IC CHOKE

Lol. I wish steel was cheap. Not so much anymore. Retired and fixed income- bismuth is not in my budget. I would love to use lead for the rest of my life but our state has gone non-toxic on all state properties. Still plenty of areas allowing lead and I absolutely use it when possible.
just takes a bit of knowledge about chokes and shot sizes depending on where you hunt.
Go with #3 or #2 low-cost steel loads and you'll be fine if you choke them appropriately for the distance of your shots. Here are a few of my pattern numbers to give you an idea of the kind of performance you may get from these low-cost steel loads.

Patterning results from a 12-gauge 3-inch Remington 870 Special Purpose with a 28-inch barrel and factory flush Rem-chokes (pattern average of five, 30-inch post-shot scribed circle, yardage taped muzzle to target, in-shell pellet count average of five, and true choke constriction from bore gauge).

40 YARDS Mod. (.018” const.)
Federal Speed-Shok 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (186 pellets) pattern 128 (69%)
Remington Sportsman 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (193 pellets) pattern 146 (76%)
Winchester Xpert 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (195 pellets) pattern 131 (67%)

Remington Sportsman 2 3/4" 1 1/8 oz #2 steel (139 pellets) pattern 116 (83%)

Federal Speed-Shok 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (154 pellets) pattern 115 (75%)
Remington Sportsman 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (152 pellets) pattern 110 (72%)
Winchester Xpert 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (146 pellets) pattern 106 (73%)

Hope this helps, good luck!!
 
Go with #3 or #2 low-cost steel loads and you'll be fine if you choke them appropriately for the distance of your shots. Here are a few of my pattern numbers to give you an idea of the kind of performance you may get from these low-cost steel loads.

Patterning results from a 12-gauge 3-inch Remington 870 Special Purpose with a 28-inch barrel and factory flush Rem-chokes (pattern average of five, 30-inch post-shot scribed circle, yardage taped muzzle to target, in-shell pellet count average of five, and true choke constriction from bore gauge).

40 YARDS Mod. (.018” const.)
Federal Speed-Shok 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (186 pellets) pattern 128 (69%)
Remington Sportsman 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (193 pellets) pattern 146 (76%)
Winchester Xpert 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (195 pellets) pattern 131 (67%)

Remington Sportsman 2 3/4" 1 1/8 oz #2 steel (139 pellets) pattern 116 (83%)

Federal Speed-Shok 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (154 pellets) pattern 115 (75%)
Remington Sportsman 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (152 pellets) pattern 110 (72%)
Winchester Xpert 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (146 pellets) pattern 106 (73%)

Hope this helps, good luck!!
Agreed. Patterning any shotgun along with the type of shell, choke you expect to use in the field truly benefits the hunter. Understanding where the majority of your pattern is relative to aim point. This leads To more kills. Testing looks good.
 
I’m gonna be a little snarky! I’ve done some patterning. I’ll admit it was more by eye than counting bbs. When I’m in a clump of cain wrong foot forward when a rooster flushes and when I swing my gun it hit every branch am I thinking this shell and choke needs to aim high and right! I just think in the field there is to many variable to know why you missed a bird to blame it on pattering. That will be my new excuse this year when I miss….these shells didn’t pattern worth a darn but I gotta use them up😜
 
I just got my son a mossberg youth pump. The IC choke patterned awful at 30 yards with multiple different brands. We got way better patterns with the mod choke.
 
I just got my son a mossberg youth pump. The IC choke patterned awful at 30 yards with multiple different brands. We got way better patterns with the mod choke.

Was that gun in 20 gauge?

In several years of coaching high school clay target teams, I have noticed inconsistent target breaks with 20 gauge guns and improved cylinder chokes. Modified chokes in the same guns result on more consistent breaks.
 
What does the pattern board tell us about 20ga IC and Mod chokes at 30-yards.

Pattern results from a 20-gauge Browning Citori with 28" Invector-plus barrels using Briley flush chokes (patterns average of five, 30" post-shot scribed circle, yardage taped muzzle to target, and in-shell pellet count average of five).

