# Patternmaster - worth the $$$?



## sleeri (Oct 9, 2006)

I'm considering a patternmaster. 2 questions: are they worth the money and if so, would you go with a short or long PM? We hunt mostly mallards in fields with mojos and field decoys.


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## Hardsell (Jan 29, 2007)

My brother shoots a PM Long Range out of his Benelli SBEI and swears by them. One has to consider the fact that he's a very good shot. Having a great shotgun, choke, and shell combination won't matter if you can't hit what you're shooting at. The PM's are very tight, so if you're on, you're wrecking birds. If you're off, you're really off. If you want a quality choke and can shoot, I'd say go for it.
For decoying birds I'd shoot a Short Range.
I just received a Wad Wizard Swat 12 and I'm waiting to see how it shoots.


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## Pikeguy (Oct 16, 2006)

I shoot the extended Patternmaster out of my Benelli Nova & I love it. But, as stated, it's a pretty tight pattern and will wreck birds at close range. I wouldn't trade it though


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

I went with a drake killer. Get tube. But again you need to know how to use it.


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## DeltaBoy (Mar 4, 2004)

I would also go with the Drake Killer choke tube! I also have the PM tube, but have found the DK tube throws out better patterns with the brand of shells that I use.

Good Luck!


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## Hardsell (Jan 29, 2007)

Delta, 
What type of shells are you using?
My brother uses Hevi shot #4's and Dead Coyote for geese.
Kent Fasteel #3's.
I was using Federal BBB's and Dead Coyote through my Wad Wizard. 
It's all good if you're on target.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

$2.5 dead coyote shells for geese 

crazyness


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## Hardsell (Jan 29, 2007)

My brother's theory is if you hit what you're shooting at and it dies, then it's justified. If you can't shoot, then it's a waste.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Humm. If you can kill it with a $.50 shell whats the need for a $2.5 one? I woulden't use any different choke if he is using those. Use a Mod, and pull the trigger, it will die.

my .02


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## gadgetman (Sep 26, 2007)

I have one and having done a BUNCH of patterning work with it I can say that it's no better than a standard factory Mod. choke in my SBE. Two of my best hunting bud's have them and they pattern very well for them. The patterning quality changes from gun to gun and load to load. If you get one buy it somewhere you can return it to if your own test show what mine did. I also dislike the chrome shine!


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## Hardsell (Jan 29, 2007)

My brother sanded his two PM's down and painted them black. They look great now.


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

Great choke...get the unported version, or get the wad wizard. As stated they are ammunition sensitive. Kents generally in my experience do not do well out of them, but anything with a nice thick wad will. I have some of the old school federal 2.75" T shot shells that pattern so tight out of the PM or WW it really is scary. With the proper ammunition I would regard them (and similar patterning chokes) to be expert type chokes at short to mid ranges. Sounds like the ranges you're describing you should stick with the factory mod. GENERALLY: they work best with:
1. Ammo that has a thick wad
2. Shot size #2 or larger...larger means tighter

Hope this makes your decision easier.

HM


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## Hardsell (Jan 29, 2007)

Hunt4P&Y,
I guess the theory is, why shoot a great shotgun, a great choke, and then use average shotshells.


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## huntingdude16 (Jul 17, 2007)

> My brother uses Hevi shot #4's and Dead Coyote for geese.


"Would you like some goose with that Dead Coyote?" :lol:


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

I understand the theory, but whats the need. I have really nice guns, nice chokes, etc. but, I have seen guys that use 410's with 4 shot on geese. Kills them just as dead as anything else. Not saying I would ever do that. I am a fan of Black Cloud. I however feel that if you are using Dead Coyote you shoulden't need a extra full. Maybe get an extra full and shoot 4 shot. That will put way more pellets on target, thus being more deadly. Just my thoughts.

Head shots make for fast kills, and 4 shot with a PM works great for that.

My .02


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## DeltaBoy (Mar 4, 2004)

I have been using Kent or Federal BB for ducks and geese.


