I have an improved mod Trulock tube - works well and patterns well. Not all that much better than the factory mod, but I like being able to swap out with no wrench or quarter or whatever.
Im shooting the mod. That cam with the gun and its not making me happy.... I shoot a remington 870 with a mod and love it..... idk if its barrel length or me I will have to look into what you have thanks
Consistent gun mount, keeping your head down on the stock, as well as a shooting stance that ensures good balance are equally as important as what choke constriction your gun has when you are shooting birds.
What shells are your preferred ammo. I would recommend you pattern your gun with your load of preference with each of your stanard tubes prior switching. Make sure you shoot off a stationary bench at a pattern sheet at known distance. Based on what you see on paper, in a stanardized comparison, you now have adequate background to determine whether it is the choke or the shooter...
If you are shooting shotshells with wads that rely on a choke tube with "fingers" to achieve optimal patterns, standard tubes may not likely yield good patterns.
I shoot most of the time with either an IC or Mod standard screw-in tube in my SBE. For cranes over decoys in NoDak, my IC tube with Hevi-shot Bs or #2s is deadly out to 45yards. I like Federal Black Cloud close range loads as well. I now shoot a Carlson's Mod Crio-plus that is specific to Black Cloud loads. I found that Black Cloud loads didn't pattern well in my MOD Benelli tube. Standard steel high-speed loads for ducks and geese over decoys;I move back to my standard Benelli I.C. I use the standard I.C, with lead #4s on pheasants.
I shoot imp cyl. when shooting black cloud and a pattern master ext range when shooting Hevi Steel. I also used the close range black cloud earlier in the season and it worked well for me in the imp. cyl. choke. But like they said patterning it will tell you what works for your gun and what does not.
Read Rick's post carefully---full of good info. As for me I patterned 2s, 3s, 4s, 6s, and 7 shot, in 2 3/4" and 2s, 3s, 4s, and 6s in 3" shells at 20 yards, 25 yards, 30 yards, 35 yards, 40 yards, and 50 yards. When that was all done (lots of paper and cardboard but well worth it), I opted to let the ducks come within 25 to 30 yards before I will take a whack at them with Dove load steel #7s. I use a modified choke.
I have a Nova with a 26" barrel.
Al
I put a lot of shells down range on paper. If at all practical, try to get your hands on an extended briley tube. I have them in cylinder, modified, and full. Then pattern some loads at varying distances.
Also pay close attention to the amount of payload in shells when buying them. More weight = more pellets = more leeway.
I have bin shooting a sbe for a bunch of years tried a lot of chokes on paper and I shoot a briley ext in improved cyl. from close in to 60 yards with plenty of killing power at long yardage find the choke that works best with what you shoot and learn to shoot it
I shoot a Benellie M2 and the best choke I have found is a custom choke by Som Toy in his modified which is ,.002 tighter than normal. With #3 and # 2 it is deadly.
I also shoot the Briley ext choke tubes. They have then at the buck gardner sight. Shoot a duck decoy which is improved cylinder with 3 shot federal for ducks works great. This choke does not pattern well with 3.5 in bb threw my gun for geese. I shoot a heavy metal choke when just goose hunting.
I also shoot the Briley chokes threw my over and under and love them to. shoot a dove duster and a duck decoy. Dove duster is a light mod.
Shot my limit of drake old squaws with 7 shots this year and only had one cripple that the tender had to shoot again. That was shooting number 2 shot federal.
I would look at the brileys for sure they seem to work good for me and one of the other guys I hunt with.
Hope this helped a little. Good Luck
I use Kicks in both of my SBEs...no matter which choke you choose, use premium ammunition and pattern the firearm to determine what ammunition puts the most pellets in the kill zone. You will not believe the difference between a quality after market choke that is designed for steel shot and the factory choke tubes.