree- around San Antonio I think. In any event they used those old trench guns. He shot at a wood barn wall at 30 ish yards, the whole load blew out a hole the size of your hand- no strays. Now a days with backbores and all sorts of stuff, as I said, you really have to test each gun.
I've known some folks that rave about #1 buck-harder to find but they claim it patterns the best. You might therefore try some different loads. It is EXPENSIVE trust me. Try some #0 buck as well.
If you are in dense country- some areas of south Texas or the piney woods- you might do okay with buckshot. IMHO it is a 30 yard deal however there are places where 30 yards is an average shooting distance. Years ago dogs were used on deer- sort of like rabbit hunting. You took a post and the dogs knew what to do- drive the deer to you. You have to enjoy the dogs, otherwise not really a form of hunting most like.

Re: Choke for buckshot question [Re: activescrape] #7971088 09/12/20 06:30 PM
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I will also ad this - If you have a rifled slug barrel on your 870, DO NOT waste your time trying to shoot any buckshot loads. The rotation imparted to the cup/wad throws them like a knuckleball! At 25 yards, they will be 2 feet low and 2 feet to the right in my 870 with a Hastings barrel. In my partner's Benelli SBE they were even worse!

Re: Choke for buckshot question [Re: activescrape] #7978541 09/18/20 12:34 AM
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Yeah, buckshot might be great for law enforcement, etc. but in hunting, very limited application AND if a nice buck appears farther out, you will be kicking yourself for using buckshot.

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