# Choke tube preference (Pattern Master/Briley/Drake Killer)



## XFactor

Hey guys, i am wondering what choke you guys like the most between these 3 chokes (Patter Master/Briley/Drake Killer) I just bought an SBE II and looking to buy a choke for it. I currently own both pattern master and Briley Etreme extended range for my SX3. More or less I want to see if I should make the switch to a drake killer or keep with what I m doing. I know a couple people that have a drake killer and swear by them but also the same goes for pattern master and briley. I guess what I have setup for the sx3 seems to work great for me but each gun is different. So I appreciate the help in advance. :beer:


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## bluebird

I got a Drake Killer about 2 weeks ago and have hunted with it 6 times and they are impressive to say the least. I have shot other chokes and I noticed a difference right away.


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## the professor

I have a patternmaster my sx2, briley ext in a 870, and carlsons in my citori. I like them all for different reasons. Each one has ammo that works great and ammo that doesn't pattern so good. There is no wonder choke that will make every load pattern better.


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## greenc

its all what works for you every gun shoots diff i have tried all of them and by far the drakekiller is hands down the best i was frustrated with it the first dozen times out with it but once you learn how it works it is lethal to say the least a lot less cripples and more crumpling birds


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## sydax

I just ordered a drake killer should have it late next week I'll try and post some pics and a quick review. I plan on patterning it with the recommended loads next weekend. I hope it is as good as everyone is saying.


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## Nick Roehl

I have been shooting DrakeKillers for years and for good reason. I tried Pattern Master and thought they were junk. Didn't pattern worth a chit compared to DK's. 
I have a DK in my SX3 that stays there all season long.


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## sydax

Just go my drake killer on Fri 2.3.12 took it out to the clays range and shot some sporting clays and five stand. Crushed the clays 44/50 not bad with #8's everything was in side 40-45yrds anything inside 20yrds was dust. Will pattern on Wednesday 2.8.12. and post some pics of the choke and patterns. From what I have seen so far this choke is money well spent. Wasn't as hard to get used to as I first thought.


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## mjschuette

got a drake killer 1 year ago, absolutely love it, patterned it and got way more in the ring with no holes then I was expecting. 50yrds #2 96 pellets, bb's 64 pellets...... Snows last year, had some great shots in the 50-70 yard range all falling like wet rags. Had some unrecommended shells, patterned them, 22 bb's at 50 yrds with holes a swan could fly through. so stick to the shells that are recommended and you will fall in love with a dk to.(as long as your a good shot, there is no forgiveness for being off)


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## zettler

I have not heard of the Drake Killer choke tubes.

Where did you all buy them and for what firearm?

Thanks!


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## mjschuette

www.drakekiller.com he is a gun smith and the chokes are made for your gun, i actually sent him my barrel so he could build the choke so it would match perfectly.


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## T.Mayer

I shoot a hevi shot choke tube and its definitely way better than the patternmaster i use to shoot. and NO its not only for hevi shot shells either. i run xperts through mine and its lights out. i would HIGHLY recommend it. and they are resonably priced as well! if i was to buy another guy i would definitely buy another hevi shot choke tube for it!


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## GB GooseHunter

I have used a drake killer four years now and i love it i do not take it out of my gun. Great choke and to top it off theguys are great to deal with.


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## cut_em2324

I've been using a Patternmaster the last 7 years out of my sb2 and I haven't had any complaints with it....I love it....I recently purchased the black code by patternmaster and have been impressed with it... But :thumb: just like any other choke it shoots better with different kinds of ammo....it's a personal preference thing....my advice is to go with patternmaster! :thumb:


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## Decoyin Drake

I have really been impressed with the Tru Lock Precision hunter tubes. Here is a pattern over 90% through one of my Extrema 2 guns and an IM tube @ 40 yards shot to point of impact not a scribed circle. This was one ofthe better ones but all were above 86% and very uniform. Good density to nearly 50 yards. I have some of their F and XF tubes I have not yet put through the paces but at normal ranges for me its hard to ask for any better than this. Good Luck DD


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## mjschuette

Decoyin Drake said:


> I have really been impressed with the Tru Lock Precision hunter tubes. Here is a pattern over 90% through one of my Extrema 2 guns and an IM tube @ 40 yards shot to point of impact not a scribed circle. This was one ofthe better ones but all were above 86% and very uniform. Good density to nearly 50 yards. I have some of their F and XF tubes I have not yet put through the paces but at normal ranges for me its hard to ask for any better than this. Good Luck DD


i had the same pattern at 50 + yards with drake killer and $10.49 shells


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## wing seeker

I am an avid advocate of the HeviShot waterfowl tubes. These babies really
hold the shot together and seem to extend my range a great deal. They 
are also at a very affordable price point.


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## possumfoot

what are the recommended loads for a DK tube???


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## mjschuette

he asks that they r not put out there on the web, he did a lot of work figuring out what works, and u will get a list of loads that r best. but rest assured that the best ones i use that he told me r 10.49 a box at fleet farm. I'll pm you with the brand and load of that one. but one of the loads he does not recommend are Winchester experts, because the bb's are not round and throw the pattern off. so I tried it out, had a few of them yet. patterned it at 50yds. 22 bbs in the ring and holes all over.

Shot the approved load 64 bb's or so in the ring and no holes. at 50 yds. same load and brand in 2's 92 pellets at 50 yrds. last year hit a immature blue at 60-70 range and came down like a wet rag. and then started pounding doubles in the 50-70 range. all came down like wet rags.


