I've ised BB in that past but personally prefer a denser pattern. 2 shot is kinda my go to, but for ducks I'll use shot and even 4s now. Good stuff sir, always look forward to your uploads.
Mossberg full choke may be same constriction as imp modified or modified choke in another gun.. So folks , check with your own gun obviously. Thanks for all your awesome videos and info. Much appreciated.
@@TheNewHuntersGuide I think the Mossberg full condtriction is .700 ? I did get same results in the Beretta imp modified which is .700. Best pattern I found for BB. Thanks for sharing great content and showing hard work! 👍
Thanks for this video!!! This video just confirmed and solidified it for me. I’m completely satisfied with my Carlson’s sporting clays “MODIFIED” chokes (I have two). I have some MEGA expensive o/u’s double guns and I’m not about to risk any possible damage by tightening down a choke that’s more constrictive than the Carlson’s “Modified.” For me, sometimes “good enough,” just is. 68% is good enough and not the end of the world for me. In fact, this video impressed me because I thought the numbers were a little better than expected. I’m not a big goose hunter anyway but the handful of times I’ve done it, I was successful with the Carlson’s modified choke tubes and using #2 steel shot. Of course I know that BB shot is a harder hitter than #2 steel.
I run the srm terror tube. It’s a .720 10 gauge tube that works with all steel shot sizes. It’s amazing! The bb,t, and even f sizes pattern very well. Love your videos!!!!
You’re welcome for the clamp idea George! Too bad your range wont let you use a metal stand otherwise you’d be saving even more time with the patterning stand idea.
I’d love to see those Muller chokes shooting the Kent Fasteel 1 3/8oz #2s at 1300 fps since that’s what Muller recommends no faster than 1300fps for the best pattern
Nice. Where did you find it? I've only seen it for sale by the case. I even asked Kent if I could get a box for testing, but as usual they never responded.
Great video George. I did some patterning last week with Migra 2/4 load and Federal BB. I’m with you on density. BB loads leave a lot of holes. That 2/4 shot an incredible pattern for me with the mid range Carlson choke. Better than the long range choke.
Another great vid, George! I really enjoy all the data you come up with. I shoot boss with a muller passing, mostly 3s and 4s, and have been considering a UFO for boss 2s for geese.
Heres something weird for you George ! I have a beretta A350 (same as a400 basically) and I have a trulock extended hunter modified and a Carlson cremator mid range that got expanded from steel BB shot … both companies came good and replaced the chokes and i have only shot #2 and smaller without issue since
That is on the choke companies for sure. I did another video on whether choke tubes wear out and I asked a bunch of companies and they all said no. And most had a lifetime guarantee. So I would definitely make them honor it if something goes wrong with a load combo they say the tube is rated for.
Used the full Carlson on most all of the shotguns I own and they work great but I have found the limitation to be a fast 1550 steel load like the Challengers #2 and BB pattern well but the increased constriction from bigger load is too much and they lose a lot of energy, saw quite ducks and geese take direct hits drop feathers everywhere but not go down, also saw quite a few BB's that hit the wings and embedded themselves just under the skin without doing any damage - this was at 35-40 yards. Would love to see this exact test repeated on some gel as a penetration test.
I have an o/u cheap stoeger synthetic(299new)that loves a crematoe mid and full with bb size. I have a few cases of winhster super snow goose loads I git for about 11tbox. I have zero issues shooting decoying ducks or geese with it it crunchs them pretty good and in no way overkill
I use a Caldwell Lead Sled DFT2 and average out 3 shots because I have found variations between individual shells. Probably would get even more representative results from 5 or 10 but I can't afford to go that far. But with the Lead Sled I think I could if I had the money and the time.
So for 7 chokes I'd be doing 21 shots which hours of counting. That's just more than I can put in to improve the margin of error by a couple points. Maybe one day I'll get a pattern counting machine!
I’m pretty sure that surviving duck season guy was promoting an app that counted the holes in the paper when patterning in one of his videos about debunking the shot string theory.
I would think that the results of the Carlson improved modified choke would have had been between Carlson modified and full. I believe the Carlson modified ID is .720 and improved modified is at .715 and full is at .710.
Yea, but chokes are not as much of an exact science as people want them to be. Constriction is only 1 variable affecting pattern performance. There is also some variability between wads, shot size, etc. Certain constrictions could just be bad for some loads. Also, could just be that particular shot patterned poorly. I find BB shot tends to pattern the most inconsistent of anything I've ever shot, another reason I don't use it.
Excellent video George, my question though is if I can use BB steel shot thru a Kicks hi flyer choke in my Beretta A400 xtreme plus. Beretta says that I shouldn't use that size steel through the Beretta full choke. What's your opinion on this?
