18 replies to this topic

[ehd]

I did some patterning yesterday with my Benneli Super blk eagle with a 26" barrel. All 3" stuff. All at 45 yards And tried 3 differant chokes , IM, Full and a patternmaster wadstripper. I had some lappping done on the barrel and the factory full choke. This made a huge improvrment for my gun shot to the right . This solved that problem. On to the testing I tried 3 loads, Remington wingmaster H D in T shot ,BB shot. Also tried fedral premium number 4 buckshot copper plated. To sum it up rather quickly the full choke with T shot did the best for me. I only count pellets in a 5 "circle and the T had 6 in that zone. The bbs looked good until you put the circle around the poa. number 4 buck had one pellet in. All did pattern consistantly however. My guess with a real tight choke .670 ish? that bb would be the dream load. also once again I tried some dead coyote , and no consistancy to the patterns. It went from real good to real bad shot to shot. I play with another choke ,but go with the ts for now.

[woodog]

. . . also once again I tried some dead coyote , and no consistancy to the patterns. It went from real good to real bad shot to shot. I play with another choke ,but go with the ts for now.

Good info ehd. Tell us more about the lapping process. I have a Mossberg Tactical Turkey shotgun the shoots about 10 inches high and to the left at 40 yards with both the stock turkey choke and a Carlson DC choke which leads me to believe that it is the barrel and not the chokes that is causing the problem. I finally mounted a red dot scope because there was not enough adjustment in the sights of compensate.

[ehd]

I havent seen him do it ,but its a series of stone brushes much like lapping ,( honing) a engine cylinder. Also Dead coyote tends to shoot rather high. Matter of fact I had to put a much taller front bead on when I shot that stuff. The smaller shot BB, Ts, seem not to mind getting choked down really tight. The energy test was quite impressive with the Remington stuff. As good or better than dead coyote.

[dabob]

Good post ehd! I really like the Remington Wingmaster HD 3" BB load also. I only did one penetration test and the Rem HD BB's out penetrated the Hevi-Shot Dead coyote. Plus there was 23 more pellets in the Rem HD loads than there was in the Hevi-Shot Dead Coyote loads that I opened up and counted.

[ehd]

Good post ehd! I really like the Remington Wingmaster HD 3" BB load also. I only did one penetration test and the Rem HD BB's out penetrated the Hevi-Shot Dead coyote. Plus there was 23 more pellets in the Rem HD loads than there was in the Hevi-Shot Dead Coyote loads that I opened up and counted.

Yes ,I am hoping to make this my load. I just need to refine my pattern with it. I also would love to try it with a really tight choke.

[Shoot-it]

I am planning on using my beretta to hunt coyotes and i will be using 3" so what have you decided to go with ehd.I tried some 3" oo buck threw my full choke at 40 yards it did good.

[ShooterJohn]

Any particular reason why you aren't using #4buck instead of 00buck? Those pellets get kind of spaced out with 00.

[Jeff]

I did some patterning this weekend. I shot many loads at 30 yards with varying chokes and loads for both coyote and duck. coyote loads...rem super full or turkey choke...Tested the dead 3" coyote, federal copper plated 3 1/2" T shot, and remington 3" #4 buck, Federal 3 1/2" lead #3's (turkey load) out of an 11-87...hands down it was the rem's at 30 yards. VERY Close runner up was the turkey load.For duck, I tested the Winchester 3" Super X loads in 2 shot, Kent 3" in 3 and 4 shot, and the Remington Dry Locks in 3" number 3's...with a modified choke out of the 11-87...hands down it was the Kent #4's at 30 yards. Second runner up...dry locks.00 buck will give you less of a chance of hitting the target with an average of only 15 pellets per 3 " load.EDIT: John, you beat me.

[Shoot-it]

give me a break that was all I could find around town . I don't live in a big city not much to choose from out here. I am going to test the 4 buck and bbb when I find some.

[ShooterJohn]

I can't find it either and bought two cases several years ago. The only place to get it is online and have it shipped.

[bzzrd feedr]

Jeff Try 2 3/4" Kent #4's. I've found that they kick way less and there is only like 9 pellets and 15 fps difference. It's all I use and works/patterns real well IMHO.

[Thumper Dunker]

give me a break that was all I could find around town . I don't live in a big city not much to choose from out here. I am going to test the 4 buck and bbb when I find some.

Great report Erick.Hey cow keeper I got some #4 buck loaded . But only 2 3/4" they work good in my old 870.

