mossberg 835 choke for federal...?

[DirtNap647]

thinking of trying the federal heavyweight 7 shot not sure how this wad works so what choke should I get for a Mossberg 835 for these 3 1/2" shells

[Gobble!]

Seems most have the best luck with Trulocks Federal choke. Wouldn't hurt to try a factory full/super full.

[allaboutshooting]

thinking of trying the federal heavyweight 7 shot not sure how this wad works so what choke should I get for a Mossberg 835 for these 3 1/2" shells

The way that I've been able to get the most consistent patterns from those shells so far is to defeat the intended purpose of the Flitecontrol Wad. I've been able to make the wad work the way it was intended to work by shooting it through pretty open chokes but I do not always see consistency in the patterns.

When I compress the wad tightly, I get better patterns. The effect of compressing the wad is to seal through heat and friction, the brakes on the sides and the petals on the rear of the wad. It then exits the muzzle in very much the same way a sabot might, with the shot charge largely inside of it. At some point the shot will exit the wad but that wad will also carry to the 40+ yard mark many times.

That becomes a bit more of a challenge with the overbored .775 Mossberg 835/935 since many chokes are in the .670 to .675 exit diameter which may not compress that wad enough to produce the effect I've described.

I've spent a good bit more time with those shells in guns with standard bores as well as the .742 Invector+ barrels and have used chokes in the .650 range or even tighter with good results.

Those shells also seem to prefer a pretty clean bore in many guns. A build up of plastic seems to affect their performance.

I plan to shoot some of the new 3rd Degree shells as soon as time and weather allow. The Flitecontrol wads in those shells have different appearance to me and seem to be somewhat thinner than the wads I've seen previously with the Heavyweight shot. They are more like the lead Flitecontrol wads I've seen.

I hope that helps some.

Thanks,
Clark

[surehuntsalot]

I have used the .710 factory full choke and got good hunting patterns with the 7's

[heyboy15]

i shot #6s federal with the .695 choke that came with it and i got 215 in a 10" at 30 yds

[mightyjoeyoung]

I shot the truglo bone collector smackdown .670 a few years ago in one of my 835's that I purpose built from a crown grade field gun. Highly polished (like a mirror) and deep cleaned 24" barrel, had a trigger job done that now allows approx a 3.5-4 pound, very crisp break, mounted a thumbhole stock with a sims pad and added a camo neoprene piece to the cheek area and of course optics.  I have tried a TON of chokes and load combos through the 835 ever since my first one of seven now back in 1993.  This particular gun has taken birds heads off inside of 20 (WITHOUT shooting longbeards).  The smackdown choke will NEVER leave this gun.  It quite literally seems to shoot everything I have fed it very well to ridiculously well.  From the old Federal grand slam, Winchester and Remington premier lead loads to federal heavyweights.   This choke just flat out shoots for my 835 (and every other 835 I've tried it in).  350 avg with hevi 7s, 300+ with hevi 6s, 275+ avg with the HW 7s and 160 avg with Fed lead 6s.  It's a "long" choke with a nice smooth transition from the constriction to parallel portion and the porting is actually set into a slightly widened portion of the muzzle of the choke, similar to an artillery piece muzzle break.  It doesn't appear to interfere with ANY wad, especially the flight contol wads but the porting does seem to do its job in reducing muzzle jump.  As far as recoil reduction, I don't know.  The way my gun is set up it is a dream to shoot the "roman candles" compared to any other 3.5" capable shotgun I have ever fired. 

[mightyjoeyoung]

Not for nothing but you paid to have the forcing cone lengthened on a gun that doesn't even really have one in the first place?  I was going to have it done on my second or third 835 until the smith that does all my work told me there really isn't one to speak of.  I did have one barrel super polished and chrome plated before but it did nothing to help patterning...