# Patternmaster, Kicks, Briley, Carlson, Factory, or Other



## RailRoadRetrievers

Last hunt of the season I saw more than one duck lose feathers, start to fall, then right itself and fly off with the other birds.

So I'm thinking maybe it's not putting enough shot on my target and hitting them hard enough. I've used a kicks several times and haven't seen enough evidence to prove it was a worthy investment. I am thinking of purchasing a Patternmaster or maybe they are all a waste and I need to switch loads again an stick with a factory tube...

Thoughts....


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## Bob Z

I would spend time at the patterning board with your current choke and load. That is the only way to know what your pattern is really doing. You can then try different load/choke combinations until you find the one that works best out of your gun. With that being said I've had very good results with Mueller tubes for sporting clays and trap. I then tried his waterfowl tubes for duck and pheasants with equal success, but I put a lot of rounds on the patterning board before I settled on them.


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## Bill Cummins Jr.

Bob Z said:


> I would spend time at the patterning board with your current choke and load. That is the only way to know what your pattern is really doing. You can then try different load/choke combinations until you find the one that works best out of your gun. With that being said I've had very good results with Mueller tubes for sporting clays and trap. I then tried his waterfowl tubes for duck and pheasants with equal success, but I put a lot of rounds on the patterning board before I settled on them.


 I have to agree with Bob, probably not the choke,spend more time in the off-season with different loads till you find the one that works best. (Aim at their eyes!  )

Bill C.


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## 43x

RailRoadRetrievers said:


> Last hunt of the season I saw more than one duck lose feathers, start to fall, then right itself and fly off with the other birds.
> 
> So I'm thinking maybe it's not putting enough shot on my target and hitting them hard enough. I've used a kicks several times and haven't seen enough evidence to prove it was a worthy investment. I am thinking of purchasing a Patternmaster or maybe they are all a waste and I need to switch loads again an stick with a factory tube...
> 
> 
> Thoughts....


The kicks are stripper chokes, you usually have to go with a more open choke. I use a kicks .725 & .715 in my double gun for ducks.
btw... To tight of constriction will blow patterns
Go to the pattern board, it doesn't lie !,


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## Brettttka

Rob Roberts gun works!!! Call the guys at the shop if you don't have time to pattern yourself they have patterned everything out there and will let you know the choke and shell to use. For the A400 the T2 Rob Roberts with blue box federal #2 is what was recommended to me by them and had very few cripples this season compared to past.


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## quackaholic

I like pattern master. Original not the anaconda . They actually strip the was also and are awesome tight. So it takes getting used too. 
I now use a custom .710 a friend of mine makes and I haven't found a load that doesn't pattern well from it. I gave found some to tight for me to hit anything with. Lol


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## jd6400

Like others said...get on the paper with different chokes and loads.My versa max does well on ducks with a Sumtoy choke(air traffic) and black cloud 3s for ducks....finally got the right combo for my sp10 in a .720 terror and BBB.Jim


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## Steve Thornton

I would also suggest you take a look at the Shotshell/Reloading thread on Duck Hunting Chat. Lots of good info on loads and chokes. Some of those guys have the pellet size, pattern and pellet energy stuff down to a science. Chatting with few on there led me to using faster, lighter, smaller loads. I had to pattern a lot to find the best one. I am shooting Kent 1 1/8 3's at 1560fps and it is working well for me. I shoot a Super X-2 and use a Carlsons steel mid-range.


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## Steveo

A few minutes at the patterning plate (or a 36" roll of paper) will really open your eyes.

For an explanation of the concept and procedure of patterning and point of impact, see MacIntosh's book "Shotguns and Shooting" - a sampler of articles and stories by a knowledgele gunner and great writer. There's two or three chapters that really helped me to get beyond blaming loads, the gun, or the wind, the choke, the dog, etc.

For a detailed treatise on "Why" we hit with a shotgun read Brister "Shotgunning - The Art and Science". It pre-dates Macintosh, and really details things like pattern density, stringing, flyers, etc.

Both of these books are "essential" - "classics". Both are still in print, you might find them at the local library - Or less than 20 bucks each at the typical online sources.

All in all, the main part of hitting with a shotgun is getting your mind off of your hands so you can concentrate on the bird. 
Eliminate your doubts on the gun, and you can concentrate on the target.


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## Matt Haugen

My cynergy over under has pattern masters and I love them, only complaint is when you get birds in real close it tears them up if you don't miss. Field hunting geese is when they really shine, geese hit dead at 45+yards in the air always puts a smile on my face.


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