30 YARDS / IC
Reload (Unique) 2 3/4" 7/8 oz #8 lead (343 pellets) / pattern 237 (69%)
Win AA 2 3/4" 7/8 oz #8 lead (356 pellets) / pattern 257 (72%)
Win AA Hvy 2 3/4" 1 oz #8 lead (410 pellets) / pattern 276 (67%)
Rem Sureshot 2 3/4" 1 oz #7 ½ lead (349 pellets) / pattern 249 (71%)

30 YARDS / M
Reload (Unique) 2 3/4" 7/8 oz #8 lead (343 pellets) / pattern 270 (79%)
Win AA 2 3/4" 7/8 oz #8 lead (356 pellets) / pattern 318 (89%)
Win AA Hvy 2 3/4" 1 oz #8 lead (410 pellets) / pattern 341 (83%)
Rem Sureshot 2 3/4" 1 oz #7 ½ lead (349 pellets) / pattern 298 (85%)

Hope this helps, good luck!
 
What does the pattern board tell us about 20ga IC and Mod chokes at 30-yards.

Pattern results from a 20-gauge Browning Citori with 28" Invector-plus barrels using Briley flush chokes (patterns average of five, 30" post-shot scribed circle, yardage taped muzzle to target, and in-shell pellet count average of five).

30 YARDS / IC
Reload (Unique) 2 3/4" 7/8 oz #8 lead (343 pellets) / pattern 237 (69%)
Win AA 2 3/4" 7/8 oz #8 lead (356 pellets) / pattern 257 (72%)
Win AA Hvy 2 3/4" 1 oz #8 lead (410 pellets) / pattern 276 (67%)
Rem Sureshot 2 3/4" 1 oz #7 ½ lead (349 pellets) / pattern 249 (71%)

30 YARDS / M
Reload (Unique) 2 3/4" 7/8 oz #8 lead (343 pellets) / pattern 270 (79%)
Win AA 2 3/4" 7/8 oz #8 lead (356 pellets) / pattern 318 (89%)
Win AA Hvy 2 3/4" 1 oz #8 lead (410 pellets) / pattern 341 (83%)
Rem Sureshot 2 3/4" 1 oz #7 ½ lead (349 pellets) / pattern 298 (85%)

Hope this helps, good luck!

Most of the kids shooting a 20 gauge on a HS Clay Target Team trap field are beginners. I would estimate that are engaging their targets at 37 yards or more.
 
Ya, I turkey hunt as well. You think bismuth is expensive. TSS (tungsten) will definitely take whatever extra funds you have. Thankfully, I probably shoot 1 or 2 rounds a year at around 8+ bucks a round. thankful they come in 5 and 10 round boxes.
Will say the stuff is awesome at taking down turkeys and they are even using #9 shot now. They say iit kills up to 70 yards. I’m nit likely to ever take that kind of shot but the stuff is pretty amazing.
for as long as I can I will continue to shoot lead, copper plated lead, or nickel plated lead on pheasants and whatever else flies. Steel, and some copper plated steel on wildlife management areas requiring nontoxic.
I don't use steel, except for geese.
 
I find I shoot much better if I take my time, mount the gun so when it hits my shoulder I am in front of the bird,
and take my time to match my gun speed to the bird speed.
I shoot the same shotgun for everything from Sept ducks in Alaska to pheasants in MT/ND to Jan geese in MT.
Browning Citori with first barrel Skeet2 which is between IC and Modified, second barrel is modified.
I shoot steel shot exclusively.
 
I find I shoot much better if I take my time, mount the gun so when it hits my shoulder I am in front of the bird,
and take my time to match my gun speed to the bird speed.
I shoot the same shotgun for everything from Sept ducks in Alaska to pheasants in MT/ND to Jan geese in MT.
Browning Citori with first barrel Skeet2 which is between IC and Modified, second barrel is modified.
I shoot steel shot exclusively.
Beware of the guy with one gun, He probably knows how to use it.
 
I usually start with IC/M with #5 lead at 1220 in my Win 101(fair weather gun) and the same shells in IC in my Maxus (foul weather), both 12 g. I will tighten up if the only shots are longer range.
Tom
 
I shoot a 20 ga montefeltro with a modified choke and a citori 725 20ga with mod/im. Haven't hunted alot with the citori and since I use the mod choke in the Benelli I figured it would work for the citori as 1st shot.
 
Back
Top