waterfowl full choke??

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12many

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thunder bay
okay i have 2 shot guns, a single shot and a semi both fixed full choke
a coeey 12 guage and a beretta 301 12 guage.

i was hoping to get a new pump with chokes but broke my ride and need to fix it

anyone know if i can safley hunt with non toxic in these guns. season opens soon!!

i,ve been a brid hunter for years but never ducks so i always used lead.:confused:
 
You can't use steel, you risk bulging your bbl and it doesn't pattern properly through a full choke. I think there are non toxic alternatives(Bismuth/Hevi shot??) that can be fired thru the fixed choke. I also have a Beretta 301 with fixed full choke, and I haven't had it reamed out for steel yet, so I may try one. I suspect it might be pricey stuff, so it might be cheaper in the long run to get your full choke opened up.
 
Non-steel alternative shot can be fired out of a full choke but the price of it is very expensive. About 50% more per box of 25. You can find some a little cheaper then what I just said but most I've seen are about half again as much. I also noticed it was hard to locate some for me locally as if I wanted some I'd have to order it online as no local dealers carried any. I was able to get me a BPS in duck blind camo with 3 chokes in 3" for this waterfowl season. I wish you luck in finding the ammo and in hunting this year.

Cheers
CK.
 
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12many, the shells you need are the Kent tungsten - matrix loads. They are available from almost any Kent dealer. Be prepared for sticker shock, but they can be shot from either of your shotguns and are at least as effective as lead.

Sharptail
 
The guy just said he is broke he cannot afford to shoot 2-3 dollar shells at a bird and chance missing.

Steel is expensive enough at $0.75 to 1 a shell.
 
The Kent ammo is more like $4 per shot . I have tried to locate some Nice Ammo but it seems like no dealers in Saskatchewan stocks it. It may be a little less expensive.
 
The best thing would be to have a gun smith put in a screw in choke system. As $$$$ is a concern for you a gun smith can hone out the choke in your barrel to the correct dimensions for a Mod choke. This is likely the cheapest way to have a modified choke in your barrel. I had this done to an older Baikal SxS one barrel honed to IC and the Other Mod. As the gun was only 2 3/4 I had no problems shooting steel as a matter of fact it patterned quite well.
Wayne
 
I've had full chokes opened up to a Modified choke at the gun store for $30. It's probably going to be the cheapes way to go. Only problem is, it's permanent.
 
If the 301 has a chrome lined barrel ( some do) then you might be ok for steel shot if opened to modified. Smiths usually charge a bit more to open these up. Best bet is to taket to a good gunsmith and ask him if it's safe. The advice you get here will only be our opinions.
In my humble opinion.
Cheers/luck, John
 
that is just what i needed to hear, premium loads for this guy!!!
this is just for start of season, not going to permanently shoot this stuff.

new scatter gun soon soon as pickup truck and big rig get fixed


thanks guys . canadian tire or wallymart stock any such loads??
 
12many said:
thanks guys . canadian tire or wallymart stock any such loads??
Click to expand...

No, they're available from gun shops and the like.

Tungsten Matrix -> Commercial shells in stock at a few shops. You may have to order from a Kent Cartridge dealer. (the T-M shells are still available from Kent in the 2009 catalogue. Shot sizes 1, 3, & 5. Also available in boxes of 10 in #5 or #6 shot for 12, 16 or 20 ga. !!)

Bismuth -> No longer available. In Canada, was sold as loose shot to reloaders.

"Nice" shot -> New. Available soon if not already in bulk for reloaders.
 
If you are opening up your barrel to modified, and are looking to get some Federal BlackCloud ammo (considered by many to the best steel shot on the market) CRAFM will be getting some in at a reasonable price.
 
12many said:
that is just what i needed to hear, premium loads for this guy!!!
this is just for start of season, not going to permanently shoot this stuff.

new scatter gun soon soon as pickup truck and big rig get fixed


thanks guys . canadian tire or wallymart stock any such loads??
Click to expand...

You can't get stuff like tungsten-matrix or bismuth at Cambodian Tire...if they were an ice cream parlour, all you'd be able to buy there is vanilla and chocolate :p
 
Chuckbuster said:
You can't get stuff like tungsten-matrix or bismuth at Cambodian Tire...if they were an ice cream parlour, all you'd be able to buy there is vanilla and chocolate :p
Click to expand...

i looked and they have premium ultra shock high density waterfowl at cdn tire

10 for $30

its supposed to be atungsten copper mix i think.

will this work in full chioke
 
12many said:
i looked and they have premium ultra shock high density waterfowl at cdn tire

10 for $30

its supposed to be atungsten copper mix i think.

will this work in full chioke
Click to expand...

Federal's Premium Ultra-Shok High Density Waterfowl IS
a non-toxic load. It IS NOT a lead substitute, but rather, a steel substitute. It is approved for steel-rated barrels only.

While steel shot was the first commercially viable non-toxic lead substitute, it was never as good as lead from an effectiveness point of view. Substantially lighter than lead, it doesn't retain anywhere close to the terminal energy of lead. For this reason, manufacturers are still working at developing non-tox steel substitutes that offer performance similar to lead.

What you need is a lead substitute, not at steel substitute. Virtually your only choice in a commercial load at this point is Kent Cartridge's Tungsten Matrix product. (While the Federal product contains tungsten, too, it is made to be as hard as steel, whereas the Kent T-M product is engineered to be as soft as lead.)
 
I had a reputable gunsmith in the Ottawa area tell me to go ahead and shoot steel in my Cooey single 12ga. His rationale was that it would cost $40 to ream the choke and that's close to what the gun is worth. Worst case situation is a small bulge - he had no safety concerns. It seems a bit sacreligious, but it would be the cheapest solution.
 
Thank you CGN. Just sent my XL900 off to be reamed out (and cleaned). Total cost $60, get it back by the weekend. Was only shooting #4s through it but had a box of BBB sitting in the truck in case I happened on some geese (sounds like it's a good thing that didn't happen).
 
12many said:
okay i have 2 shot guns, a single shot and a semi both fixed full choke
a coeey 12 guage and a beretta 301 12 guage.

i was hoping to get a new pump with chokes but broke my ride and need to fix it

anyone know if i can safley hunt with non toxic in these guns. season opens soon!!

i,ve been a brid hunter for years but never ducks so i always used lead.:confused:
Click to expand...

I would get the choke opened up to a light modified constriction by a competent gunsmith. It will give you IM patterns with steel, and more open patterns for upland hunting with lead, which IMHO are much more desirable in most upland hunting situation. Your only downside is that the gun will no longer be usable as a turkey gun.

With tungsten shot running close to 5 dollars per cartridge, the modification will pay for itself pretty quickly.

Just my 2 cents worth.
 
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