Ok guys I'm picking up my new tri-star hunter magnum tonight, it's a 12 ga over under chambered in 3.5" mag. I'm hoping some of you have experience with this gun. I'm looking for a good ammo/choke combo, I tried no4s and 5's in my 835 and couldn't kill a bird at 35 yards, I suspect I bought it used and someone shot slugs though the gun because the threads seemed to be oversized compared to the choke tubes. Well thanks in advance guys, I'm looking forward to knocking down some birds withthis gun.
ammo choke combo
- Thread starter 6mm06guy
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StrutNut
Well-Known Member
First off you will likely not enjoy shooting 3.5 inch shells through that and there is nothing wrong with it as 3 inch shells perform very well on game as large as Giant Canada geese. For shooting steel shot I would run both barrels improved modified. Steel shot runs tighter patterns and IM seems to be the best choke I have found for hunting waterfowl. If I was goose hunting only PatternMaster and Wad Wizzard both make very good chokes for longer shots. Again, it depends on if you are shooting lead or steel. For steel shot 4's are very small. I would opt for 2's for most everything except geese where 1 and BB seems to shine. For lead I would go with a standard Improved Cylinder for bottom barrel and Modified for top for close rang shooting, Modified Bottom and Full for longer range shooting. Not sure what kind of birds you are trying to kill at 35 yards but the 12 gauge is more than sufficient to do the task. Foster style or "lead" slugs will really not do anything to damage your chokes. I really have not herd anyone having damage from shooting sabot-ed slugs through regular chokes either. They just wont shoot straight. Rifled chokes actually work quite well with sabots.
Turkey, is what I'm hunting, sorry I wasn't clear. I'm at work. I have always shot 3.5" so recoil isn't an issue. I tried to shoot winchester xx Turkey no4's, long beard, #13 heavy blend, federal premium #4, and several others loads with a Carlson long beard choke, and my pattern only holds up to about 35 yards.
StrutNut
Well-Known Member
Thats strange for sure as you should have much better patterns with those loads. I have had good luck with Brileys too but it gets expensive testing out chokes then trying to buy 2 of them!
6, I shoot the 3 1/2's with a Patternmaster for Turkey and waterfowl and 2 3/4's through a Carlson LM for pheasant down to dove. Like the BB for waterfowl and the 4's for turkey. The LM choke gets the short and further shots for me with 5-7 1/2's. 28" barrel Benelli.
Good luck
Good luck
geo4061
Well-Known Member
Check out Coyote ammo and choke test thread. Try The Winchester XR 3.5" #4's with a choke that has approximately a .660 inside diameter. Thanks StrutNut. It works great. The XR's love an extra full choke. These will take Turkey's, Coyotes, or anything else you want at 50 yards plus.
Thanks guys, I just shot the gun, recoil is a little stiff with #4 winchester long beards, but with a coat will be easily managable, thanks for the replys.
Does anyone shoot jellyhead chokes? Will a ported choke help any?
Does anyone shoot jellyhead chokes? Will a ported choke help any?
Go to Nitro Company's website. Find your shotgun and they tell you the best ammo/choke combo to shoot. I've been shooting Nitros for years with great results. I'm currently swapping over to TSS. I'm getting a 271 pellet count in a 10" circle at 40 yards with a 1 5/8 oz 20 gauge load. I'm also shooting it in my 12 gauge with good results. TSS is some bad news for turkeys. As far as factory loads, Nitros is where it's at. Good luck.
It does not. I use to shoot it at turkeys. Back when that was "cutting edge" technology. Lol
