Here goes:
My primary is a Remington 11-87. It’s equipped with a SideSaddle, dedicated SureFire forend, Accu-Trak ghost ring sights, and a single point sling. Other mods include the Easyloader so I don’t have to hit the silly little silver button on the carrier, and an enlarged bolt handle that won’t tear flesh like the factory offering.
Distances posted are twenty-five yards--my personal opinion of what is pushing the envelope for buckshot. All loads are buckshot.
Two screw in chokes: cylinder bore Rem Choke and the "Pattern Master."
Pattern Master:
Fed. 30 pellet #4…14 inches (horizontal stringing)
Fed. 20 pellet #1…14 inches
Fed. 12 pellet 00…7 inches
Win. 8 pellet 000…5.5 inches
Fed. Tactical 00…5 inches
Cylinder Bore:
Fed. 30 pellet #4…18 inches
Fed. 20 pellet #1…23 inches
Fed. 12 pellet 00…15 inches
Win. 8 pellet 000…11 inches
Fed. Tactical 00…9 inches
As you can see, the Pattern Master choke offers superb buckshot patterns, cutting most patterns in half, but I found that (in my gun at least) it produces very erratic groups with slugs. Since I’m happy with the 9-inch pattern my gun gives with Federal Tactical, I have switched to the cylinder bore tube exclusively so I can "select slug" and still be confident. The gun will easily shoot 1-ounce slugs into two inches at 50 yards if I do my part.
Note:
Some of the newer Fed. Tact. does not seem to pattern as well as the early stuff. I have a fair supply of the latter, an that’s what I keep for HD duty.
I use S&B 12 pellet 00 for training, but would not use it for HD due to extreme spread.
Denny
|