Lets talk choke tubes for a minute

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gobigorgohome

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Currently I am shooting a Benelli SBE2 LH, my "go to" choke tube is the Patternmaster extended range, for geese or birds that dont like to commit, it does wonders. But the pattern is too tight for ducks and upland. Patterning my gun using all the Benelli factory chokes, with a dozen brands of shot, the patternmaster still gives ne the nost cobsistent pattern, everythung else tends to have 3-5 perpetrating to stick together in little groups.

So here is my question.... Should I buy a patternmaster choke tube that is meant for closer range? Is there a other brands of tubes I should look into? I am a firm believer that if your shells, gun and pattern are perfect on paper, then its purely your own fault when you miss!
 
Keep the industry alive. Buy more chokes! In all honesty ive never had an issue with factory chokes not breaking targets or riddling birds with pellets out to 30 or 35 yards no matter how dense or sparse they looked on paper. Paper gives you a 2d image whereas the shot cloud is 3d. That timing of the string string is just if not more important. I have specail purpose chokes and even custom made chokes for special tasks like turkey or card cutting but i use factory chokes most the time. If you can afford to try other chokes go for it. Pattern on paper and water if you can. Water will show the timing of the pattern and give an idea of shot string length.
 
Google Neil Winston, he has done extensive testing on a wide variety of chokes/loads, you'll be surprised by his results.
 
x2 on Neil Winston's research.
Choke tube promoters are the biggest snake oil salesmen in the firearms field, right after ammunition manufacturers who claim to use low recoil powder.
Pattern testing choke pattern performance requires statistical analysis of at least ten patterns per variable being tested, ideally with a program that does the tedious job of counting pellet strikes optically.
 
I've done tons of pattern testing with steel waterfoul ammo, primarily the bigger shot sizes. I do find an extended choke seems more consistant than the flush factory's. Although with good ammo they will do well also. I have a couple pattern masters they do well and they work a bit different than a purely constriction choke. I have a bunch of extended carlsons for my guns cause it's easier to change them out in the field than a flush mount. The carlsons are a way better bang for the buck than the patternmaster if you ask me. I wouldnt be getting more PM.

Last patternmaster I bought for my versamax a code black goose. Just a few shots of bbb steel had it bulged. They replaced it and said nothing bigger than bb through it. Bb didnt pattern well at all. 2 was very tight at 40. 3 and 4 steel was more useable filling out the 30 inch circle a little better but still tight. I didnt buy an expensive "goose" choke to shoot 2s and 3s. I also have older patternmaster in a 870 that's not as tight and does a great job at 40 yards with bb and 2. For me I'd rather get the carlson 3 pack waterfoul than a single PM. Price is similar. If your a goose hunter youd want the 3 pack over the 2 as the 2 pack does not include what carlsons calls a close range, or imp cylender to us normal guys. Big steel shot often does better with the imp cylender than even the mod when we go bigger than bb. I find ammo more important than the choke as far as good patterns go.
 
There's a lot of variation when it comes to shotguns and ammunition. Shotgun bores vary, the transition from chamber to barrel and barrel to choke tube varies, choke constrictions vary from one manufacturer to another, and ammunition can pattern differently from one shotgun to the next, even with the same constriction of choke. What works and patterns well out of one gun with a certain choke might pattern like crap from another. The only real way to find what works is to pattern it from your shotgun, with the load you're planning on using. If you're having good results with a pattern master choke but you want a bigger spread, I think going with another PM choke is a good place to start.
 
What shells are you using .from my experience the pm chokes work well will loads 1400 fps or less and have a regular steel shot wad . Any faster or loads with flight control wads don't pattern worth a damn .
 
rembolt said:
What shells are you using .from my experience the pm chokes work well will loads 1400 fps or less and have a regular steel shot wad . Any faster or loads with flight control wads don't pattern worth a damn .
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Actually Patternmaster considers 1550fps or less as ideal. I use the Kent 1560fps loads, and they pattern very well.
 
stubblejumper said:
Actually Patternmaster considers 1550fps or less as ideal. I use the Kent 1560fps loads, and they pattern very well.
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I tried a few shots with the patternmaster and they shot SUPER low. Like, to the point i would have to aim a foot over a goose's head at 40yrds. Using 1450fps rounds. I switched to my modified and it shot point of aim. Not as dense but at least it hits where i point it.
 
53Izzy744 said:
I tried a few shots with the patternmaster and they shot SUPER low. Like, to the point i would have to aim a foot over a goose's head at 40yrds. Using 1450fps rounds. I switched to my modified and it shot point of aim. Not as dense but at least it hits where i point it.
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I patterned my SX-3s with the Patternmaster Code Black, at 50 yards, and the point of impact was right where it should be. The pattern changed when I changed choke tubes, but the POI stayed the same.
 
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