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Shotgun setup for coyotes...Choke&shot's?

26K views 34 replies 14 participants last post by  Lost In The Sproul 
#1 ·
I'm going to patten my Turkey gun this weekend...I'm normally useing.640 Hastings choke with 3 inch number 6's 2oz..and i've killed a turkey out to 56 yards a few years back...my question is what choices do i have for coyotes..i have chokes from IC up to .640 which is the tightiest choke and i was thinking maybe number 4 OO buck shot..what choke should i start with..and if i could get away shooting any steel shot for dawgs since,i have so much of it..like a BBB or BB...I have it in blackcloud and Kent Steel...Thanks Honks
 
#2 ·
Do NOT shoot steel for coyote, very poor penetration. Just curious what gun are you shooting?
I've tried quite a few different chokes/loads for both predators and turkey as well. I get good patterns in my Benelli SBE 2 and Mossberg 835 using a Dead Coyote Choke (DC doesn't list the constriction on their chokes) and 3 1/2" Dead Coyote shells (in both T- shot and #4 buck). Federal also makes a 3 1/2" #4 buck shell (unplated lead shot) we've had good success with. I can kill a coyote out to about 50-55yds. If fox are in the picture I like shooting Winchester Xtended Range in BB or even B-shot (H-T-L). The Hevishot Waterfowl loads (B-shot) will work good as well. If you are strictly shooting fox you can't beat #4 shot (either copperplated lead or hevishot). Almost all the guys I run hounds with use full chokes or their turkey chokes with no issues.
I'd definitely pattern your gun first so you will know your limitations before heading out hunting.
On a side note (turkey hunting), I can put 300 pellets in a 10" circle at 40yds shooting A Rhino Choke (.695) and Nitro Company shells ( 3 1/2" 4 X 5 X 7 hevishot). Using my SBE 2 I get around 200=210 hits.
Here's my 835 pattern.
 
#5 ·
I'm shooting a mossberg 535 with the 22 inch turkey barrel and a hastings .640 choketube...this is a new shotgun and hav'nt had it out to pattern it yet...my other mossberg500 reaches out with Kents 6's..Ok..so here's my thought..640 choke and number 4 OO or hevi shot.? and the setup is for coyotes..Thanks Russ
 
#6 ·
You mean #4 buck correct? 00 buck patterns poorly not to mention it is illegal for predators here in Pa. #4 buck is the largest shot you can use. A typical 3 1/2" #4 buck shell contains 54 pellets. You will be able to find #4 buck alot cheaper than any H-T-L loads. I'm a big fan of the heavier than lead loads however. I've never achieved good patterns with any of the Kent shells personally (turkey loads).
Is the 535 capable of handling 3 1/2" shells or just 3"?
I don't believe the 535 have overbored barrels like the 835's do.
 
#8 ·
I learned the hard way about steel BB this year, shot a my daylight coyote this year from awfully close through some brush and it tore out of there like it was on fire but I never found it. I did find fur and tracks running full speed for as long as I could follow them! I just got a new Rem 870 supermag, and Iv got some incredibly tight patterns at 45y (longest dist availible at freinds house) with 2 3/4 24pellet Hornady varmit express #4 buck. Out of a rem modified choke. I just recived my Carlsons coyote choke today I belive its .660? hopefully its not over choked. This Hornady stuff just blows a hole in paper at that distance. I would like to get some 3-3.5 #4 buck to try but you know the way ammo is right now I just cant find it. the hornady is fairly priced about 15$ for 10.
 
#10 ·
You probably arent going to get great patterns with the larger size shot out of that Hastings .640 tube. I have the same one on my remington and tried one of the dead coyote loads out of it, not good at all. I've been researching choke tubes for #4 Buck and the DC loads and everything I've read says to stick to the .660 to .670 range.
 
#14 ·
swpa87 said:
Have you guys ever killed a coyote with a 3.5 turkey load? just wondering maby like 30y?
I've killed a few with regular 3" #4 shot. That's all we used while running them with hounds when they first started popping up. We would start a yote by accident more or less while fox hunting. That was in the late 80's/early 90's when they started showing up around here.
 
#17 ·
I would like to try that... if I coupd ever find it. Went back to grab another box of the #4 buck today and sombody bought the last 3 boxes. This ammo stuff is really getting annoying its like a bunch of kids (adults) running for candy (ammo) from a pinnata (truck) lol. I wish I could find any of these. people are buying 50$ boxes of DC hevishot because 10 more sgotgun shells are going to change their life.
 
#18 ·
All I can find is turkey loads thats why I asked. I still have 15+ buck shells but hey if it comes to it like what are you gonna do? I did kill 3 last year with steel BB, they were in the open though and fairly close. It did seem to nail them but not taking that chance after the last one. I dought a turkey load would work better than steel bb anyway. Federal makes one with a "flight controll wad" that I have heard really good stuff about. I think It might have to do more with the wad than anything eles.
 
