What's the best choke to use for waterfowl, more specifically mallards and pintails. any wear from 30-50 yards. Right now I have an IC, but was thinking of going to IM. I hunt over decoys and do puddle hopping. I put rocks in my pocket, throw a stone to get them to flush. Very seldom do I have to throw the stone.
Waterfowl choke
- Thread starter happykal
- Start date
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I mostly use modified, but some guns shoot IC the same as some Modified, some Improved Modified chokes shoot the same as modified, some modified chokes shoot more open or more tightly etc. What pattern do you want? have you patterned your gun with your loads at the distance you expect to shoot? that is the only real answer.
Turkeyslayer 1300
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Russell, Ontario
I'd limit your shots to 40 yards or less, I shoot a Light Modified in my Overbore browning for all my waterfowling, I usually wish for less choke in the early season.
I have killed Mallards and pretty fair distances on the St.Lawrence and had no reason to complain.
I have killed Mallards and pretty fair distances on the St.Lawrence and had no reason to complain.
You never mentioned what type shot you are using, so I assume steel.
Modified works best for all around shooting with steel, and i/c or skeet over decoys.
Heavy shot brands work well with modified choke but also good with full.
Modified works best for all around shooting with steel, and i/c or skeet over decoys.
Heavy shot brands work well with modified choke but also good with full.
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
Pick a quality brand of ammo ( or better yet, 2 or 3 ) and pattern each of them
on 4' x4' paper at a measured (not guessed or paced-off) 30, 40 and 50 yards through I.Cyl., Modified and Full chokes. I think you'll find some pretty sketchy patterns with big steel shot out at 50 yards.... but you should really see and determine that for yourself.
You'll likely find as most do, that 40 to 45 yards is about it for effective pattern
densities with the right choke - and that choke might well be a tad tight in at 20 or 25 yards. Getting steel to work consistantly for you beyond 40 yards generally takes a fair bit of experiance and a measure of good luck to boot.
Keep your shots between 25 and 35 yards with steel 2's over decoys or while jump shooting, through the right choke and you'll have considerable more success than trying to stretch the range to maximums.
on 4' x4' paper at a measured (not guessed or paced-off) 30, 40 and 50 yards through I.Cyl., Modified and Full chokes. I think you'll find some pretty sketchy patterns with big steel shot out at 50 yards.... but you should really see and determine that for yourself.
You'll likely find as most do, that 40 to 45 yards is about it for effective pattern
densities with the right choke - and that choke might well be a tad tight in at 20 or 25 yards. Getting steel to work consistantly for you beyond 40 yards generally takes a fair bit of experiance and a measure of good luck to boot.
Keep your shots between 25 and 35 yards with steel 2's over decoys or while jump shooting, through the right choke and you'll have considerable more success than trying to stretch the range to maximums.
I had already patterned my Remchoke overdecoys and the remchoke IC with kent fast steel 3" (#3), blackcloud 3" (#3,BB), blackcloud 3 1/2" ( BB), and Federal steel 3" (#2). Faststeel worked the best, but I didn't like the results at 35 yards. hence the search for a new choke. ...Any one pattern a Remington 870 supermag for waterfowl??? that would make this slightly easier. I've only used remchoke.
Note: I use 2's and 3's for duck, BB for geese.
Note: I use 2's and 3's for duck, BB for geese.
Turkeyslayer 1300
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Russell, Ontario
How do you find they perform at close range? Assuming you are shooting 1's .
I am using an improved modified with #4s in fasteel. That's from a mossy 835 with the overbore barrel. IC shoots like junk out of that one until you step up to BBs and then it's mediocre at best for ducks but ok for geese. Decent pattern for the size, but not enough shot for ducks to fill it in.
I've started using #2s for geese through the IM choke and it seems to work better. The shot still penetrates fully at 35 yards and I just plain don't shoot at geese much farther than that anymore. Long shots with steel risk too many cripples, IMHO.
I've started using #2s for geese through the IM choke and it seems to work better. The shot still penetrates fully at 35 yards and I just plain don't shoot at geese much farther than that anymore. Long shots with steel risk too many cripples, IMHO.
When geese are finishing in the decoys I really like these chokes (#1/#2 steel or #2/#4 hevi). I find we get less cripples, it's usually stone dead or a clean miss with the tight patterns. I find the tighter chokes/pattern also allow for much easier aiming at the head neck when shooting birds in the decoys. But if you were to centre punch a goose at 5 yards with the .675 (or even a cyc choke) the results are the same - a mess and wasted bird. These chokes of course shine on white goose hunts when most shots are 20-50 yards (except for the rossies that finish in your face at 10 yards...
We use the same chokes on duck hunts (mallards/pintails) as well (#4/#6 steel). It is a real advantage for us as the tight pattern allows us to cut out the drakes without the "scotch doubles" with a more open choke.
There are times when I have to give a decoying teal a quick 3 count before pulling the trigger in order to avoid making meat confetti but I also use it for exactly the same reasons you do. It lets me use smaller shot and the greater density has led to way fewer cripples than I experienced with larger shot and more open chokes. Plus if I do get a cripple the combination of the tight choke and my #6 Hevishot swatter loads let's me skillet shoot them at ridiculous ranges.
x2 FULL Choke #2 Steel shot