I have a box of the same but in #3 on my shelf for testing. I will be shocked if it performs as good as the Fasteel though. The Kent has been a consistent top performer in all shot sizes thus far.
Shot BB kent precision steel1600fps. really bad patterns at 40yrds. SX4 and carlsons' cremator mid range. I'll try factory full next time. You are right, waste of money. I won't use BB steel anymore.
Yea, it's just not capable of patterning well enough to reliably and consistently hit birds in vital areas. Unless they are close, which negates the point of BB shot lol.
@TheNewHuntersGuide I'd like to see BB shot through a IC choke. Maybe all other chokes are too narrow for the pellets. Another issue someone pointed out is that 1500 fps is too fast best would be under 1400fps. Hypersonic speeds causes the pellets to destabilize.
That might make a difference, but ultimately, there aren't enough pellets in the shell to get enough pattern density. If you get 100% pattern density, that's still only 90 pellets. I think steel BB shot is a fundamentally flawed idea for bird hunting, it only exists because of marketing.@@jeansandmyshirt
@TheNewHuntersGuide you have a point. I'll stick with #4 and #2 for ducks. I'm still having trouble jump shooting ducks. Haven't gone to practice clay shooting maybe that's why I can't hit any flying duck 😂
Just thought I would let you know that I went to the marsh last week with STEEL. Half an hour after high tide two wigeon came in to the left of the decoys, I got the first one and the other turned back; Killed with the third shot. Then a double on teal, another double on wigeon. Then two for two. Another teal and lots of single wigeon. Ending up with 9 wigeon and 3 teal. What was I using? A 1/4 choke out of my Browning A5; with 1-1/4 oz 3's (3.5mm) for the first and second shot with 1-3/8 oz 2's (3.8mm) for the last. And used twice for cripple stopping- the water erupted. Who needs Tungsten or Bismuth? My vented 1/2 choke and a reloaded 3-1/2" case with 1-1/2 oz of STEEL BB.s gives me 116 pellets in a 30" circle- devastating. Looking forward to your further tests with STEEL.
Those are great results! I would still never walk into the woods with steel again if I could help it. But I don't hunt where you hunt or how you hunt. About 70% of my birds are taken on foot at extended range.
BBs or larger shot, the circle should be a maximum of 24 inch diameter. 24 inch pattern will consistently kill snow geese without cripples at 70 yards. A perfectly even pattern across 24 inches will get clean kills.
@@TheNewHuntersGuide Briley, .015 choke in a Beretta steelium barrel or Briley.025 choke in Winchester .741 barrel and a Briley .030 choke in a 935 Mossberg .773 Barrel.
I don’t understand how you can say what the best choke or constriction is for BBs when I need a more open pattern at 25-30. What you determined in your test might be the absolute worst for someone else. So the title is confusing.
@@TheNewHuntersGuide I don’t know about you but during a duck season I will shoot 8 to 10 boxes of shells and at $42 bucks a box ( probably more ) that’s a lot of money , $25 bucks a box is bad enough ! Thanks for all your work doing the video , I wouldn’t have thought the full choke would be the best pattern . I will try a full choke this season . I usually shoot # 2 Steel with an improved mod choke , it looks like a full choke is better !…..
Yea, I don't go through that many shells in a hunting season. So for me, its a non issue. A case will last me about 3 years. Maybe more if I don't keep using the shells to make UA-cam videos, ha.@@thomasdaum1927
@@TheNewHuntersGuide You might consider reloading that way you can load the velocity and size of shot also chose the wad you like ! Right now I am loading 1 oz of # 2s at 1700 fps ( over the chronograph ) !
@@TheNewHuntersGuide Full chokes and steel shot don’t mix, except when they do. Full and steel damage barrels, except when they don’t. Full chokes and steel produce blown patterns, except when they don’t. Full chokes and big pellets - BBB and T - really don’t mix, except when they do. Figuring out where the truth lies is difficult. Here it is. Most of it, anyway.
@@mg8720-u7j Hasn't really been my experience or the recommendations of the choke or gun companies. Though I have seen BB shot not love tighter chokes as much. They do sometimes pattern tighter but the pattern consistency went out the window.
Great video but you can talk in a normal human voice? The price is right hype man voice is unnecessary and annoying. There's no way you talk like that in real life.
You know, I've tested some videos that were lower energy. Didn't seem to make any positive difference with viewers. I could try more. But low energy is boring and I'm excited about most of these subjects.
I've ised BB in that past but personally prefer a denser pattern. 2 shot is kinda my go to, but for ducks I'll use shot and even 4s now. Good stuff sir, always look forward to your uploads.
