Indian Creek Ported Safe for 20g Fed HW???

[sonofabuck]

Before I knew it was not recommended to shoot these with ported chokes, I shot one shell (HW #6) through my .555 ported choke.  It was only at thirty yards but it was a really good pattern(180 in 10"). I've heard that some have been having catastrophic results with this shell/choke combo.  But, I've also heard that the 20g uses a softer wad and that it is ok.  I've got other combos in this gun to shoot but this put up the best pattern for me.  At least at 30 yards.

So is this safe to shoot?  The last thing I want is my choke to blow up with my 9 year old daughter behind the trigger.

[BandedSpur]

I'd go straight to the source on that one. Give IC a call; they'll tell you.

[WV Ridge Reaper]

Shoot em,I have talked a "source" said to shoot em..It's more of the shell maker who don't think it should be done.


Sent from West By God Virginia.

[sonofabuck]

Ok.  Just talked to Mike at IC and........still clear as mud.  LOL  Said he has had zero issues since they changed to stainless (several years ago) with bulging or cracking.  Also has heard of several shooting that combo without incident and with good patterns.  But would not give a flat out OK to shoot FC wads through their ported choke.  I'm thinking it's more of a performance issue from Federal than a safety issue and I'll probably try a few more and see what kind of numbers it puts up at 40yards.

[Chuck1443]

I shot the same set up the other day and got 123 /10" after we shot a whole box of low brass without cleaning no issue that I seen

[gophert]

Ok.  Just talked to Mike at IC and........still clear as mud.  LOL  Said he has had zero issues since they changed to stainless (several years ago) with bulging or cracking.  Also has heard of several shooting that combo without incident and with good patterns.  But would not give a flat out OK to shoot FC wads through their ported choke.  I'm thinking it's more of a performance issue from Federal than a safety issue and I'll probably try a few more and see what kind of numbers it puts up at 40yards.

If you have the new SS Indian Creek shoot away.  Here's the deal on the Flight Control wad.  In the 20 ga load, the wad is much softer and is why you see so many good patterns from ported chokes, even though Federal says not to do it.  The wad in the 12 ga load is much stiffer and causes the problems with ported chokes.  Fed just blanketed the statement across all their loads, but in reality the wads are very different.  It is definitely a performance issue that Fed is concerned about.  The ported chokes tend to have wad stoppers in them which works against what the Flight Control wad is meant to do, stay with the load longer.