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wife wants a shotgun for buck shot for varmints bothering her chickens. I set up a mossberg 500b with 18 in barrel and cyl choke, but its too heavy for her. I have a single barrel with a mod choke and she likes the weight. I read somewhere that mod choke works great with buck shot. I use federal 16ga #1 buck ammo. anyone know if mod choke works for buckshot?

Modified works great with buckshot. Having shot lots of targets with both cylinder and modified chokes, modified has shown a significant improvement in pattern density. I have been procrastinating, but I have an improved modified tube I want to try.

Phil

*Last edited by cowdoc87 on Wed Nov 30, 2016 9:01 pm; edited 2 times in total*

Varmints better watch out for a mad woman with a 16 full of buckshot! I think I'd lose my taste for yardbird real quick!

Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 603 Location: Victoria BC Canada

Joined: 04 Mar 2016 Posts: 21 Location: Norway

Single barrel and buck shot reminds me of my first time grey goose hunting. I was fourteen and had borrowed a single barreled, USSR made Star 12 GA gun, <4 lbs and with a steel butt-plate from a cousin, along with a dozen 1 1/4 oz copper plated Federal BBs donated from the military police at the local AFB.

I walked into two big flocks of birds just after sunrise and shot and loaded and shot and loaded until I had four birds. But on my way back I had to carry them all in my left hand, because my right shoulder was so beaten that I couldn't close my fist properly. Very Happy

Balance and weight may be appealing with a single barrel gun, but do make sure she tries it with some light loads first. Smile

YES, I remember a 20 gauge single shot that would beat me
into submission, wow it kicked

Mike

Member Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 1863 Location: Wisconsin

Don't know if you can get #4 buck for 16ga, but I would I I were you. Great dense patterns of very lethal shot. I've killed many deer with #1 buck in a mod barrel 12 bore in front of blueticks, and prefer the mod choke for good buckshot patterns. Reno

Joined: 16 Jul 2015 Posts: 2125 Location: Hudson,Wy

What kind of varmints? Fox don't really take much to kill and #4 lead or #2 steel actually works very well. The steel will likely pattern tighter.
Coyotes require a bit more but I will say that back when I paid my utility bills with coyote fur money the absolute best shot I found for them was "T" steel shot in spite of what anyone claimed was best. I tried it all since money was on the line. That was before tungsten offerings. Buckshot was so-so. That was in a 10ga.
The problem is that "T: steel isn't going to happen in the 16 ga. but #4 buck is likely available and would be better than most 16 ga. options currently available.
Not too sure about racoons, but I killed a mess of 'em one high wind day with duck loads while out busting mallards in a cornfield. Stumbled onto a whole gathering and they ran in all directions. So did I. Landowner was pleased.