Going a different direction from my benelli m2 with an aimpoint sight and tss 9s this year just for fun, and something to kill my time during the "quarantine". I picked up an old 21" barreled 870 magnum. Also picked up a used shurshot stock set for cheap, and did some hacksaw and dremel work on it. Next I'm going to paint it as soon as the paint I ordered gets delivered. Planning on shooting just the beads, and keeping it old school with the choke and loads. I've got a Remington straight rifled choke, an original jelly head, and I'm on the hunt for a ventilator choke. As far as loads I have some old white hevishot 6s, some even older black hulled hevishot 5s and some old Winchester high velocity 6s. I'm looking for some old federal blue and gold box 3" shells as well. All that being said, what was your favorite go to load and choke combo from years gone by?
Winchester Supreme 3", red hull #5s with a Hastings .660 choke tube. That load walloped on both ends.
I still hunt with my old 870 with fixed full choke 26"barrel. It always liked 2 full oz. of lead and Federals most specific. Both my sons have the 21" barrels and TruGlo chokes. Not sure of the restrictions, but they both like the Winchester Extremes 1 7/8 oz.
In the 90's, there was a shell company called Active. Red box, red shells. They had a 3 inch nickel plated #5 load, 2 oz. They had a special wad that rear deployed and stayed with shot just like the Flite control wad. They are no longer in business, but I got great patterns out of my Benelli SBE with a gobbling thunder 660 choke. It was fantastic......my older favorite. Winchester Extended Range (replaced by Longbeards due to cost) shot extremely well out of my SBE with an Indian Creek ported tube....miss them too.
My dad used to have a box of those plastic hulled(even the case head) activ penetrator shells. I'll have to see if he still does. I think I k is where there is a box or two of the old Remington 3" 4x6 duplex loads too that I might pick up.
You are correct, weird shell. All plastic, but unreal pattern.. good luck...
Winchester Supreme HV 3.5" 5's and a Star Dot .676 in my 835. Hell of a combo!
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Remington super full and winchester XX 4s. Threw a wicked tight pattern for the time.
3" 2 oz. #6 Federal Premium Copper-plated (gold and blue box) with a Kicks .655 in a Remington SP Turkey 870 with 28" barrel. Killed my first few turkeys with that combo and it hammered em.
Mossberg 835
old original .676 stardot choke
Winchester Double XX Magnum 3-1/2" 2-1/4oz#5's
:morning:
Rem Super Mag, 23" barrel, Ventilator tube, 3" Long Beard #6. Devastating at 40yds. :camohat:
I would say the federal turkey thugs 3" #5s and my Sumtoy .650 are my favorite old school "ish" combo in one of my guns. The other one is the .640 factory xtra full and winchester xx 3" #6s out of my browning upland special bps. Still have a few of the thugs left, will use them up someday !
Quote from: Tom007 on March 21, 2020, 11:35:07 AM
You are correct, weird shell. All plastic, but unreal pattern.. good luck...
All plastic Activs are still my all-time favorite. I still have a few.
Your lucky, those active sure were ahead of their time.........
Active 3" 2 1/4 oz of Nickle plated #6 shot through an MAD Choke. Still have 3 boxes of the Active shells. Close to 30 years old, 8.99 price tag still on them.
I've always loved Federal shells. My late father killed most of his turkeys, spring and fall, with 2 oz Premium #4s. I've still got a few boxes of them, along with some 2 oz #5s and the Hi-Energy 1 3/4 oz #5s.
My old school go to was a mossberg 835 with a stardot .676 choke and winchester 3.5" HV #5. It was brutal to shoot but patterned well for its time. My brother hunted exclusively with a greenleaf 870 with a .640 hastings choke and activ 3" #6. He shot alot of PA birds with that combo.
Benelli m1 shooting a Mark Bansner truglo choke and winchester supreme 3" 6's
10 ga BPS Stalker with 30" barrel and Lord knows what choke tube back then but I think Hastings. Shot Federal Premium copper 6's. I was a pretty small guy back then. Friends used to joke about me pushing my cannon around in a wheelbarrow. Was SO happy to get my first Benelli SBE!
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Quote from: Borden811 on March 20, 2020, 07:37:00 PM
Going a different direction from my benelli m2 with an aimpoint sight and tss 9s this year just for fun, and something to kill my time during the "quarantine". I picked up an old 21" barreled 870 magnum. Also picked up a used shurshot stock set for cheap, and did some hacksaw and dremel work on it. Next I'm going to paint it as soon as the paint I ordered gets delivered. Planning on shooting just the beads, and keeping it old school with the choke and loads. I've got a Remington straight rifled choke, an original jelly head, and I'm on the hunt for a ventilator choke. As far as loads I have some old white hevishot 6s, some even older black hulled hevishot 5s and some old Winchester high velocity 6s. I'm looking for some old federal blue and gold box 3" shells as well. All that being said, what was your favorite go to load and choke combo from years gone by?
I have an extra Ventilator .655 choke.
I have a benelli nova,been using it going on 25 years,.still using the same combo I started out using in it.640 Hastings choke and 3 1/2 Winchester supreme 5 shot...
Rem 870/21" bbl/ Kicks .655
Winchester XX 3/2/6's (Red Shell)
140's-150's in a 10 @ 40
Disaster for the turkey.
Rem. 870 Super Mag.- Rem. Ventilator .655 choke and old Federal Premium 3" 2 oz. 7 1/2 shot!
Benelli SBE I- Kicks GT .655- Winchester Supreme HV 3 1/2" 2 oz. 6 shot
Browning BPS Stalker 24" 10 ga.- Mark Bansner Tru Glo choke- old Federal Premium 3 1/2" 2 1/4 oz 6 shot and the now discontinued Winchester Supreme HV 2 oz. 6 shot.
Quote from: WildTigerTrout on March 30, 2020, 12:25:32 PM
Rem. 870 Super Mag.- Rem. Ventilator .655 choke and old Federal Premium 3" 2 oz. 7 1/2 shot!
Benelli SBE I- Kicks GT .655- Winchester Supreme HV 3 1/2" 2 oz. 6 shot
Browning BPS Stalker 24" 10 ga.- Mark Bansner Tru Glo choke- old Federal Premium 3 1/2" 2 1/4 oz 6 shot and the now discontinued Winchester Supreme HV 2 oz. 6 shot.
Hmm..I have two boxes of the old Federal 3/2/7.5's. Never tried them through my Super Mag/ Ventilator. Gonna have to give those a run. Thanks
12g 870
Winchester XX - 6s
Hastings Choke
I can't even count how many turkey's that combo has killed for me and my family over the years.
Win xx magnum 3.5" #5 or 6's and a Jellyhead .660
Remington 870 12 . super full remchoke, 3inch Remington duplex