I set my son up a H&R youth model with a 22" modified choke to start out when he was 8. I polished the barrel good and drilled and tapped it and put a red dot on it. Back then there wasn't too many choices for TSS and I settled on the Federal reduced recoil load of 1.5oz of #9's. Yesterday he killed his 5th bird with this combo and it knocks them flat. With the modified choke it throws a very even forgiving pattern at 25 and still puts plenty in the 19" at 40. Three years ago I misjudged a field bird that was getting ready to leave, I thought 45 and told him to shoot and he dropped him on the spot. We we ranged it later it was 51, not condoning it but I was definitely impressed .
I did try some Apex Ninjas in it last year and the pattern at 25 was a touch better than the Federals but the 40 was nearly identical and the Apex definitely kicked noticeably more so I stuck with them since it's primarily my son's gun. Not gonna lie though, I find myself grabbing that little thing more and more lately because it's so handy and shoots good
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