# long range choke tubes



## buckfart (Mar 19, 2009)

I just bought a patternmaster long range choke tube for my remington 870 12ga i will be shooting 3in shells (#1-bb-bbb-t) I was just wanted to know if anybody else has used this kind of choke tube on snows and how well it worked for them, next year new gun that shoots 3.5 shells.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

The few guys I know that used em have since switched to Drakekiller or Carlsons.

None of them had good luck with anything larger than BB through the PM.


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## collar boy (Apr 5, 2008)

they work very well!!! i have shot many 3" loads and 3.5" loads. T, bb, bb, 1. I am very happy with the results from mine. i will never switch from the pattermaster. had if for about 3 years now. they really can reach out and bring down those nasty snows that wanna hang up high in the decoys or that are flyin by pass shooting. takes some time to get used to it but once you do you will love the results you will get. improves your range alot!!


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## the professor (Oct 13, 2006)

try doing some patterning with 1 3/8 oz #1's my patternmaster far and away throws the best patterns consistantly with the 1's. at 40 yards i am putting 116 #1's in a 30" circle (1 1/2 oz load 3.5") the same load of BB would only have 99 bb's total, so you do the math.


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## Save Hens (Mar 15, 2008)

Patternmaster is the ticket out of my SBE 2


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## buckfart (Mar 19, 2009)

collar boy said:


> they work very well!!! i have shot many 3" loads and 3.5" loads. T, bb, bb, 1. I am very happy with the results from mine. i will never switch from the pattermaster. had if for about 3 years now. they really can reach out and bring down those nasty snows that wanna hang up high in the decoys or that are flyin by pass shooting. takes some time to get used to it but once you do you will love the results you will get. improves your range alot!!


 Thanks for the info on the choke tube i can't wait to try it out.


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## collar boy (Apr 5, 2008)

buckfart said:


> collar boy said:
> 
> 
> > they work very well!!! i have shot many 3" loads and 3.5" loads. T, bb, bb, 1. I am very happy with the results from mine. i will never switch from the pattermaster. had if for about 3 years now. they really can reach out and bring down those nasty snows that wanna hang up high in the decoys or that are flyin by pass shooting. takes some time to get used to it but once you do you will love the results you will get. improves your range alot!!
> ...


I think you will like it but once again it takes some getting used to. gotta learn how far to lead them with it. its different than the other chokes but once you get the hang of it its deadly!


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## dougdoug (Mar 12, 2009)

good to hear all of this i was wondering if it was worth it to buy one sounds good so far


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## Maz (Feb 24, 2009)

You will have to test some different loads, but I'd stay away from anything larger than BB and avoid loads over 1400 fps. Drakekiller has tested every popular goose lead and will tell you that these pattern the best. Leave the T's at home for shooting barn pigeons or feral cats.


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## collar boy (Apr 5, 2008)

Maz said:


> You will have to test some different loads, but I'd stay away from anything larger than BB and avoid loads over 1400 fps. Drakekiller has tested every popular goose lead and will tell you that these pattern the best. Leave the T's at home for shooting barn pigeons or feral cats.


I would have to disagree with this if you are talkin about shootin them out of a patternmaster. all i normally use are T shot on honkers, BB on snows and 1 shot on ducks. I personally think the T shot works really well out of a patternmaster. but i see you mentioned drakekiller and i know nothin about them maybe T shot doesnt work out of them. But thats just my opinion. i guess when you get your choke you will have to shoot a few thru it and see what works best for you


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## hammerhead (Dec 22, 2004)

With a Drake killer he says not to use shot larger than BB.


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## Ridge Nelson (Jan 19, 2006)

Wad Wizard. You will start making shots you have only dreamed of.


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## buckfart (Mar 19, 2009)

Ridge Nelson said:


> Wad Wizard. You will start making shots you have only dreamed of.


 I went out on wednesday and shot my remington at 30yd 35yd and 45yd in a 30in circle with the stock modified choke and i was NOT even putting 6o% of the pellets inside the 30in circle at 35yd and 45yd, then i put the pm long range choke in my gun and it was a nite and day difference. My % inside the 30in went up (one example) rem stock mod choke win hv steel 3in 1.25oz #1 at 35yd #pellets in shell 129 #pellets in 30in circle 46pellets. Now with the PM choke at 35yd same shot 71pellets in 30in circle. The down side is the price of the choke and shells above 1400fps the pattern starts to drop off.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

buckfart and choke tubes.. I'm sorry I just gotta laugh!!! :lol:


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## snow (Dec 7, 2007)

There are some really good companies that build specfic chokes tubes and thats all they do,kinda like gun makers,thats what they do,chokes are secondary.

Most of the better choke builders will post specfic's,the better stainless tubes donot recommend shot size larger than BB or fps above 1500fps,so becareful guys.

There are a couple companies that make chokes for specfic brands of ammo like "blackcloud" and "Hevi" shot.

Here are some basic's;

f you are new to shooting and do not understand shotgun chokes, do not be surprised. Seventy five percent of shotgun shooters that have shot for many years do not understand shotgun chokes either. Let us start at the beginning. Shotgun chokes were designed to control pattern diameters at different yards. What is a pattern? It is just the grouping of the pellets at a given yardage. This grouping is called a pattern and is measured by a circle diameter. This particular circle must have certain efficiency. In other words, it has to have a certain number of pellets in a given area (called distribution) for it to be labeled an efficient pattern. It is that easy! However the confusion starts when we label them and you try to figure out what to use and when.

Here is a quick reference chart: Shotgun Choke Yardage Shotgun Choke Restriction
Diameter difference between bore and shotgun choke 
Cylinder < 20 0 
Skeet 22.5 .005 of an inch 
Improved Cylinder 25 .010 
Light Modified 30 .015 
Modified 32.5 .020 
Improved Modified 35 .025 
Light Full 37.5 .030 
Full 40 or More .035 
Extra Full 40 or More .040

When the wind comes into contact with the outside pellets of the shot column it induces spinning and they start to flare off like a ping pong ball with english on it. The tighter the choke the heavier the radial forces, the tighter the pellets are squeezed together so the pattern holds tighter over a longer distance. Conversely, the less restriction you have in the shotgun choke the less loosely the pellets are held together and the faster the pattern opens up.

Choke constriction tighter than IM (.025) are not recommended for steel or other non-toxic ammo.Another chart for lead/steel chokes.

Cylinder Choke with Lead Shot = Improved Cylinder Choke with Steel 
Improved Cylinder Choke with Lead Shot = Modified Choke with Steel 
Modified Choke with Lead Shot = Full Choke with Steel

My .02

Tim

Hevi Shot
Pro Staff
Hevi shot.com


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## teamshakeandbake (Oct 14, 2008)

That was very imformative . Makes me wanan buy a PM now ha


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## buckfart (Mar 19, 2009)

Well put Tim


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## doublereed (Mar 27, 2009)

I have the EXT for my Xtrema 2 and it does a decent job.

I had the long range on my 390 Silver Mallard and it was pretty awesome. I also had the forcing cone lengthened on that one though.


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