I was wondering if any of you waterfowlers could give me an idea of the pattern I might expect from the following combination. I may buy the choke and load to use for coyotes if you say it could give me better range/pattern density than copper plated 4's from an ulti-full choke out of the same gun.

Gun: Mossberg 835 w/ 28" tube
Choke: Mossberg X-full T&F (steel only)
Load: Federal drylock 3.5" T (82 pellets? I think its a 1 9/16 oz load)

As you may have guessed, I have minimal experience with steel, and hevi-shot is out of my price range.

360BE

I am not sure that I understand your question. Are you looking for a load for Coyote or waterfowl? Putting steel through a x-full choke is a no no and have never heard of an x-full being aproved for steel but I could very easily be wrong. If you are looking for a coyote load with a shotgun, I would not suggest using steel, I would use buckshot and if that is for some reason not an option then it depends on the distance. If your talkin aboput shooting coyotes within 40 yards, the 4's would be good, it its within 60 yds, I guess you could use the T's but I have never personally heard of using steel on Coyotes but I dont know. IF you are looking for a waterfowl load then u will have to use the steel. As for patternig, I couldent tell you, but steel is usually best shot through a modefied. Like I said, I am not real sure of your question and Im not sure of my answer either.

-Ken

Shooting steel unless that coyote is awfully close or you hit him in the head you will almost certainly not recover him IMO.
Forget it.

If you want better killing patterns at longer ranges, load or use premium lead buckshot loads.

Thanks for the input guys. Figured it would not be a good option, but I try to stay open to anything that may work.

Mossberg does make and sell a choke tube for the 835 that they label as x-full for T and F steel shot.

It was just a shot in the dark, thanks again for the input.

Brandon