Extended chokes anyone try them?

[swampratt]

I would like to hear of the people that used or have patterned
their shotgun with an extended choke like the "jelly head" or something.

Was it better or same as regular...what about steel shot?

 

[doctorjj]

I'd wager that the vast majority of people haven't patterned their shotgun at all. Also, most "waterfowl" extended chokes are WAY too constructive. If you are calling ducks in and getting them to decoy, then you'd be much better off, most likely, with a Briley light modified choke. If you're routinely taking 50-60 yard passing shots, then maybe you need one of the tighter chokes. I've found that the new ammo, with the different wadding and with the steel shot just naturally throws a much tighter pattern to begin with.

 

[swampratt]

I will be shooting geese and most are 40+ yards.
I quit hunting years ago for ducks and geese when they went to steel shot.
Not because of steel, but life..
Then last year i decided to go get a goose.
#4 steel was my choice...12 gauge full choke.
Wow! that sucked...(bad choice)
#4 lead would kill them quick back in the 1980's
I shook steel out of the feathers of the birds we got.. no penetration. That was 3" mag pump

I have a 2 3/4" only gun (browning) i want to use and some #2 steel and some BB steel
The BB is slow and patterns are horrible..
I would have to be within 25 yards to cleanly kill with that..
Not using decoys.
I bellied crawled through stickers to get the last ones i ate..#4 shot 3" mag.
A bit more reach would be nice is all.

 

[Rod Snell]

The doctor nailed it.
I haven't tried "jelly head" but have been patterning most major name chokes for decades with varous loads and shot.
When steel came out, it was immediately obvious that you run out of penetration before you run out of pattern. Also obvious, steel needs less choke.
Briley is the only aftermarket choke I would consider spending money on to replace Rem, Win, Brn, etc, and that is mostly because they are precise and come in many different constrictions.

A bit more reach would be nice is all.

ever try tungsten shot?

 

[Okie4570]

Everything said above is accurate...................steel shot has improved a lot over the last 10 years though. The only reason I use extended choke tubes is because they're easier to change out. I shoot mod/mod in my O/U, from ducks over decoys to passing geese with steel........................and use the same with lead turkey loads for turkeys and sandhill cranes. I was fortunate to get good patterning results on the first try with both barrels, steel shoots higher on the pattern board than the lead though.

 

[swampratt]

Rod i never tried tungsten..I hope i do not have to go that path.
What shot size in steel are you using? for the people using steel for geese. oh and what distance?
what barrel length ? any of you using just 3" or 2 3/4"

 

[Okie4570]

In my O/U I'm using either 3" or 3 1/2" 12g. 3" are 2's...................3 1/2" are 1 3/8 2's or 1 1/2 of BB's. We shoot more ducks that geese, and most of the geese we shoot are while duck hunting, so sometimes the geese get shot with the duck loads if I don't have time to load up some 3 1/2's........which doesn't take long with an O/U. Most shots are 40y or less.

 

[A5Sooner]

For ducks 3" 4's early season, 2's in late. BB's for geese if I can get them in the gun.

All out of an A5 magnum 30" barrel. Improved cylinder choke almost 80-90% of the time.

If/when I miss its usually a case of the Indian not the arrow.

 

[swampratt]

I feel handicapped with the 2 3/4 shells and the 26-28" barrel

 

[DORR]

I shoot 3" #2's and BB out of a 26" barrel and a Briley X2 LM choke practically all year. I will occasionally switch to the factory Mod for big geese that don't finish. I've thought about going to 2 3/4" shells for ducks over decoys, but it's tough to find quality 2 3/4" shells in the local stores. I really haven't considered 2 3/4 for geese, but with the right choke and at the right distance you could make it work.

The #2's are usually Kent Fasteel with most shots inside of 30yds. For BB it's Black Cloud or Heavy Metal. They are pricy, but the expense wasn't so great with last year's three goose limit, the increased limit this year could add to the cost.

Briley and Carlson's make good, no frills aftermarket tubes, with the Carlson tubes usually a bit less expensive. Can't go wrong with either one.