#7 Nickel shot

[Penguin907]

No offense intended toward o.p., but why? A good lead 5's or 6's will kill plenty good at 40 yards. A few extra holes in paper are of dubious value if they lack penetrating power. A good turkey load of 5 or 6 shot will pattern plenty good enough, and give a margin for error if your range estimation is off. No need to reinvent the wheel here, just call them close and shoot them in the head, and warm up the oven.

I haven't been able to get good patterns with three different chokes, two barrels, and 5s and 6s. Trying to solve the problem without getting a new gun or using tss.

[Marc]

I haven't been able to get good patterns with three different chokes, two barrels, and 5s and 6s. Trying to solve the problem without getting a new gun or using tss.

What is the issue with the patterns, and at what ranges?

If memory serves, #7's are pushing the envelope at 40 yards as far as having the energy to consistently penetrate bone and kill a bird.  And getting reasonable patterns with #6's under 40 yards should be easily attainable.

Have you taken a bore gauge to the barrel and to the chokes to see what type of constriction you are actually getting as opposed to what is marked on the chokes?  Are you certain you are purchasing the correct branded chokes for your gun (Briley once sent me Beretta chokes for a Benelli, which effectively made all the chokes cylinder as I recall)...

A standard full choke should be 0.035 in constriction...  My current XS-4 has a bore diameter of exactly .740, so my full choke should measure .705...  My Extra-full measures exactly .700

If I were shooting a gun with a bore diameter of say .710, that same extra-full in my current gun would be an effective improved cylinder choke (no matter how it is marked).

[Penguin907]

At 40 yards I'm getting holes and not appropriately dense patterns in a 10in circle. Not getting to that 100 in a 10in circle mark. I don't plan on shooting that far, but if that's considered the standard to meet, I'd like to meet it.

Gun is Benelli Nova, so all the chokes are Beretta/Benelli mobil. Tried a carlson coyote .680 (already had for varmint hunting), patternmaster anaconda striker .670, and a carlson .650. Carlson .650 patterns the worst. Blows it out even with 7s.

I haven't taken bore gauges to the barrels or chokes.

[BandedSpur]

Have you tried Winch LBs since you are not willing to pay the price for TSS? You will likely never be able to load ammo with any shot size that will equal their performance. Although I will say, there seem to have been some quality control issues with those the last couple of years.

[Penguin907]

Have you tried Winch LBs since you are not willing to pay the price for TSS? You will likely never be able to load ammo with any shot size that will equal their performance. Although I will say, there seem to have been some quality control issues with those the last couple of years.

Haven't tried LBs yet, but those aren't the only loads people regularly get 100+ in 10in right? The price of TSS doesn't bother me, it just seems to me like a way to make the sport easier which I'm not interested in doing.

[Marc]

Gun is Benelli Nova, so all the chokes are Beretta/Benelli mobil.

Beretta and Benelli are NOT based on the same bore diameter!  If you received Beretta Mobil, you are very likely shooting a far more open choke than you think you are.

Following is a quote a gun website:


These two chokes have identical outside dimensions, however these chokes are based on two different bore diameters and should not be interchanged.

I previously described the same situation, when I ordered some after-market  chokes, and was sent Beretta instead of Benelli chokes.  Chokes were all effectively very open chokes compared to what I ordered.  I ordered the correct chokes, but was sent the wrong ones.

If you can get a hold of a good bore gauge, this mystery will be solved quickly...  You can also put in the factory full, and might get vastly improved chokes.

[Penguin907]

All my chokes say Benelli/Beretta mobil or ber/ben. Looking on Carlson's website there isn't a listing for just benelli mobil or just beretta mobil. Can you buy aftermarket Benelli mobil only chokes? Talked to patternmaster customer support this morning, and they said there is no difference between beretta and benelli mobil chokes.

[Marc]

All my chokes say Benelli/Beretta mobil or ber/ben. Looking on Carlson's website there isn't a listing for just benelli mobil or just beretta mobil. Can you buy aftermarket Benelli mobil only chokes? Talked to patternmaster customer support this morning, and they said there is no difference between beretta and benelli mobil chokes.

I looked up manufacturer bore diameters for Mobil chokes in Beretta and Benelli:

Beretta "Mobil Bore" shotgun chokes are based on a .732 inch (18.6mm) bore. 

The bore diameter for the Beretta/Benelli Mobil chokes, designed for models like the SBE/M1, is typically around .722 inches.

If you ordered the Beretta Mobil chokes they might be considerably more open than you wanted...  Although the constrictions you posted should give adequately tight chokes even for the Benelli at 40 yards... 

I would call Carlson, let them know your issue.  Ask their advice and go from there.

On another note:  Previously owning a Benelli (M-1 and M-2), ported chokes did NOT pattern well at all in my guns (clumpy patterns full of holes).  The more I read on ported chokes, the less I want to use them...  Looking at some YouTube gurus that posted up fairly extensive patterning, with some good technology, the ported chokes generally under-preformed non-ported in the same constrictions, and sometimes drastically so.