16ga.com ~ View topic

Joined: 13 Oct 2015 Posts: 151 Location: SE Ks

Heading back to South Dakota this week for another pheasant hunt. Figuring it was 2 months into the season and the birds would probably be a bit wilder I decided to compare patterns between the Modified and Improved Modified choke tubes in my Dickinson Estate SxS 16 ga. Cut about 41" of paper off a 35" roll and stapled it up at a lasered 40 yards. Grabbed a couple shells from a box I loaded a few years ago and knew it would pattern fairly tight. Fed Hull, can't remember whether Win 209 or Fed 209A, 21.7 Longshot, 1632 wad Grafs used to sell as cheddite brand, 1 1/8 oz #5. I know my charge bar runs a couple or 3 pellets short of 1 1/8oz with #5s so guessed 190 total pellets. The Mod choke turned out to be more uniform than the I/M, with better overall coverage in the 30" circle drawn after the shot. Counted up the hole for the modified pattern and was surprised at 175, 92%. I've always known this gun shot tight patterns with about anything I've loaded, but had never counted for a percentage. Guess there's a reason I don't have too many runners when pheasant hunting.

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1844 Location: Central ND

I have noticed that it doesn't take much choke to get tighter patterns with #5's and #6's. I have a light modified choke (.015") that prints 82% patterns at 35 yards. That is a lot of choke. I am thinking of patterning with an improved cylinder(.010) next spring, just to find out what will happen.

In years past I don't remember these chokes/loads printing that tight of a pattern. Same shotgun, same choke and same loads. I remember 70% patterns @ 35 yards. I wish I kept records back then. I keep hearing how shot isn't as good as it used to be, maybe it isn't but I can't tell by the patterns.

I have an old 870, .018" modified choke that will print 86% patterns at 40 yards with a load of buffered #5's. I use it for turkey hunting.

Joined: 13 Oct 2015 Posts: 151 Location: SE Ks

In this particular case, the I/C marked choke has .011 constriction, Mod .0185 and I/M .027. I routinely use the I/C and Mod chokes for hunting. The load I used opening weekend isn't quite as tight, but I smoked the ones I hit. That one was a Ched case and primer, Blue Dot, Tyvec disc, SP-16 wad with the same 1 1/8 - 5s. That one will be going along this weekend as well. I'm just betting shots will be longer this late in the season as well as the birds being more feathered out.

Joined: 13 Oct 2015 Posts: 151 Location: SE Ks

Just went back to the shop and counted up the holes on the I/M pattern. 146 hits for 76%. This one was more patchy though than the Modified.Thinking the 5s just don't like the .027 worth of constriction. Both patterns edged off the narrow side of the paper slightly so there may be more hits to the patterns. Both were heavy in the center with less hits around the edges.

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1844 Location: Central ND

I don't have an Imp Mod choke, but my full choke gave similar pattern percentages as your Imp Mod choke did with #5's. It didn't like that much constriction.