[Jeff]

Jeff Try 2 3/4" Kent #4's. I've found that they kick way less and there is only like 9 pellets and 15 fps difference. It's all I use and works/patterns real well IMHO.

I was debating on buying a case of 2 3/4" Kent's this year now that my case of 3"ers are gone. I might give them a try. I really believe in Kent's. The two guys that I hunt with swear against them, but to each their own.

[Gunorea]

If these are for ducks, I say get the Kent's in 3in but try to get the ones with 1 3/8 oz or 1 1/4 oz minimum.

[StoneTower]

I was debating on buying a case of 2 3/4" Kent's this year now that my case of 3"ers are gone. I might give them a try. I really believe in Kent's. The two guys that I hunt with swear against them, but to each their own.

Some guys don't like Kent shells because they have had shells that did not fire. One of my friends was complaining on a duck hunting trip and I took a look at his shell. It looked like it had been wet half a dozen times. When I go where my shells might get wet, I devide then into ziplock bags (5 to a bag). I try to mark the bags so that I shoot up the older shells and don't end up with some that go on several trips and get abused. This particular friend keeps them in his hunting coat and is short enough that when we walk out in the pond, his coat pockets get wet. I have shot thousands of shotgun shells and have never has a misfire in either factory or my reloaded shells. I got busy at the end of the season this year and did not have time to reload. I finished off the season using Kent 3" 1 1/8 #3's and had very good luck.Best of luck,David

[Rich Cronk]

I did some patterning yesterday with my Benneli Super blk eagle with a 26" barrel. All 3" stuff. All at 45 yards And tried 3 differant chokes , IM, Full and a patternmaster wadstripper. I had some lappping done on the barrel and the factory full choke. This made a huge improvrment for my gun shot to the right . This solved that problem. On to the testing I tried 3 loads, Remington wingmaster H D in T shot ,BB shot. Also tried fedral premium number 4 buckshot copper plated. To sum it up rather quickly the full choke with T shot did the best for me. I only count pellets in a 5 "circle and the T had 6 in that zone. The bbs looked good until you put the circle around the poa. number 4 buck had one pellet in. All did pattern consistantly however. My guess with a real tight choke .670 ish? that bb would be the dream load. also once again I tried some dead coyote , and no consistancy to the patterns. It went from real good to real bad shot to shot. I play with another choke ,but go with the ts for now.

I did some pattern testing awhile back with my new Beretta Extrema2. Here is one of my best 50 yard patterns with Winchester 3&1/2" #4 BUCK.

[ehd]

your looking at one sorry coyote!!!

[Rich Cronk]

your looking at one sorry coyote!!!

ehd,Yes, that combo is a real slammer. I have spent a lot of time and money on various choke tubes while searching for the most dense pattern for my two serious coyote shotguns. The above pattern was shot with a Kicks Industries .680 tube. It isn't too tough to get 40 yard "sure kill" patterns from a good 12 gauge and screw-in choke tubes. Much beyond that range, things start to get iffy. For maybe ten years or so, I used my Browning BPS "Game Gun" with a Hastings .655 tube. I obtained an honest 45 yard sure kill range on coyotes with copper plated and buffered BB's. Every shotgun is different, but I have yet to see a shotgun obtain the 70 plus sure kill range that Hevi shot claims. I think my Beretta is a coyote killer out to 60 yards with 3&1/2" Hevi-shot T's, or Winchester's 3&1/2" #4 BUCK. I have a friend who claims much longer kill ranges on coyotes with #4 BUCK, but he has never actually patterned his gun so I just shake my head and grin.

[Jeff]

Some guys don't like Kent shells because they have had shells that did not fire. One of my friends was complaining on a duck hunting trip and I took a look at his shell. It looked like it had been wet half a dozen times. When I go where my shells might get wet, I devide then into ziplock bags (5 to a bag). I try to mark the bags so that I shoot up the older shells and don't end up with some that go on several trips and get abused. This particular friend keeps them in his hunting coat and is short enough that when we walk out in the pond, his coat pockets get wet. I have shot thousands of shotgun shells and have never has a misfire in either factory or my reloaded shells. I got busy at the end of the season this year and did not have time to reload. I finished off the season using Kent 3" 1 1/8 #3's and had very good luck.Best of luck,David

My two friends that do not like them say it's because they send off too much burnt powder (miraculously they don't do it in any of my shotguns) and they don't pattern well (yet, they have never patterned their guns). They say they kill more ducks with "yada, yada"...well, I just tell them it's the day and the shooting, nothing to do with Kent's or the load their using since you can't say much without knowing for sure (patterning).