12 gauge choke selection help

[MikeD]

OK here are my results from todays outing:

Gun used. Mossberg 835 equipped with a Mossberg 500A cantilever smoothbore barrel with a Primos Tight Wad (.660) choke tube and Bushnell TRS-25 red dot. (This is the barrel I reamed and tapped for choke tubes in my DIY thread.) The attachment on the barrel is a camera bracket I was playing with.

All of the following test targets were patterned from 20 yards and 40 yards:

Longbeard 3" #5 shot

Longbeard 3" #6 Shot (this was actually one of my first shots and was still working on centering the red dot which is why the shot is centered a little to the right)

Remington Nitro Turkey 3# #6 shot

Winchester Super X 2.75# "6 shot

I have to say I was very impressed with the Longbeard loads, esp the #6's at 40 yards. I did not actually count the number pf pellets but the coverage was pretty good. At 20 yards you better be spot on or you will miss.

Edit: Quick video of testing barrel mounted ATN Shotcam: I was not going for production value here, just trying to see what it looked like from 20-40 yards and what the recoil was going to look like.

Second shot was at top target, camera needs to be aimed up a bit.

 

[John A.]

Very good Mike.

Once the choke comes in next week, I'm going to try some reloads. Some 2-3/4" shells using 1-1/4 oz #6 lead shot with hornady versatite wads in both chokes. I'm hoping to get decent coverage with them too. I think the velocity is in the 1400 fps territory.

I may have a few other types of shells I can try, but the reloads are likely what I'll be using. I get pretty decent coverage with them in that gun.

 

[John A.]

Forgot to add, it looks like reaming the barrel and threading it for a choke didn't hurt it any. Those are some decent patterns.

 

[MikeD]

Just for grins I also shot a federal field load from the 40 yard mark into a clean target. This was a low brass 2.75" #7.5 shot. I had a lot in the target but only 5-6 in the kill zone of the bird. I was using them early on to fine tune the red dot a little after bore sighting it. I was just curious as to how well it would pattern at that distance. Probably good enough to take down a woodcock grouse or pheasant but I definitely would not use it for turkey.

I was very impressed with how well it worked. The red dot was not to far off from where the bore sight zeroed. A couple inches low and left at 20 yards, which could be due to the bore sight laser being slightly off as well. I usually test zero on these by spinning them in a drill but the 12G is too big for my drill chuck. LOL

I through a slug in the box as well to see where that would hit but forgot to throw in a more open choke. I have no worries about blowing up the gun but didn't feel the undue stress on the choke/threads was worth it for just playing around.

I have been very happy with this choke tube. Some pattern better than others but nothing I have shot through it has really been horrible. I do not think I have shot a turkey round yet that would not be deadly at 30 yards of less. I like 20-25 yards, but having a little extra for those birds that hang up a little is nice too.

 

[Rossignol]

Nice work, thanks for putting all the time you did in to those! I love seeing patterns.

You're right about those LongBeard loads at closer distances. One could certainly miss. I have a 25 yard pattern my daughter shot when she was getting the feel for the load and aiming with the fiber optic sights. I didn't count the pellets because I think they were all in 10". I'll have to find that. We too went with the LongBeard specifically because of a Tom that won't come out of the tree line. We haven't been able to close the deal with him yet. I've been trying to work on my calling and my set up, use a blind-without a blind, one decoy-a decoy hen and a jake... but I'm happy to have the extra reach if we can get him to stick his neck out.

To tie all this in with the point of the post, this is why I went with the tighter choke tube too. Our set up here hasn't lent to closer shots being possible.

John, I'm very interested in how your home loads work! I've still got the bug to load my own but haven't been able to make the initial investment yet.

 

[Rossignol]

I found the 25 yard pattern my daughter shot. It's a 1" circle at 25 yards with the truglo and LongBeard #5. We've since gone to the #6s solely.

My daughter at 18 years old, 5'3" and 100 pounds shooting 3" 12 gauge magnum loads. She's wicked awesome.

 

[John A.]

I got the new choke, and I'm definitely going to have to pattern the gun.

I only got 7 pellets in a 3 inch circle at 25 yards.

At 45 yards, 3 pellets.

This was point of aim, and why I am going to have to pattern the gun so I can find out where I need to hold at.

 

[MikeD]

I got the new choke, and I'm definitely going to have to pattern the gun.

I only got 7 pellets in a 3 inch circle at 25 yards.

At 45 yards, 3 pellets.

This was point of aim, and why I am going to have to pattern the gun so I can find out where I need to hold at.

I'm guessing you are not using any type of adjustable sight. I bore sighted mine and aligned the dot and laser at 30 yards then still fired several rounds of bird-shot to dial it in before starting with the turkey loads.

Maybe I've just been lucky but the guns I have used without adj sights have patterned pretty close to the POA with just the bead.

 

[John A.]

It's just a front and mid bead barrel. Vent rib.

But I'm seriously thinking about drilling and tapping the gun for a red dot.

I have a red dot on my 500, but I'm not a huge fan of the added weight or aggravation that goes along with an electronic dot on a scattergun.

I can tear pop cans in half with a single shot with the full choke though just the way it sits.

I'm going to try a few more shots with both chokes back to back and see what's what with it before deciding.

I'm going to assume that the new choke just shifted the pattern, but I have to get time to go back and check some more.