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## HuntingGeek (Oct 12, 2007)

I have a patternmaster on my browning semi-auto. I don't remember there being a long or short model when I bought it so I suppose it is the short or original model. It works well for geese, but I tend to miss often on ducks. I found that the really fast ammo 1500+ fps had lots of holes in the pattern at 40 yards and was better off going with an ounce and a quarter at around 1300 fps. I never thought of it, but my problem very well could have been caused by the brand of shell.


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## zdosch (Aug 31, 2003)

HATCHETMAN said:


> Great choke...get the unported version, or get the wad wizard. As stated they are ammunition sensitive. Kents generally in my experience do not do well out of them, but anything with a nice thick wad will. I have some of the old school federal 2.75" T shot shells that pattern so tight out of the PM or WW it really is scary. With the proper ammunition I would regard them (and similar patterning chokes) to be expert type chokes at short to mid ranges. Sounds like the ranges you're describing you should stick with the factory mod. GENERALLY: they work best with:
> 1. Ammo that has a thick wad
> 2. Shot size #2 or larger...larger means tighter
> 
> ...


Just a heads up that I'm about 95% positive that the patternmaster and the wad wizard was made by the same guy.

I shoot a extended PM long range and absolutely love it!! if anybody buys one, make sure you have your "A" game ready!!


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## Hooked4life (Oct 25, 2007)

I absolutely love my patternmaster in my Xtrema. I use Xpert BB for geese and #2 for ducks.

Tried some Black Cloud with my Modified choke last week. Couldn't hit squat. Put my patternmaster back in with cheap shells and wrecked them again.

I find less crips with the PM.

Just my 2 cents


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## bandman (Feb 13, 2006)

Hooked4life said:


> I use Xpert BB for geese and #2 for ducks.
> 
> Put my patternmaster back in with cheap shells and wrecked them again.
> 
> ...


Dead on to me! :beer:


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

> I would also go with the Drake Killer choke tube! I also have the PM tube, but have found the DK tube throws out better patterns with the brand of shells that I use.
> 
> Good Luck!


You took the words right out of my mouth...

Drakekiller would be my pick! Hands down the best on the market! Thats my personal opinion.


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## goosebusters2 (Jan 13, 2006)

I have a patternmaster in my SBE and I love it. I just stared shooting it this year. I took some getting used to but once I did it paid off. For me it has messed up wings on birds really bad, a lot of the birds I shoot have compound fractures on the wings. It kills birds well. Xpert steel 2s and BBs pattern well out of them


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## 1 shot (Oct 24, 2007)

How does the extended version shoot 2 3/4 inch shells. I have the berretta extrema.
And what is the difference between the ported and unported. 
Thank You


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## Hardsell (Jan 29, 2007)

I shoot the Wad Wizard Swat 12 and really like it. My brother uses a PM long range and is really deadly with it. The main difference is the PM is louder. If you're in a blind it will make more of a difference. If you're hunting in a field or in the open it might not matter as much. 
I've never seen a Drake Killer in person. Maybe it's a ND thing.


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## ND_duckman (Feb 17, 2006)

Drake Killer all the way, I use it in my Xtrema. I got it last spring for snow goose hunting and it worked great. It has taken a little while to get used to it for shooting ducks, but once I started using the recommended loads (this past weekend) it was working flawlessly on the ducks.

I think the Drake Killer is better than a Patternmasster because it is custome built for your individual guns measurements at the shop, Custome Gun Works, in Fargo.


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## glatz (Mar 27, 2004)

anybody shot a drakekiller with a SX2, what shells to use, i heard blue box federal 3 inch 2's or BB's


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## bandman (Feb 13, 2006)

I know the Federal blue box (2's-geese 4's-ducks) and Remington Sportsmans (black hulls) are big hits with the DK for most guns along with the Federal Red boxes and hevi shot 4's. I'll have to check my reference sheet he gave me again to refresh my memory, but I know that's close.

I've been shooting my PM all year because of the great deal I got on Xperts back home which are very deadly out of that particular choke and aren't highly recommended for the DK.

One of these days I plan on comparing the two intensely through their patterning, but I've been saying that for almost a year now.  Can't wait to see the comparisons anyway!


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