# What Choke for Blackcloud and Geese



## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

I just bought a box of the new Black Cloud, #2's for a 12 gauge. What choke should I be shooting for geese from 10 yards to 40 yards?

Thanks, in advance.

:sniper:


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## steelheadslayer (Jun 9, 2007)

IC in close but MOD would probably be your best bet overall.


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## TANATA (Oct 31, 2003)

I used Black Cloud 3 1/2 BB today with Modified and it was devastating. Awesome stuff wont go back to Kent unless I get choked for cash.


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## Pitboss (Sep 8, 2007)

couple of questions about the Black Cloud shells, do they really live up to all of the hype of distance and killing power?, plus how bad do they tear up the birds


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

I would like to hear from somone that has patterned these shells. Shot gun shell manufactures have been trying to produce the roundest shot possibly for the last 150 years now we want shot shaped like little flying saucers? I wonder what these patterns looklike at 40 yards. Are those little flying saucers still flying straight at the longer ranges?What you have is a duplex load with some funnyshaped shot in it. I will have to see some good patterns on paper before I would buy any. Dont shoot this load through a choke with wad grabbing lugs in it. The wads in Black Cloud are very thick and tough.


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## bowhunter04 (Nov 7, 2003)

I patterned black cloud out of the factory mod and factory IC for my SBEII. It patterned terribly out of my gun. Less than 40% in a 30 inch circle at 35 yards with BBB. Winchester Supremes patterned great out of my gun with 95% in a 30 inch circle at 35 yards so I know it's not anything weird with the gun. I gave the rest of the box to a coworker to see what it did through his gun and he got patterns of 90% through a factory mod at 35 yards. I guess it depends on the gun like all other shot types. A guy I hunted with was shooting black cloud opening weekend and it left holes the size of quarters in the breasts of the birds he shot. I didn't like that at all. Most of the breast was destroyed. Another issue I had with black cloud is that its wad is supposed to hold the shot for ten yards past the end of the barrel. I personally like getting geese as close as possible before I start to shoot. I would think this stuff would blow apart any goose inside 20 yards if the wad does hold the shot that long.


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## goosedwn (Sep 14, 2007)

every gun purchased shoots different even if its the same brand name and not all chokes shoot the same out of every gun so I think you need to do some expirimenting.
just don't go off of what everyone says.

P.S. Buy a box of REMINGTON WINGMASTER HD...watch how well that blows wings,necks, and heads feathersless


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## muddy river (Jan 16, 2007)

bowhunter04 said:


> A guy I hunted with was shooting black cloud opening weekend and it left holes the size of quarters in the breasts of the birds he shot. I didn't like that at all. Most of the breast was destroyed.


You mean he had a valid excuse to not eat the ducks or geese he shot? Holy crap!!! I'm buying 10 cases!!!!! :beer:


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## TANATA (Oct 31, 2003)

Stuff seems to pattern well out of my Nova. Birds were dead but not destroyed with large holes. My buddy and I were shooting it and hit a few birds about 20 feet away and it had opened up pretty well already.


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

I figured I would give the new black cloud shells a try this weekend, so I picked up a box in #2 and shot 2 limits of teal (one yesterday, one today) plus three pigeons, and a prairie dog with them. They seemed to pattern good through the factory modified choke, and there was no real evidence of them being any more deadly than winchester 2's or federal 2's. As far as meat damage is concerned the black cloud shells *MAY* cut up some meat (I didn't see any bigger holes or excessive damage), but they shouldn't blood shock the meat like hevi shot or heavier types of shot because of the nature of steel pellets (any shape). I will try one more box when goose season opens before I dismiss it, But for the same price you could buy Hevi-steel, which is 20% denser than the black cloud offering.


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## Whitetail Thumper (Apr 15, 2005)

When I was stopped by a warden this last week he told me that the new Black Cloud was registering as lead when they ran it through their tester. So he said that they have had to cut a few shells open to make sure they weren't reloads.


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## water_swater (Sep 19, 2006)

From what I understand Black Cloud isnt supposed to be used in close ranges, it is a third shell type of deal, and should only be used with mod chokes. Its not an all purpose shell, the wad is supposed to hold the shot until 10 yards out of the barrel, this is a shell intended for sky busters.


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## mallard_molester (Oct 10, 2006)

i have some of it, but havent shot any yet, i was thinking maybe id save it for snow goose season, i really dont ever have to shoot anything past 30 yards so it probably isnt worth using it.


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