# Black cloud/choke tubes



## Duckslayer04 (Oct 2, 2005)

I have a Drake killer and I was wondering if you can shoot black cloud out of it. The same for pattern master, ive heard it can rip out the studs?


----------



## fungalsnowgoose (Sep 11, 2004)

No after market chokes.


----------



## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

I've heard the drakekiller is a constriction type choke, if so you should have NO problems shooting black-cloud ammo through it. I have yet to examine the black cloud wads, but this would be the reason if any that they don't work in the patternmaster / wad-wizard type studded choke, not because of the flitestopper pellets being deformed. Both of those chokes are rated for tungsten type shot, and if you've heard of the studs ripping out, you've heard some bullchit IMO. I will assume that the flitestopper pellets are nothing more than a purposefully deformed steel pellet, and if so it will indeed do more damage than will a perfectly spherical pellet as it changes it's tendency to "go straight through" the target. Unless the flitestopper pellets are some blend of steel and tungsten, I don't see where they can substantiate a 10-15 yard increase in killing effectiveness by simply deforming a pellet, unless it's heavier. You can get super-tight slug like performance with steel reloads by reducing the slits in a wad, or eliminating slits in the wad (which can be dangerous)...It looks like the wad is indeed un-slitted, and that would result in "scary" tight patterns through a standard choke. The PM and WW work to slow the wad by stripping it from the shot column, and the flitestopper wad already does that on it's own, which may be another reason for the terrible patterns from the strip-type chokes.


----------



## fungalsnowgoose (Sep 11, 2004)

I think the reasson is how the wad opens up the back end of the wad flowers and the constriction of the tube strips the wad out before it should be leaving the shot.


----------



## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

O.K. did a little more digging on the subject, and the reason Federal claims 10-15 yards extra killing range is because they claim the wad keeps the shot string together in the cup longer, which they claim has increased velocity downrange with little shot-column disruption. A gelatin penetration test or chrono at stated range would be the only way to really prove that claim. So turns out the reason it throws shoddy patterns with the stripping choke is that the weird shaped shot is designed to fly better fully contained in the shotcup, and the pm strips the shotcup away, so you're doing yourself more harm than good. Saw a few good pics on the foiles forum some weeks ago about kilintime carraway patterning a few with the patternmaster...It was NOT pretty, but it had a nice "spreader" effect...so the great use for the stuff may be for over the decoys with a PM, and use the regular stuff for everything else!! Interesting...love to hear what you guys have "heard"

HM


----------



## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

So if it stays in the cup longer does that mean you have to shoot your birds at say 20 yards instead of 10 to let the shot get out and start to pattern?


----------



## justund223 (Aug 28, 2006)

i was watching some hunting show and they shot the black cloud into the gelitan at like 15 yards and the wad actually penetrated the gelitan. I think i am not going to use the stuff because i like to shoot geese within 20 yards and i think if they are any closer the black cloud is going to either rip em up or miss completely. I think this stuff is meant for 40 plus yard shots so it could be used as a third shell and be effective.


----------



## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

the more I read about this stuff, the more of a waste of money it seems to be..


----------



## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

I was kind of shocked to see the shotcup in one piece...this is a big time no no in steel shot loading manuals...It says to always slit the wads or else you get what equates to a steel "slug" fired at your target. I would believe the wad penetrating the gelatin at 15 yards...that's not far away at all!! Anyhow I shoot the WW, so I won't be trying the stuff...might consider it if it were the same price as regular steel, but alas it is not.


----------



## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

I bought a box of 3" #2's. I'm gonna let'em rip this weekend. I just had to try them. :sniper:


----------



## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Ask Kevin, I'm sure he'd know.

http://www.drakekiller.com


----------