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## poutpro

I know there has been a lot of discussion on whether Patternmaster is worth the extra money. A lot of people have shot paper patterns and made conclusions that the patterns acheived can be acheived with cheaper chokes. However, the main claim of Patternmaster is the decreased shot string length. This cannot be measured using stationary paper shots. Has anyone seen any science done by Pattern master (super slow motion camera work would be really cool) to prove/disprove this claim?


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## Beavis

PATTERNMASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Decoyin Drake

mjschuette said:


> he asks that they r not put out there on the web, he did a lot of work figuring out what works, and u will get a list of loads that r best. but rest assured that the best ones i use that he told me r 10.49 a box at fleet farm. I'll pm you with the brand and load of that one. but one of the loads he does not recommend are Winchester experts, because the bb's are not round and throw the pattern off. so I tried it out, had a few of them yet. patterned it at 50yds. 22 bbs in the ring and holes all over.
> 
> Shot the approved load 64 bb's or so in the ring and no holes. at 50 yds. same load and brand in 2's 92 pellets at 50 yrds. last year hit a immature blue at 60-70 range and came down like a wet rag. and then started pounding doubles in the 50-70 range. all came down like wet rags.


You said your getting the same pattern with $10.49 a box shells? well a 1 1/4 ounce of 2's has roughly 156 pllets and the 1 1/2 ounce load of #1's I am shooting has 154 pellts. Iam getting 144 in a 30" circle and your getting 92. So i have over 50 more hits and increased energy of #1 over #2. OK so I spend more per box, but there are measurable results. Why bash the results? I was just trying to give the guy what he asked for and a suggested load and choke.


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## possumfoot

Decoyin Drake said:


> mjschuette said:
> 
> 
> 
> he asks that they r not put out there on the web, he did a lot of work figuring out what works, and u will get a list of loads that r best. but rest assured that the best ones i use that he told me r 10.49 a box at fleet farm. I'll pm you with the brand and load of that one. but one of the loads he does not recommend are Winchester experts, because the bb's are not round and throw the pattern off. so I tried it out, had a few of them yet. patterned it at 50yds. 22 bbs in the ring and holes all over.
> 
> Shot the approved load 64 bb's or so in the ring and no holes. at 50 yds. same load and brand in 2's 92 pellets at 50 yrds. last year hit a immature blue at 60-70 range and came down like a wet rag. and then started pounding doubles in the 50-70 range. all came down like wet rags.
> 
> 
> 
> You said your getting the same pattern with $10.49 a box shells? well a 1 1/4 ounce of 2's has roughly 156 pllets and the 1 1/2 ounce load of #1's I am shooting has 154 pellts. Iam getting 144 in a 30" circle and your getting 92. So i have over 50 more hits and increased energy of #1 over #2. OK so I spend more per box, but there are measurable results. Why bash the results? I was just trying to give the guy what he asked for and a suggested load and choke.
Click to expand...

that extra 10 yeards makes a huge difference... you shoot 40... he is shooting 50...

you said you got geed results to nearly 50.. he posted his results at 50...


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## mjschuette

not only that, i was shooting solid hits and doubles in the 50-70 range. and all came down like wet rags. also, the ring was a 30 in ring i had pellets another 5 in out side of that all uniform, so there are the extra pellets. just reread your post 1 1/2 0z? is that 3 1/2 in shells? because i'm shooting 3"


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## Decoyin Drake

Yes My pattern was 30" circle as well. with pictures . Shot to aim point of impact center not scribed around pattern density. I am shooting 3.5" and realize your shooting 3" .... pellet count is the relative issue. As I agreed my loads were potentially more expensive but the pattern results were there reagrdless of cost or loss. Your #2 have 156 pellets my load of number #1 have 154 pellets. (*VERY SIMILAR*) I have two fewer pellets but significantly more energy per pellet / thus in total load. This is an IM choke pattern. I shoot this at Decoying snows most of the time as its a good balance of pattern density, uniformity, and yardage coverage . This is a great workable pattern at typical ranges for the vast majority of my gunning. I was not trying to imply this is the "tightest pattern I can get" but simply a great 40 plus yd pattern. I have two tighter chokes that produce tighter core densities and thus likely patterns to and beyond that 50 yd mark , but I just dont shoot that far very often.
I guess next sessiion Ill Shoot some 50 yd patterns to show that True Lock can perform at those ranges as well. Just trying to provide an alternative.

The patterns posted on their web site testimonials state 90 pellets around a "scribed density" at 50 yards, not shot to point of aim which my patterns were.
DD


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## mjschuette

on my test i did a scribed dot in the center then put a 15 in string attached to a pen and went around the dot. Shot it. no holes, there we're a good number out side that ring by about 5 in all nice pattern and no holes. so I could of posted 156 in a 40 in ring i guess. My point is I love my dk. If you love your tube, it gives good clean kills, then use it, and love it. the other big point for drakekiller is this..... the mass produced tubes don't always work the same on every gun. my beretta al391 barrel is different then another al391 so the constriction going up to the choke throws the constriction of the choke off so every guns pattern may be a little different, and some terrible with the same shell. He makes the choke to your barrel so every gun that has the dk in it has the same great pattern with the same loads.


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## Guest

Hevi Shot Xtended Range choke tube...

I mix it with 3" #2 Hevi Metal and it throws an amazing pattern and knocks snows down with ease!


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