#20 ·
beagler said:
Do NOT shoot steel for coyote, very poor penetration. Just curious what gun are you shooting?
I've tried quite a few different chokes/loads for both predators and turkey as well. I get good patterns in my Benelli SBE 2 and Mossberg 835 using a Dead Coyote Choke (DC doesn't list the constriction on their chokes) and 3 1/2" Dead Coyote shells (in both T- shot and #4 buck). Federal also makes a 3 1/2" #4 buck shell (unplated lead shot) we've had good success with. I can kill a coyote out to about 50-55yds. If fox are in the picture I like shooting Winchester Xtended Range in BB or even B-shot (H-T-L). The Hevishot Waterfowl loads (B-shot) will work good as well. If you are strictly shooting fox you can't beat #4 shot (either copperplated lead or hevishot). Almost all the guys I run hounds with use full chokes or their turkey chokes with no issues.
I'd definitely pattern your gun first so you will know your limitations before heading out hunting.
On a side note (turkey hunting), I can put 300 pellets in a 10" circle at 40yds shooting A Rhino Choke (.695) and Nitro Company shells ( 3 1/2" 4 X 5 X 7 hevishot). Using my SBE 2 I get around 200=210 hits.
Here's my 835 pattern.
I recently spoke to Carlson's about their Dead Coyote Choke. They informed me the DC chokes were all .665 no matter what make gun they go in. I've been doing alot of research and calling different choke companies.

So that got me thinking, My Indian Creek BDS Turkey choke is the same constriction as the DC, so I figured I'd run some #4 Buck and Winnie Extended Range B's through it. I was averaging between 20 and 25 #4'bucks in a ten inch circle @ 40 yards, and more with the B shot. I also got similar numbers when I was running a Pure Gold .670 Turkey choke.

I called Indian creek and Pure Gold, and asked why their Buckshot labeled choke is so open. Basically it came down to alot of people use 00 buck for coyotes, its legal in alot of other states. Everything up to #4 buck shoots awesome in the Turkey chokes, but bigger than it is just way too tight. Not to mention the # of people using buckshot for deer are usually using 00 or bigger and the more open chokes are made for that.

Thats my 2 cents, I'd say shoot some #4 buck out of your turkey choke, you might get surprised how well it shoots.
 
#21 ·
I have recently tried to pattern my 835 with several different chokes and the Hornady Varmit Express 2 3/4" #4 Buckshot (24 pellets). I used a Carlson .743 which is an extended choke and a hair tighter than the standard Mossberg Accu-Mag modified choke which is .750. I have also shot through he standard Mossberg Accu-Mag Full choke which is .730. At 25 yds. I got 9 on a sheet of 8 1/2" x 11 1/2" target. at 50yds. nothing with the Full, and 4 with the Carlson at 25 yds. and nothing at 50 yds. Not very promising

I read that one of the guys on here ran #4 Buckshot through the Ulti-Full (.695 ) with good paterns. I need to try this I think. I
know with the Ulti-Full I get great patterns out of my #4 or #6 Win XX Supreme Copper plated Turkey Loads. which is what I normally load up when target fox.

#4 Buck is just about the same size as F shot, and only about .05 in. larger thatn BB. I believe BB is able to be shot out of the Ulti-Full....

I'll let you know the results....

PS: I spoke with PGC about the #4 Buckshot limit, and they did not have a reason as to why #00 is not allowed. I missed my opportunity to speak with the PGC Board Commissioners at the Jaffa Show. The WCO I spoke with said he thought it would be an option that would need to be reviewed, but open for discussion. Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to follow up with them.

Thanks,
ZMan079
 
#22 ·
Because ii has so few pellets that your likely to wound it at longer ranges. I found some more stuff today called Winchester supreem coyote 3in B shot it like a hevi shot tugsten stuff. I patterned it at 50y and you will deffinitly hit it. The holes were alot smaller than 4buck but they say its for coyotes so... The 3in kick so much harder lol Iv never shot anything but 2.75. Thats all my old gun would take so I bought a supermag lol. Im sure those 3.5 kick pretty nasty.
 
#23 ·
I got great patterns from my 76 windmaster w fixed rem modifed choke. Maby you could retry with like an IC because that stuff will do its job. I did shoot one through my new carlson coyote choke at 50y today and whhile it still got 8 on the in a 10? circle it wasnt neaely as good as it was with my over decoys .706 was. oh well I wanted to use the bigger shells anyway. I dont know much about shotguns but isnt the mossberg a bigger barrle? You probably already know the answer im just curious? thanks
 
#25 ·
I usually sight my red dot in at about 10 yards with low brass shells. That should get you pretty close. You may need to make minor adjustments as the magnum loads come out a little faster but it should put the majority of the shot on paper.
 
#26 ·

just did this today, 65y carlsons coyote choke 660, the cardboard is 12in tall by 22in long. aprox size of brodside coyote, hornady #4 buck 2.75 24pell got 12hits and my 3in winchester supreem b hevishot stuff got 41 hits. now obviously this isnt too scientific... I just aimed like I would if I had a quick shot from a kneeling position no rest, no circles but if this were a coyote standing brodside im pretty sure it would be dead. Please let me know what you guys think. thanks
 
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