Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Choke for buckshot

Wasn’t sure which sub forum best for the question. I’ll start here.

I have a stash of 00 buck, and an auto loader I’d like to be able to hold a pattern tight enough to 50 yards that would take out K9 sized critters or torsos of 2-leggeds if called upon for it. Chokes I have that came with the gun are good to 20 yards but past that not so hot. I realize the ammo selection could play a big part in pattern performance.

Not looking to debate caliber or shot size or any of that, what I have is what I have. Just wondering if one of the buckshot specific chokes was worth it and which one? Poking around I’ve found the Carlson’s and the kicks buck kicker.

Thanks

Trade them off for steel T's then use improved cyl choke should good from 35 -45 yds. Will it work? Can't say for on dogs and bipeds but they bring down snow geese and they are pc non tox. BGG you know I wouldn't sh*t you....mb

Full choke
And generally the longer the better

One way to find out. Piece of paper of size appropriate, staked at range of choice. Give it a shot with IC and Full...you’ll see a sign. Loads and chokes are different landscapes for all scatterguns.

Yeah. I know the process, just wondering if anybody had a specific recommendations or good/bad experiences with the buck specific chokes I’ve seen out there before I start dropping coin.

Lol

I have 2 shotguns that I use Coyote hunting, I had the same dilemma as you a bunch of 00Buck.
I tried every choke tube that came with both guns with no success, they patterned like schitt !!!!!!!
I tinkered around until I found something that worked #4Buck with a full choke works awesome in both

I used to shoot woodchucks with 3" 12ga No 4 Buck Shot through an Improved choke. It would roll them at 45 yrds. I found that anything tighter gave me too small a pattern when they were inside 15yrds and running through the grass. This was 20 some years ago, but I seem to recall the recall the recoil between mod and improved to be marked. I don't know what you've got for an auto, but I'd recommend gas operated.

I'd start with Modified and go from there.

Yeah, it’s a crapshoot. Read plenty that say too tight a constriction with the bigger shot ends up negative affecting pattern, and some tighter the better. Of the 3 chokes it came with full patterns tightest so far. Just looking to extend my range as far as I can.

Suggestions? Sure. 2-3/4" shells, stay away from 00 Buck. Smaller be better.

In my locker are 3 shotguns for consideration. The 12 bore Win Mod 50 patterns buck well, incl 00. Will vaporize a grapefruit at 30 yards. OTOH, the IC barrel presents a very uniform and consistent pattern of about 20" at 30 yards with smaller buckshot.

The 20 ga Ithaca 37 dotes on the IC tube for #3 buck. It has never failed to kill a hog at ranges of 15-40 yards. Boom-flop

The Beretta 686 dotes on an IC/Mod choke pair and I prefer to splatter the nearby pigs with the IC and swat'm on the butt with the Mod as they depart. Boom-boom-flop-flop. #0 or #4 buck

What choke do the police use in their riot shotguns?

The only shotgun I have left is a 21” Benelli M1 and it does best with improved modified and #4 buck. Never tried 00.

The Kick's Buckkicker is usually about Improved Modified for your particular guns barrel constriction. That should be about .025" constriction from your nominal bore size. The longer ported choke theoretically should improve patterns by stabilizing the shot for a longer period of time and adding more gradual constriction and by retarding or stripping the wad away from the shot pellets as they exit the bore. Works great as long as you aren't using a shell with the Flight Control wad system. A load like the Federal Tactical with Flight Control wad will usually do best with a choke with a little less constriction and one that doesn't strip the wad.

00 Buck has a problem in that the pellet count is too low to keep the pattern concentrated at long ranges. The gaps between pellets gets too wide and fewer pellet strikes means less damage and effectiveness. Number 1 Buck is a big step toward a better load in normal lead shot pellets. A 2.75" No. 1 Buck shell has 16 .30 caliber pellets to compare to the 00 Buck 9 pellet load of .32 caliber pellets. More pellets of nearly the same size tilt the odds for multiple pellet strikes heavily in the No. 1 Buck's favor. Number 4 Buck works great on coyotes and such. No. 4 Buck is a .24 caliber pellet and the 2.75" load has 27 pellets. The 3" 12 gauge No. Four Buck load of 41 pellets has been a coyote hunters favorite for a long long time. The FBI used to issue the 27 pellet No. Four Buck load but quit after several shootings in which they cited limited penetration of the smaller .24 caliber pellets caused poor immediate incapacitation of violent suspects. Take that for what it is worth to you for your situation.

In my experience a full choke is too tight for good buckshot patterns

Most use improved cylinder or cylinder with 00 buck. Too restrictive /tight of choke may cause damage?

Not with common lead shot. Even in 00 Buck size a full choke is safe with lead shot. Tungsten or steel is another story.

May ve safe but the full choke opens patterns

The only 00 buck that ever shot well for me in any choke past 25 yards (IMO) is the Federal with the FliteControl wad, which is the cat's ass, my friend. The cat's ass, with a Cyl. or IC choke.

With any other 00 buck, it's Mod. or Full, depending on what the big sheets of paper tell me.

00 Buck patterns best in my Rem 1187 with the Cyl. or IC choke. The Full choke may be to restrictive for 00 Buck. I know it might not make sense but the more open the choke, the better the 00 buck shoots in my gun. The Full choke shoots #1 buck really well. I'm sure ammo manufacture and barrel length may make a difference.

"in my gun" is the key statement there.