Early Super Black Eagle Choke

[widetrackman]

Well I' new to the forum and cant find this covered. My S.B.E patterns terribly w/ turkey loads. I have the 26" barrell, and it mic's .720 . The choke is a Berreta turkey xfull and mic"s .673. The 3.5 2 1/4 #4 copper bf in Fed. Win. & Rem are terrible. The best patterns I've got is with the old Activ 3" 2 1/4 nickle plated #4 ( supply about exhausted ). Anyboby have any actual use/suggestions for 3" 2oz #4 copper or 3.5 2 1/4 oz #4 copper? From what I 've read ? .729 is std 12 ga, maybe I'm over choked? Any suggestions appreciated (in lieu of buying 1/2 dozen chokes ) Thanks

[tucker301]

I had similar results with mine and stepped back to modified to get it tightened up.

[mudhen]

Hey Tucker,

You can put 200 pellets in a 10" circle with the factory modified at 40 yards?

I'm impressed!

I have had decent success with longer turkey chokes like MAD or Kicks in the SBE. Something in the .660 range with Win HV #6's or #5's.

My SBE's have all hated Federal & Remington turkey loads and they tolertate the Win HV loads but ONLY in the newer faster 2 oz loads - not the 2.25 oz loads of the past.

I got crappy patterns with anything larger than a .665 or much below .655.

mudhen - CA

[tucker301]

Whatchatalkinbout, mudhen?
Where did you come up with 200 in a 10" circle from the OP?

My "similar results" were that more constrictive chokes seemed to blow the pattern apart, whereas the factory mod. choke performed bets with 4's and 5's.

[mudhen]

200 is just a standard 'really good' turkey pattern with lead #6's.

My pattern with #6's Win HV & factory mod @ 40 yards is about 45 inches wide and would only serve to sting and annoy most toms!

I have never heard of anyone using factory mod for turkeys besides some real close up shots.

I'm sure it would kill some birds - but I even more sure it would cripple some.

Just wondering what you were talking about.

mudhen - CA

[tucker301]

I used factory modified on toms here in southern VA (aka The Jungle) for years.
Typical shots here are under 30 yds., with many being at, "hey fellow, your breath stinks" close.

[mudhen]

I do much more open field shooting here in Cali and places like Kansas.

Gotta have a little more distance sometimes.....

mudhen - CA

[widetrackman]

Hey Guys, this old Ms. redneck ain't sure what ya'll are saying ?, but it sounds like if I want to hammer a bird at 40 yds I'll need to dump the SBE. I try not to shoot at 40 yds unless I have too as about 20-25% get away ussually wounded. I have suffered with this gun for 10 years of turkey hunting, although its perty good on duck/geese. I do manage to limit out in the two states I hunt in. Maybe its time to buy a Win,Rem, Brn or something, they couldnt be any worst. My .02s worth. Thanks

[mudhen]

No doubt - the SBE & SBE II are hard to tune for turkeys at 40 yards - so are most shotguns.

I rarely take that shot, but I need the gun to do it on occasion.

Some brands just seem to have the 40 yard turkey pattern figured out.

My Browning Gold 3.5 sucks at 40 yards.

From what I read at www.nwtf.org, only Mossberg & Remington really have perfected the better long range patterns.

While the SBE II is my main gun for the most part, I may have to look into something new for turks in the future....

mudhen - CA