Xtrema Choke/Shot recommendations

[britton40]

Patterned my Xtrema this Sunday. It did not pattern the 3" #3 Black Clouds I received for Christmas worth o crap.

Any recommendations on chokes/shot for the Xtrema? I know every gun is different, trying to save some time/cash.

Probably gonna try Kent 3.5 #3, #4 next. Chokes?

It did pattern Winchester AA 7.5 very well with the factory modified choke. I think a light modified will be the ticket.

Ive got an assortment of Turkey loads I will be willing to trade if someone is trying to pattern their Turkey gun.

[bigbubba]

I shot kicks high flyer 3.5 #2 shot winchester surprem did very will killed ducks dead at 60 yards

[WINGCUTTER]

Kent 3" #3's with factory IC patterned the best in my Xtrema.

[Fish]

1) Speaking from a scientific standpoint, the slower the payload (shot charge), the better the pattern and overall performance of a shotgun shell.

2) Additionally, anything like the "ringed" pellets found in Black Clouds will not perform as well as the spherical pellets found in normal "non-gimmick" loads. Spherical pellets are already ballistically challenged. Why on earth anyone would add something to them that adds to the "flyer" effect is a mystery to me.

3) Often times, and for varied reasons, large pellets will not perform (pattern) as well as smaller ones.

Ducks - You might consider choosing a shell of modest speed (no more than 1,400 fps) with the smallest pellets you can find. The choke should be no more than an IC.

Turkeys - You might consider choosing the slowest load you can find, and again, use small pellets.

Patterning a shotgun, in my opinion, is good for finding your point of impact (provided it's done correctly) and pretty much nothing else. A flat (one dimensional) look at a "pattern" tells us virtually nothing. It shows a distrubution of pellets in a static position. In reality, this "distribution of pellets" also known as the shot string, is a very dynamic thing. The pellets in front of the shell find themselves being overtaken by the pellets from the rear, and the "string" elongates as it moves into the field. This elongated "string" is what makes it possible, or at least more probable, to hit crossing targets. Again, all you really see on a piece of paper is a distribution of pellets that could drastically change in another 5 yards had the pellets been left alone to fly their course. If you have a dense core at the center of where you were aiming, provided your guns is shooting where you are looking, your "pattern" is normal.

Quite often, guys walk away more confused than ever after patterning their gun...which in turn leads to thinking while they're shooting...which in turn leads to misses and crippled/lost birds.

It's a vicious cycle.

[britton40]

Kent 3" #3's with factory IC patterned the best in my Xtrema.

Did you try the 3.5?

[britton40]

I shot kicks high flyer 3.5 #2 shot winchester surprem did very will killed ducks dead at 60 yards

Full, Modified, IC....?

[SC Doberman]

Mine patterned fine with the factory modified choke at 50yds with Black Cloud #2's. I did however buy a pattern master modified and full choke "made" for the Black Cloud and it did make a difference for the better. Not much, but it was better.

[WINGCUTTER]

Did you try the 3.5?

No I only shoot 3" shells so that was all I tested.

[Fish]

Why would you need 3 1/2" shells for a duck? Are you skybusting?

If you set your gun up to shoot at ducks 50 yards away, you're in every sense a skybusting idiot.

[Fish]

Then again, you recommended the Islamorada Fish Company as a preferred eating destination, so you're an idiot no matter what choke and shells you put in your gun.

You should probably shut up for a little while.

[britton40]

Then again, you recommended the Islamorada Fish Company as a preferred eating destination, so you're an idiot no matter what choke and shells you put in your gun.

You should probably shut up for a little while.

I dont remember recommending it, but the sushi is good. Never ate anything elese.

[britton40]

Why would you need 3 1/2" shells for a duck? Are you skybusting?

If you set your gun up to shoot at ducks 50 yards away, you're in every sense a skybusting idiot.

Nope, I was thinking about listening to you and trying the Kent Faststell 3.5 #3 1 9/16 oz load. It only moves a 1300 fps, Capt Fuck Tard.

[britton40]

No I only shoot 3" shells so that was all I tested.

Thanks

[SC Doberman]

britton40,
The ones I tested were 3 1/2

[britton40]

britton40,
The ones I tested were 3 1/2

Thanks, fellow skybuster.

[SC Doberman]

Thanks, fellow skybuster.

No problem.

[looseheadsurfer]

[Duckman#1]

Why would you need 3 1/2" shells for a duck? Are you skybusting?

If you set your gun up to shoot at ducks 50 yards away, you're in every sense a skybusting idiot.

Why 3 1/2 ? More pellets. I like a dense pattern. Been shooting 3.5 #2 out of a full choke for years. No shybusting just cleaner kills with less cripples. Don't really care about the speed just pellet count.

[britton40]

Why 3 1/2 ? More pellets. I like a dense pattern. Been shooting 3.5 #2 out of a full choke for years. No shybusting just cleaner kills with less cripples. Don't really care about the speed just pellet count.

Same here. Mo pellets, Mo better. The 3" 1 1/8 oz blackies were pretty pathetic on paper. Im gonna order the Kent Faststeel 3.5 #3 1 9/16 oz.
We shall see.

[Fish]

The problem with a 12ga. 3 1/2" shell is that it isn't a 10ga 3 1/2" shell. The 10 gauge is a vastly superior gun (from a ballistics standpoint) for this application and the test results prove it. If what you want is more big pellets in the shot string, a 10ga gun is the answer.

And generally speaking, a full choke with steel shot (if steel is what you're using) is rediculous. To take it a step further, if you really are using a full choke, then you aren't smart enough to take advantage of a more open choke for responsible shots.

Remember this prostaffer; at the end of the day, all you're doing is shooting ducks, not curing cancer, and no body gives a damn what you've got going on. This reality pretty much applies accross the board.

So in parting, brit, I'll leave your dumb ass with this thought. Why would you consider using a 3 1/2" shell for woodducks? It's a bit much, don'tcha think? Especially since that's all you shoot anyway...