Thank you so much!
You rock 2s for Canada geese? I'm thinking about getting rid of bb as well.
@200130769 yeah I'll even shoot 3 shot in early season up here in ND
“ If this is the last video you see of me, I guess you’ll know what happened!” 😂😂👍👍
Hey, you never know, might get stomped out by one of these sacred cows lol.
Mossberg full choke may be same constriction as imp modified or modified choke in another gun.. So folks , check with your own gun obviously. Thanks for all your awesome videos and info. Much appreciated.
Thanks!
@@TheNewHuntersGuide I think the Mossberg full condtriction is .700 ? I did get same results in the Beretta imp modified which is .700. Best pattern I found for BB. Thanks for sharing great content and showing hard work! 👍
Thanks so much, that's why I did a whole table of chokes to see how incremental increase to constriction impacts performance.@@johnpettley766
Thanks for this video!!! This video just confirmed and solidified it for me. I’m completely satisfied with my Carlson’s sporting clays “MODIFIED” chokes (I have two). I have some MEGA expensive o/u’s double guns and I’m not about to risk any possible damage by tightening down a choke that’s more constrictive than the Carlson’s “Modified.” For me, sometimes “good enough,” just is. 68% is good enough and not the end of the world for me. In fact, this video impressed me because I thought the numbers were a little better than expected. I’m not a big goose hunter anyway but the handful of times I’ve done it, I was successful with the Carlson’s modified choke tubes and using #2 steel shot. Of course I know that BB shot is a harder hitter than #2 steel.
Thanks! Yes, but I'd take the bigger pellet count of Steel #2 almost any day.
George, you are really appreciated!!!!! I follow your tests and believe the facts (pellet counts and gel penetration's)
Thank you do much!
I run the srm terror tube. It’s a .720 10 gauge tube that works with all steel shot sizes. It’s amazing! The bb,t, and even f sizes pattern very well. Love your videos!!!!
In the 12 gauge I run the srm .675 terror choke tube for steel shot. It’s absolutely amazing! Very dense and tight patterns.
OMG i stumbled onto your channel .. well done and thank you from a old longtime (40 years) hunter.. northern Ontario hunter.. shared with my group
Thank you so much!
You’re welcome for the clamp idea George! Too bad your range wont let you use a metal stand otherwise you’d be saving even more time with the patterning stand idea.
Oh man, it would be so great if I could just leave a stand out there too. That's a big chunk of time every trip out.
I’d love to see those Muller chokes shooting the Kent Fasteel 1 3/8oz #2s at 1300 fps since that’s what Muller recommends no faster than 1300fps for the best pattern
Does Kent make a "Fasteel" that slow?
@@TheNewHuntersGuide yes the 12 gauge 3” #2 steel in 1-3/8oz is 1300fps and supposedly patterns better
Hmm, I'll keep my eyes open for it.@@bransendyess5402
@@TheNewHuntersGuidedid you ever end up finding any? I just got my muller passing and am trying to see what the best ammo would be for it
another great show! Thanks
ThNks so much!
bonjour et merci pour ce test, le UFO est définitivement le meilleur de tous ...
Thank you so much!
Can't wait until you do a video with the new Fasteel+. Just patterned it today in my SX4 and I'm very impressed with it.
Nice. Where did you find it? I've only seen it for sale by the case. I even asked Kent if I could get a box for testing, but as usual they never responded.
@TheNewHuntersGuide I found it at my local Cabelas in Northern Virginia and another outdoors store Green Top in Richmond area.
Great work! Fantastic video. So informative and hit the nail on the head.
Thank you!
Great video George. I did some patterning last week with Migra 2/4 load and Federal BB. I’m with you on density. BB loads leave a lot of holes. That 2/4 shot an incredible pattern for me with the mid range Carlson choke. Better than the long range choke.
I hope to do some testing with that exact Migra load, and compare it with the Fasteel+, just trying to get my hands on some.
Thank you for all the effort
Thanks so much!
Extra full with steel! Your a braver man than me George. 😊 i actually hid behind a pillow watching that! 😂😂😂
HAHA, gotta put safety first!
@@TheNewHuntersGuide 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Another great vid, George! I really enjoy all the data you come up with.
I shoot boss with a muller passing, mostly 3s and 4s, and have been considering a UFO for boss 2s for geese.
The passing is going to be all you need most of the time. I'm hoping to do some long range testing with 2s soon also!
As always great learning moment!
Thanks so much!
Mallards never decoy where I hunt. This combo got me my very first Mallard at 70 yards. A400, Muller Passing & Kent 3.5" Steel BB
That is pretty far right there!
