I think it all depends on the shot and game. I do agree however, that light mod is always in the conversation. For quail I like IC and LM...which is also the two I pick from for steel shot for ducks. modified is a good compromise for a lead shot with autoloader, and modified and improved modified for late season pheasant. Full is 100% only a turkey choke for me. Even high flying pass shooting it does so poorly with non-toxic that I don't have a use for it.
If you bring that paper back from 25 yards to 15 yards with the ic choke you'll have about the same density as the full at 25 yards. That's the whole point.......more open choke is for closer shots. Most guys running double barrels run an ic in the first barrel fired and mod or full in the second barrel fired......if you miss when the birds close up you have a tighter chikenfornthe second shot when the birds further away.
30" circle around densest pattern at 40 yards, count the pellets in the circle and divide by total pellets in load for hit %. you want 65% or greater regardless of choke and load for greater game getting possibility.
20 seconds into the video - in Kansas you use a modified for upland. I’ve been with people that use full, they don’t have any meat left to harvest, and people with IC are just shooting and not hitting birds. Dove, Pheasant and Quail are all in season at the same time and 6 shot will down all of them. If I’m dove hunting I load 6/7.5/6, typically about 30 minutes until I limit, pheasant I load 6/4/6. If you’re using a O/U maybe a modified and IM choke, IM for waterfowl and full for sand hill cranes. My experience is all 12 gauge 870 and 20 gauge mossberg with a fixed choke, and whatever the other guys I’m hunting with are using. I’m going broke next year during dove season because I plan on learning to shoot with a .410 🤣.
Oh boy, Cal really left a lot out on this one. Chokes are better correlated with distance. For example an IC choke has the same pattern density at something like 15 yards as the Full does at 40-45 yards. Set your chokes up for the distance your shots will be at, you don’t want to pepper a bird or any small game at 10 yards with a full choke 😂
I don't have an over and under so I run a modified in my pump and my semiautomatic is a fixed full from the factory. Only time I change my choke is when turkey hunting. I always use the same ammo for water foul.
You will find that different loads pattern better or worse with from an individual gun and choke tube combination. The only way to really know is to go pattern your gun with the shells you are planning to hunt with.
It would've been super easy to go pick up the chunks and measured volume left after a full compared to a volume left after an IC. On say 5 really good, solid hits. And then you compare to the volume of an intact clay. It'd have given a comparison of how much "more" damage a full does compared to an IC.
Weak from a whole brand like meat eater imo there's a whole slow-mo series on a smaller channel showing the 3d "shot string" from smaller channels 😂 the 2d shot pattern is the old way of doing things. We know how to pattern. Add some modern tech to your opinion.
you should know that some of these other channels have proven that the "shot string" travels at such high velocities that the length of the shot string is basically irrelevant, and is purely used for marketing BS
Lot's of people don't know how to pattern, and also the first pellet to the last, that duck or pheasant has flown about 0.12" further. It's absolutely irrelevant. It's real, and means exactly nothing to actually shooting birds.
Seems like with a MeatEater budget, Cal could've sprung for the fancy neon targets.
Thanks. I like an Improved Modified in my bottom barrel and Light Modified up top.
I think it all depends on the shot and game. I do agree however, that light mod is always in the conversation. For quail I like IC and LM...which is also the two I pick from for steel shot for ducks. modified is a good compromise for a lead shot with autoloader, and modified and improved modified for late season pheasant.
Full is 100% only a turkey choke for me. Even high flying pass shooting it does so poorly with non-toxic that I don't have a use for it.
If you bring that paper back from 25 yards to 15 yards with the ic choke you'll have about the same density as the full at 25 yards. That's the whole point.......more open choke is for closer shots. Most guys running double barrels run an ic in the first barrel fired and mod or full in the second barrel fired......if you miss when the birds close up you have a tighter chikenfornthe second shot when the birds further away.
@@jimlacefield7176 for quail, chukar, grouse, and pheasant I agree. Dove and ducks opposite imo
30" circle around densest pattern at 40 yards, count the pellets in the circle and divide by total pellets in load for hit %. you want 65% or greater regardless of choke and load for greater game getting possibility.
Such a great topic and a great breakdown. Thanks for the info and demonstration.
20 seconds into the video - in Kansas you use a modified for upland. I’ve been with people that use full, they don’t have any meat left to harvest, and people with IC are just shooting and not hitting birds. Dove, Pheasant and Quail are all in season at the same time and 6 shot will down all of them. If I’m dove hunting I load 6/7.5/6, typically about 30 minutes until I limit, pheasant I load 6/4/6. If you’re using a O/U maybe a modified and IM choke, IM for waterfowl and full for sand hill cranes.
My experience is all 12 gauge 870 and 20 gauge mossberg with a fixed choke, and whatever the other guys I’m hunting with are using. I’m going broke next year during dove season because I plan on learning to shoot with a .410 🤣.
Oh boy, Cal really left a lot out on this one.
Chokes are better correlated with distance. For example an IC choke has the same pattern density at something like 15 yards as the Full does at 40-45 yards.
Set your chokes up for the distance your shots will be at, you don’t want to pepper a bird or any small game at 10 yards with a full choke 😂
I don't have an over and under so I run a modified in my pump and my semiautomatic is a fixed full from the factory. Only time I change my choke is when turkey hunting. I always use the same ammo for water foul.
What are those orange things you are using to hold your patterning board? I'd buy a set today if I knew what they were and where to get them.
You will find that different loads pattern better or worse with from an individual gun and choke tube combination. The only way to really know is to go pattern your gun with the shells you are planning to hunt with.
It would've been super easy to go pick up the chunks and measured volume left after a full compared to a volume left after an IC. On say 5 really good, solid hits. And then you compare to the volume of an intact clay. It'd have given a comparison of how much "more" damage a full does compared to an IC.
Go with a poly choke For a single barrel ,no tools needed-just twist to the desired lines marked on the choke 👍
IC will pop anything in 35 yards easily
Pattern density matters more, can’t be no holes
@cal what sunglasses are those? Thanks!
Take a mulligan on this one. Let’s see a do over Cal. This has the look and feel of a concept not a finished video.
Thanks! What load? (Looked hot?)
Full on turkey and geese , modified on smaller birds is my choice
Upland game, Light Modified,,,,, Waterfowl, Light Modified.
Upland full choke if your hunting wild birds
@@bryce8174 I hunt mearns with 010 and 020 🤣
Ducks and dove full
Grouse depends on terrain and how spooky the birds are but usually in the middle.
Rare for Cal to make such a stinker video.
I have a feeling this guy goes hungry often.
Lots of Americans are the opposite
@@keatonjorgensen8793 😂😂😂😂
Weak from a whole brand like meat eater imo there's a whole slow-mo series on a smaller channel showing the 3d "shot string" from smaller channels 😂 the 2d shot pattern is the old way of doing things. We know how to pattern. Add some modern tech to your opinion.
you should know that some of these other channels have proven that the "shot string" travels at such high velocities that the length of the shot string is basically irrelevant, and is purely used for marketing BS
Lot's of people don't know how to pattern, and also the first pellet to the last, that duck or pheasant has flown about 0.12" further. It's absolutely irrelevant. It's real, and means exactly nothing to actually shooting birds.