@ I had forgot that my second round will be a 3.5 so it was a nice surprise at the same time the recoil was pretty bad.
Good video. Well done.
Interesting info
Thanks so much!
Heres something weird for you George ! I have a beretta A350 (same as a400 basically) and I have a trulock extended hunter modified and a Carlson cremator mid range that got expanded from steel BB shot … both companies came good and replaced the chokes and i have only shot #2 and smaller without issue since
That is on the choke companies for sure. I did another video on whether choke tubes wear out and I asked a bunch of companies and they all said no. And most had a lifetime guarantee. So I would definitely make them honor it if something goes wrong with a load combo they say the tube is rated for.
Used the full Carlson on most all of the shotguns I own and they work great but I have found the limitation to be a fast 1550 steel load like the Challengers #2 and BB pattern well but the increased constriction from bigger load is too much and they lose a lot of energy, saw quite ducks and geese take direct hits drop feathers everywhere but not go down, also saw quite a few BB's that hit the wings and embedded themselves just under the skin without doing any damage - this was at 35-40 yards.
Would love to see this exact test repeated on some gel as a penetration test.
Long range BB shot test is coming in about a week! Will be using the tightest choke I think.
I have an o/u cheap stoeger synthetic(299new)that loves a crematoe mid and full with bb size. I have a few cases of winhster super snow goose loads I git for about 11tbox. I have zero issues shooting decoying ducks or geese with it it crunchs them pretty good and in no way overkill
Very nice!
I use a Caldwell Lead Sled DFT2 and average out 3 shots because I have found variations between individual shells. Probably would get even more representative results from 5 or 10 but I can't afford to go that far. But with the Lead Sled I think I could if I had the money and the time.
So for 7 chokes I'd be doing 21 shots which hours of counting. That's just more than I can put in to improve the margin of error by a couple points. Maybe one day I'll get a pattern counting machine!
I’m pretty sure that surviving duck season guy was promoting an app that counted the holes in the paper when patterning in one of his videos about debunking the shot string theory.
I looked into it. The cost of the paper was prohibitive.
@@TheNewHuntersGuide Paper vs time analysis may be in order...
Great content.
I would think that the results of the Carlson improved modified choke would have had been between Carlson modified and full. I believe the Carlson modified ID is .720 and improved modified is at .715 and full is at .710.
Yea, but chokes are not as much of an exact science as people want them to be. Constriction is only 1 variable affecting pattern performance. There is also some variability between wads, shot size, etc. Certain constrictions could just be bad for some loads. Also, could just be that particular shot patterned poorly. I find BB shot tends to pattern the most inconsistent of anything I've ever shot, another reason I don't use it.
Thanks for the reviews. Have you had a chance to pattern and gel test the new fasteel + 3” 4/2 load? Thanks
I have a box that I recently bought and plan to teat them after turkey season. Thanks!
tnx for a great video
Thank you!
Excellent video George, my question though is if I can use BB steel shot thru a Kicks hi flyer choke in my Beretta A400 xtreme plus. Beretta says that I shouldn't use that size steel through the Beretta full choke.
What's your opinion on this?
I would contact Kicks, only way to know for sure. I wouldn't do it unless they approve.
You ever thought about trying winchester supper x/expert 3" 1 1/8 oz of size bb at 1550 with the same set-up
I have a box of the same but in #3 on my shelf for testing. I will be shocked if it performs as good as the Fasteel though. The Kent has been a consistent top performer in all shot sizes thus far.
Not paying the price for Bismuth.
The price of steel is inching closer every season.
Thanks for counting so I don't have to lol, I imagine you sounding like the count from sesame street lol. God bless you and go get them in the marsh.
Thank you so much Jeff!
Yesssssss!!!!!!
Haha, I hope the rest of the feedback is that positive!
@@TheNewHuntersGuide your content certainly deserves the positivity
Thank you so much!@@bent5434
What do u do with the other shells that u don't shoot
Make more videos.
I got a carlson LR (.705) cremator waterfowl browning invector thread for my mossberg, would bb be fine for geese?
You should probably ask Carlsons.
Shot BB kent precision steel1600fps. really bad patterns at 40yrds. SX4 and carlsons' cremator mid range. I'll try factory full next time.
You are right, waste of money. I won't use BB steel anymore.
Yea, it's just not capable of patterning well enough to reliably and consistently hit birds in vital areas. Unless they are close, which negates the point of BB shot lol.
@TheNewHuntersGuide I'd like to see BB shot through a IC choke. Maybe all other chokes are too narrow for the pellets. Another issue someone pointed out is that 1500 fps is too fast best would be under 1400fps. Hypersonic speeds causes the pellets to destabilize.
That might make a difference, but ultimately, there aren't enough pellets in the shell to get enough pattern density. If you get 100% pattern density, that's still only 90 pellets. I think steel BB shot is a fundamentally flawed idea for bird hunting, it only exists because of marketing.@@jeansandmyshirt
@TheNewHuntersGuide you have a point. I'll stick with #4 and #2 for ducks. I'm still having trouble jump shooting ducks. Haven't gone to practice clay shooting maybe that's why I can't hit any flying duck 😂
Practice does a hunter good!@@jeansandmyshirt
Can you use a carlson's flush mount full choke with bb at 1500 to 1550 fps?
I don't think they make one of those for my gun.
Just thought I would let you know that I went to the marsh last week with STEEL. Half an hour after high tide two wigeon came in to the left of the decoys, I got the first one and the other turned back; Killed with the third shot. Then a double on teal, another double on wigeon. Then two for two. Another teal and lots of single wigeon. Ending up with 9 wigeon and 3 teal. What was I using? A 1/4 choke out of my Browning A5; with 1-1/4 oz 3's (3.5mm) for the first and second shot with 1-3/8 oz 2's (3.8mm) for the last. And used twice for cripple stopping- the water erupted. Who needs Tungsten or Bismuth? My vented 1/2 choke and a reloaded 3-1/2" case with 1-1/2 oz of STEEL BB.s gives me 116 pellets in a 30" circle- devastating. Looking forward to your further tests with STEEL.
Those are great results! I would still never walk into the woods with steel again if I could help it. But I don't hunt where you hunt or how you hunt. About 70% of my birds are taken on foot at extended range.
BBs or larger shot, the circle should be a maximum of 24 inch diameter. 24 inch pattern will consistently kill snow geese without cripples at 70 yards. A perfectly even pattern across 24 inches will get clean kills.
Tell me more about how you are building that framework.
@@TheNewHuntersGuide Briley, .015 choke in a Beretta steelium barrel or Briley.025 choke in Winchester .741 barrel and a Briley .030 choke in a 935 Mossberg .773 Barrel.
I don’t understand how you can say what the best choke or constriction is for BBs when I need a more open pattern at 25-30. What you determined in your test might be the absolute worst for someone else. So the title is confusing.
Watch more videos. All has been addressed and will become clear.
Been shooting BB through super full extended choke for years
Nice!
Interesting 🦆🦆🦆
Thanks!
Bismuth is way too expensive !…….
Depends on your budget and how much you shoot each season. $25 a box vs. $42 a box is that a big deal if you only shoot 1 box.
@@TheNewHuntersGuide I don’t know about you but during a duck season I will shoot 8 to 10 boxes of shells and at $42 bucks a box ( probably more ) that’s a lot of money , $25 bucks a box is bad enough ! Thanks for all your work doing the video , I wouldn’t have thought the full choke would be the best pattern . I will try a full choke this season . I usually shoot # 2 Steel with an improved mod choke , it looks like a full choke is better !…..
Yea, I don't go through that many shells in a hunting season. So for me, its a non issue. A case will last me about 3 years. Maybe more if I don't keep using the shells to make UA-cam videos, ha.@@thomasdaum1927
@@TheNewHuntersGuide You might consider reloading that way you can load the velocity and size of shot also chose the wad you like ! Right now I am loading 1 oz of # 2s at 1700 fps ( over the chronograph ) !
Just have to stop yelling.
Never use full choke for steel shot.
Why?
@@TheNewHuntersGuide Steel shot will damage a full choke tube. Remington will tell you this.
@@TheNewHuntersGuide Full chokes and steel shot don’t mix, except when they do. Full and steel damage barrels, except when they don’t. Full chokes and steel produce blown patterns, except when they don’t. Full chokes and big pellets - BBB and T - really don’t mix, except when they do. Figuring out where the truth lies is difficult. Here it is. Most of it, anyway.
@@mg8720-u7j Hasn't really been my experience or the recommendations of the choke or gun companies. Though I have seen BB shot not love tighter chokes as much. They do sometimes pattern tighter but the pattern consistency went out the window.
@@TheNewHuntersGuide I get the best patterns with a modified choke. Its the only choke you ever need.
Great video but you can talk in a normal human voice? The price is right hype man voice is unnecessary and annoying. There's no way you talk like that in real life.
You know, I've tested some videos that were lower energy. Didn't seem to make any positive difference with viewers. I could try more. But low energy is boring and I'm excited about most of these subjects.
SHOCK AND AW
Haha
Keep kicking the tires
Thanks!